Audiobook Sample
Listen to the sample to experience the story.
Please wait while we verify your browser...
- Title: Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All
- Author: Jon Gordon
- Narrator: Jon Gordon
- Length: 02:24:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/07/2014
- Publisher: Ascent Audio
- Genre: Business & Economics, Career Development
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s something profoundly intimate about listening to an author narrate their own work – it’s like being invited into their workshop, watching them shape raw material into something enduring. Jon Gordon’s “Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All” delivers precisely this experience, blending parable with practical strategy in a way that resonates long after the final chapter. As someone who’s collected stories from carpenters in Oaxaca to CEOs in Tokyo, I can attest that Gordon’s lessons feel as universal as the smell of sawdust and as personal as a handcrafted gift.
“”The Story That Builds You””
The narrative follows Michael, a businessman on the brink of collapse (literally – he opens the story hospitalized after a stress-induced jogging incident). His savior? A mysterious carpenter who becomes his mentor. Gordon structures the book like a well-made piece of furniture – deceptively simple lines hiding meticulous joinery. Each chapter reveals another tool for success: love, serve, care, relationships as foundations. It reminds me of watching a master carpenter in Pátzcuaro demonstrate dovetail joints – what looks like magic is actually repeatable technique passed down through generations.
“”Voice as Sandpaper and Polish””
Gordon’s narration is warm maple wood – smooth but with enough grain to feel authentic. He doesn’t perform characters so much as embody them, particularly the carpenter whose voice carries the quiet authority of someone who’s squared countless edges. The audio production enhances this with subtle workshop ambiance during key scenes – the distant rasp of a plane, the tap of a hammer – that transported me back to childhood summers watching my grandfather restore antique furniture. At 3 hours 41 minutes, it’s the perfect length for a coastal drive or a few evenings of reflection.
“”Timeless Tools for Modern Struggles””
What sets this apart from typical business audiobooks is how Gordon roots corporate wisdom in artisan values. When he discusses ‘building your masterpiece,’ I recalled a Kyoto woodworker explaining why he still uses 17th-century techniques: ‘The wood hasn’t changed.’ Similarly, Gordon’s strategies – like serving others to build loyalty or maintaining positivity during setbacks – feel excavated from bedrock rather than trendy surface soil. His comparison of business growth to curing wood (you can’t rush the process without causing cracks) particularly stuck with me during a recent project delay.
“”When the Grain Doesn’t Match””
Some listeners might crave more concrete frameworks – this isn’t a step-by-step manual but a philosophy wrapped in story. The hospital framing device occasionally feels restrictive, like trying to build a cabinet inside a closet. And while Gordon’s earnestness is refreshing, those allergic to optimism might need to sand down some edges to fit their worldview.
“”The Verdict””
Like the best travel stories, “Carpenter” leaves you with both practical souvenirs and shifted perspectives. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs feeling adrift, leaders needing to reconnect with their ‘why,’ or anyone who appreciates wisdom delivered through story rather than spreadsheet. Pair it with Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art” for balanced perspective – where Manson tears down toxic positivity, Gordon rebuilds with sustainable hope.
As I write this from a Lisbon café, surrounded by buildings that have stood for centuries thanks to master builders, I’m reminded that the best strategies outlive trends. Gordon’s audiobook is that rare blueprint that teaches while it transforms – not just how to construct success, but how to be someone worth building with.
With sawdust in my shoes and stories in my satchel,
Marcus Rivera
