MacDonald is just a regular, sharp-witted guy on a quest for funtential, his coined word for the maximum potential for fun. In a casual, playful tone, his account begins as he stares past his computer screen and at the brick wall of his girlfriend's apartment in Quebec; he lives there, and she pays the rent. Wanting to contribute financially to the relationship, he recalls a childhood game, Bigger and Better, and begins looking for something to trade. He's drawn to the red paperclip holding together his résumé and cover letter. The rest of the book traces his exchanges from the red paperclip to a fish pen to a smiley-face door knob and culminates with a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan—all within a year. From the outset, MacDonald insists on making each deal in person, and these personal exchanges provide the book with a human interest that transcends any fascination with quirky material swaps. Trading a door knob for Shawn's camping stove, for example, becomes an excuse for the once strangers to chat over steak sandwiches and beer. So, while the trades are the unifying element of the book, it isn't really about getting a house; it's about people, relationships and living life to its fullest.
(Aug.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Reader Reviews
First this young man trades a red paperclip for a house and now I'm paying him (book royalties)to tell me his story. But it's well worth the price of admission. He combines a clever idea and internet savvy with strong interpersonal skills to entice each trader and thousands of others to join his cause. Easy to read, hard to put down, and the pictures clinch the deal. I would have given it five stars except that I think he tries a little too hard to convince you he's "an Ordinary Man", which clearly he isn't.
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