Review: Wal-Mart Book of Ethics: An often-witty oxymoron
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 3, 2012
The title alone of author/editor R.A. Wilson'sWal-Mart Book of Ethics Abridged Editionis enough to bring a smile to a reader's face... or a shudder, depending on your point of view.  Found this one as a result of a book link on the 'Net that went to another and so on.  We've all been there, and in many cases they're not worth following.  In this case, I'm glad that I did, as this short Kindle offering turned out to be an often-witty surprise.Within his Forward the author states the following:"Most depictions of Wal-Mart take an anti or pro stance. Neither is accurate. Pro Wal-Mart works proclaim the positive aspects of the company, but they fail to show the whole picture. Anti Wal-Mart works are mostly lies, crafted purely as money makers for the producers, writers, directors. In fact, while working for the company, I have watched anti Wal-Mart movies just for a good laugh as they are so misleading."We go on to find this passage, which to this reader seemed to be a disclaimer of sorts, but offering some interesting food for thought:"In the end, this book boils down to a testament of how abnormal any retail environment is, be it Wal-Mart, Kmart, Sears, Target, Mc Donald's, Best Buy, etc. This is a look at how the abnormal becomes normal in the daily setting of retail sales. People can be kind and courteous, but in a retail store as customers, workers, or managers, everything changes. All bets are off."This book is made up of anecdotal experiences written either by the author or by a contributor named James, and for those who have never experienced the joys (or horrors) of working within the setting of a large major retailing chain, they offer an encapsulated view of what it's like as a wage earner from a first person viewpoint.  For those who have worked in such environments, there will be more than enough over which to empathize.These are not philosophical anecdotes; they are almost like reading personal narrative journal entries that have been shared.  Whether you, the reader, will ever want to again buy a rotisserie chicken from the meat department of a chain after reading this book remains to be seen:"I stare at the guy in complete disbelief.  I do not see how engaging in intercourse with the poultry will make my job any easier.  I brush it off and move on as the bell rings at the meat counter."We gain insight into the lives of these people, people that many of us know or may even be related to, and one can begin to realize that they are individuals just like us, with the same issues that we all face in the workplace.  Yet it is the author and editor who shares his often dark sense of humor that makes this a good offering, even if only as a diversion.Journalist Tracie McMillan devoted a large portion of her bookThe American Way of Eatingto the Wal-Mart experience as a work environment, and as a serious read, that one is quite good.  The difference here is that this one adds a level of humor, and even hilarity, to what it's like to wear the Wal-Mart work badge.R.A. Wilson has noted that these tales from Wal-Mart that are true, and are based on either firsthand experience or are written after interviewing the individual who experienced what we read.  The author has noted that this book is an experiment of sorts in the e-book format, and that user submitted stories might be added to future editions.  The simple act of occasionally removing this e-book from your Kindle device and re-downloading it again should carry the benefit of adding new stories periodically, if enough stories are submitted.Experimental or not, this one is good, and I hope to see more like it from R.A. Wilson.  Wal-Mart Book of Ethics is indeed an often-witty oxymoron.7/3/2012