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[(101/2 Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said)] [Author: Charles Wheelan] published on
The antidote to those cotton-candy platitudes that are all too familiar to anyone who’s ever worn a mortarboard, Wheelan’s 10½ head-turning aphorisms—backed up by a PhD in public policy and extensive social science research—set the record straight. Readers everywhere agreed, turning a Dartmouth Class Day speech that had gone viral into a best-selling book.
Whether praising the time “wasted” in fraternity basements; mentioning that, frankly, the worst days of your life still lie ahead; or simply asking that graduates avoid wreaking the kind of havoc that others before them have, Wheelan softens his candid conclusions with good-natured charm and tales of unconventional success. With cartoons sprinkled throughout to keep things light, this volume makes a perfect gift for graduates of all ages.
Whether praising the time “wasted” in fraternity basements; mentioning that, frankly, the worst days of your life still lie ahead; or simply asking that graduates avoid wreaking the kind of havoc that others before them have, Wheelan softens his candid conclusions with good-natured charm and tales of unconventional success. With cartoons sprinkled throughout to keep things light, this volume makes a perfect gift for graduates of all ages.
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First published May 7, 2012
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About the author
Charles Wheelan
9 books512 followersCharles Wheelan is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College. He joined the Dartmouth faculty fulltime in June of 2012.
Wheelan’s most recent book, Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data, was released by W.W. Norton in January of 2013. Three weeks later, it reached the New York Times bestseller list for hardback nonfiction. The San Francisco Chronicle called it a “brilliant, funny new book.” The New York Times described Wheelan as “the Dave Barry of the coin-flipping set.”
From 2004 to 2012, Wheelan was a senior lecturer in public policy at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. He taught several courses on understanding the policy process for Master’s students. For the 2004-05 academic year, he was voted Professor of the Year in a Non-Core Course by the Harris School student body.
In the fall of 2005, Wheelan created and taught the inaugural International Policy Practicum (IPP), in which 12 students studied economic reform in India for an academic term followed by a 10-day trip to Bangalore and Delhi to meet with economists, politicians, educators, civic leaders, and other experts. Subsequent IPPs have visited Brazil; Jordan and Israel; Turkey; Cambodia; and Rwanda and Madagascar.
In March of 2009, Wheelan ran unsuccessfully for Congress as the representative from the Illinois 5th District in the special election to replace Rahm Emanuel. In its editorial assessing the race, the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “Voters will find a ballot filled with impressive and thoughtful candidates . . . especially Charlie Wheelan, a University of Chicago lecturer who combines a razor-sharp mind with a boatload of charm and an impressive expertise in economics and foreign policy. We expect great things from Wheelan in the future.”
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Chicago, Wheelan was Director of Policy and Communications for Chicago Metropolis 2020, a business-backed civic group promoting healthy regional growth in the Chicago area.
From 1997 to 2002, Wheelan was the Midwest correspondent for The Economist. His story on America’s burgeoning ex-convict population was the August 10, 2002, cover story. He has written freelance articles for the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and other publications.
Wheelan’s first book, Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science, was published by W.W. Norton & Company in 2002. The book, an accessible and entertaining introduction to economics for lay readers, was released in paperback in September 2003 and is now published in 13 languages, including Arabic and Hebrew. The Chicago Tribune described Naked Economics as “clear, concise, informative and (gasp) witty.”
In 2007, Naked Economics was selected by 360 Degrees of Reading as one of the 360 books that every college bound student should read, alongside authors ranging from Sophocles to Malcolm X. Naked Economics was also selected as one The 100 Best Business Books of All Time by 800-CEO-READ.
Wheelan is also the author of 10 ½ Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said and An Introduction to Public Policy, a comprehensive textbook on public policy published by W.W. Norton in November of 2010.
Wheelan holds a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Chicago, a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. He lives in Chicago with his wife and three children.
Wheelan’s most recent book, Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data, was released by W.W. Norton in January of 2013. Three weeks later, it reached the New York Times bestseller list for hardback nonfiction. The San Francisco Chronicle called it a “brilliant, funny new book.” The New York Times described Wheelan as “the Dave Barry of the coin-flipping set.”
From 2004 to 2012, Wheelan was a senior lecturer in public policy at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. He taught several courses on understanding the policy process for Master’s students. For the 2004-05 academic year, he was voted Professor of the Year in a Non-Core Course by the Harris School student body.
In the fall of 2005, Wheelan created and taught the inaugural International Policy Practicum (IPP), in which 12 students studied economic reform in India for an academic term followed by a 10-day trip to Bangalore and Delhi to meet with economists, politicians, educators, civic leaders, and other experts. Subsequent IPPs have visited Brazil; Jordan and Israel; Turkey; Cambodia; and Rwanda and Madagascar.
In March of 2009, Wheelan ran unsuccessfully for Congress as the representative from the Illinois 5th District in the special election to replace Rahm Emanuel. In its editorial assessing the race, the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “Voters will find a ballot filled with impressive and thoughtful candidates . . . especially Charlie Wheelan, a University of Chicago lecturer who combines a razor-sharp mind with a boatload of charm and an impressive expertise in economics and foreign policy. We expect great things from Wheelan in the future.”
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Chicago, Wheelan was Director of Policy and Communications for Chicago Metropolis 2020, a business-backed civic group promoting healthy regional growth in the Chicago area.
From 1997 to 2002, Wheelan was the Midwest correspondent for The Economist. His story on America’s burgeoning ex-convict population was the August 10, 2002, cover story. He has written freelance articles for the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and other publications.
Wheelan’s first book, Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science, was published by W.W. Norton & Company in 2002. The book, an accessible and entertaining introduction to economics for lay readers, was released in paperback in September 2003 and is now published in 13 languages, including Arabic and Hebrew. The Chicago Tribune described Naked Economics as “clear, concise, informative and (gasp) witty.”
In 2007, Naked Economics was selected by 360 Degrees of Reading as one of the 360 books that every college bound student should read, alongside authors ranging from Sophocles to Malcolm X. Naked Economics was also selected as one The 100 Best Business Books of All Time by 800-CEO-READ.
Wheelan is also the author of 10 ½ Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said and An Introduction to Public Policy, a comprehensive textbook on public policy published by W.W. Norton in November of 2010.
Wheelan holds a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Chicago, a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. He lives in Chicago with his wife and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
January 6, 2013
Sure, you can read Charles Wheelan’s speech reprinted on the Wall Street Journal or even look up the complete speech on Dartmouth College’s site, but I still think his book, “10 1/2 Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said” is worth reading.
Initially, his second point was what stuck out the most for me: “Some of your worst days lie ahead.”
He writes: “I am here to tell you that between today and twenty years from now, and even then at some points, there are going to be some stretches that are plain awful…you will face extended periods of grinding self-doubt and failure.”
Not exactly the cheery sort of message you’d expect at commencement, huh? But, you know what? It’s true.
I look back to the years immediately after I graduated and they were some of the worst years of my life so far. It’s the main reason why I think your twenties are overrated. You’re ejected out of the school system into the “real” world and that’s when the long grind of discovering who you are really begins.
Who you are — not who your parents or teachers or society thinks you should be.
For some of us, that might not mean an office job; for others, it might not mean getting married and having kids. There are no rules for how life should look. You just live it.
And this brings me to another point Wheelan had in his speech and his book: Your parents don’t want what is best for you. They want what is good for you, which is not always the same thing.
He writes: “For years, I tried to unravel the mystery of how such well-meaning people could be such a pain in the ass when it came to important life decisions. Then, when I became a parent, I figured it out. No parent wants to watch a child flounder or fail. There is a natural instinct to urge safe choices.”
A lot of the stuff that’s been said here has been said before, elsewhere, but here, put together in a slim volume, it’s great to be reminded of those important life lessons that everybody needs to learn.
Initially, his second point was what stuck out the most for me: “Some of your worst days lie ahead.”
He writes: “I am here to tell you that between today and twenty years from now, and even then at some points, there are going to be some stretches that are plain awful…you will face extended periods of grinding self-doubt and failure.”
Not exactly the cheery sort of message you’d expect at commencement, huh? But, you know what? It’s true.
I look back to the years immediately after I graduated and they were some of the worst years of my life so far. It’s the main reason why I think your twenties are overrated. You’re ejected out of the school system into the “real” world and that’s when the long grind of discovering who you are really begins.
Who you are — not who your parents or teachers or society thinks you should be.
For some of us, that might not mean an office job; for others, it might not mean getting married and having kids. There are no rules for how life should look. You just live it.
And this brings me to another point Wheelan had in his speech and his book: Your parents don’t want what is best for you. They want what is good for you, which is not always the same thing.
He writes: “For years, I tried to unravel the mystery of how such well-meaning people could be such a pain in the ass when it came to important life decisions. Then, when I became a parent, I figured it out. No parent wants to watch a child flounder or fail. There is a natural instinct to urge safe choices.”
A lot of the stuff that’s been said here has been said before, elsewhere, but here, put together in a slim volume, it’s great to be reminded of those important life lessons that everybody needs to learn.
August 20, 2013
Author cites Harvard longitudinal study which concluded that the only thing that really matters in your life is relationships with other people. Spends most of his chapters solving for that.
Favorite chapter - Don't Make the World Worse. Discussed a picture of 7 tobacco execs testifying in 1994 before congress that tobacco not addictive. 3 Harvard grads among the 7.
Others worth noting:
Help stop the little league arms race
Marry someone smarter
Take time off
Don't be a circus animal
It's all borrowed time
As an aside, I would recommend searching the web for George Saunders commencement speech (2013 Syracuse University I think) about kindness. It is such compelling reading. Also Michael Lewis' baccalaureate speech at Princeton (2011 or 12) about the role of luck in our lives.
Favorite chapter - Don't Make the World Worse. Discussed a picture of 7 tobacco execs testifying in 1994 before congress that tobacco not addictive. 3 Harvard grads among the 7.
Others worth noting:
Help stop the little league arms race
Marry someone smarter
Take time off
Don't be a circus animal
It's all borrowed time
As an aside, I would recommend searching the web for George Saunders commencement speech (2013 Syracuse University I think) about kindness. It is such compelling reading. Also Michael Lewis' baccalaureate speech at Princeton (2011 or 12) about the role of luck in our lives.
July 8, 2018
I'm a sucker for the commencement speech genre. The title is misleading because I'm sure many commencement speeches have said similar things, but Wheelan is a realist and anyone leaving the university setting needs a dose of reality.
February 25, 2013
This was a good book by a guy who gave a speech at Dartmouth’s class day (the day before commencement) and the book is based upon that original speech. Overall it was interesting as he gives you life lessons that he wished other commencement speakers would have given him. A couple of things that really impacted me was that, “Your parents don’t always know whats best for you”. He explained how the three most important things that defined his life was deciding to take a year off after graduation to travel the world, becoming a writer, and one other thing that I can’t remember now – it is no coincidence that each of these 3 things were things that his parents objected against profusely. He explained how parents don’t want to see their kids fail and the analogy he used is that parents would love to see their kids get tenure like a professor get – meaning they would love them to have a safe job that is well renown and guaranteed to provide them with income for the rest of their life. Even whenever one of his writing friends goes on to win a Nobel Prize, her father who was a tenured professor expressed some concern about stability for her and so he makes the point that if you want to be a Nobel Prize winner, you probably are going to have to take some risks as opposed to always taking the safe option. He also discusses in the book enjoy the ride to trying to achieve success. He talks about how we may set a goal for ourselves to become CEO of a company one day and work 20+ years to do so. However, it may never work out for us and if we just had 20 miserable years, not only are we not CEO but we also spent 20 miserable years for nothing. It is fine for us to put our head down and work hard to achieve our goals, but we must all realize that there is a chance that things might not work out so we should enjoy the ride up. Also, he discusses reading the Obituaries. He had a close friend in college who was brilliant and bound to do amazing things with her life. 10 years after graduation, she unfortunately died of a rare heart cancer. These examples are things that we should use to remind ourselves to always live our lives to the fullest. We must accept the fact that tomorrow or a week or a year etc. could be the last day that we live and you don’t want to have any regrets when that day comes. Finally, the thing I remember the most about this book is he talks about when him and his now wife were traveling around the world after college and they were in San Fran. They had 24 hours to get from San Fran to LA to catch their flight so they started to hitch rides and they came across one nice old guy who they asked to give them a ride to the bus station. The guy asked them where they were going and insisted to drive them all the way to LA. He first drove them to his house while they waited in the living room and he got changed and some of his things. He then drove them to LA leisurely stopping for ice cream, lunch, dinner, etc. before dropping them right off at LAX in time for their flight. When they asked him, “Why did he take them all across California down to LA instead of just dropping them off at the bus station?” He responded that because when he first saw this young 21 year old blonde kid with a crew cut standing on the side of the road with a backpack hitching a ride, it reminded him of the young American soldiers who freed him from a concentrate camp back in Poland. He said he tries to do small things to help out whenever he can as a token of his thanks to those young soldiers. What an incredible story this guy had and makes you really appreciate how good some people are out there. Finally, he talks about doing something good in your career. He talks about the memory of 7 men dressed in suits standing in front of congress who worked for Tobacco companies in the 1990s and gave sworn testimony that nicotine and cigarettes were not addictive. 5 of those 7 people went to Harvard so he makes the point that these were brilliant people, who unfortunately went into a career that damaged people and society. Don’t devote your career to harm people / damage people which makes complete sense.
June 1, 2013
I'm quite sure that few of us remember any of the speeches from the commencements we've attended, regardless of whether you were the graduate, family or friends. It's difficult to come up with a new spin on the typical aphorisms and platitudes - you know, "go forth and conquer the world", "follow your dreams," "live long and prosper", etc.
When I first spotted the title of this book, I expected it to be a humorous, sarcastic take on the typical graduation advice. When I browsed the first chapter, which is titled "Your time in fraternity basements was well spent", I thought, "yeah, right - how can drinking, playing video games and avoiding your studies be a good thing?" But then, when I scanned to the end of that chapter and saw the author's advice that developing meaningful longtime relationships was critical to success and life fulfillment, I thought he was on to something.
Wheelan, an economics professor at Dartmouth College, developed this slim volume based on a well-received class day speech that he gave in 2011. Some of the advice really resonated with me, including the chapter on "take time off". He recounted the story of accepting a 200 mile ride from an elderly stranger so that they could make it to their flight out of LAX in time for the beginning of a round-the-world trip. The reason why they accepted this ride from a complete stranger made me gasp with astonishment.
I won't spoil your enjoyment of the book by listing any more of the 10-1/2 things, and I do highly recommend this book as a "must-read" for both parents and a great gift for graduates.
When I first spotted the title of this book, I expected it to be a humorous, sarcastic take on the typical graduation advice. When I browsed the first chapter, which is titled "Your time in fraternity basements was well spent", I thought, "yeah, right - how can drinking, playing video games and avoiding your studies be a good thing?" But then, when I scanned to the end of that chapter and saw the author's advice that developing meaningful longtime relationships was critical to success and life fulfillment, I thought he was on to something.
Wheelan, an economics professor at Dartmouth College, developed this slim volume based on a well-received class day speech that he gave in 2011. Some of the advice really resonated with me, including the chapter on "take time off". He recounted the story of accepting a 200 mile ride from an elderly stranger so that they could make it to their flight out of LAX in time for the beginning of a round-the-world trip. The reason why they accepted this ride from a complete stranger made me gasp with astonishment.
I won't spoil your enjoyment of the book by listing any more of the 10-1/2 things, and I do highly recommend this book as a "must-read" for both parents and a great gift for graduates.
March 1, 2018
Don't try to be great, just be solid resonates with me fortuitously. My favorite line paraphrased is savor the journey, yet I often find myself thinking like his Mom, "But then you'll be a year behind." Hoping to incorporate some of his resolutions to choose the bigger life.
October 3, 2018
the part on marriage was good.
November 8, 2017
Charles Wheelan, author of the wonderful "Naked" book series (Naked Economics, Naked Statistics, and Naked Money which had a front and back cover design my son *loved*), has expanded a commencement speech he gave where he came up with things to tell youth graduating from college that he figured nobody would ever say at commencement. It's witty, engaging, down-to-earth, and good advice. It's 120 small pages with spaces between lines. Give it a shot!
Seriously. With gems like "Your time in fraternity basements was well spent", "Your parents don't want what is best for you", and "Don't try to be great", how could you go wrong? Okay, so I like thought-provoking material. You don't? In that case, "Read obituaries". And don't be fooled. There's actually three 1/2 things in there in addition to the ten.
Seriously. With gems like "Your time in fraternity basements was well spent", "Your parents don't want what is best for you", and "Don't try to be great", how could you go wrong? Okay, so I like thought-provoking material. You don't? In that case, "Read obituaries". And don't be fooled. There's actually three 1/2 things in there in addition to the ten.
January 30, 2018
The author's witty style shines again in this little book packed with candid, practical advice. Adapted from the author's 2011 commencement speech at Dartmouth College, it's a quick read that can be finished in one setting. I especially liked his advice and personal story on deliberately taking an extended period of time out for resting, journeying, and coming back with a different perspective. While so many of us are accustomed to rushing from one place to another, one goal to another, it's even more important to periodically stop and think hard about the directions we're headed. His advice on the fact that we're all living on borrowed time was also a powerful and humbling reminder of the fickleness of life.
October 23, 2015
Charles Wheelan's 10 1/2 Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said is a cute book where Wheelan gives short practical advice to college students about what they should do post-graduation. I don't want to spoil too much of the phone, but some of the pieces of advice include: don't make the world worse with the type of work you'll be doing, marry someone smarter than you, and read obituaries to get what people consider a more 'objective' measure of a person's life. I wish someone would have given this kind of advice to me and my graduating class for commencement. Quite good, and a breezy read.
July 1, 2013
This book was very motivational, but very realistic. It put into words a lot of things that I felt like I learned in the two years since I started working--I wish I had read it before I graduated, not after! His language is very easy to understand--down-to-earth and matter-of-fact (if those two things are different). I think I agree that he was the right choice to make that commencement speech! I would recommend this book to everybody, if only to admire the way Wheelan accomplishes something difficult--to inspire us to be great while making us feel like it's okay to be 'solid,' with an honest acknowledgement of all life's difficulties.
October 13, 2013
This is a good book on what commencement speakers could say. The most intriguing to me was 'don't be great' be 'solid'. This as noted in the book will help you to be great. Solid performances lend themselves to improvement. You can analyze a solid performance and examine what was done well and what you could do better next time. This can happen for any kind of work that you do. Also important as noted in the book was to take time and enjoy life. This is one I really need to work on. I love my work, but need to extract myself from it from time to time.
April 20, 2015
I'm not sure how I would have reacted to Wheelan's platitudes back in 1988, but I have to agree with most of his warnings and suggestions 26 years later, particularly about taking time off to reflect (I took six months off and hiked the AT). Considering on this day (or this week) I have reached a major crossroad in my career, this book was well received (or should I say, well-purchased at a small bookstore in Newburyport on a pleasant personal day from work). It is one of those small instruction manuals you have to pull out every so often to remind yourself what really counts.
February 4, 2013
Read this on a round-trip metro ride today and thought there were some lovely pieces of advice for people about to graduate (it skews more toward college, but these are things graduating high schoolers should think about to). Stressed are the importance of happiness, of making real connections with people, and of taking opportunities (or creating them) to have new experiences (even if it means accumulating less wealth). Quite enjoyed this!
May 24, 2012
This book, by its nature, is targeting graduates of four-year universities who, in the tradition of the middle-upper-class, have the luxury of having and making choices. And these are exactly the sorts of things that students graduating from those institutions need to hear. Give this out with David Foster Wallace's "This Is Water" and your graduate will be well on the way to reality!
May 25, 2012
We sell this book at work. I was originally uninterested, but one very slow day I decided to peruse it. I loved it! Its short but so chock-o-clock full of little gems that I wish I had been told so I didn't have to learn them the hard way. After reaching page 3, I knew without a doubt that I was going to have to buy it and keep it forever.
July 5, 2012
I loved this. It would make a great gift for anybody starting a new phase of life. It's funny, pithy, and rings so true. I especially liked the chapters called "Help stop the Little League Arms Race" and "Your Parents don't want what's best for you." His ending advice was perfect, "Don't try to be great. Be solid."
November 7, 2012
A very well written concise book that everyone, not just graduates must read. Slightly in the humorous vein, but totally sincere, Wheelan spells out things that we as adults have learned from hard knocks of life and what recent graduates may not be aware of.
Genuine advice, easy book to read, a good book to own.
Genuine advice, easy book to read, a good book to own.
September 4, 2013
Quick and easy read by an interesting author that does some other good books. The book is based off of a commencement speech the author made. It was filled with unconventional advice for young adults that are about to head off into the real world. Filled with some interesting advice, but I suspect that a lot of this has been said by others.
June 7, 2013
Wish this had been my high school commencement speech. Hope when I graduate college, someone will be brave enough to speak plain and sober on the commencement platform. Not a cheery and happy go lucky book, but the message is very meaningful. Like a good storyteller, wheelan illustrates his points with ample examples from his personal and professional life.
April 23, 2016
I was looking for his book on statistics and ended up finding this little gem instead. Not quite a commencement speech but based off a Dartmouth class day that the author spoke at. I may no longer be a new graduate but sometimes you need someone to plant the seeds of inspiration in a life that has reached a crossroad.
February 26, 2018
I didn't find the suggestions presented in this pre-commencement speech during Class Day the day before graduation as powerful as other published commencement speeches I've read. But there were some good ideas included such as while it's nice to strive to make the world a better place, at least "Don't make the world worse."
May 27, 2012
Some may dismiss this as just another advice-to-grads books, but the advice given is truly some that should be taken. And it's given in such a concise way as to be memorable and applicable. My take-away quote: "Have I created a race out of something that ought to be a journey?"
June 4, 2012
Super quick read, but full of important life lessons. I wish this speech (turned book) had been said at my commencement. It would have kept my attention far better, and I would have made an effort to live the lessons.
August 27, 2012
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/02/1518673...
Amusing:
pg 90
ass*
footnote: A technical term often used by academics to mean "difficult; prone to offering resistance"
Amusing:
pg 90
ass*
footnote: A technical term often used by academics to mean "difficult; prone to offering resistance"
November 18, 2012
VERY quick read, finished within an hour. Totally wished I'd read this book a semester or two before I graduated. Author definitely speaks some truth! All undergrads should read this prior to graduation.
April 7, 2013
Book was interesting and has some good points.. Not for High School graduates but for college age kids. Some of the points include lessons more difficult to understand until too late. Good advice for all of us
May 12, 2013
Wheelan's book deserves to be read, both by those who are starting their careers and those who are still on the journey. It can be read in one sitting and is filled with thoughtful, real world advice.
October 1, 2013
This is a quick read but packs a thoughtful punch in just a few short pages.
Not just meant for college grads but anyone looking for their own path. I really enjoyed the writing style. Plan to read more by Wheelan.
Not just meant for college grads but anyone looking for their own path. I really enjoyed the writing style. Plan to read more by Wheelan.
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October 3, 2014Fantastic advice in this book aimed at college graduates, but great for those heading to college as well. To make sure my daughter actually read all the little advice books, we picked a day and I brought her breakfast in bed while she read. A nice thoughtful break during a crazy busy time!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews