Bookish Wanderers #9: Books on the Meaning of Work/Money

Bookish Wanderers are a group of curious minds and passionate readers. We believe in the power of books to inspire, challenge, and connect us.

This month, we’re diving into one of the most loaded and personal topics of all: work and money.

What does it mean to do meaningful work? How does money shape our choices, identities, and relationships? What stories have helped you rethink your job, your worth, or your definition of success?

Whether you’re navigating burnout, dreaming of financial freedom, questioning hustle culture, or simply curious how others think about earning, spending, and purpose, this conversation is for you.

Bring a book that speaks to your evolving relationship with work or money. It could be a memoir about leaving a high-paying job, a novel that critiques capitalism, a philosophical text on value, or a personal story that stayed with you.

We’ll share reflections, listen deeply, and hold space for open, judgment-free conversation. No required reading. Just bring your thoughts and your curiosity.

Please join the WhatsApp group to confirm your attendance and receive last-minute logistics changes. https://chat.whatsapp.com/JInhyFJ9vFIAneMvXUanJo

📅 Date: 10 Aug 2025 (Sun)
🕒 Time: 2pm
📍 Location: Pacific Coffee, Infinitus Plaza, Sheung Wan (Exit E, Sheung Wan MTR)
📚 Theme: Books on the Meaning of Work/Money

Ideas from the organizers for your reference. Feel free to choose your own:
On the Meaning of Work

1. Bullshit Jobs – David Graeber
   An anthropologist's biting critique of modern work culture, exploring how many jobs feel meaningless—and why society keeps creating them anyway.
2. Shop Class as Soulcraft – Matthew B. Crawford
   A philosopher and motorcycle mechanic argues for the value of skilled manual labor in a world dominated by abstract “knowledge work.”
3. Working – Studs Terkel
   An oral history classic capturing real people across America talking about what they do all day—and how they feel about it.
4. The Good Enough Job – Simone Stolzoff
   Questions the idea that work must be your identity or source of fulfillment, advocating for a more balanced and human relationship with work.
5. The Refusal of Work – David Frayne
   A critical look at the moral and economic assumptions behind work, offering a vision of life beyond the 9–5.

On the Meaning of Money

11. Your Money or Your Life – Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez
    A foundational book in the FIRE movement that reframes money as life energy and teaches you how to align spending with your values.
12. The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
    Accessible and thought-provoking essays about the emotional and behavioral side of money, wealth, and decision-making.
13. Die With Zero – Bill Perkins
    Argues against the instinct to hoard wealth and for using money to maximize life experiences now, not just in retirement.
14. Enough: True Measures of Money, Business, and Life – John C. Bogle
    The founder of Vanguard reflects on what “enough” really means in life and money, criticizing Wall Street excess and advocating for integrity and simplicity.
15. The Day the World Stops Shopping – J.B. MacKinnon
    Imagines a global slowdown in consumer spending and reflects on how deeply consumption—and money—are entangled with identity and meaning.