Invisibles

In an increasingly crass culture where everyone seems to be a preening self-promoter, David Zweig stands up for competent team players – the understated people who make sure that skyscrapers don’t collapse, that you’re properly anesthetized for surgery and that UN speeches get translated accurately. Zweig introduces readers to a number of “Invisibles,” little-known professionals and craftspeople with crucial roles in society. He makes a compelling case for emulating this breed of careful, responsible, largely unrecognized leaders. Zweig may take his case a bit too far. Some Invisibles he profiles are highly paid jet setters who rub elbows with the rich and famous. His underlying assumption that everyone everywhere – except a narrow slice of focused introverts – seeks his or her own reality show and a million Twitter followers seems a bit of a stretch. getAbstract recommends his study of diligent workers to the self-employed, the ambitious but shy careerist, budding craftspeople and managers looking for a different idea of true success.