The Rebuild
The book behind everything else on this site. Out now.
Five stars from its first reviewer
A fresh start sounds like freedom. It is actually a demolition order.
What the book is
The argument set out properly, with the parts of my own story I do not put in videos.
A seven-figure construction company closed by the 2008 crash. A haulage business that lost every contract to Brexit overnight. Seven countries, no qualifications, and a life put back together more than once.
Not a memoir. Every chapter ends with something to do, not something to feel.
It is built like a house
Every part of the rebuild is a part of the building, and the order is the order the chapters come in. You start at the bottom.
the first review
"I tried to think of some suggestions, but honestly couldn't think of any way to improve this."
David ChadwickNovelist and retired journalist. Author of Liberty Bazaar and the Nixon's America trilogy.
Read the review in full
"I very much enjoyed The Rebuild. It's thoroughly thought out, informed by hard-won experience and written with flair, insight and purpose.
"I think the house renovation analogy works exceptionally well. You introduce it at the get-go and maintain its relevance throughout. The metaphor is also reflected in the eye-catching cover-design. Sometimes, when people write about ideas, they present them as abstract concepts, whereas The Rebuild uses the house renovation theme as a framework and touch-stone for reader engagement. This makes it accessible, relatable and readable, underpinned from the first chapter to the last by your mastery of the subjects you discuss.
"Your writing style is another key strength of the book's readability. You write with admirable fluency and great economy. You use words well, and your writing is always light on its feet. There's no over-writing or excessive wordiness that can plague this type of project. I was impressed, too, by your unvarnished honesty about your own experiences and by your unrelenting positivity. This 'up close and personal' style informs the entire book and gives your voice a natural authority that I think readers will warm to. Moreover, the book is sensitive and empathetic so readers will feel comfortable with the subject matter, reassured by the tone, and comforted by the strong and continuing message that they aren't alone with their problems.
"Your strategic approach, taking in the writing and lay-out/design points of view, is cogent and cohesive, enabling the reader to get to grips with the various issues addressed in each chapter. If necessary, the reader can easily go back to a particular point if, say, they come across a related topic later on.
"With a sharp focus on practical activity throughout, and clear 'what to do next' advice, The Rebuild leaves no stone unturned in its comprehensive and compelling treatment of human renovation.
"I tried to think of some suggestions, but honestly couldn't think of any way to improve this. If I was reviewing The Rebuild for publication, I'd give it five stars out of five.
"This is a piece of work that deserves to do well, Leon, and you can be rightly proud of it."
What you get out of it
- A survey before a plan. What is still standing, before you decide what to change.
- Rotten or just ugly. Most of what people demolish was only ever cosmetic.
- A bridge instead of a leap. Change something substantial while other people still depend on you.
- The order that works. Doing it out of order is why most attempts fail.
Read chapter one first
Chapter one, free, straight to your inbox. Read it before you decide whether to buy anything. If it is not for you, that is a useful thing to find out for nothing.
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Chapter one arrives straight away. After that, a few emails about the book, then my Monday email. Unsubscribe any time.
On its way. It should land within a minute.
Three editions
Each link opens the right edition in your own Amazon store.
Kindle
Out now
Reads on any Kindle, and on the free Kindle app on a phone, tablet or computer.
Paperback
Out now
The physical book, for anyone who would rather write in the margins.
Or start with the survey instead
The book explains the whole method. The survey tells you which part of it you need first. Either door works.
Start the surveystarting from zero.