The Campus Chronicle

Volume 2, No. 27
May 31, 2002

A not-so-cheesy tale

A Review
By Kim Herrington

"Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson was on several bestseller lists for awhile. I wondered what all the fuss was about; my guess was that maybe this book is about money management or prosperity, as the title suggests. On occasion, I’ve heard money referred to as cheese or cheddar. I decided to put my suspicions to rest and I bought a copy of the book.

I’m glad I did because it proves to be one of the most valuable books in my library. "Who Moved My Cheese?" is a parable about two little people and two mice in a maze. All are at a cheese station in the maze and rely on the cheese to nourish them. The little people, Hem and Haw, get comfortable with the ample supply of cheese in this station and so they make it their home. However, the mice, Sniff and Scurry, instinctively check the cheese station for changes in the supply of cheese and are prepared to move on if need be.

Well, one day the cheese disappears; Hem, Haw, Sniff, and Scurry, must decide on how to deal with this change. As their names indicate, Sniff and Scurry sniff and scurry to find new cheese and are successful while Hem and Haw spend a great deal of time analyzing the situation. Hungry and frustrated, Haw decides to venture out of the cheese station to find new cheese. Haw’s journey triggers several epiphanies about change that keeps him moving when doubt set-in. Hem never leaves the station and his fate is unknown.

"Who Moved My Cheese?" gave me a bird’s-eye view of life that was light-hearted and refreshing. The book made me reflect on major turns my life has taken and my reaction to them. A few times I had to laugh while reading about Hem and Haw because I’ve done my share of hemming and hawing. Who hasn’t? For this reason, I recommend "Who Moved My Cheese?" for all age groups. The language is not insulting, and the advice given does not come across as Johnson’s dogma, just a simple truth that can be applied to one of life’s inevitable processes.