Kyle MacDonald was having trouble making ends meet and felt like he was continuously sponging off his girlfriend Dominique. He looks around his desk and sees one red paperclip, then decides that he's going to trade that paperclip for bigger and better things until he eventually has a house. It starts small, trading the paperclip for a pen, the pen for a doorknob. He meets many different people along the way and eventually the media starts to catch on, interviewing him and following his journey.

This definitely is not the best written book in the world (in fact I think I could have written it just as well), but the journey from each trade is captivating. It's such a simple idea and yet it amazes me how much effort was required to make some of the trades. At the end of each chapter, which is the story of moving from one trade to the next, there were "lessons" that MacDonald learned from that trade (or didn't, because some of them honestly had nothing to do with the chapter before it), which were very out of place in the book. I stopped reading them after a few chapters because it felt insulting that a guy trading from nothing to something was going to try and teach me life lessons.

This is a fun book and should be treated as such, if you're interested in how a Canadian boy traded a paperclip for a house.

Kyle MacDonald is an unemployed slacker. He realizes he is sponging off his girlfriend and decides to trade a red paper clip eventually for a house. The idea is to trade bigger and better. His first trade is a paper clip for a fish pen; his last a movie role for a house.

The writing in this book is atrocious with many repetitive sentences seemingly to fill up space. Also Kyle writes what he considers hilarious events which for this reader fell dead. Although the trades were interesting there was a lot of media attention for the latter ones which helped Kyle immensely. What I couldn't help wondering all along the way was who was paying for the flights, hotels and meals, etc. None of this was mentioned but his father accompanied him many times and assisted him, maybe he was the financial backer.


At the end of each chapter was a motivational quip which was rather insulting but sounded like Kyle need to prove to himself he was doing something worthwhile. Maybe if this book had been written just in fun and not so serious and preachy, it would have been a better read.

the book one red paperclip was first introduced to me in philip sexsmiths secondary english class at UNB quite a while back now. i havent quite gotten the chance to read the whole book but i read lots of parts and the red page quotes are really inspiring especially just kyle himself by sticking by his plans to go from a paper clip to a house in just one year. i thought it was really amazing what kyle did and he is an inspiration to lots of us that if we want, go get it dont let anything get in your way in what you want to do. you never know, work hard enough and you just might get it!

When I first started reading it I had to bring it with me every where it always kept my mind set. He had a goal that he had set for himself that made me think no matter how ard it gets he didnt give up he kept his dream on his mind and made it happen. He got to travel the world and meet new people he wanted what was right for hjim and Dom and it happened. His quotes always made ma think on how life can be so intresting sometimes Im greatful to have read this book thanks to my teacher who had suggested the class to read it its very optimistic.

One Red Paper Clip is truly an aspirational novel, Kyle MacDonald really shows what one person is truly capable of from trading a Red paper clip for a fish pen all the way up to a house, to me this book made me feel like going out and doing some thing creative or trying the impossible and maybe i could trade up to house from something as insignificant as a Red Paper clip.

Our english teacher me sexsmith talked to us about this book he wanted us to read and this book was called one red paper clip at first i didnt know what to think of this book but once i started to read it i loved the book i could not put it down. i had the book done in no time. kyle had a dream and in order for this dream to come true he had to places and meet these people he would be trading things for, see kyle wanted his own house and in order for this to happen he had to trade things so you can do what ever you put your mind into

wow...kyle.. this was a really good book . you should really make this into a movie. i loved the sarcasm in the story couldn't stop laughing. wow the experience of meeting all them people in every thought out trade. i especially loved the part where you got CNN to broadcast the trade in Yahk....hahahaha..nice way to get out of a bad situation to turn it on someone else..lol..very decisive..that and the romance of you and Dominique was awesome the part you propose to her with the paperclip.....awwwww..my heart just melted she is a lucky women to have such a spontaneous man like your self ,i know you guys will have great adventures together and i can't wait to read about them...lol...but you really should consider turning it into a movie. i definitely buy it. well congrats on succeeding in your goal to get the house. I wonder if you be able to trade up too a million dollars...wow..i bet you can do it kyle.

i enjoyed reading this book, its like once you pick the book up and start reading it you cant seem to pull yourself away because your constantly wondering whats going to happen next, i thought that was pretty neat.
Kyle Mcdonald has a brilliant mind and this book, (One Red Paperclip) is definitely worth reading.
i give it two thumbs up!!

I was introduced by my teacher Phillip Sexsmith "The One Red Paperclip". He teaches a really good Secondary English Class @ UNB.ca. He wants us to write a review of what we think or thought about this book. I really enjoyed the book. Kyle Mac Donald is truly an inspiration to people that likes to go be spontaneous and meet new people, to make these trades with someone you hardly know is quite something that just no one would do these days. You never know who you might meet or how weird they could be. I guess that’s the new way of how to get yourself out there and be heard, seen, and to tell your story. That’s just what this book is about Kyle going out meeting new people and making trades. He started with one little paperclip and eventually got his house. What a guy we should be more like that, just go for what you want you never know you might get a house.

One Red Paperclip is brilliant. I enjoyed Kyle's journey for its ambition, vision, and energy. His willingness to persevere against what are often formidable odds is a lesson to us all. I found his passion for the journey inspiring and his genuine caring for his family, and those he met 'on the way' to Kipling, a testament to what it means to be a good person. I liked his 'philosophy' - the anecdotes - his humour. As a teacher I find that Kyle's story reaches out to a generation of bloggers and text messangers that our 'bookrooms' fail to satisfy. One Red Paperclip would be an excellent addition to any classroom library as it reaches out to a diverse audience of readers who can't relate to the 'well worn' titles that dominate our classroom shelves. One Red Paperclip is a journey that I enjoyed - and from now on - I will truly look at office supplies in a whole new way.

This podcast http://www.careerjoy.com/index.php?q=node/410 is with Kyle MacDonald . He made the most successful trade in the history of the internet. Starting in Montreal with 1 red paper clip, over the course of 1 year and 14 trades he ended up with a house. He shares the lessons he learned on starting small and ending up in a great situation. We are trading all the time with our company, peers, managers and friends. This conversation with Kyle will help you learn some tricks of the trading trade! This podcast is 26 minutes. Sit back, relax and learn! The book goes into excellent detail about his story. A really interesting read.

Quick and easy read about how a normal Canadian man did something no one else had done before! In this book, Kyle gives the reader an inside look at how he did this unbelievable feat! If eagles were the voting device, this book would get 5 of them too!

Highly recommend! I couldn't put the book down until i was finished. Very funny, very easy to read and inspirational. What else could you ask for?

A behind the scenes look and laugh at the adventures of Kyle on the one red paperclip trail. The writing is contemporary, but the story is timeless. Through effort and determination Kyle follows his heart and achieves his dream.
I laughed, cried and re-read paragraphs over just for the sheer enjoyment. A must-read book for ages 10-99 . Really.

I love the writing style,the humour and the men behind one red paper clip just an amazing example of how we can achieve our dreams.And be happy. Thumbs up!

Kyle MacDonald did something incredible - he traded a red paper clip for a fish pen. Then he did what most people would do in that situation, he continued to trade for bigger or better items until he got a house.

This book is written in such a way that it is practically impossible to put down. Even if you followed his journey along the way and read his blog this book is a must read. He pack gems of inspiration into one of the funniest and most entertaining books you will ever read.