I like the work of Malcolm Gladwell a lot, and this third book of his did not disappoint. Outliers looks deeply at the circumstances that surround success. As always, Gladwell uses a lot of interesting facts to back up his ideas, and he introduces us to a lot of interesting people. He discusses topics that are familiar enough to most of us that there is something of interest for everyone.
Critics might say that Gladwell stereotypes and generalizes, but he addresses those critics by saying that just because something is true of a particular culture, that doesn’t mean it is bad; he believes that we should embrace the things about our culture that make it unique, not dismiss those cultural norms as bad or stereotypical.
The book is an easy read – I read it in about a day. And it’s packed with enough interesting information that I found myself sharing all of it over dinner with family and friends, and probably will continue to do so for a while. I highly recommend it both for Gladwell fans and for fans of pop culture.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Eat, Pray, Love
I don't read a lot of memoirs, but I heard good things about this memoir of Elizabeth Gilbert's travels in Italy, India, and Indonesia, so I decided to check it out. I am so glad I did. First, I have to say that Liz (I feel like I know her well enough to call her that) is a fabulous writer - witty, warm, smart, and self-deprecating. I think she would be fun to hang out with, maybe have a drink and chat for a few hours.
Second, she really brought to life the countries she spent time in, and made me really want to visit one of them in particular. Nope, not Italy: India. She made me want to hang out at an ashram in India - and I have never had any desire to go to India. But the people she met and the experiences she had were just so amazingly deep and spiritual that I would love to have the opportunity to experience something similar (though I know that my experience would be very different from hers).
So, I highly recommend Eat, Pray, Love. It's an excellent read with the potential to change your life.
Second, she really brought to life the countries she spent time in, and made me really want to visit one of them in particular. Nope, not Italy: India. She made me want to hang out at an ashram in India - and I have never had any desire to go to India. But the people she met and the experiences she had were just so amazingly deep and spiritual that I would love to have the opportunity to experience something similar (though I know that my experience would be very different from hers).
So, I highly recommend Eat, Pray, Love. It's an excellent read with the potential to change your life.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Who Killed Change?
This book about how to manage organizational change successfully was written by Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager, and a distinguished group of co-writers, so I was expecting good things.
I was disappointed.
The book is written as a contrived murder mystery – who killed Change? It is awkward and tedious, and by the third “interview” with a “suspect” it is really old.
On the plus side, if you are new to change management this book is not a bad introduction. The last chapter lays out the authors' recommendations (without the murder mystery framework) and contains some good information. However, for the OD practitioner, there is nothing new here.
Lastly, even though this book is obviously not a scholarly work, I was disappointed that no credit was given to others for their important work in this field. For instance, the author mentions the difference between theory-in-use and espoused theory, but he never mentions Chris Argyris. But maybe that’s an indication of Blanchard’s intended audience, because anyone without a background in OD would probably not notice that oversight.
I was disappointed.
The book is written as a contrived murder mystery – who killed Change? It is awkward and tedious, and by the third “interview” with a “suspect” it is really old.
On the plus side, if you are new to change management this book is not a bad introduction. The last chapter lays out the authors' recommendations (without the murder mystery framework) and contains some good information. However, for the OD practitioner, there is nothing new here.
Lastly, even though this book is obviously not a scholarly work, I was disappointed that no credit was given to others for their important work in this field. For instance, the author mentions the difference between theory-in-use and espoused theory, but he never mentions Chris Argyris. But maybe that’s an indication of Blanchard’s intended audience, because anyone without a background in OD would probably not notice that oversight.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Blue Notebook
Wow. So many words come to mind to describe this book by James Levine: beautiful, sad, disturbing, poignant, and horrifying are just a few. The story of Batuk, the Indian girl sold into prostitution by her family at 9 years of age, is one of the most amazing books I have ever read.
I am amazed that a middle-aged male doctor was so adept at capturing the voice of a young female Indian prostitute. Dr. Levine really takes us inside Batuk’s head, and also gives us a pretty ugly picture of the seedy side of India. I had just watched Slumdog Millionaire before starting The Blue Notebook, but the movie only scratched the surface of the atrocities suffered by the poor and unwanted children of India.
I am also amazed at the depth of Dr. Levine’s characters. The story is told in Batuk’s voice, writing in her cherished blue notebook, so I am not surprised at how well-developed her character was. But even the characters we only meet on one or two occasions – Bubba, for instance – are drawn with such detail that the reader can almost see them, can almost hear their voices.
The book is not for everyone. It’s a difficult subject told in strong detail. But I strongly urge everyone to buy a copy, if only because all of Dr. Levine’s American proceeds are being donated to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. You can get if for about $16 on Amazon.
I am amazed that a middle-aged male doctor was so adept at capturing the voice of a young female Indian prostitute. Dr. Levine really takes us inside Batuk’s head, and also gives us a pretty ugly picture of the seedy side of India. I had just watched Slumdog Millionaire before starting The Blue Notebook, but the movie only scratched the surface of the atrocities suffered by the poor and unwanted children of India.
I am also amazed at the depth of Dr. Levine’s characters. The story is told in Batuk’s voice, writing in her cherished blue notebook, so I am not surprised at how well-developed her character was. But even the characters we only meet on one or two occasions – Bubba, for instance – are drawn with such detail that the reader can almost see them, can almost hear their voices.
The book is not for everyone. It’s a difficult subject told in strong detail. But I strongly urge everyone to buy a copy, if only because all of Dr. Levine’s American proceeds are being donated to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. You can get if for about $16 on Amazon.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The House of Allerbrook
This historical novel by Valerie Anand is actually the second in a series; the first is The House of Lanyon. I didn’t know that when I read it, and the story stood up fine on its own.
The main character in the novel is Jane Sweetwater, and we follow her through about 60 years of her life, starting at the age of 15 or so. It is set during the 16th century, where young Jane becomes a member of King Henry VIII’s court and is lucky (or unlucky) enough to catch the king’s lustful eye.
I know, that sounds like a bodice-ripper, doesn’t it? But it isn’t, I swear. Jane marries and has a kid and spends most of her life in the country. But what makes the book interesting is all of the history that she and her family become involved in over the years, including traveling to the New World.
It’s not a fabulous novel and it certainly isn’t life changing, but it’s a very pleasant read – a perfect beach/pool read.
The main character in the novel is Jane Sweetwater, and we follow her through about 60 years of her life, starting at the age of 15 or so. It is set during the 16th century, where young Jane becomes a member of King Henry VIII’s court and is lucky (or unlucky) enough to catch the king’s lustful eye.
I know, that sounds like a bodice-ripper, doesn’t it? But it isn’t, I swear. Jane marries and has a kid and spends most of her life in the country. But what makes the book interesting is all of the history that she and her family become involved in over the years, including traveling to the New World.
It’s not a fabulous novel and it certainly isn’t life changing, but it’s a very pleasant read – a perfect beach/pool read.
The Book Thief
What an amazing book. It’s a touching story, beautifully written, with enough action and humor to keep the pages turning. I have to admit that I found it a little hard to get into at first, because the narrator is Death, as in “angel of.” But once I accepted the narrator’s plausibility and felt comfortable with the format, it was a truly amazing story.
The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster child living in Germany during World War II. Populating Liesel’s world are many very real and likeable characters, including her foster father Hans, her friend Rudy (who I think I liked best), and Max, the Jewish refugee the family hides in their basement. But the main character of the book isn’t Liesel, in my opinion, but the books, both those she steals and those that are given to her. And ultimately this is not a story about Nazi Germany and World War II, but instead is a story about the power of words.
The book was marketed for young adults, but I didn’t know that until after I had read it, and I never guessed that it was not intended for adults. I highly recommend it.
The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster child living in Germany during World War II. Populating Liesel’s world are many very real and likeable characters, including her foster father Hans, her friend Rudy (who I think I liked best), and Max, the Jewish refugee the family hides in their basement. But the main character of the book isn’t Liesel, in my opinion, but the books, both those she steals and those that are given to her. And ultimately this is not a story about Nazi Germany and World War II, but instead is a story about the power of words.
The book was marketed for young adults, but I didn’t know that until after I had read it, and I never guessed that it was not intended for adults. I highly recommend it.
My First Post!
I’ve never had a blog before, but since finishing my Masters degree in December I have really missed writing. I tried starting a journal but I am just not that into self-examination. Then I realized I could start a blog about something I love – books.
I have been a voracious reader my entire life. Because I ride the Metro to work I have almost an hour of reading time built into every workday, so I can sometimes get through a couple of books a week. As I have gotten older I have become more selective about what I read, so you won’t find any posts about Danielle Steele novels here. But I’m not a snob, so you almost certainly will find posts about Nora Roberts novels.
Maybe it’s a good idea to describe my taste in books, so people will have an idea of what kinds of books I will be blathering about. I like fantasy, but not science fiction. In other words, yes to Harry Potter and Sookie Stackhouse, no to aliens from planet Gorp. I like historical fiction, but not bodice-rippers. I’m not a fan of murder mysteries, but I like mystery-romance (hence Nora Roberts). I tend to read novels more than non-fiction, although I do like Malcolm Gladwell’s stuff, and I think one of the best books ever written is The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn.
Other than that, I am not picky about what I read. I am lucky enough to live one block from the Arlington County Central Library. I am unlucky in that it’s Arlington County, arguably one of the worst libraries in the Metropolitan area (I have been on the waiting list for Outliers for about a year). But it’s better than buying books. I am also lucky enough to have a friend who feeds me books after she reads them, and our tastes are pretty similar (thanks Rita!).
Okay, enough intro – time to start blathering!
I have been a voracious reader my entire life. Because I ride the Metro to work I have almost an hour of reading time built into every workday, so I can sometimes get through a couple of books a week. As I have gotten older I have become more selective about what I read, so you won’t find any posts about Danielle Steele novels here. But I’m not a snob, so you almost certainly will find posts about Nora Roberts novels.
Maybe it’s a good idea to describe my taste in books, so people will have an idea of what kinds of books I will be blathering about. I like fantasy, but not science fiction. In other words, yes to Harry Potter and Sookie Stackhouse, no to aliens from planet Gorp. I like historical fiction, but not bodice-rippers. I’m not a fan of murder mysteries, but I like mystery-romance (hence Nora Roberts). I tend to read novels more than non-fiction, although I do like Malcolm Gladwell’s stuff, and I think one of the best books ever written is The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn.
Other than that, I am not picky about what I read. I am lucky enough to live one block from the Arlington County Central Library. I am unlucky in that it’s Arlington County, arguably one of the worst libraries in the Metropolitan area (I have been on the waiting list for Outliers for about a year). But it’s better than buying books. I am also lucky enough to have a friend who feeds me books after she reads them, and our tastes are pretty similar (thanks Rita!).
Okay, enough intro – time to start blathering!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
