Close-And-Not-So-Close-To-Home Reads

The end of August and beginning of September was a busy time as I took my first vacation since starting my new job end of April.  As a result, I did not have a chance to post about the books I read during that time period.

Faces of America by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 2010
A series of biographies of well known Americans, Faces of America is a genological and anthropological study of Americans.  The book tells the story of Americans, the story of immigrants.

Given the politically contentious topic of immigration during these past few years, this book makes you reconsider what it means to be an immigrant considering that well-known, established Caucasian Americans such as Meryl Streep and uber-American Stephen Colbert come from immigrants.

The celebrities that Gates profiles represent a vast ethnic spectrum - Europeans, Jamaicans, Chinese, Syrian - and provides a thoughtful look at how immigrants have been perceived over the decades.

Gates' research for this book not only includes conducting extensive investigation throughout the world to research ancestor lines, but also sophisticated DNA testing.  A surprising finding is that despite which ethnic group people fall into or their ancestor's origins, the majority of DNA makeup is shared.  Yet, there is so conflict and racism over the small percentage of unshared DNA that does exist amongst people.

Close to Home
As a daughter of non-Caucasian immigrants, this book is particularly interesting since I'm constantly asked where I am from, and people are not referring to which State.  It reminds me of the Ken Tanaka's short about where people are from - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ.

A few years ago, Gates made headlines as the Harvard professor who was arrested for attempting to break into his own house in Cambridge, about a mile from where I live, after returning from China where he was researching Yo Yo Ma's ancestors.

The result was a "Beer Summit" at the White House where Gates and the arresting officer met with Obama. 

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), 2013
I admit that I fell into the hype and picked up The Cuckoo's Calling after the big reveal of who the author really was.

I also picked it up since I would be vacationing in not-so-close-to-home England so I thought the novel would be a proper read for my travels.

The novel did have it's English-ism with the frequent drinking of tea and mention of kit bag, an overnight bag or a bag to bring a change of clothing for sports.

Similar to the Harry Potter series, The Cuckoo's Calling has well thought-out characters and carefully laid out events that tie together at the end to uncover the murder mystery.

While the ending is a bit unexpected, the novel was a bit too dense and clues a bit obscure to make it a truly compelling murder mystery like Gone Girl, which had me staying up late at night to find out what happened next and then flipping back through the pages to re-read the clues after having finished the book.

That said, mysteries are not a genre I gravitate towards, so they need to be especially gripping for me to really enjoy.

Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw, 2013

I really enjoyed Five Star Billionaire.  The five central characters come from different backgrounds but all end up in Shanghai to reinvent themselves.

Once the characters have reinvented themselves, they continue to struggle as their lives quickly become empty.

The only exception is Yanyan, the roommate of Phoebe, a former factory girl from the countryside.  She remains true to herself, and as a result, let's herself get swallowed up in the ruthless city.

The stories are intertwined and there are near misses where, ironically, characters would have realized their aspirations if only they were honest instead of trying to be someone else to achieve their dreams.

In a city that moves so quickly where people are judged for the wrong things, honesty is tough to maintain.

The other aspect of the book that I enjoyed is the Asian cultural references, where trendy 20-somethings have green tea muffins in the coffee shop and single women in their late 20s and 30s are called shengnu or "leftovers."

Not that I enjoy the disrespectful way the Chinese refer to single women, but just how Aw captures the essence of Shanghai.

Quote of Note:
"You must appreciate that time is always against you. It is never kind or encouraging.  It gnaws away invisibly at all good things.  Therefore, if you have any desire to accomplish anything, even the simplest task, do it swiftly and with great purpose, or time will drag it away from you."

- August 2013

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, 2002

The Secret Life of Bees is one of those books that transport you to another time and place.  The time is 1964 and the place is South Carolina. 

Similar to The Help, The Secret Life of Bees is filled with strong African-American female characters who believe passionately in their civil rights.

The story is narrated by a young girl, Lily, who ends up running away with her Nanny in search of answers to her dead mother's past.

Memorable characters help Lily through her journey, including sister who are named after months: April, May, June, and August; mean spirited T. Ray; speak-her-mind Rosaleen; strong, heroic Zach; and thousands of buzzing bees.

Spiritual Strength
Heavy in spiritual symbolism, a black Madonna serves as a focal point throughout the story.

Having seen statues of Black Marys throughout cathedrals in Spain, I remember the images being jarring and powerful.  However, after reading the rituals around Black Mary in The Secret Life of Bees, I have a greater sense of awe and appreciation.

An excerpt that speaks to the spiritual theme in the novel:

   "Our Lady is not some magical being out of somewhere, like a fairy godmother.  She's not the statue in the parlor.  She's something inside of you.  Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
   "Our Lady is inside me," I repeated, not sure I did.
   "You have to find a mother inside yourself.  We all do.  Even if we already have a mother, we still have to find this part of ourselves."  She held out her hand to me.  "Give me your hand."
   I lifted my left hand and placed it in hers.  She took it and pressed the flat of my palm up against my chest, over my beating heart.  "You don't have to put your hand on Mary's heart to get strength and consolation and rescue, and all the other things we need to get through life," she said.  "You can place it right here on your own hear.  Your own heart."
...
   "When you're unsure of yourself," she said, "when you start pulling back into doubt and small living, she's the one inside saying, 'Get up from there and live like the glorious girl you are.'  She's the power inside you, you understand?"
   Her hands stayed where they were but released their pressure.  "And whatever it is that keeps widening your heart, that's Mary, too, not only the power inside you but the love.  And when you get down to it, Lily, that' the only purpose grand enough for a human life.  Not just to love - but to persist in love."

A Conversation with Sue Monk Kidd
As an aspiring, but non-practicing, writer, I was particularly interested in the following answer from Kidd about writing her novel:

What was the process of writing the novel? How long did it take to complete it?

The novel began as a short story in 1993. At the time I wrote it, I wanted to develop the story into a novel, but I'd only just begun to write fiction, and felt I needed more time as an apprentice before taking on a novel. I put the story aside.

Years later I was invited to read my fiction at the National Arts Club in New York. I dug out my short story, "The Secret Life of Bees." After the reading, I was again filled with the desire to turn it into a novel. I still didn't feel ready, but I figured I might never feel ready, and meanwhile I wasn't getting any younger.

It took me a little over three years to complete the novel. The process of writing it was a constant balancing act between what writing teacher Leon Surmelian referred to as "measure and madness."

He suggested that writing fiction should be a blend of these two things. That struck me as exactly true. On one hand, I relied on some very meticulous "measures," such as character studies, scene diagrams, layouts of the pink house and the honey house. I had a big notebook where I worked out the underlying structure of the book. I relied more heavily, however, on trying to conjure "madness," which I think of as an inexplicable and infectious magic that somehow flows into the work.

Before I started the novel, I created a collage of images that vividly caught my attention. They included a pink house, a trio of African-American women, and a wailing wall. I propped the collage on my desk with no idea how, or even whether, these things would turn up in the novel.

Inducing "madness" also meant that I often left my desk to sit on the dock overlooking the tidal creek behind our house and engage in a stream of reverie about the story. I considered this earnest work.

List

I recently started a new job and find that I cannot keep up with writing descriptions about books that I have read (or perused).  So, I will combine my love for lists and love for books and start listing out books that I have read and include any quotes or thoughts that resonate with me.

Lean In: Women, Work, And the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg, 2013

My takeaways after reading this book:
1. Confidence - I need to work on my self-confidence and feeling comfortable in meetings.  I am my  best when I am comfortable.

2. Thoughtfulness - Before babbling out an answer and being reactive, I need to take a deep breath to slow myself down, and then have a conversation instead of trying to "prove" something.

3. Lean In - Is a great analogy to participate in meetings and not just sit back and observe.  Similar to the Maisy Dobbs novels, Dobbs will reflect someone's body language to get a sense of how they are feeling.  Physical stance do reflect feelings and attitude, and vice versa.

Here's an analogy from the book that made a great point:
"Imagine that a career is like a marathon - a long, grueling, and ultimately rewarding endeavor.  Now imagine a marathon where both men and women arrive at the starting line equally fit and trained...  The male marathoners are routinely cheered on: "Lookin' strong! On your way!"

But the female runners hear a different message.  "You know you don't have to do this!" the crowd shouts.  Or "Good start - but you probably won't want to finish."  The farther the marathoners run, the louder the cries grow for the men: "Keep going!  You've got this!"

But the women hear more and more doubts about their efforts.  External voices, and often their own internal voice, repeatedly question their decision to keep running."

How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid, 2013

A beautifully written story told in the guise of a self-help book, this novel outlines the story of a boy who gets filthy rich.  There are no names, just relations, and the love interest is simply known as the "pretty girl."

The chapter titles for this how-to story:
1. Move to The City
2. Get an Education
3. Don't Fall in Love
4. Avoid Idealists
5. Learn From a Master
6. Work for Yourself
7. Be Prepared to Use Violence
8. Befriend a Bureaucrat
9. Patronize the Artists of War
10. Dance With Debt
11. Focus on the Foundamentals
12. Have An Exit Strategy

I love how the novel ends: "...you have been beyond yourself, and so you have courage, and you have dignity, and you have calmness in the face of terror, and awe, and the pretty girl holds your hand, and you contain her, and this book, and me writing it, and I too contain you, who may not yet even be born, you inside me inside you, though not in a creepy way, and so may you, may I, may we, so may all of us confront the end."

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, 2012

A page-turning pyschological thriller, Gone Girl is witty and full of twists and turns.  The ending is anything but predictable and the story is a roller coaster ride.

A combination of Girl With A Dragon Tattoo page-turner and Something Borrowed chick-lit, Gone Girl is one of the best books that I have read in awhile.

- April, 2013




The Secretary: A Journey With Hillary Clinton From Beirut To The Heart Of American Power by Kim Ghattas, 2013

A first-hand account of Hillary Clinton's tenure and travels as Secretary of State from 2008 to 2012, The Secretary provides a compelling view of American foreign policy. 

Often admonished for its interference with world affairs, the US is also criticized for its inaction, despite its limited ability to influence world leaders or outcomes. 

As Secretary of State, Clinton traveled extensively and the book provides an excellent overview of the political situation surrounding countries that Clinton visited, including Turkey, Myanmar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, where the author is from.

I learned more from this book than any Social Studies or International Relations class that I have taken and highly recommend it.                       - May, 2013


Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, 2013
Quirk, witty and wry, Where'd You Go, Bernadette was recommended by a friend.  It's an enjoyable and funny read regarding an eccentric Seattle family.

The book paints a memorable picture of Seattle, Microsoft (where Bernadette's husband and gnat nemesis work) and TEDTalks.  The book actually makes me want to plan a trip to Seattle, a city that I have never visited.  As well as Antartica.

- June, 2013



When It Happens to You by Molly Ringwald, 2012
Growing up in the 80s with Molly Ringwald movies, I thought that the back jacket flap with an updated picture and bio of the author would be the most interesting part of the novel.

However, When It Happens to You is compelling, well-written and something I recommended to friends.  A collection of short stories, the novel is told from half a dozen view points where the characters intersect to tell the overarching story of Greta's and Phillip's troubled marriage.

Uniquely constructed and filled with differing voices (memorable characters include a former star of a children's show, a lonely widow and a mother of a boy who believes he is really a girl), the stories come together in a clever and compelling way.                       - June, 2013



Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds by Ping Fu, 2012
Ping Fu, CEO and founder of Geomagic, Inc., is an impressive woman. 

Growing up during the Cultural Revolution and suffering horrors that shaped her into the person she is today, Fu's tale of growing up, emigrating to the United States and finding success in her new country is awe-inspiring.

The story itself drives the book, and there are lots of moments that make me realize how much I have taken for granted.

Some quotes from the book:

"Think about moving forward to make personal or social progress, rather than moving higher to gain a superior position."

"Who can say what is good or bad?" - Buddha.

"Our choice is how to interpret what happens to us on your journeys and how to treat the people we meet along the way.  Our choice, always, is to love and to  understand."         

- July, 2013

Leaving Sophie Dean by Alexandra Whitaker, 2012

A delightful read, Leaving Sophie Dean was one of my vacation reads during my trip to Aruba.

With her clever dialog, twist on the extramarital affair and refusal to follow standard formula "happily ever after" plots prevalent in movies and literature, Alexandra Whitaker's novel is highly entertaining and a perfect beach read.

The premise of the story actually makes you think.  Not all chick-lit books do this, outside of thinking about designer labels, that is.

Adam Dean is a father of two whose monotonous life in the suburbs pales in comparison to the sophisticated and toy-free life that his co-worker Valerie offers.

When Adam decides to leave his wife Sophie for Valerie, Sophie decides that she is the one who needs to leave and take a few months to rebuild her life as someone other than Sophie Dean.

As the primary caretaker of two young children, Adam is not able to lead the life he imagined with Valerie and their relationship must adjust to this new reality.

Another entertaining relationship is the frenemy interaction between Valerie and her childhood friend Agatha.  Close as sisters, the two women care for each other deeply while also reveling in each others' misfortunes and constantly attempting to one-up each other.

Personal Notes 
Details that make this story resonate with me even more include:
   * The novel taking place in Boston, where I am from and currently live
   * The male protagonist is English, like my boyfriend
   * Agatha and Valerie are 39, which is how old I am

Given these coincidences, it is no wonder that I enjoyed Leaving Sophie Dean so much. 

Quote of note and what I still need to remind myself after taking over 35 years to realize: "I confused what's real and matters with what's superficial and doesn't."

Leaving Sophie Dean is a book that I would re-read.

What the CEO Wants You To Know by Ram Charan, 2001

While reading Birds of a Feather, the second Maisie Dobbs series, this quote got me thinking about leadership:

'e used to say that if you 'ad workers, it wasn't so important to be liked as it was to be respected, and it was possible to respect someone without actually likin' them.

So I put down Birds of a Feather and picked up Ram Charan's slim book, What The CEO Wants You To Know.

A consultant, Charan summarizes the lessons that he has learned working with top CEOs of major corporations all over the world.

His book is a fast, insightful and very thought-provoking read that I finished in one sitting.

Leadership

• A good CEO is able to break down the most complex business down to the fundamentals - This concept is reflected in the slimness of Charan's book compared to other bloated business books.

• Coaching - Give positive feedback and *specific* instructions to build a skill. Self-confident, secure leaders love to give true feedback, saying what they really think.  Not just behavior, but business side - is the individual cutting through complexity, focusing on right priorities?

• Mismatches - Mismatches become a drain.  Most common answer for CEO mistake when dealing with people is waiting too long to remove/address a mismatch.  When someone's aptitude or attitude gets in the way of execution, address the issue.

• Synchronization - Synchronize efforts and link them to the business priorities; clear, simple list.  Linking business needs to people's natural talents; right people in the right job.  Increase information flow, coordinate work, make the group more decisive, build the team.

Business Acumen 

• Lessons from a Street Vendor - A street vendor represents the fundamentals of a business: sales forecast, inventory, cash, merchandising/advertising, product mix, profit margin, consumer focused, best practices. Look at the big picture for opportunities and priorities, keeping in mind the fundamentals.
• Functional Chimney v Business Acumen - Most people build their carer in one area and move vertically up as if in a chimney.  By seeing a company as a total business, you make suggestions for the betterment of the company, even if they may not benefit your department.

• Nucleus of a Business - Cash generation, return on assets, growth.  Growing the right way means that the growth has to be sustainable and profitable.  Finding the right growth is business acumen.

• Consumers - When you can't get the price or margins that you want, talk to the consumer to find out why.

• Things you should know about your company:
  
  • What are your company sales?
  • Is your company growing?
  • What are the profit margins?  Are they growing, declining, remaining flat?
  • How does the profit margin compare to competitors'?
  • What is your company's inventory velocity?  Return on assets?
  • Is the company's cash generation increasing or decreasing?
  • Is your company gaining or losing against competitors? 

Quotes
"CEOs who deliver results have mastered both the business side [selecting the right business priorities] and the people side."

"Some of you have the intellectual capacity to cut through the complexity but are indecisive or afraid of being wrong...  Have the courage and conviction to provide focus for your area.  You have to decide what your department, division, or business unit must do and what it must stop doing.
You have to determine the business priorities, and those priorities have to be consistent and aligned with the corporate goals.  You can’t have too many, can’t keep changing, and have to communicate them clearly and repeatedly...
You should be able to explain what you need to do in clear, simple terms, and you should be able to explain how it will improve money making."

Fundamentals
As a testament to Charan's focus on the fundamentals, the business acumen and leadership lessons in this book are still valid in today's business world.

Published over a decade ago, the CEOs and superstar companies profiled are in a vastly different place today (e.g. Ford, Dell, GE), but the content of the book and advice given remain relevant.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, 2003

Having grown up adoring Trixie Belden, it's nice to stumble across a mystery series.

I found Maisie Dobbs while browsing the Fiction section of the library.  It had been misplaced from its usual Mystery home.

My Downton Abbey obsession must have led me to the book because, lo and behold, Maisie Dobbs takes place in London during the Edwardian time.

Unlike other protagonists of Mystery thrillers, Maisie Dobbs considers herself a Psychologist first, and Investigator second. 

As a result, the story does not have as fast-paced of a Mystery/thriller story line that I am used to through my limited mystery novel-reading, which mainly pertains to Agatha Christie, Robert Parker's Spencer: For Hire series, some Elmore Leonard, and from childhood: Trixie Beldon, Nancy Drews, The Hardy Boys and the very clever Encyclopedia Brown.

Since Dobbs is a psychologist, she uses interesting techniques to uncover the secrets of those whom she is investigating.

One such technique is mirroring a person's body language, where she will adjust her stance and body to mirror those of her subjects, to get a sense of how that person is feeling - whether they are upset, angry, in pain, etc.

Not just an investigator, Dobbs emphasizes healing her clients.  One of her first case is from a man who suspects his wife is having an affair.  Dobbs will only take the case if the husband agrees to discuss his intentions with her once she has uncovered the truth.

With this focus on healing, Dobbs befriends her client's wife Cecilia, discovers the root of her troubles, steers Cecilia towards the path of healing and provides her client, Cecilia's husband, with advice on how to help ease his wife's pain; thus, repairing the marriage.

She also unearths a murderous cult-like facility for wounded veterans and prevents another murder by drawing upon her psychology background to disarm and break the spell of the villainous leader.

Supporting Cast
Like any great investigator, a Sidekick and Mentor are needed.  For Dobbs, the Sidekick comes in the form of Billy Beale, a wounded World War I veteran.  Beale is one of the many wounded soldiers (and nurses) who would bring about a deep change to English society.

The Mentor is the wise Maurice Blanche, doctor and crusader for the under-privileged, whose investigation practice she takes over.  Added into the mix is Lady Rowan, a wealthy benefactor with connections, which is always nice to have. 

In Summary
Maisie Dobbs is a pleasant, light read.  Although, I am surprised to find, I may be tiring (gasp) of period novels set in England during the Edwardian era.

There are nine books in the Maisie Dobbs series thus far, and I am planning to read the next one.  I forgot how nice it is to read a serial book again, to have an endearing character to go back to, like having tea with an old friend.

And, since Winspear is English, the characters are constantly having tea.

Quote
The following quote from the book resonated with me as I am currently struggling with my career path. 

"Truth walks toward us on the paths of our questions.  As soon as you think you have the answer, you have closed the path and may miss the vital new information.  Wait awhile in the stillness, and do not rush to conclusions, no matter how uncomfortable the unknowing."

Downton Abbey Obsession!

To feed any Downton Abbey obsession and indulge in the show itself and era surrounding the series, I recommend the following two books

With glossy pictures (The Chronicles of Downton Abbey) and sidebar tidbits and "celebrity" quotes (To Marry an English Lord), these books are the US Magazine for Downton fans.

The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era by Jessica Fellowes and Matthew Sturgis, 2012
Although Jessica Fellowes, niece of series founder and writer Julian Fellowes, is shamelessly banking off the success of the show, this book works and is a delightful read.  (Unlike the current Countess of Carnavaon's attempt.)

Filled with glossy pictures, character summaries, memorable one-liners from the series, and quotes from the actors of the show, this book is a real treat for Downton fan(atics). 

Supplementing the character overviews are light historical contexts, as well as photos of artifacts from the 1920s that the characters may have come across.

Although the content and photos are mostly fluff, the book is filled with interesting tidbits and makes for great eye candy.

Filming and Production
The book also includes interesting details on filming and production.  For example, to film the posh, serene upstairs scenes, the film crew uses wider lenses and slower tracking.

To film the hectic servants quarters, hand-held cameras are used to reflect the hustle and bustle of the servants who work to create and maintain the serene environment upstairs.

Details in each scene are meticulous, where even the letters that characters use for props are created as if they were from the late 19th Century and early 20th Century.  This attention to detail contributes to a quality end product.

For the dining scenes, which are plenty as the aristocracy's day revolved around dining, a meal of 70 servings is prepared for an 18-person dinner party scene so that food remains edible and fresh looking throughout filming.

To Marry an English Lord: Tales of Wealth and Marriage, Sex and Snobbery by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace, 1989

Noted by Julian Fellowes as his inspiration for Downton Abbey, To Marry an English Lord is composed of profiles of American heiresses who traveled to England to seek posh marriages and titles.

The book is a fascinating read filled with tidbits and trivia that serve as a knick-knack filled reference guide of the era.

Due to the rigid hierarchical society that was controlled by Mrs. Astor in New York City, many wealthy heiresses who were not permitted into New York City society found that their wealth provided entry into London society.

Due to Prince of Wales Albert Edward's acceptance of these refreshing American women, who entertained and amused the fun-loving Prince, London society was welcoming of these women.

Marriages ensued as English nobility was quickly losing money due to land that was no longer generated enough revenue to finance an aristocracy's lifestyle, much less the upkeep of estates or increasing estate taxes.

The premise of Downton Abbey is based on this exact scenario, where Lord Grantham (based on the 5th Earl of Carnavon) is only able to maintain his estate by his marriage to American heiress Cora.

To Marry an English Lord is a pleasure to read and serves as an entertaining reference guide with photos of the grand and wealthy women and men of the late 1800s and early 1900s, atmospheric details such as diagrams of a typical New York City Washington Square brownstone, and random tidbits such as the fact that women wore gloves so tight that fingernails could be seen.

With profiles peppered with pictures, trivial details, random sidebars, this book succeeds in capturing a unique time in history

The only disappointment is that the photos are in black and white.  If the book had been published post-Downton Abbey, the publishers would have surely used color photos, which would add to the essence of the decadence of the aristocracy during the Victorian and Edwardian time.