November

Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian's Journey Home by Chris La Tray, 2024

Ever since my trip to New Mexico where I visited the Taos Pueblo, I have been fascinated by the history and present day story of our Native Americans. There is so much oppression, cruelty and killing that I am not aware of. 

Not just the initial spreading of small pox through blankets while the American Native Americans helped the settlers survive harsh winters, but the continued genocide and stealing of the lands of the Indians because of greed.

La Tray's story centers around Montana, where he grew up and the Metis people (French Canadian and Indian) lived. French Canadian men who were in the West went to make their fortunes and some took Indian wives, creating the blended Metis people. 

La Tray's memoir tells of his exploration of his heritage, something he knew little about given his father's refusal to acknowledge his heritage. I understand his father's struggle - it was difficult embracing my Chinese-American identity while growing up given how Asian Americans were ridiculed in movies like Sixteen Candles.

When his father passes away, La Tray decides to explore his heritage, something he has always been proud of.

A mix of his personal discovery and history of the Little Shell Tribe, including it becoming the 547th tribe (I had no idea there were that many Indian tribes) to be recognized by the United States government in 2019,

With recognition, came government support (e.g. health services managed by government bureaus, COVID-19 relieve) as well as pride and relief. After decades of fighting for recognition and swallowing many injustices, the Little Shell Tribe could finally start rebuilding and providing services for its tribe members after decades of being driven to poverty by the actions of fellow Americans.

After reading in-depth researched books such as New York: The Novel and Isabella: Warrior Queen, La Tray's novel was lighter in history than I had come to take for granted. It provides insight into modern day Indians though, the intent of the memoir.

It also provides insight into Montana, a state that I have never really thought of before, and am keen to visit now.

New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd, 2009

A compelling historical fiction tome, New York follows generations of the van Dyck (Dutch), Master (English), Hudson (African), O' Donnell (Irish), Keller (German), and Caruso (Italian) families.

From a Dutch outpost led by Governor Stuyvesant to the World Towers falling in 2001, the novel is a sweeping saga punctuated by historic events such as the Civil War Draft Riots of 1863 and the Great Blizzard of 1888.

I learned so much about history and having the history of how New York City was shaped makes for a clearer understanding of the city. The description of the greed in the 1990s and 2000s only scrapes the surface of what the city and its finance breathers have become.

With characters from every country and ethnicity (including Jewish, Puerto Rican & Chinese in the later years), New York is a stunningly researched.

I had previously read New York, but much of it did not stick with me. Having recently been to the city and really appreciating it, this time around, the book came alive. I have also read Rutherfurd's London and Paris, and plan to re-read them again before I visit those countries again.

One Goal: A Coach, A Team, And the Game That Brought A Divided Town Together by Amy Bass, 2018

I found this book while looking for books about soccer for my daughter. It tells the story of Lewiston, Maine in the 2010s, where the depressed town was handling an influx of Somalian refugees. 

The refugees were dealing (and probably continue to deal with) the racism of that the previous generations of French-Canadians ancestors dealt with when they first moved to Lewiston.

Similar to how my parents ended up in Boston, it takes one to build a community. Fleeing from refugee camps in Kenya, Somalians settled throughout the U.S. but soon heard through friends and family of a place in Maine where there were people who like them who could support them.

Although cold (one Somalian thought snow was salt when he saw it on the ground), Somalians preferred staying in Maine where they had a community rather than being isolated in other part of the U.S.

For the boys who grew up (some born) in refugee camps, soccer was the one escape. Even in Lewiston, the boys play soccer non-stop. Soon, the Lewiston High School boys soccer team became a top team in the state of Maine.

The book chronicles the team's state championship run, with deep back stories about the the conflict in Somalia, how they settled in Lewiston and the revitalizing impact they have had on the town. 

Being majority white, not all of Maine was not welcoming to Somalians. The community had to deal with overt racism, even the young boys experiencing taunting from opponents and crowds during soccer games.

We also meet legendary soccer coach Mike McGraw, who brought the team together, and players such as Abdi Shariff-Hassan (who would go onto to play Division I soccer), Moe Khalid, Maulid Abdow (master of the front handspring flip through in), and Austin Wing (whose parents were the ultimate Boosters supporting the team).

This is a heartwarming story how McGraw created a team that embraced and incorporated Somalian culture. Missing practice to help parents became an acceptable reason, practices were modified in attempts to take into account Ramadan fasting, and the team cheer of 'Pamoja Ndugu' (Swahili for Together Brotherhood) became the war cry.

Although sports can divide, it is magical in how it can bring people together. It is also magical how much the human spirit can endure. The Somalians are driven from their homes - physically, emotionally and culturally - by a brutal civil war to end up in a cardboard or carp home in the dessert where there is no running water or electricity. 

They come to a freezing cold climate where nothing is familiar and where slurs are yelled at them and reported about them in the media. Yet, they carry on and thrive. 

I'm embarrassed to admit that I could not find Somalia on a map, or could picture the Horn of Africa, before reading this book...  I have studied the map though and plan to working on improving my geographic ignorance...

October: Fall Into Reading

Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy from William the Conqueror to Charles III by Tracy Borman, 2021 

I had purchased this book about two years ago from the Tower of London Gift Shop. Familiar with monarchs like Henvy VII, Bloody Mary, Elizabeth I and II, George II, etc. but did not know how they all fit together. 

In other words, I did not understand the big picture of the monarchy and how they came to be.

I had no idea that the English Royal Family were from Germany, Scotland, Wales - almost every place except England! 

A well-researched and engaging history of the British monarchy from the 1000s to today, Crown & Sceptre provided that understanding that is only glean when one has a chance to take a step back.

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight, 2016

Shoe Dog reinforces that success is not due to how intelligent someone is, but by how hard they work. Working hard can only be reinforced by a passion - whether that passion is to make money or something more altruistic. 

For Knight, his passion was running. And, not losing. 

Knight's autobiography starts off with an around-the-world trip after graduating from Stanford Business School, contemplating what he wants to be and to do next. 

A high school track athlete, Knight was passionate about running and kept returning to a concept that germinated when he was in Business School. 

The Japanese made a great running shoe called the Tiger and Knight wanted to sell the shoes in America.

In the 60s, running was not as prevalent as it is now. Track was popular in the Olympics, but not considered a 'true' sport beyond the Olympic level. Casual runners or people running for exercise did not exist.

Knight was able to build NIKE into the powerhouse that he is by partnering with his former high school running coach from Oregon, Bill Bowerman. Bowerman was obsessed with running and would even prototype his own running shoes, knowing what runners needed.

Jeff Johnson, Knight's first hire for the initially named Blue Ribbon shoe company, also had a great passion for shoes and runners. He maintained close contact with customers and built relationships to grow a loyal following.

Knight struggled for many years, working a full-time job to support himself and his company. He faced challenges with banks, which were risk-adverse in the 60s and 70s. 

Even with millions in sales each year, the company struggled to repay loans at month-end. Because of this, Knight almost lost his company because banks did not want to do business with him.

The story focuses on the early years of building NIKE instead of the height of its popularity, when it dominated the sporting good market and had sponsorships with famous athletes including Michael Jordon and Tiger Woods.

The details and somewhat random events leading up to what is NIKE today is fascinating. The ubiquitous swoosh logo was developed by an art freelancer from Portland State, where Knight taught as one of his jobs while working on growing Blue Ribbon. Knight paid the freelancer $35 for the logo.

The name of the company came from Johnson, and Knight was not sure of the name but chose it at the last minute. Starting a new company to manufacture its own shoes was forced when Onitsuka Corp, maker of Tiger, decided to pursue other American distributors to sell their shoes.

Surrounding himself with a passionate team, Knight called his leadership team Buttface. The circle of men never took themselves too seriously. They despised the 'corporate' culture, building a strong culture rooted in Oregon.

Knight sacrificed many hours growing his show company. When he was younger, his apartment was essentially a warehouse for shoes. He had to make last minute trips to Japan to resolve issues, deal with bankers threatening to no longer lend him money, thus forcing him to shutter his business.

He managed the challenges while working full-time jobs initially teaching at Portland State (where he met his wife Penny, one of his students) and an accountant at firms including Price Waterhouse. Even when he quit his full time job to dedicate his time to his company, he was not present a present father.

What Knight did though, would not have been likely if it were not for the connections his father had, who pointed Knight to Onitsuka Corp. Not to take anything away from the hard work and risks, but Knight's success would have been unlikely if he was not a white male.

September

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, 2006 

The Man Booker Prize winner, I purchased The Inheritance of Loss at a newly opened woman-owned bookstore featuring works by female immigrants. 

Hauntingly written, the book is about Sai, a young girl who grew up in a nunnery for orphans and sent to live with her grandfather Judge Jemubhai Patel after her parents perish in a car accident in Russia and are no longer able to pay for her keep.

Her grandfather is a former judge who lives in an isolated hillside in Darjeeling along with his cook. The cook is resigned to his life of servitude but proud and hopeful for his son Biju, who has managed to emigrate to American, working illegally in kitchens in New York City.

Sai is tutored by a neighbor Noni, sister to Lola, residents of Mon Ami, and Gyan, who becomes swept up in the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) movement.

Tragedy and sorrow are prevalent for all the characters. We learn about the Judge's difficult childhood and his cruelty towards his wife and loyal chef. Insecure and bitter, the Judge only manages to show love and affection for his dog Mutt.

Sai remains carefree despite loneliness filling her life and dealing with the betrayal of her boyfriend Gyan. Gyan is torn between the hopes his impoverished family has put onto his shoulders and his friends pushing for violence and rebellion.

Biju lives the loneliest life in New York City, where everything is foreign. He can barely support himself yet receives constant requests for his father to help with others from the village who manage to emigrate to New York. 

He meets other immigrants, including the Muslim Saeed Saeed, and realizes he does not hate the man as he has been taught to do. Biju has the most heart-breaking story as he becomes concerned about his father and decides to escape the grind of poverty and being an illegal immigrant in New York City by returning to India.

There is also much humor, like Noni's contempt for Mrs. Sen, whose daughter resides in the US, vs London, where Noni's daughter resides.

The writing is beautiful. Like so many Indian authors, the language, emotions and descriptions are transcendent 

Caucasia by Danzy Senna, 1977

Caucasia is a wonderfully written book about two sisters born to a black father Deck and white mother Sandy. The parents met while the father was a PhD student at Harvard and the mother a daughter of a wealthy family in Cambridge.

Sisters Birdie and Cole Lee are close, sharing the secret language Elemeno (named after the girls' favorite letters) that they whisper to each other in the bed they share while listening to their parents fight. 

Cole has her father's darker skin and curly hair while Birdie has her mom's pale skin and straight hair. The appearances are significant as girls are enrolled in school after years of home teaching. 

There is forced desegregation in Roxbury and Boston, but the protests are violent and the schools remain segregated. The girls attend the predominately black school Nkrumah where Cole is quickly accepted while Birdie is seen as an outsider.

The parents argue over their philosophy and approaches to racism. Sandy is more militant, hosting activists in their home while Deck is more cerebral and does not believe in aggressive tactics. 

Sandy eventually needs to flee from the police due to her activism and she and Deck decide that Birdie will go with her while Cole goes with Deck and his new Brazilian girlfriend Carmen to Brazil.

The next few years follow Birdie as she and her mother flee from place to place, using false identities. Birdie becomes Jesse Goldman, not only white but also Jewish. 

The pair eventually settle in New Hampshire as Jesse enters high school and deals with the challenges of her true identity, surrounded by the casual racism in the white New Hampshire town she is now in.

Beautifully written and capturing the environment of Boston and New Hampshire during the 80s. Caucasia is an incredible coming of age story that explores Birdie's struggle with her identity and relationship with her mom.

The Snap by Elizabeth Staple, 2024

After almost a thousand pages of Spanish Queen history, I was ready for some fiction. I saw this book in the library and liked that it was about football.

Staple worked in media relations for teams including the New York Giants and my home team, the New England Patriots.

The story is very readable (i.e. a plot that moves things along) and provides insight into working for a football organization. The protagonist is Poppy Benjamin, who starts off as an intern in the male-dominated and testosterone-fueled environment of the NFL.

Poppy is part of WAGS (Women Against Groping Sh*theads), a group of high powered women in sports. The group is a safe place to vent and commiserate with other women in a male dominated field, where women are advised not to wear 'fitted' clothing and are treated as objects to be dominated.

The legendary coach Red Guillory of the Syracuse Bobcats NFL team has died, and the police start a murder investigation. At the same time, the WAGS receive mysterious threatening notes.

The novel moves back and forth between present day, where Poppy is the Director of Media Relations and part of the team leadership support General Manager Asbel, and fifteen years ago, when Poppy was an intern.

As an intern, Poppy was harassed by the men in the office - hip-checking here in the hallway, making inappropriate comments. She befriends the other young people in the office: James, Abby and Mo. 

The commentary of going out and drinking after a stressful week and the dynamics between young co-workers reminds me of my experiences and the feeling one has when they are first out of college and made me smile.

There are many characters in the novel (in addition to the WAGS, there is the cocky quarterback, star running back whom Poppy befriends, reporters whom she works with, her parents and two brothers, etc.) as well as story lines that are there to build tension, but become distracting and superflous.

Overall, there was more of a plot than I thought and the twists were unexpected. There is also great honesty in the story, about how assault is treated fifteen years ago and how much really has changed. The decisions that Poppy have made are not black and white and although she is where she wants to be, there are many things she also questions in her life.

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile by Julia Fox, 2011

The immersive biography Isabella: The Warrior Queen inspired me to read about two of Isabella's children, Katherine and Juana. Not as engaging and a bit slow at times, this book made me appreciate the writing of Isabella: the Warrior Queen.

I have read many biographies about Henry VIII's six wives and am familiar with Katharine of Aragon, but reading about her in the context as Queen Isabella's daughter bought a new perspective and understanding of Katharine.

Known as Juana La Loca, I was not familiar with this Spanish Queen. Married to Philip the Handsome of Burgundy, Juana was in an abusive relationship where she was undermined and plotted against. 

Her husband isolated her and spread the rumors of her madness, something her father Ferdinand continued to do so after Philip's death so that he could rule Spain.

Even more so than today, a responsibility of a royal couple was to produce children to ensure the peaceful continuation of ruling a nation. Katharine and Henry had a daughter Mary, but were unable to produce a much-desired son; leaving the opening for Henry to pursue his infamous affair with Anne Boleyn.

Juana and Philip did produce many healthy heirs: two sons and four daughters. Her oldest son Charles would become the Holy Roman Emperor while her grandson would marry Mary, Katherine's daughter.

The contrasting sisters provides insight on leadership. Katharine was firm and stood up for her birthright to rule while Juana did not fight for her chance. When the Communeros of Spain rebelled and offered Juana a chance to rule Spain over her son Charles, she dodged the opportunity, buying time for Charles's troops to come quell the rebellion.

Many reports indicate that Juana was not mad as her husband and father wanted others to believe. Perhaps the years of being isolated and manipulated broke her will to rule. Katherine experienced a loving relationship and had a chance to grow into a leader before Henry cast her away. 

This provided the foundation for Katharine to fight back against injustices, while Juana suffered them locked away in Tordesillas.

Leadership does not just take the skills to do so, but also the will and fortitude, where will and fortitude are the more important factors.

Agosto

Isabella: The Warrior Queen by Kristin Downey, 2014

I spotted this book in the bookshop at the castle at Segovia and with the inflated price of $30 due to the book being imported, didn't purchase the book, but knew I wanted to read it. 

The book outlined the rich history of Spain describing its arid landscape and pockets of alhambras (palaces) throughout the region. 

Queen Isabelle unified modern day Spain - uniting Aragon with Castile through her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon and driving the Moors from Granada. 

She was a true leader - taking the opportunity to declare herself Queen after her half-brother Enrique the Impotent passed away. She traveled across Castile to ensure peace and prevent uprisings, taking her children with her.

With Castile sharing its border with Portugal, the Moors proximity in Northern Africa and Ferdinand's Naples exposed in Italy, Isabella was constantly vigilant, her hands full defending her territories.

Although she did not fight in the battles like Ferdinand and her trusted friend the Great Captain Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordaba, she arranged supplies and logistics for the Spanish troops, as well as visiting soldiers to bolster morale. 

In addition to managing military campaigns, Isabelle appreciated the arts and learning, inviting scholars from other countries to study at prestigious institutions like the University of Salamanca. Education was important to her and she taught her children, including four daughters, Latin, the language of international diplomacy.

She arranged strategic marriages for her children to unite kingdoms and seek alliances against common enemies like the Muslim Turks of the Ottoman Empire and France. Her eldest and namesake Isabella was married to the future King of Portugal, who passed away.

Juan was her only son and heir to Castile and Aragon was married to the daughter to the ruler of Burgundy and Flanders and granddaughter to the Holy Roman Emperor. His sister Juana was betrothed to Jaun's wife's brother, Philip the Handsome.

The youngest daughters Maria married the King of Portugal while Katharine would become Henry VIII's first wife.

A devout and modest woman, Isabella fought against corruption and believed strongly in saving souls and converting people to Christianity. This was one of the driving forces of her continued sponsorship of Christopher Columbus as he sailed across the Atlantic to the Americas. 

Isabella's faith also drove her to put in place the Inquisition, a ruthless program where neighbors reported against neighbors who were accused of not being Christian. Conversos, Jewish families who had converted to Christianity generations again, were unfairly targeting with Isabella eventually expelling anyone who did not convert to Christianity. 

Downey's portrayal of Isabella shows her as the driving force behind Spain's rise in power, wealth and imminence during the 15th Century, despite the lack of credit attributed to her. Early in her marriage to Ferdinand, she had herself crowned Queen of Castile without waiting for Ferdinand to be by her side.

She also agreed to have the royal couple referred to as King Ferdinand and Queen Isabelle, resulting in Ferdinand receiving credit for much of the work she did to unite, empower and enrich Spain. 

Although courageous on the battlefield, Ferdinand was not a strong leader. He was petty, not above bribery (accepting or giving) and fathered illegitimate children; a contrast to Isabelle's strong sense of discipline and duty to the Christian faith that she instilled in her children.

With Isabella's passing, Ferdinand promptly disregarded his death bed promise to not remarry and sought a strategic marriage immediately. He attempted to wrest control of Spain from his daughter Juana, who Isabella instructed to be the next ruler of Spain, spreading rumors along with her husband that she was 'loca' (she would be known as Juana La Loca) and unfit to rule.

July Travels, Including Spain

My (not so) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella, 2017

After a heavy tome like Alexandria, I wanted something lighter. 

I had read My (not so) Perfect Life a few years ago, but wanted to read it again (partly due to my obsession with Sophie Kinsella and desire to become the type of writer that she is).

Kinsella's novels are witty, unexpected and provide insight into English culture, which feeds into my fascination with other cultures.

The story centers around Katie Brenner, who grew up on a farm in Somerset, about a 3 hour drive from London. She moves to London and is intent on leaving behind her farmer self and transforms herself into sleek cosmopolitan Cat. 

Despite the glossy images on Instagram and breathless reviews of her days in London to her loved ones, Cat is living in a tiny room in a flat share and doing mindless data entry at work.

The department head at her advertising agency is the glamorous Demeter, who does actually live the glossy life. Always stylish with the perfect family, Demeter knows the right people and eats at the newest restaurants.

Naturally, Cat covets Demeter's life despite the fact that Demeter is a boar at the office and her entire team resents her. Also naturally, Cat meets a dashing man. 

The dashing man is Alex Astalis, who she later finds out after connecting with him over adult toys (actual toys for adults, e.g. drones, as the book clarifies) from a potential new customer is Demeter's boss.

They hit it off and she can be herself before she discovers who he really is. Cat is then made redundant and unable to afford her tiny room in London, forced to return to Somerset where her father and step-mother Biddy have opened a glamping site on their farm.

Demeter ends up at the glamping site with her family and Cat discovers that Demeter's life is not as glossy as she thought. Her family show her little interest or respect. She is strained because of work and Cat discovers that the many injustices that Demeter had inflicted at work had good intentions behind them. 

There are twists with the band of co-workers (feckless Flora, worst-assistant Sarah) and Alex leaving for New York, but in the end, Cat gets her happy ending with a high power job in London and Alex declaring his love for her.

Alexandria: The City That Changed the World by Islam Issa, 2024

An epic of a tome that dives into the extensive history of Alexandria in Egypt, Alexandria is a compelling read that kicks off with ancient stories by Homer describing the geographic composition of Alexandria, including the island of Pharos. Alexandra the Great envisioned a great city to be built named after himself in 331 BCE.

Alexandria grew into a metropolis, where different ethnicities and nationalities lived together in peace. Greeks, Italians, Jewish, Coptic - all lived together in harmony. 

The emphasis was on learning and education. Aristotle and Hypatia flourished in Alexandria. Cleopatra ruled Alexandria. 

The first library and largest collection of books, or scrolls, were housed in Alexandria. Scientists gathered in Alexandria. And of course, the lighthouse was invented in Alexandria.

A staple of all major cities, the tram line was invented by Muhammid Ali in 1863.

As someone who has never been particularly interested in history, Alexandria captured my imagination. It is told through stories within the bigger picture of the timeline of events. 

Before reading Alexandria, a sentence such as the following would have made my eyes glaze over: "They could be rom any period, pharaonic, Ptolemaic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottomon." 

Now, I understand these different periods and the landscape of European history. How a group of Arabs called themselves the Muslims, and started taking over lands. The Crusades and how they shaped the world. Insight into Napoleon's strategic mind through his obsession with the Alexandria the Great and his name-sake city

A memorable story of origin (from the multitude that fill the book), is the word assassin. The Nizari branch of Ismalil Muslims were murderers for hire and referred to as ḥašīšī, or 'hasish-eater' in Arabic.

Or when reading about St. Marks entering Alexandria in the mid-first century, I thought of St. Mark's Square, or Piazzo San Marco, in Venice. Then to find out that some Venetians had stolen and smuggled his body, covered in pork, from Alexandria to Venice was amusing.

Alexandria's rich history can best be summed up by trap artist Marwan Pablo's lyric: "I'm not from Egypt, me, I'm from Alexandriaaa." This feeling of pride is evident from Issa, who has painstakingly researched his homeland to capture its history, significance and richness of culture.  

Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner, 2011

In preparation for my trip to Madrid, Spain, I wanted to immerse myself in a book about the city and culture that I last visited three decades ago. 

A coming of age story about a poet who is in Madrid on a prestigious fellowship, Lerner (who happens to be a poet and was a Fulbright Scholar in Madrid) portrays the struggles of belonging and feeling like one is not good enough in Leaving the Atocha Station.

Adam Gordon is the young American in Madrid. He spends his days scribbling in notebooks and smoking pot wandering around the Prado and El Retiro park. He befriends a Spaniard named Arturo and his sister Teresa, and starts to date a Spanish woman named Isabel. 

Gordon is as uncomfortable with himself as he is with the language. He lies to his Spanish friends to gain sympathies and cover insecurities, and wonders how truthful he is to even himself. 

He tells Isabel and Teresa that he may stay in Madrid after his fellowship. His insecurities prevent him from being vulnerable and we slowly discover his reliance on tranquilizers and prescribed pills to control his anxiety.

He believes his relationship with Isabel to be casual and realizes that the reason they never talk about the future is because there is someone else in her life. To prove that he is not hurt by this, Gordon tells more lies and attempts to make Isabel jealous instead of expressing his true feelings, which he attempts to cover up with pills, pot and his own self doubt.

The end of Gordon's fellowship culminates in a panel event, where he is panicked and focused on not embarrassing himself. He practices phrases in Spanish to sound intellectual, not even sure what he means by the statements. When Gordon does allow himself to be present on the panel and comments on how writers do not need to experience what they write about as literature can reflect politics more than influence it, he delves back into his insecurities as he is asked a follow-up question.

By the end of the novel, Gordon has grown into himself. He finally feels like a poet, despite having been one all along, with his published a booklet of poetry with Spanish translations from Teresa. He no longer talks about his poor Spanish, using it as an excuse from being vulnerable. As Teresa points out indifferently, they have only spoken Spanish during the time they have known each other so he is quite proficient.  

A good read, Leaving the Atocha Station was not what I expected in terms of being immersed in Madrid and its culture. It did remind me though, of the struggles to fit in and feelings of imposter syndrome while in my 20s and 30s.

The Exceptions by Kate Zernike, 2023

Investigative journalist Zernike covers the history of science academia from circa 1960 to 2000s. She delves into the history post James Watson & Francis Crick's discovery of the DNA sequence. 

The book centers around Nancy Hopkins, a Harvard student who worked in Watson's lab at Harvard (including a memorable first meeting with Crick) before moving to MIT to purse her academic career.

The sexism outlined is not surprising. Women were considered intellectual inferiors who would eventually have no time for science as they focused on having babies and raising children. 

The story of Hopkins is riveting as she build a successful career and then realizes that all the slights she faced as a woman. These include being paid less than men who 'have families to support', something female friends in the medical profession have also heard about salaries of their male counterparts. 

The women are consistently treated as an inferior, being denied credit for her discovers and work, not getting equal lab space, and so on and so on. Once this realization settles in, she organizes a group of other female professors at MIT and they realize that their individual experiences are shared. That the challenges they face as women at the top of the scientific world has been due to systemic discrimination. 

With the support of mentors and allies including Bob Birgeneau, Dean of MIT's School of Science, the women are able to prove the discrimination that they have faced through research and data, obtaining concessions for female professionals at MIT and setting an example for the rest of the science world.

Hopkins biography and her push for change at MIT make for riveting story telling. The deep dive into the science itself, as well as the detailed stories of other imminent scientists such as Barbara McClintock, Mary-Lou Pardue and Millie Dresselhaus, was interesting, but bogged the book down for me. If the story was half of its 300+ pages and only focused on Hopkin and her battle against MIT, it would make for a thriller.

June Books

Private Equity by Carrie Sun, 2024

A memoir about working for one of NYC's most successful hedge fund wonderkind and CEO, Private Equity provides an inside view of a Wall Street financial company. In today's increasingly materialistic world, these companies succeed because of the sheer amount of time and focus people spend to synthesize and analyze information to determine which stocks will go up. 

As an assistant to Boone Prescott, a pseudonym for billionaire Chase Coleman, Sun is run ragged trying to handle Prescott's personal and professional schedule. In a world where billions are made and Portfolio Managers continually chase millions to support the New York City life style creep, people are machines, constantly on, working around the clock. 

One assistant notes in awe that a fund manager works literally throughout the day, no breaks to check personal email or surf the internet. 

In this world where money is everything and time is money (e.g. a day is an eternity to wait for someone to get back to you), Sun must always be prepared to meet Prescott's every need. She handles his calendar, as well as synthesizing large volumes of information to prepare slides for his meetings. 

Representing Prescott and Carbon, Sun realizes how many doors are opened and even more privileges made for the privileged class. Reservations that usually require weeks of advance notice can be made in a few hours notice at the best restaurants in Manhattan. Money talks, especially in New York, the finance capitol of the world.

Sun provides insight into generous gifts of $6,000 coats and events with a budget of over $100,000. With this excess, there is so much waste; such as a cake worth over $1,000 for Prescott's birthday celebration is thrown away, untouched. 

The memoir is mixed in with stories of Sun growing up, becoming the 'machine' that is able to work non-stop and adjust to Prescott's preferences and constant feedback on how she should act. Her parents were sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, resulting in two damaged and hardened people.

They took their anger out on their daughter and each other, with Sun's father leaving the family, only to return and continually threaten to leave. Sun grows up burdened and abused with guilt by her parents. To act perfect. To not throw away the chance she has been given by their great sacrifices. 

Many immigrant children, including me, feel these pressures growing up and well into our 20s and 30s, but Sun's parents cross many lines. Wanting their approval, she decides to attend MIT to determine how markets can be predictable due to her parents' joy from short-term wins from day trading. 

The memoir feels a bit disjointed. It starts off with Sun working at Carbon and then goes into her backstory of how she has the fortitude to work through injuries and the immense stress trying to please Prescott. There is so much emphasis on the financial world in the memoir, yet there is no compelling story line. 

There are interesting facts and details and how Sun's health deteriorates at Carbon is troubling, but I did not feel an emotional connection as a reader. The story of her childhood and college experiences are honest and brave, and perhaps if the memoir was in chronological order, the reader would have built more sympathy for Sun to make the story of her working for Prescott more compelling.

Overall, there are interesting and insightful observations (like how Prescott's success was the result of consistently performing well v aiming for big wins) but the memoir did not flow as I had hoped it would.

Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen by Zoe Chance, 2022

Chance is a professor who teaches about influence at Yale's Business School. The book summarizes her course and provides the type of information expected from a business school course.

She starts off with an overview of our brains. There is System 1 ( the cerebellum and limbic system), often referred to as the Right Brain. She calls this the Gator - the part of the brain that makes quick and emotional decisions on little information. This is where our unconscious biases live.

System 2 (the neocortex) or Left Brain, is the Judge. This part of the brain makes rational decisions, is analytical and engages in critical thinking.

These two systems are one way. System 2 is constantly receiving info from System 1, filtering information, while System 1 tends not to receive signals from System 2. Or, intentionality is needed for System 2 to affect System 1. This book focuses on influencing the System 1 or the Gator.

Influencing is not changing someone's mind, but their behavior. For example, people tend to take the path of least resistance and are turned off by things that are hard, or perceived to be hard. Therefore, if you want people to do business with you, make it as easy as possible

The book also has a chapter called  'Just Ask.' This has always been my personal philosophy. The worst that can happen is that someone says no. Chance also notes that people are more generous and willing to help then we think.

To help with the ask, we should avoid diminishing language like using "I" frequently. By using the first person pronoun, we are focusing on ourselves and out feelings, not the other person.

The best way to make the ask is to be be direct and leave out the "I". Also, STOP apologizing! Instead of saying, "Sorry for being late," say "Thanks for your patience".

There are also tips for public speaking. She talkes about the power of the pause and doing full body pauses, which gives time for the audience to catch up. There is also the need to connect and get in sync with the audience.

Focusing on connecting with one person (making eye contact, walking closer to them) will lead to connecting with rest of audience

Timing is also important. People are more open to suggestions and making decisions when they are ready for it. Cebu Pacific ran a sidewalk campaign in Hong Kong during monsoon season. With people rushing with their umbrellas looking down, they saw sidewalk messages reminding people them that "It's sunny in the Philippines". Airline ticket sales increased by 37%.

Part of the ask should include Framing. Suggesting or pointing something out for people to focus on can be influential on how someone considers the ask and makes a decision.

For example, framing a talk with, "There will be one or two strategies that will resonate with you today" will prompt people to find these strategies and jot them down. Even pointing something out or naming something will call into being.

Another influencer is loss aversion. People will do as much to avoid $10 as to gain $20, so this should be noted when thinking of how to frame something.

Monumental Framing is for longer term ideas, focusing on impact and the why. Motivates people through importance, scope, size, and our friend FOMO (fear of missing out).

Manageable Framing is for the near term, emphasizing the How, focusing on ease of course. People want more concrete details for near term things.

Mysterious Framing causes interests and for people to guess and wonder. This framing is done with words like 'new', 'suddenly', and 'breaking news'.

These frames can be combined and even all used together to motivate audiences. An example is Marie Kondo's Life-Changing (Monumental) Magic (Mysterious) of Tidying Up (Manageable).

Although these are in reference for business, it makes me wonder how I can frame my relationships with my husband and daughter... 

For people who disagree, use the concept of Aikido to influence them. The practice of Aikido responds to an attack (or disagreement in this case) by redirecting momentum.

Be open and curious about the resistance. Acknowledge doubt, say "I see you have some doubts" and "What other concerns do you have?". The Goal is to listen, not to respond or get defensive.

By affirm their freedom of choice with comments or statements like "Feel free to say no" or "Could we discuss...?", this redirects the energy of the disagreement.

Other influence suggestions include 'soft asks': "How would you fee about...?" or "I'm not pushing you to decide, but where would say you are?". This is called a test close in Sales.

Implementation intention is asking  someone what they plan to do, having them think about next steps.

Even if someone says no, be the Kindly Brontosaurus; someone who is persistent, always in view/checking in, polite and friendly.

For big challenges, there is the Magic Question: "What would it take?"

This question invites collaboration and creativity towards a solution, leading to buy-in. Negotiation is a conversation aimed at coming to a mutually agreeable solution; not a lump sum, winner take all. The other person should feel good. Even if you do not care about the other person, happy people are more generous and creative.

Before entering a negotiation, think about Value Creation Questions - How can this be better for me? How can this be better for them? Who else can benefit?

Give someone choices so that they feel in control. A study showed that when offered a product alone, 97% opted to wait and not buy the product. A choice will drive people to make a decision and framing the choices can be affective. The Goldilocks strategy presents one option that is not as great, one that is too much and then the middle/just right option.

If all else fails and you are negotiating with a difficult person, identify your leverage and be direct with your wishes and boundaries

May Flowers

There There by Tommy Orange, 2018

Beautifully written, There There is set in Oakland and is a comprised of multiple Native American characters who are preparing for a Powwow Event at the Colosseum. The stories are steeped with addiction, poverty and constant repercussions of having Indian land and way of life ripped away.

There is Tony Loneman, who suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome and used to people staring at him. Dene Oxedene is putting together an Indian narrative documentary in memory of his uncle, who drank himself to death. 

Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield who moves from house to house as a child, even living in Alcatraz with her mother and half-sister Jacquie Red Feather. Due to her sister's addiction, Opal becomes the guardian for Jacquie's grandsons Orvil, Loother and Lony.

Edwin Black is a large man who lives behind a computer screen and finds his father Harvey on Facebook. Bill Davis is Edwin's mother's boyfriend who has spent time in prison and now works at the Coliseum. 

Calvin Johnson is bipolar and harassed by his brother Charles, who is inseparable from his friend Carlos. Both Charles and Carlos associate with Octavio Gomez, a criminal who brings tragedy with him; including to the family of Daniel Gonzales, a software engineer who learns to 3D print items to make fast money for his widowed mother.

Blue Vapor of Life was given up for adoption and flees from an abusive husband. Thomas Frank is an alcoholic who finds peace and respite in drumming.

These characters all converge at the Powwow for an explosive ending.

Although I enjoyed Orange's writing and was enthralled with each character, I was disappointed that I could not get more involved with the characters, that each character only appeared in a few chapters.  

The Golden House by Salman Rushdie, 2017

My first Rushdie novel, The Golden House is about a wealthy family who moves to a close-knit New York City neighborhood known as the 'Gardens'. The Golden family consisting of patriarch Nero, and his sons Petronius (Petya) the autistic gaming genius, Apuleius (Apu) the spiritual artist, and Dionysus (D) the step-brother who struggles with his identity.

The family arrives suddenly on Macdougal Street and although they keep a low profile initially, they slowly start to make their impact on New York City. It is unclear how much money the Golden family actually possesses, but their names are soon associated with billion dollar real estate deals.

The story of the family is narrated by neighborhood teenager Rene, who resides with his professorial parents and is an aspiring film maker. He befriends the family, who eventually become a second family to him.

Rene soon discovers that there is friction between the brothers and the father has many secrets and tragedies from his previous life in Bombay. The brothers' lives in NYC unfold throughout the election of a historical black President and then a 'Joker' presidential candidate.

The characters and stories are vivid and gripping. The twists and turns result in tragedies and a violent past that won't be forgotten. Although Nero is not a violent man, decisions he has made in the past come back to haunt. As he is told, life can be like the Hotel California, where people can check out, but never leave.

I thought The Golden House was an engaging read, but the endless references to movies (befitting the narrator) and Greek mythology slowed me down.

Other characters in the story include Somalian artist Ubah Tuur, D's girlfriend Riya Zachariassen who works at the Museum of Identity, rambling homeless veteran Kinski, Russian stepmother Vasilisa (possibly the witch Baba Yaga), the newest Golden son Vespasian (Vespa), and Rene's girlfriend fellow film maker Suchikra.

The following two quotes resonated with me:

"This is how we are: we fall in love with each other's strengths, but love deepens towards permanence when we fall in love with each other's weaknesses." - Rene about his girlfriend Suchikra

"We are icebergs. I don't mean that we are cold, only that we are mostly under the surface, and the part of us that is hidden can sink the Titanic." - Rene about everyone

April Reading Showers

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray, 2023

An epic saga that dives into the lives of the four members of the Barnes family, The Bee Sting is a page turner. Each section is narrated by a character and the richness of the backstory makes for page-turning reading. 

The novel kicks off with Cass Barnes, a teenage daughter whose family is falling apart. Once a prosperous family as the proprietor of the car dealership and garage in a rural Irish town, the Barnes family struggles through a downturn.

P.J. is Cass's younger brother, who endearingly tries to blend further into the background despite his own struggles. Imelda is the mother, who has experienced hardships raised by an alcoholic and violent father. 

Lastly, Dickie Barnes is the head of the family who is desperate to keep his family together and from finding out his secrets as he struggles to financially support his family.

There are many other vivid characters including Elaine, Cass's best friend, and Elaine's father Big Mike; P.J.'s 'best' friend Ethan; Dickie's younger brother Frank and father Maurice; Dickie's college friend Willie; and a mysterious dark-haired stranger named Ryszard who enters both Cass and Dickie's orbit.

Written with creative narration (one section has no punctuation, another is told in 2nd person), The Bee Sting is a special book with memorable characters and stories that will stay with me. The novel was short-listed for the Booker Prize. His previous novel Skippy Dies was long-listed for the Booker prize in 2010.

My Side of the River by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez, 2024

A memoir of the impacts of the United State's immigration policy, Guiterrez writes about growing up in Tuscon, Arizona. Her Mexican parents are forced to live life in the shadows as they lack paperwork. They avoid the police, work jobs that do not require paperwork, and live in spare rooms/shacks of family members as housing can not be in their names.

When Gutierrez's parents' tourist visas are set to expire, they move back to Mexico to handle the renewal process. Guitierrez and her brother, both born in the United States and therefore citizens, are left with a family friend. 

Her parents' visa requests are eventually denied and Gutierrez is forced to make a decision: to stay in the United States to finish high school or to live with her family in Mexico. Ranked No. 1 in her class, Gutierrez is a bright, talented and hard-working student. Gutierrez realizes that her future is in attending college in America. That her parents sacrificed their youth and marriage so that she and her brother could be educated in the States. 

Still a child at 16, she makes the decision to return to the States by herself to finish high school. She stays with a teacher who is kind enough to take her in, but not kind enough to give her her own room or to feed her. With support form other teachers and school social workers, she applies for aid for homeless children and learns about the food pantry so she no longer needs to go hungry.

Gutierrez's hard work pays off when she is accepted into many of the colleges she has applied to. The hard work does not taper off though when she starts college. She experiences culture shock at the frivolity of her fellow University of Pennsylvania students. At how they carelessly treat their $900 Canada Goose jackets when $900 would have been a fortune for her her family.

She remains focused as she she feels guilty for leaving her younger brother in Mexico. She knows that she is the only one who can bring him to the States to finish his high school education and get a college education in the States. 

After graduating college, Gutierrez searches for an apartment not just for herself, but also for her brother, who will move in with her. 

While her co-workers are going to happy hour, she is returning home to help her brother with homework and college applications. She manages his high school education and pays for his living expenses, while also supporting her parents in Mexico.

The sacrifices that Gutierrez make and the drive that she has to succeed is incredible. To take financial and emotional responsibility for her entire family as a teenager is remarkable.

While managing school and then work, supporting her family, taking care of her brother, she even does a Ted Talk on the American immigrant experience!

Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider advice for taking your fiction to the next level by Donald Maass, 2001

As I'm starting to learn more about the craft of writing (structuring plots, character development, etc.), this book provided a good overview of how stories should be crafted. 

It talks about tension and says how writing a novel is not like a movie, where each action is played out. (This was a mistake I made in one of my drafts where the protagonist was going to work. I detailed each step and bored myself terribly...)

Some take-aways that I got from the book was digging deeper with the characters. Throw the worst at them. That characters need to be sympathetic, even if there is an amazing plot. The reader needs to care. I have had some ideas that seem pretty unplausible, like a protagonist that murders people as a hobby, but why not? Stakes should be raised to get the characters at their worst, and the tension at its best.

The book also poses the question of, as a writer, what am I trying to say? What is the theme of my story? Themes can be trope, but to be profound and dig deeper emotionally. What new perspective am I bringing?

There needs to be tension on every page for a breakout novel. This idea of tension is what keeps the reader going and something I think about now when I am writing.

Maass outlines plotting in five stages:

1. Sympathetic character introduced
2. Conflict arises
3. Conflict deepens, twists
4. Climax
5. Resolution

The Good, The Bad, and The Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto, 2024

The final trilogy of Sutanto's Auntie series, The Good, The Bad, and the Aunties delivers on the Asian woman of a certain age (over 50) zaniness. From the constant need to 'save face' and dish out blatant advice in broken English, the Aunties travel back to Jakarta with their niece, protagonist Meddy and her new husband Nathan.

Hijinks ensue. None are plausible and the emotional interiority of Meddy towards Nathan becomes eye-rolling at times, but the Aunties provide for good fun. From Big Aunt, to 2nd Aunt, Meddy's mom, and 4th Aunt, Meddy appreciates her ferocious Aunties and realizes that she is becoming like them...

I find the novels very enjoyable as I relate to Meddy in how she sees her Aunts as she narrates the story. The Aunts, collectively, steal the show.

March Books

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver, 2018

The novel alternates between the 21st and 18th Century, residents of a house in Vineland, New Jersey. Based on historic figures from the 18th Century, fictional Thatcher Greenwood befriends Mary Treat, naturalist and professional corespondent to Charles Darwin and Asa Gray. 

Willa Knox, the modern resident of Vineland, struggles with her husband's ailing father, two adult children who have fled back home due to tragedies, and a home that is literally falling apart.

As the story progresses, the stories come together and are cleverly tied together by the last words of the chapters resulting in the name of the following cross-century chapter. The story of Willa Knox struggling with financial challenges, even from her Harvard-educated son, was compelling; while the 18th Century chapters I found a bit tedious, despite the real events of a cult leader and murder.

I took this book with me to a vacation to Hollywood, Florida and despite being more than halfway through the book, did not finish the book during the vacation. I fell asleep twice while reading about the story unfolding during the 18th Century...

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng, 2023

Taking place in Cassowary House in Penang, Malaysia, The House of Doors is based on historical events, centering around the visit of Somerset Maugham. The story revolves around Leslie Hamlyn, an angmoh (Malay for white person), who is married to Robert, an old friend of Maugham.

There are secrets and scandals (affairs galore!) that unfold during the visit, including remembrances of the time when revolutionary Dr. Sun Yat Sen, leader of the Tongmenghui party, lived in Penang in the 1910 while fleeing from his Chinese countrymen. 

Having spent time in Bali, reading the novel transported me back to Malaysia. It provides the context of the Chinese, as well as the English, in Malaysia as well as piquing my interest in Maugham. I had heard of the famous writer, but was not familiar with his life or works. Now, I look forward to learning more about him through his novels (I don't tend to read plays) and biographies.

A lovely story filled with twists, The House of Doors is an enjoyable read that effortlessly transported me to another place and time. Similar to Eng's previous works, The House of Doors was longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize.

Trust by Hernan Diaz, 2022

With a unique story-telling format, Trust captivated me from the beginning. While reading the second part of the novel, I was a bit confused as to where the narrative was going. Unfortunately, I let this distract me.  However, the third part managed to tie all the pieces together.

Mainly set in the the 1920s, Trust is the story of the great wealth created by financiers moving money around through buying and selling of stocks. Along with great wealth, comes notoriety, secrecy and gossip. The book starts off with a fictionalized version of Andrew Bevel, who is driven to correct accounts of his and his late wife Mildred's life story with an autobiography.

Ida Partenza is hired to help Bevel write his autobiography. She represents the third voice in the story. Along with the reader, Partenza works to puzzle out the true story of the mysterious Bevels.

When the truth is uncovered and a new light is presented, it will make you want to re-read the novel to put the pieces together as you realize that assumptions that are made are misleading. 

Trust is the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner, along with Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead.

The Things We Didn't Know by Elba Iris Pérez, 2024

I stayed up until midnight to finish this book. The Things We Didn't Know is a story of Puerto Rican siblings who grow up in a western Massachusetts town called Woronoco, where their father works at a paper plant. Based on a true town, Woronoco is an isolated community where Andrea and Pablo grow up and struggle to fit in.

They deal with the prejucides of being Puerto Rican and not 'American' (despite the fact that they are Americans), and struggles with idenity and racism.

Part of the novel takes place in Puerto Rico, where Andrea and Pablo's mother takes them after suffocating in the isolation of Woronoco and the strict confines of their traditional Puerto Rican father Don Louis.

From memorable family members (Tia Machi, Tia Florencia, Socorro, Tia Perfecta) and friends (Tito, Hannah, Emily, Frankie, Donnie), we follow Andrea and Pablo from childhood to adulthood.

The chapters in Puerto Rico are so rich and full of emotion. I do wish that Pérez delved more into the serious topics that occurs in the book: identity, racism, abuse, and mental illness.

I'm Baaacckk

Five years later (wow....), it's me again. I have always been reading, but work and life has taken me away from this blog. It is a new year and a new decade for me, so I am back at it.

I started the year finishing Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead after reading Patrick Radden Keefe's Empire of Pain and becoming obsessed with the opiod epedimic and the Sackler family's role in it. 

I have been turned back onto Zadie Smith after discussing the author with some friends. I remember becoming enthralled with White Teeth when it was first published in 2000 (although I cannot recall what it is about...) and then being disappointed with her follow-up. Since her seminal work, she has become a prolific writer and I enjoyed both Swing Time and On Beauty The latter was especially fun to read given that the novel takes place in Boston and what looks to be Cambridge, reflecting Smith's tenure as a Resident Fellow at Radcliffe.

Over time, I have come to appreciate and even prefer female writer. The voice tends to be different and something that resonates with me more. As I have matured, I realize certain truths about reading that reflect me. In my 20s and part of my 30s, I finished every book I started. No matter how tedious. I suppose it was a matter of principal. No books life behind! I let go of that and now have no problem closing a book and leaving the characters forever, fate unknown, even after investing 80 pages into their lives.

I have always noticed the difference in voices, including along gender lines. I relate more to a woman's voice. Not that I will only read books by female authors, but I am more true to what I read (versus what I should read) and the books I have read reflect this.