Lexink - Book Reviews

Books I have read.

The 9/11 Commission Report :

The Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (Authorized Edition)
Should be read by all

It might seem long at first, but it is any easy read, very accessible - the style is more like a novel than anything else. If you only read the 'report' itself it is a shame because many of the interesting hard facts and factoids are to be found in the foot/endnotes - the 'meat' is there, the reader must just make the effort to read everything. Same for the recommendations, they make sense, but their application seems uncertain as they are over-broad in some cases (increasing congressional oversight?!) or bound to become political hot potatoes. The bi-partisan approach shows in such that the errors made by both administrations involved are mentioned. The style might detract from the importance of what is written, but overall this should be definite required reading for all. May there be more commission reports published in a similar way on issues just as important, if not more! (as medicare, ..)

Better than the movie
I saw the movie when it came out, and recently picked up the book out of curiosity. I found the book charming and it rings true, more so than the movie. As Hornby points out, age has nothing to do with an arbitrary date, some of us just never grow up until presented with the occasion to; and some of us grow up too fast forgetting to enjoy childhood. When the two meet there is much laughter, and emotion that comes across easier with printed words than on film. Both Will and Marcus are fabulous characters.

Personal and a slice of history

I had been meaning to read this for awhile, and never found the time - glad I finally did. One of the first women to hold a true position of power; and one of the most influential and captivating women in contemporary America Graham tells of making it in spite of and despite considerable odds- including the fact that she was born to wealth, married to a genius suffering from manic- depression, and then publisher/owner of the Washington Post. She was a legendary figure that shows herself as being human all too human, writing of her mistakes, of overcoming, enjoying and learning from obstacles and privileges. The book offers slices of American history from the inside, not only Watergate but also major characters such as Warren Buffet. It chronicles both her personal and then professional life at the Washington Post- recounting history (hers, the Wposts' and the nations') from her point of view. It tells of the need to keep on moving forward, even when in doubt of the path to take, of making a tough call and sticking to it- perseverance with elegance. Not only a fascinating history of the Washington Post from the inside but also an incredible odyssey of personal growth and empowerment.

The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World

Wonderful and discomforting

I've read Tracy Kidder before and always enjoyed - was certain that this first biography would be wonderful - after all a Harvard MD deciding to go on crusade against conditions in Haiti by giving of himself.. sounds like a split personality.. and a tale to be told. It is a wonderful story of a life in progress dedicated to others, to helping those who can't help or fight for themselves. It is a story that deserves to be read - and not only because the book is a magnifying glass on the problematic issues of health care worldwide. It is a disturbing story from a selfish point of view (makes you wonder what have you done with your life recently..) and also a most moving one. Fascinating.

Dr Seuss behind the scenes

A very informative look at the life of Mr. Geisel and his existence as Dr. Seuss - his inspirations, his creative process. By far the best biography I have read on him so far. Also recommended : The Seuss, The whole Seuss and nothing but the Seuss

Hollywood inside & out

The lure of being a part of Hollywood and the reality of the benefits gained by starting at the bottom and working up. From those who made and make Hollywood what it is today - a fascinating look at how Hollywood works.

Funny and educating

Always thought it would be good to read the Encyclopedia, never found the time and now Jacobs has done it for us and lived to tell the tale! Very funny, full of trivia and a wonderful 'intelligent' read for the plane.

Don't compare!

Intelligent and filled with obscure knowledge it focuses on a Princeton senior thesis trying to finally understand a 15th century text filled with ciphers and anagrams supposed to reveal the location of a treasure trove of antique marvels. The text really exists, as do some of the Princeton traditions described. Since I liked the Da Vinci Code I was eager to read this. A mistake to start off in that frame of mind since it suffers from the comparison which is a shame because they are not the same style at all. Comparison aside it is an interesting story, lacking perhaps character development (at times hard to connect with them), not only a coming of age story about college students taking themselves too seriously, but also a story about having your life taken over by a passion. The main character is really the 15th century text, it is the common thread that brings it all together. The quest for knowledge is fascinating, the impact it has on friendships described serious. It is a complicated book that draws you in even though it is not faced paced or your traditional 'page turner soon in theatres near you' . It is a fun intellectual exercise, not a thriller.

Why is she the wicked witch?

A friend highly recommended this book introducing it as 'we heard Dorothy's story, but what of the wicked witch? There's always 2 sides to every story at least'. Maguire creates a behind the scenes view of the Land of Oz, demonstrating that nothing is ever as simple as it appears. He introduces socio economic and political realities into a world of fantasy. An allegory into the nature of good and evil and the compromises necessary for civilization. It could be an introduction into the world of politics and diplomacy. The wicked witch may be wicked - but to a certain extent it is life that has made her that way. She's human, her life is impacted by circumstances just as anyone else's and she's made her choices. How others choose to interpret them may be misunderstood, but she stands by them. Just as the wizard was not necessarily what he appeared to be, nor is the land of Oz as simple as portrayed in 'the wizard of oz'. Read this and you'll never see the story in the same way. A powerful book, that reminds us indeed that there is always at least 2 sides to every story. Thought-provoking and well-written.

Love is eternal

I was reluctant to read this for many reasons, but once I picked it up I read it through to the end. It is an easy book, that deals with difficult subjects: what is the meaning of life, do we make a difference, and are things random. It explores superficially the connections and the fact that so-called coincidences often have their roots in our past. We do not live in a vacuum and our actions have greater impact than we can even imagine.. smiling at a stranger in the street as we walk by may make a huge difference in their life (or not), but when in doubt... It's like Pascal's bet concerning the existence of God and also rather brings to mind the 'six degrees of separation' theory. Makes you think and measure the importance of random acts of kindness. There's better but Albom does it lightly, sensitively and with grace. Heart-warming.Also recommended : Jonathan Livingstone The seagull.

Remember- it's a mystery! Dan Brown uses facts and a simple writing style to create fast-paced fiction hard to put down and at times hard to believe, but it is a work of fiction! Let yourself be carried by the story, learn tidbits of art, religious and architectural history and watch out for some of the riddles.. It does what I think is the ultimate goal of fiction: gets you interested in a topic enough that you'll actually want / need to go look up the subject matter in non-fiction to find out what is what.Also recommended : Angels & Demons (same author) / The Rule of Four

An intelligent literary mystery

Well translated, to the point where you don't realize it is a translation. Starting with the preparations of a 15th century painting up for auction, the book develops into a historical puzzle about a murder gone unsolved. The painting itself is of a chess game, and in the opening pages we discover that there is a question embedded in the painting that has no answer. The art restorer becomes fascinated and decides to solve the mystery and find the answer to the question. Secrets left long unattended have a way of creating problems when attention is focused on them, and the same proves true in the book. People start dying, and the need to solve the mystery becomes pressing. Making use of much chess strategy, the story is very compelling when you are interested in art and love and play chess. I got caught up in the story and found the book impossible to put down. By far my favorite of all of Perez-Reverte's books. Also recommended : The eight, Katherine Neville - Name of the rose, Umberto Eco.

Art reflects Life, Stephen King style

'On writing' neatly ties life events into milestones of the writers growth. Much more personal and revealing than I expected, the autobiographical sections ranges from childhood memories to King's personal battle with addictions. I have been a big fan since getting sucked into Misery a few years ago, yet somehow I missed this book being published. Here Stephen King lets us into his life, and mind to a certain extent, and lays out how writing is for him what others consider breathing: a necessity in life, whatever the results (reference to a previous book where he tells the story of a friend asking him when he first started writing how much he made per hour trying to quantify writing, as if!). He develops both the tools needed for the Craft and illustrates how he 'discovered'/'uncovered' them. In his usual self-deprecating style King weaves autobiography (treated as a story) and 'how-to' into a practical, pragmatic, funny and moving book- you can read it either way and you are sure to enjoy it and learn along the way whether you write postcards or novels or not.

Morbidly fascinating

After reading Stephen King's “on writing” which mentions this book in the very first sentence, I wanted to see for myself. I found myself morbidly fascinated with Mary Karr's accounting of her childhood and captivated by her clear, lucid and semi-detached retelling of her past. The detailed snapshots, the underlying irony in word selections highlight the psychological distance we can acquire from trauma and make for a very interesting if sometimes uncomfortable read.

American or European Dream,

As European Union member countries prepare to vote on a European constitution it was interesting to read this book. Is the American way of life and the American dream outdated? sterile? arthritic? Has it been or should it be replaced by the European Dream? Used to thinking of Europe as being at least two trains late, the anglo-saxon schools of thought see Europe as bogged down in their past and sometimes overlook that they have managed to have their cake and eat it too... while the US American Dream has lost its' momentum. Rifkin, an American social activist, outlines the 'dream', gives an historical overview of the EU's development and explores how all that has come about in a study that highlights the creation of a (subterranean at times) European vision that goes beyond borders and in his point of view is better suited to the current wave of globalization. And in some ways he is no doubt correct. He underlines the very fundamental differences which exist between the two cultures and their perspectives on issues such as the environment, social policy, ... yet Rifkin sometimes fails to point out that this European vision has been more politically and economically inspired than driven by the people for the people - no doubt due to his own personal convictions on such matters. I wish he had further developed the counter-argument to the idealistic perception of the EU's future that he rapidly outlined in the books' final pages. Nonetheless he makes a persuasive argument, and one that should not be ignored simply because of who he is or represents. Truth be told, in my opinion, no doubt the correct balance is somewhere between the two. Also recommended : Noam Chomsky (Hegemony of survival) and Z. Brezinski (The choice).

How a ‘criminal' became a constitutional reference

I have always been intrigued by the workings of the US Supreme Court and the idea of the Constitution as a living document. This classic book brings to life the right we now all take for granted the right to legal counsel whatever the circumstances, but in fact it was a grey area covered by the 6th and 14th amendment that was only resolved in a 1963 Supreme Court decision 'Gideon vs. Wainwright'. This fascinating legal story is the tale of Gideon, the man who (at first on his own) wrote to the Supreme Court and became a landmark decision. Lewis highlights the workings of the Court and how in fact one man can make a difference in the US legal system. Fascinating. Also recommended : Rights from wrongs; Storm center (classic!!); Civil action (Jonathan Harr.

Fiction that makes you think

After gun control (balance of power) and abortion (protect and defend) R North Patterson tackles the issue of the death penalty. The Pagets' take on the case of Rennell Price, a black man, convicted of the murder following sexual assault of a nine year old Cambodian girl. On this controversial and divisive issue RNP's position is clearly embodied by Terri Paget, who represents death row inmates, and his doubts by Terri's husband, Chris. The book opens when she meets her client for the first time and with 59 days left to challenge Rennell's sentencing. It is not clear how she ends up with the case, but that question is quickly set aside with flashbacks from Rennell's crime, his trial and his life and the introduction of the main character of the book: the Law. Indeed, the Law, its' interpretation and its' implementation are the central character and driving force of the book, to the detriment of character development inspite of quick insights into Terri's past, and the sidelines about her daughter Elena (a survivor of sexual abuse) the Paget's remain pretty cardbord-ish. As Terri navigates the labyrinth of the appeals process we, the reader, learn more about the system and the players (politicians, lawyers, judges, police..) involved in death penalty cases. The Law applies to all, but what is its' impact on the individual? This book provides an example of what the Law means on a personal level both for Terri and Rennell and for Chris. What is the separation between State and Federal, between the rights of the victim and their family and those of the accused and/or convicted? Even though Terri uncovers new facts, including the disturbing issue of Rennell's mental capacity, are those facts, should those facts, be taken into account? Once a judgment rendered should it be overturned if the law or its scope changes? Who holds the final say? Should Rennell's defense and his life be shunted to the side lines because of political ramifications? Should, as Chief Justice Caroline Masters declares at one point, worry about the credibility of the Court rather than the innocence of an individual? Exploring racial bias, raising questions about the Law as a living organism, presenting an intelligent argument, CONVICTION is an intelligent book which gave a human face to what had been for me an intellectual debate, an abstract subject and left me with more substantive information about the death penalty, and the legal labyrinth that surrounds this controversial subject that leaves no one indifferent. Also recommended : Gideon's trumpet/ protect and defend.

How do you dream the American dream when you don't know it exists?

'Someone' in my life is fascinated by public policy management / evaluation and welfare reform in particular - so it seemed 'smart' to pick this book up. I admit I was surprised at the clear concise story-telling. the chronology of events is well woven, tying in the policy and the human faces he chose to follow. The book gives a face to the debate surrounding welfare reform and makes what could otherwise be dry policy review interesting and compelling (the someone I mentioned earlier has told me that this human element is all too often what is not taken into account). Put into chronological perspective the story of welfare reform is emotionally rich, full of dramatic reversals and its' recipients not necessarily as portrayed in the media. Seeking to debunk the myth, Deparle goes beyond the simplistic bipartisan approach and well- beyond the “welfare moms” argument. He does so from the very beginning of the book noting how Clinton's war cry of “ending welfare as we know it” was in all truth not only a conviction but also a quirk of fate. The book is well-balanced and highlights legislative developments in parallel to the daily struggles of three women (Angela, Jewell and Opal) and illustrates their ignorance of the greater picture they are a part of. Even though they perfectly fit the stereotype which has been the rallying cry for most of the welfare debate they are ignorant of it and of its' implications. Not only are they ignorant but also unaware of such things and as I believe Angela puts it 'don't care' because they're not 'dependent', they're 'survivors', and indeed they are. Ultimately Deparle offers no solutions but that is not necessarily what he meant to do - rather he successfully gives a face to the debates and confronts legislation and policy with real life cases, returning the human element to the place it deserves. Deparle makes no excuses for the choices the three women make AND he makes no excuses for the creators and enactors of welfare legislature. He simply offers an inside glimpse into their reasoning or lack of it, placing both the recipients and the debate in context historically, sociologically, politically and legislatively. Offering no solutions is not a drawback here; rather it is an advantage because without a clear idea of where we came from how can we know where we are going? If we do not know where the notion of entitlement came from how can we hope to elaborate a solution that will break the pattern? I'm glad I picked it up… Also recommended : Not really related, but... Mark Salzman, True Notebooks.

Should be subtitled - in recent years

Coke is not just a soft-drink, and is not just a company. It is a legend. Constance Hays tries to describe how this came about, but does not quite succeed. Rather this is an interesting study of the role of advertising and the important embittered relationship between Coca Cola and its' bottlers. Focusing on the last thirty years, the book is not laid out in a linear chronological fashion which at times makes it frustrating to follow, and it seems somewhat out of date since Daft is barely mentioned. Interesting, but not what I was wanting to read.

Achievement - good and bad

The hostess at one of my fav' restaurants was reading this and highly recommended it so when I took the plane recently I picked up a copy. It was a fascinating look at the construction of the Chicago World fair, dissecting the human achievement and laying out in parallel the depths of human depravity with the entwined story of the 'first' serial killer of record, an opportunist who took advantage of the World Fair both economically and to satisfy his 'need' to murder young women. The power of the human mind from its' towering heights to its' abysses of evil combine into a fascinating slice of US history - even if at times some passages were very long.

Not what I expected

I had never read Grisham before (Ok I saw the movies), the Law is not my topic of interest, which is why I picked this book up because not about the law and takes place in Italy which I love - Big mistake, my mistake. Sometimes you should simply stick to writing about what you know and using your well of experience to develop the story or else you need to have done much much research - neither seemed to be the case here. Too bad…
Also recommended : Stephen Frey.