I heard about this book during an interview with the author, Jack Clark, on NPR. Clark a long-time cab driver in Chicago takes his experience to write a crime novel that is pretty entertaining.
The premise of the book is a cab driver is trying to solve two murders - one that he witnessed and one of his friend and fellow cab driver.
The writing is fine - nothing too impressive, it reads quite realistically and as I imagine how conversations in a cab often take place. The story is entertaining but nothing terribly surprising. It's a quick read and an enjoyable read for the most part. I think I found the interview with Jack Clark (which is on NPR's website) more intriguing than the book.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Half the Sky by Kristof and WuDunn
Half the Sky, written by New York Times columnists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, talks about the oppression of women - especially through sexual crimes - and their importance in the development of an economy and of a society. At times, it can be pretty difficult to read due to the heart-wrenching stories of gruesome sexual abuse of young girls in brothels or by family members. However, despite the honest brutality of the book, I think it is an important book to read and to be aware of.
I recently completed graduate work in international economic development, but I'll be the first one to admit that solving a country's poverty issues is quite ambitious, not to mention incredibly difficult. As I finished my higher education, I came to the realization that I was very aware of the complicated issues of poverty but still had a lot of questions about how to address those problems and come up with probable solutions. Certainly all the answers aren't present in this book, but it is a great starting point.
Promoting girls education and providing greater opportunities for women leads to a more democratic, open societies and taking advantage of the economic capabilities of half the population. Kristof cites China and other Asian countries who have expanded women involvement, rights, and freedoms in society that is correlated with strong economic growth. Unfortunately, many of the horrific stories of sexual abuse took place in Islamic countries. The authors do an admirable job of exploring the religious aspects and how religion plays a part in women rights -- including Islamic and Christianity.
This is an important book to read for someone who is interested in int. economic development, international affairs, or human rights and I think it is incredibly necessary to be aware of. Working for expanded girls education may be reap the most benefits of economic development and promoting peace in developing countries. There is a lot more to discuss about this book. Please read it for yourself and I would love the opportunity to talk to more people about this topic/book.
I recently completed graduate work in international economic development, but I'll be the first one to admit that solving a country's poverty issues is quite ambitious, not to mention incredibly difficult. As I finished my higher education, I came to the realization that I was very aware of the complicated issues of poverty but still had a lot of questions about how to address those problems and come up with probable solutions. Certainly all the answers aren't present in this book, but it is a great starting point.
Promoting girls education and providing greater opportunities for women leads to a more democratic, open societies and taking advantage of the economic capabilities of half the population. Kristof cites China and other Asian countries who have expanded women involvement, rights, and freedoms in society that is correlated with strong economic growth. Unfortunately, many of the horrific stories of sexual abuse took place in Islamic countries. The authors do an admirable job of exploring the religious aspects and how religion plays a part in women rights -- including Islamic and Christianity.
This is an important book to read for someone who is interested in int. economic development, international affairs, or human rights and I think it is incredibly necessary to be aware of. Working for expanded girls education may be reap the most benefits of economic development and promoting peace in developing countries. There is a lot more to discuss about this book. Please read it for yourself and I would love the opportunity to talk to more people about this topic/book.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Merton and Frey
Seeds by Thomas Merton
Although only 150 pages in length, I've been reading it for almost six months. This book is a collection of writings from Merton's other books, essays, etc on a number of spiritual topics selected and compiled into one work. I feel like this is a book that is best digested through slow, thoughtful, meditation of the topics being presented and the truth that it presents. There were periods of several weeks where I did not pick up the book, but rather continued to think over a certain idea introduced.
Throughout the entire book, Merton's writings consistently refer to our true vs false selves. Our false selves, which he compares to a mask, is "someone that I was never intended to be and therefore a denial of what I am supposed to be". Our truth selves, on the other hand, "are a deeply religious mystery, known entirely only to God." One of the things I love about Merton's writings is his embrace of the mysterious and deeply personal, private aspect of the spirituality of a person with God.
Take notice Merton's commentary on technology and man's dependence on it and how it, potentially, makes us less human. It is even more interesting considering that he died in 1968 and never saw the technological explosion of the recent decades.
I think I've gotten more encouragement out of Merton's writings than anything I've read over the past several years. This is a book that I will really never finish reading and will consistently read portions of it. I hope you get the chance to pick up this book and find it as enjoyable as I have.
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
I suppose I was way behind the curve with this book because I had never heard of this book or the controversy surrounding it until this past week. My brother passed the book along to me and almost everyone I've talked to recently has heard of it.
In case you are in the same position as me, the book follows the 6 weeks in a rehab clinic of a 23 year old drug and alcohol addict. I found it pretty tough to read but impossible to put down. The book is brutally honest and open about the rehabilitation process and I found myself really pulling for the characters to recover.
The book was originally portrayed as entirely autobiographical account of James Frey's experience, but he later admitted to embellishing certain aspects of the book. It's probably better knowing that before you read the book and I didn't seem to mind the exaggerated portions. He explains the embellished details in the introduction and his intention behind them. I didn't find it to negate any of the message he is trying to get across, especially if you look at it as a piece of literature rather than a detailed account of someone's actual life.
Although only 150 pages in length, I've been reading it for almost six months. This book is a collection of writings from Merton's other books, essays, etc on a number of spiritual topics selected and compiled into one work. I feel like this is a book that is best digested through slow, thoughtful, meditation of the topics being presented and the truth that it presents. There were periods of several weeks where I did not pick up the book, but rather continued to think over a certain idea introduced.
Throughout the entire book, Merton's writings consistently refer to our true vs false selves. Our false selves, which he compares to a mask, is "someone that I was never intended to be and therefore a denial of what I am supposed to be". Our truth selves, on the other hand, "are a deeply religious mystery, known entirely only to God." One of the things I love about Merton's writings is his embrace of the mysterious and deeply personal, private aspect of the spirituality of a person with God.
Take notice Merton's commentary on technology and man's dependence on it and how it, potentially, makes us less human. It is even more interesting considering that he died in 1968 and never saw the technological explosion of the recent decades.
I think I've gotten more encouragement out of Merton's writings than anything I've read over the past several years. This is a book that I will really never finish reading and will consistently read portions of it. I hope you get the chance to pick up this book and find it as enjoyable as I have.
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
I suppose I was way behind the curve with this book because I had never heard of this book or the controversy surrounding it until this past week. My brother passed the book along to me and almost everyone I've talked to recently has heard of it.
In case you are in the same position as me, the book follows the 6 weeks in a rehab clinic of a 23 year old drug and alcohol addict. I found it pretty tough to read but impossible to put down. The book is brutally honest and open about the rehabilitation process and I found myself really pulling for the characters to recover.
The book was originally portrayed as entirely autobiographical account of James Frey's experience, but he later admitted to embellishing certain aspects of the book. It's probably better knowing that before you read the book and I didn't seem to mind the exaggerated portions. He explains the embellished details in the introduction and his intention behind them. I didn't find it to negate any of the message he is trying to get across, especially if you look at it as a piece of literature rather than a detailed account of someone's actual life.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Finally finished this book! This has been my reading project of the summer and am happy to have completed it.
The famous catch phrase of the book is "Who is John Galt?", which you may have seen on signs at Tea Party rallies. John Galt becomes portrayed as Rand's ideal man, who promised to stop the engine of the world and whose mission would be completed once the lights of New York City were extinguished. Galt considers the direction of the country a moral, social, and individual affront to his life and is determined to stop the continuation of policies--policies supposedly for the "social welfare" and impose highly regulated restrictions on industrial business. Galt, who remains a mystery most of the book, working behind the scenes, convinces each of the major industrialists to remove their mind, talent, and energy from society with the intention of eventually bringing the social changes to a halt.
Galt, however, is not the main protagonist in the book, but remains somewhat of an unknown ideal until the last 400 or 500 pages. The main character of Atlas Shrugged is Dagny Taggert, VP of Taggert Transcontinental Railroad, who although disagrees with the direction of the country struggles to completely dessert her love and life of managing the railroad.
I have yet to read a more relevant fiction book as far as modern day political economics. Ayn Rand economic views are unabashedly capitalistic with followers such as Alan Greenspan and Rand Paul (although according to a Time Magazine article on the KY senator hopeful there is no connection between the author's last time and the politician's first name). http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1992201,00.html - see page 2
Many people see a similarity in the extreme political and economic policies presented in Ms Rand's book as in today's society. This article talks about how sales for Atlas Shrugged increase when the economy tanks, especially with heavy government regulation. (www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/05/18/what-caused-atlas-shrugged-sales-to-soar/). I certainly don't think that things today have come close to approach the policies that are presented in Rand's novel, but it provides for interesting economic literature.
Those who have read The Fountainhead, also by Rand, will find similar themes present in Atlas Shrugged but expounded upon. The Fountainhead deals with the themes on an individual level while Atlas Shrugged discusses those themes within a broader social context.
I don't know that I completely agree with Rand's philosophy of objectivism or her promotion of selfishness but she certainly makes an interesting case for her argument. And there are certainly some aspects of her philosophy, such as refusing to compromise one's values, that I can subscribe to.
All economic, social, and political commentary aside, Rand's character development is about as detailed as I've ever encountered. It's obvious she knows her characters inside and out and (for the most part) keeps them consistent throughout her novel. This book is certainly a commitment to read and the first 400 pages are pretty tough to wade through but they set up the remaining 700 pages quite nicely and they certainly read much more quickly. I personally think one should read Atlas Shrugged simply to be familiar with her argument and how it possibly relates to today's economy and politics - even, and especially, if you don't agree with it.
The famous catch phrase of the book is "Who is John Galt?", which you may have seen on signs at Tea Party rallies. John Galt becomes portrayed as Rand's ideal man, who promised to stop the engine of the world and whose mission would be completed once the lights of New York City were extinguished. Galt considers the direction of the country a moral, social, and individual affront to his life and is determined to stop the continuation of policies--policies supposedly for the "social welfare" and impose highly regulated restrictions on industrial business. Galt, who remains a mystery most of the book, working behind the scenes, convinces each of the major industrialists to remove their mind, talent, and energy from society with the intention of eventually bringing the social changes to a halt.
Galt, however, is not the main protagonist in the book, but remains somewhat of an unknown ideal until the last 400 or 500 pages. The main character of Atlas Shrugged is Dagny Taggert, VP of Taggert Transcontinental Railroad, who although disagrees with the direction of the country struggles to completely dessert her love and life of managing the railroad.
I have yet to read a more relevant fiction book as far as modern day political economics. Ayn Rand economic views are unabashedly capitalistic with followers such as Alan Greenspan and Rand Paul (although according to a Time Magazine article on the KY senator hopeful there is no connection between the author's last time and the politician's first name). http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1992201,00.html - see page 2
Many people see a similarity in the extreme political and economic policies presented in Ms Rand's book as in today's society. This article talks about how sales for Atlas Shrugged increase when the economy tanks, especially with heavy government regulation. (www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/05/18/what-caused-atlas-shrugged-sales-to-soar/). I certainly don't think that things today have come close to approach the policies that are presented in Rand's novel, but it provides for interesting economic literature.
Those who have read The Fountainhead, also by Rand, will find similar themes present in Atlas Shrugged but expounded upon. The Fountainhead deals with the themes on an individual level while Atlas Shrugged discusses those themes within a broader social context.
I don't know that I completely agree with Rand's philosophy of objectivism or her promotion of selfishness but she certainly makes an interesting case for her argument. And there are certainly some aspects of her philosophy, such as refusing to compromise one's values, that I can subscribe to.
All economic, social, and political commentary aside, Rand's character development is about as detailed as I've ever encountered. It's obvious she knows her characters inside and out and (for the most part) keeps them consistent throughout her novel. This book is certainly a commitment to read and the first 400 pages are pretty tough to wade through but they set up the remaining 700 pages quite nicely and they certainly read much more quickly. I personally think one should read Atlas Shrugged simply to be familiar with her argument and how it possibly relates to today's economy and politics - even, and especially, if you don't agree with it.
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