Mystery novels are about the chase. Someone must pursue the unknown, usually putting himself in danger. The protagonist pursues the unknown because he...moreMystery novels are about the chase. Someone must pursue the unknown, usually putting himself in danger. The protagonist pursues the unknown because he must discover what's going on. Sometimes it's out of curiosity, but usually there is a strong motivation to find out what's going on. In order to work, the reader has to care what the unknown is and believe that the danger is real. This is often done by giving the reader crucial information along the way. The author must provide enough information to keep the reader intrigued, but also not appear to give the end away. In the Devil's Company, Benjamin Weaver attempts to learn how Absalom Pepper died. A mysterious man, Mr. Cobb, has forced Benjamin to take on this mystery by buying up the debts of his friends. With his friends' freedom hanging over him, Benjamin cannot walk away from this case. Neither the mystery nor the danger is all that richly explored until the last 50 pages.
For a mystery to work, the reader is brought in almost like layers of a cake. A little information along the way. While at times we learn about Absalom Pepper, we never learn about the mysterious Mr. Cobb. Mr. Cobb is randomly brought in to the story in order to up the stakes and remind the reader of the ticking clock. And so rather than being a fully satisfying mystery, Mr. Cobb feels too much like a device to keep Mr. Weaver on the case. The book relies on this ticking clock device for 319 pages.
The writing is good. And at times, I was eager to find out what was going to happen next, ticking clocks do work. However, there was never that recognition of layer, icing, layer -- oh we are building a cake of the mystery genre. (Right now, I can't think of another way to explain my thoughts; so genre as cake type will have to do.) Some icing - moments that brought you into the bad guys motivations and reversals - earlier and throughout the story would have helped it come together for me. Still a decent read. (less)
The book rightly calls what it's sharing - techniques. You might even call them tricks of the trade. It's not a teaching philosophy or even a teaching...moreThe book rightly calls what it's sharing - techniques. You might even call them tricks of the trade. It's not a teaching philosophy or even a teaching approach. By that - you could master all of these techniques and still not know what or how to teach.
A great deal of the book's beginning is focused on selling the techniques. At one point, the author says that educators may scoff, but these techniques work. It feels like preemptive sour grapes. Why?
I'd like less commentary and a more direct delivery of the techniques. (less)
The audio book reads like randomly selected internet writings - short, semi-personal observations that don't relate to the last thing you read.
I made...moreThe audio book reads like randomly selected internet writings - short, semi-personal observations that don't relate to the last thing you read.
I made great chocolate chip cookies using the recipe from America's Test Kitchen's website. (less)
When I got off the plane in Ireland, I was greeted by a James Joyce quote. This really pleased me. Then I ran into quotes from Irish authors in pubs,...moreWhen I got off the plane in Ireland, I was greeted by a James Joyce quote. This really pleased me. Then I ran into quotes from Irish authors in pubs, public spaces, the Guinness Brewery, and a variety of tourist locations. I think even an overpass. All together – I loved how storytellers were everywhere. This felt really good to me.
So when I picked up this book and learned that Ireland had wandering storytellers during the twentieth century, I was again pleasantly at peace. However, if a man showed up at my door and told me that all he had to offer was the ability to tell stories, I wouldn’t know what to do. But I love the idea that people invited him in to their homes and listened to his stories. I love the premise enough to allow for some bad storytelling, which for me involves a story that drags out. This book has examples of bad storytelling.
While the wandering storyteller provides the novel’s framework, Ronan O’Mara, a protected only child who lacks a certain awareness of others, is the main character. Ronan might soak up stories about Ireland, but he is cut-off from the drama in his own family. Well loved, Ronan’s parents and aunt choose not to tell him the family’s secret. The book portrays Ronan’s intimacy and distance from his family as a combination of the adults deciding to keep a secret from him and his own personality. For me – Ronan’s feelings of helplessness and anger are given a purpose in pursuing the storyteller. By choosing to chase the elusive storyteller, Ronan is chasing a dying vocation. Progress is not always better.
That there is still a public role for storytellers in Ireland makes me happy. (less)
I found the time in Paris more interesting. The French section has stories about people and places. The return to London is broken up with sections th...moreI found the time in Paris more interesting. The French section has stories about people and places. The return to London is broken up with sections that begin: I'd like to talk now about tramps. These sections feel very preachy. It's also drier. While he's able to cut through the bs about being poor, he consistently says the most ridiculous things about women and Jews. He sounds absolutely batty.
This book has a little bit of everything. The internet has a little bit of everything. I get books to help me go deeper with any one topic. The sectio...moreThis book has a little bit of everything. The internet has a little bit of everything. I get books to help me go deeper with any one topic. The section on grow lights looked good. But I still suspect I can learn the same things from the internet and not hold on to the book. (less)
There are sentences that I am falling in love with:
There are years that are questions and there are years that are answers. She was searching for an...moreThere are sentences that I am falling in love with:
There are years that are questions and there are years that are answers. She was searching for an answer. (less)
Colin Powell is one of those people that I once admired and currently want to admire. He went into the army, rose up the ranks to become a four-star g...moreColin Powell is one of those people that I once admired and currently want to admire. He went into the army, rose up the ranks to become a four-star general, and served as Secretary of State. He’s an icon. A moderate Republican. Then the Bush administration happened and Powell was given an impossible mission – to get other countries to not just accept an American invasion of Iraq, but support an American invasion of Iraq. A moderate in the Bush administration – his credibility was sacrificed in order to make the case for war with Iraq. For me – there is no hindsight. His presentation was wrong. It is wrong now and it was wrong then. Here is where my feelings get complicated. First in what frame of mind did Powell accept this job of presenting to the United Nations? Did he know in his guts that something wasn’t right? Or did he go in believing the story? I don't think either scenario reflects well on him. Second it gives me pause that the voice that was against invading Iraq became the face for invading Iraq. How many people in major institutions eventually give up their own thinking and accept the groupthink because there is little space for disagreement? Thirdly – I want him to redeem himself. I want him to write his second act. And this book is no second act. Herein lies my disappointment. While Powell has good advice – his transgression is so serious – I expect more than folksy homespun advice that he kept as aphorisms on his desk. I expect him to have really processed this “blot” on his record. And I don’t expect his story to diminish those he served. But I do expect the insights of a man who has walked through the storm and came out the other side. This is not that book. (less)
If you are looking for the short version, another Brit gave us the same message: No, you can't always get what you want But if you try sometime, you ju...moreIf you are looking for the short version, another Brit gave us the same message: No, you can't always get what you want But if you try sometime, you just might find You get what you need
For the most part, obliquity seems to be pursuing goals that come from the heart rather than the pursuit of fame or fortune.
The book's set up: if you follow obliquity, it will get you the true measure of success. So as long as you are doing it for the right reasons, you will get wealthy, which was really the goal all along.
In my mind, the first half of the book can be skipped. Then the book strings together some interesting ideas, but doesn't delve to deeply into any of them. One that organizations pay consultants to justify decisions they already made. This made a lot of sense to me. And I would say when this happens, the bigger the consultant's fee, the worse the news. The book is filled with these insights - interesting, but so what?
Another topic that I appreciated was the idea that there are two types of problems: closed problems (like Sudoku or chess) and open problems (what's the best solution to global warming?). Again -- makes sense. But not a lot of guidance once you've identified what kind of problem you have on your hands. And I would imagine that all problems that involve people are open problems.
The second half of the book is better than the first. I would say that it gets exponentially better. In fact, if I was the editor, I would have cut the first half the book and told John Kay to further explore the ideas in the second half of the book.
This is where the book begins to explore the ideas of what it means to set a larger goal and staying open to several ways to getting there. However, it doesn't go deep enough to really stand for a big idea. It still skirts around the idea of obliquity. I guess the book's message - to get there slant. But we never get there. I was always left thinking -- so what?
I liked the first part of the book. My problem was the examples or lack of examples that helped to draw out the points.
In one example, Erik Weihenmay...moreI liked the first part of the book. My problem was the examples or lack of examples that helped to draw out the points.
In one example, Erik Weihenmayer and his team climb a mountain in summer. Because of climate change, the team hits unexpected snow. They aren't prepared for it and go back down the mountain. In the reflection, Eric talks about lacking the will to finish the climb. At that point, it's not will. Rather, you prepared for one thing and something else happened. Will can't always bridge that.
I would also say this example highlights the book's biggest problem. How do you prepare for adversity. Frequently, the authors used sport analogies that just didn't do anything for me. And when it wasn't sports, it was a folksy belief statement.
An example of their beliefs is to ask why four times to get to the deeper reason. Four whys is the magic line between deeper insight and imitating an two-year old.
The advice for building a team - interview team members. Look for people with heart. No advice on how to interview or what questions to ask, besides asking why 4 times. Great...but not specific and not helpful.
Look for people with egos - healthy egos. Not too big, not too small, but just right. Again -- okay, how? What does a just right ego look like? And what about helping people grow?
Despite those complaints: I agree that adversity can help us. We avoid adversity; in avoiding adversity we actually make things more difficult. (less)
This was difficult for me. The love story - which is the main plot driver - did not ring true for me. If I could have gotten past the love story, the...moreThis was difficult for me. The love story - which is the main plot driver - did not ring true for me. If I could have gotten past the love story, the book is well written and had moments that I liked. However, there were too many moments where I thought there should be more of a plot reversal. That someone waits and the couple quickly reconnects without a period of awkwardness didn't seem true to me. Particularly with the amount of time they spent in different cultures. The writing is good. My ability to believe the love story challenged me. (less)
All Connelly stories are based on reversals. At one point, I became more involved in the decoy story than the actual story. That's why it gets 3 inste...moreAll Connelly stories are based on reversals. At one point, I became more involved in the decoy story than the actual story. That's why it gets 3 instead of 4 stars. (less)
There feels like an awkward blending of several of Connelly's regular characters. The characters ongoing story-lines compete with this plot. Like Conn...moreThere feels like an awkward blending of several of Connelly's regular characters. The characters ongoing story-lines compete with this plot. Like Connelly's other novels lots of action.
Solid action writing all things considered. (less)
Rather than a review of 13 Bankers, I am wrestling with understanding the response to the book. It makes me feel like I’m missing something and did no...moreRather than a review of 13 Bankers, I am wrestling with understanding the response to the book. It makes me feel like I’m missing something and did not get the secret decoder ring. Unlike most books that explore the 2008 financial collapse, this book looks back to the political viewpoints of Jefferson and Hamilton. In a nutshell, Jefferson didn’t trust big government. In addition to that, he didn’t trust any highly centralized power and this included the banks. In contrast, Hamilton did trust a centralized government with powers to encourage the finance system. For Jefferson this is not tenable because you have two powers interconnected which leads to unchecked powers. So if I’m even close – then that’s step one of the decoder ring. That’s the basic argument. The problem is now fitting those arguments into today’s inauthentic political discourse. How does one take this fundamental argument and transform it into good guys and bad guys? Many reviews acknowledge Johnson’s solid historical analysis of financial regulations and then dismiss him as a crazy conspiracy theorist. See an example here: http://www.economist.com/node/15716841 So rather than taking on Johnson’s arguments, he’s labeled as a conspiracist. I haven’t finished the book – but since he’s invoked Jefferson, I presume his solution is more democracy. However, his first solution seems to be that America needs another Andrew Jackson or Franklin D. Roosevelt. And here is where I think my disappointment might develop. More democracy means more process. And process is slow, difficult and demands people to work together. This is the discussion America needs to have – rather than “finding” and labeling the good guys and the bad guys. Instead, by discussing the leaders of these complicated political movements, the argument simplifies the solution to a single person – a super hero. I will update upon completion of the book.
Final thoughts: The book does provide a thorough examination of financial regulation. Rather than pointing to a single politician, the book calls for greater regulation. It argues that markets are not all knowing and are not self-correcting. (less)
Reading this book, I realized how depressing flat monotonous happiness can be. Sort of like when the sun is out every day and there's never a cloud in...moreReading this book, I realized how depressing flat monotonous happiness can be. Sort of like when the sun is out every day and there's never a cloud in the sky. You begin to look for the clouds and hope for rain.
I like curmudgeons. It takes a special someone to pull it off. Not a negative person. Not an angry person. A curmudgeon. There's a freedom in being stubborn in your ideas.
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