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Live From Mongolia: From Wall Street Banker to Mongolian News Anchor
In 2006, author Patricia Sexton set out on a journey most of us have only fantasized about. She quit her job to pursue her dream. Thirty years old and a rising star at a Wall Street investment bank, Patricia wanted nothing more than to work as a foreign correspondent. So, that's just what she did, moving to Mongolia after landing an internship at the country's national TV station. Live from Mongolia follows Patricia's unlikely journey from Wall Street to Ulan Bator. Not only does Patricia manage to get promoted to anchor of the Mongolian news, she also meets some unusual people following unusual dreams of their own. There's the Mongolian hip-hop star who worked in London restaurants to make his dream come true or the French corporate exec now tracking endangered horses in the steppe. All this whilePatricia is living with Mongolian Mormons, camping with nomads in the Gobi desert, and even crashing Genghis Khan's 800th anniversary party. But of course Patricia has her fair share of stumbles, including a brief return to Wall Street--even after meeting with the president of CNN. Live from Mongolia is the story of this ongoing journey--from a corporate career to a dream job Patricia hadn't even imagined she would land.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2012
8 people are currently reading
780 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 19, 2014
Filled with cliches, but from an interesting viewpoint. Would recommend not for the quality of writing, but instead for her fearlessness.
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April 16, 2015Follow your dream is Sexton's ultimate message in this fun read as she leaves her high powered banking job and moves to Mongolia to work as a foreign news correspondent. I learned so much about Mongolia from the author's vivid descriptions of the people, history, and country; a place I knew nothing about. Sexton's story is filled with her own doubts, humor, and musings as she lives her life and now motivates others to follow their own dreams. I love where Sexton's story takes her, but still have one nagging question, does her husband's name begin with an "E?"
May 21, 2014
A surprisingly engaging account of one woman's three-month journey to realizing her dreams of becoming a foreign correspondent. I'm not sure what I was expecting of this when I started it, but what I got was an entertaining, relatively easy read that made me feel like I was there with her. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in backpacking, Mongolian culture, or who just needs a sign to send them in the right direction towards going after their dream.
February 9, 2017
This book was read for my Reading Challenge Around the World in 80+ Books
This book took me longer to finish than it should have. It’s a compelling real-narrative of Patricia Sexton’s departure from Manhattan to Mongolia to chase her dreams. Unhappy as a Wall Street Banker, Sexton decided to make a radical and bold move. She applied to be a foreign correspondent in Mongolia, nestled between Russia & China. I enjoyed her journey on many levels. As someone who has uprooted her American life and moved to Asia, I felt a camaraderie with Sexton. She turned her back on predictability and walked out into the unknown. I also liked learning about Mongolia, it’s culture and history. I’ve never traveled there, and Sexton did a good job of tying together information about Mongolia with her journey as a foreign correspondent. And then I liked reading about her journey into journalism. She had hardly any experience when she landed the internship, and really learned on the job. In a new language and new culture. Impressive! Sexton faced some wild & unexpected circumstances and came out stronger on the other side. It was also interesting learning about her life after the summer internship in Mongolia. Life rarely ties itself up into a nice neat bow, and heroes only ride into the sunset in the movies. But Patricia Sexton’s reinvention of her career and dreams is a story of hope & possibility.
This book took me longer to finish than it should have. It’s a compelling real-narrative of Patricia Sexton’s departure from Manhattan to Mongolia to chase her dreams. Unhappy as a Wall Street Banker, Sexton decided to make a radical and bold move. She applied to be a foreign correspondent in Mongolia, nestled between Russia & China. I enjoyed her journey on many levels. As someone who has uprooted her American life and moved to Asia, I felt a camaraderie with Sexton. She turned her back on predictability and walked out into the unknown. I also liked learning about Mongolia, it’s culture and history. I’ve never traveled there, and Sexton did a good job of tying together information about Mongolia with her journey as a foreign correspondent. And then I liked reading about her journey into journalism. She had hardly any experience when she landed the internship, and really learned on the job. In a new language and new culture. Impressive! Sexton faced some wild & unexpected circumstances and came out stronger on the other side. It was also interesting learning about her life after the summer internship in Mongolia. Life rarely ties itself up into a nice neat bow, and heroes only ride into the sunset in the movies. But Patricia Sexton’s reinvention of her career and dreams is a story of hope & possibility.
February 4, 2023
This memoir has an interesting premise that’s quickly ruined because the whole thing reads like an early draft. The writing is subpar, the pacing is confusing, and some chapters end so abruptly that I had to pause to take in that they were really intended to be complete. I also found it difficult to empathize with the author, who somehow, despite being a former cog in the US banking machine and obviously hating it, is weirdly uncritical of capitalism.
Sometimes something should just be a blog.
Sometimes something should just be a blog.
December 17, 2017
A short, fun book on pursuing dreams with a brief glance at Mongolian culture.
June 10, 2017
Interesting story about following your dreams but not brilliantly written.
December 29, 2016
Interesting
I have always had a weird fascination with Mongolia. So when I saw this book about the author's move from banking to Mongolia, I was intrigued (plus there was a Kindle daily deal). The story was interesting in that most Wall Street bankers do not quit their jobs to live with a Mongolian family drinking fermented milk and eating greasy lamb.
The author also used Mongolian history as filler for what could have otherwise been a much shorter story. Despite my fascination with Mongolian culture, I am less interested in its history so I skimmed those portions generally.
The book generally flowed well but one thing that drove me crazy was how the author would tell you earlier in the story something that would happen later. (For example, "later she would be pumping my stomach" and then, chapters later, writing a bit the event. Etc.). This happened multiple times. I found it irritating. I couldn't tell if this was a way of the author encouraging the reader to keep reading, but it nearly had the opposite effect on me. I don't want to know in chapter 3 about something that will happen in chapter 7.
There's other thing is that she didn't tie up one loose end and it originally was a big narrative point.
SPOILER:
Early in the story, sexton tells of a fortune teller who tells her she will meet a younger man whose name begins with an E, he will sweep her off her feet etc. They do meet and later decide they aren't meant to be. She uses the same narrative device as previously saying "later I would run into him and he was engaged" but unfortunately for this one event doesn't then actually tell how or when that happened. I was dying to know more about that. But, alas, it was never described further.
Overall, the story was interesting.
I have always had a weird fascination with Mongolia. So when I saw this book about the author's move from banking to Mongolia, I was intrigued (plus there was a Kindle daily deal). The story was interesting in that most Wall Street bankers do not quit their jobs to live with a Mongolian family drinking fermented milk and eating greasy lamb.
The author also used Mongolian history as filler for what could have otherwise been a much shorter story. Despite my fascination with Mongolian culture, I am less interested in its history so I skimmed those portions generally.
The book generally flowed well but one thing that drove me crazy was how the author would tell you earlier in the story something that would happen later. (For example, "later she would be pumping my stomach" and then, chapters later, writing a bit the event. Etc.). This happened multiple times. I found it irritating. I couldn't tell if this was a way of the author encouraging the reader to keep reading, but it nearly had the opposite effect on me. I don't want to know in chapter 3 about something that will happen in chapter 7.
There's other thing is that she didn't tie up one loose end and it originally was a big narrative point.
SPOILER:
Early in the story, sexton tells of a fortune teller who tells her she will meet a younger man whose name begins with an E, he will sweep her off her feet etc. They do meet and later decide they aren't meant to be. She uses the same narrative device as previously saying "later I would run into him and he was engaged" but unfortunately for this one event doesn't then actually tell how or when that happened. I was dying to know more about that. But, alas, it was never described further.
Overall, the story was interesting.
January 9, 2014
I won an autographed hardcover copy of "LIVE FROM MONGOLIA: From Wall Street Banker to Mongolian News Anchor" from Goodreads Giveaways.
When I first read the description of this non-fiction book I was intrigued. Following your dream instead of following the money is an exceedingly rare occurrence.
And it seems like the world of Wall Street is a strange place to find someone who values dreams over money.
The book did not disappoint.
Patricia was a rising star on Wall Street and was offered a job at Goldman-Sachs at a staggering salary. It takes a rare & determined woman to be able to turn down such a huge amount of money and to travel across the globe to start an unpaid internship in Mongolia of all places.
What follows is an inspiring and often hilarious description of her summer in Mongolia.
I advise everyone to read this book.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars.
When I first read the description of this non-fiction book I was intrigued. Following your dream instead of following the money is an exceedingly rare occurrence.
And it seems like the world of Wall Street is a strange place to find someone who values dreams over money.
The book did not disappoint.
Patricia was a rising star on Wall Street and was offered a job at Goldman-Sachs at a staggering salary. It takes a rare & determined woman to be able to turn down such a huge amount of money and to travel across the globe to start an unpaid internship in Mongolia of all places.
What follows is an inspiring and often hilarious description of her summer in Mongolia.
I advise everyone to read this book.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars.
November 3, 2013
If you, or anyone you know, needs inspiration to “follow your dream” they should read this book. It lends credence to you only have one life, but if you live it right once in enough. In 2006, Patricia Sexton quit her Wall Street job to do a summer internship as a news anchor in Mongolia. And loved it! Well, maybe not all of it – she probably could have done without the food poisoning.
Sexton writes in a very personal and humorous style while conveying much history and culture in her memoir about her Mongolian experience. The stories we tell reveal a great deal about ourselves and what we value. Sexton is someone whom you will feel comfortable sharing stories and a cup of airag (fermented mare’s milk). I am looking forward to reading more about her travel adventures in the future.
Sexton writes in a very personal and humorous style while conveying much history and culture in her memoir about her Mongolian experience. The stories we tell reveal a great deal about ourselves and what we value. Sexton is someone whom you will feel comfortable sharing stories and a cup of airag (fermented mare’s milk). I am looking forward to reading more about her travel adventures in the future.
January 5, 2014
I LOVED this book. I won it on a giveaway on goodreads. It was a simple, fast, and humorous read. It was an uplifting, positive book that reaffirms why it is so important to follow your dreams.
The writing is wonderful, and simple. There are many characters that you meet in Mongolia that are hilarious, and hilarious situations that the author finds herself in. The descriptions of Mongolia are not too overdone, yet are vivid and paint the setting very well.
This book doubles as a motivational, uplifting book and a travel book. I enjoyed this book, it is a wonderful New Year's read, or anytime you feel you need a little more impetus to follow your dream.
The writing is wonderful, and simple. There are many characters that you meet in Mongolia that are hilarious, and hilarious situations that the author finds herself in. The descriptions of Mongolia are not too overdone, yet are vivid and paint the setting very well.
This book doubles as a motivational, uplifting book and a travel book. I enjoyed this book, it is a wonderful New Year's read, or anytime you feel you need a little more impetus to follow your dream.
February 7, 2014
A very readable account of a woman who dares to follow her dreams from her comfortable but gritty life on Wall Street to the gritty but rewarding streets of Ulaanbaatar. This does not contain the detail of travel writing since her experience would not really be considered 'travel', but rather focuses more on her personal story and experience. However, there are still good details of the time of Genghis Khan, traditions and history of modern Mongolia, and of life in the Gobi desert. Enjoyable!
August 23, 2016
Preparing for an upcoming trip to Mongolia, I picked this up to give me an idea what to expect during our visit. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, getting the right amount of information about Mongolia along with a charming story about following your dreams. I feel like I'm much better prepared for my trip, getting a dose of history and tourist information (even know some restaurants to visit). But the best part is the author's experiences in making a leap from her fast paced life in the NYC investment banking world to a place where she's truly happy with her life.
October 10, 2014
A fascinating, well written true story. I'm finding it amazing how little I know about so many countries.
I only wish the author had brought a little more passion and personality to her work. This is a personal story about leaving a great job, leaving the comfort of a civilized way of life, and finding oneself trying to bath in ice cold water, surrounded by people speaking a language you don't know. We get factual reporting, but again, no passion or energy or real candid insights.
I only wish the author had brought a little more passion and personality to her work. This is a personal story about leaving a great job, leaving the comfort of a civilized way of life, and finding oneself trying to bath in ice cold water, surrounded by people speaking a language you don't know. We get factual reporting, but again, no passion or energy or real candid insights.
February 18, 2014
An inspirational memoir about following your dream no matter how extreme. An interesting glimpse inside of life in Mongolia. Who knew you could pay a British company to find you a volunteer internship in Mongolia?
wish-list
February 25, 2016kindle 261 (memoir)
July 19, 2016
This book was okay. I was hoping to learn more about Mongolia, and less about Patricia's personal experiences.
March 16, 2023
Lightweight, but entertaining.
November 23, 2014
Interesting book - facts and mind pictures of Mongolia that I had never considered.
February 5, 2016
Easy read that was informative and kept my attention. Liked it a lot.
April 16, 2017
Good read
Enjoyed the story and in particular, the location in Mongolia as I have recently returned from there including the amazing Gobi Desert. I am always dreaming of new places and new beginnings so reading about one who did it was delightful. And interesting.
Enjoyed the story and in particular, the location in Mongolia as I have recently returned from there including the amazing Gobi Desert. I am always dreaming of new places and new beginnings so reading about one who did it was delightful. And interesting.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews