Book Review - The Beach

 Its been awhile since I've done this, but I finally finished a book!

The book was Alex Garland's wonderful "The Beach".   The book has been described as some sort of "Lord of hte Flies" for Generation X, but I disagree.

Its about a backpacker who's searching for the ultimate holiday spot, a beach that hasn't been discovered by other tourists.  By random chance, he bunked next to a dying man named "Daffy Duck" in a Thai hostel.  The dying man told Richard (the traveller) about a Beach that was beautiful, untamed, and an absolute must see....he even drew a map for Richard.

Richard, being the backpacker that he is, decides to recruit some other people to join him.  They find the beach, and becoming a part of the official unofficial beach clan.  Run like a commune, with rules, orders, and jobs for everybody, Richard and his friends learn to the love the beach..until they discover its underbelly..........can't give away more about the plot without giving it away....

The plot was absolutely riveting....a bit slow to begin, but once you get a bit into it, you won't want to put it down.  The author leveraged all 5 senses when describing locations, actions, and intentions.....you can really close your eyes and picture the scene (cliche in a review, i konw, but i'm serious)..

the pace...again, a bit slow to begin, but picks up nicely.  really short chapters, I almost felt like I was reading a book by Chuck Palahniuk (the dude that wrote Fight Club), but witty enough to feel like something by Kurt Vonnegut (and so it goes).....

overall, I really loved the book, and would recommend it to anybody that likes adventure stories and traveling.  I haven't seen the movie yet (starring Leonardo DiCaprio), but I would add it to my netflix queue (provided that I start an account with them first)......

A potentially interesting read......a journalist's take on HBS

Over my morning breakfast, I came across this article (Back to School, Turning Crimson) in the Wall Street Journal.  Its a quick review of Broughton Philip Delves' Ahead of the Curve, an insider's perspective on the Harvard Business School. 

While there are numberous books written by HBS grads (their 900 large class makes this easier), this one is different becuase its actually written by a journalist that attended the school. 

I haven't read the book yet, but it may find a way onto my list......thought i'd pass it along.

Feed your wanderlust!

Since returning from Costa Rica a little more than a month ago, I've been looking hit the road again.  No, not the normal "hit the road" (my weekly trips down to Tampa), but something more substantial and meaningful.  I want to go abroad again!

While I'm looking at my finances, my schedule, and my interests......I came across this excellent list of great travel books. 

Looking over the list, I have some reading to do.  Here's what I've read:

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thomson
Lord of the Flies by William S. Golding

Here's what I want to read off that list:

Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin
Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History by Robert D. Kaplan
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
The Beach by Alex Garland

Has anybody read any of the books?  Anything else that I should add to my ever growing reading list? 

Book Review - Thunderstruck

Just finished Erik Larson's "Thunderstruck", and I was significantly underwhelmed by it. I loved his earlier "Devil in the White City", and he seems to follow a very similar plot line in this novel. First an innovative product/fair, and a gruesome murder, and then tie the 2 together.

The formula worked in "devil" because of a few things:

(1) The Chicago World's Fair was a much more interesting story than Marconi's wireless kit.
(2) The murderer actually worked within the Chicago World's Fair....so the book was more integrated
(3) Dr. Crippen's murder was pretty bland...

so, if you are really into your Marconi set....or, really into post-Jack the Ripper London....then check this book out. Otherwise, pick up Devil in the White City...its a far superior book in every way!

RE < C

If you have some spare time, have $5, and are interested in the future of energy, make sure that you pick up the current issue of the Economist.

There's a 14 page section that outlines the various "alternative" energy sources, discusses their pros and cons, and talks about the firms that are making big bets on them.

The google founders coined the term RC < style="font-weight: bold;">Renewable Energy below the current cost of Coal. For some reason, it resonated with me.....and apparently most of hte alternative energy field uses it.......go figure..

of the different options (solar, wind, biofuel, etc.), the coolest idea is geothermal. Just poke some holes down into the magma, and use the heat to boil water, and then use the steam to power a turbine.....way cool......

check it out, you will walk away from it much more informed than you were before....

A great list of blogs to add

The Wall Street Journal has published a great list of blogs to add to your reader. Being the WSJ, they are decidedly business orientated, but some of them really stood out for me.

1) The Eco-Capitalist - making money while saving the planet....win - win

2) Seth Godin's Blog - random thoughts from an entrepreneur who sold out to Yahoo

3) Craig Newark's Blog - yes, the Craig from Craigslist.....his random thoughts

and of course, can't leave out Mark Cuban's blog.

If you get a chance, its a great list...check it out free at the WSJ.

Time.com's Top 50 Sites

Time.com's annual list of their Top 50 Sites. I looked through the list, and while the list included a ton of social networking / web 2.0 sites, I found some intriguing sites. Here's what I found intriguing (and why):

• tripkick - similiar to seatguru, but for hotel rooms. helps you find the best room in any given hotel
• Afri Gadget - keep updated on African innovations and inventions. I like innovations and inventions....
• Rate my Professor - as a wanna be MBA student, this site may come in handy.
• Tiny URL - I sent out a ton of links. this will make them easier.
• Mobaganda - a no registration evite...i'm in
• imeem - a new streaming music site...in case you are sick of last.fm
• Kongregate - more free flash games
• Penny Arcade - comics making fun of geeks...me likey
• Apartment Therapy - interior design for renters
• Digital Vaults - for wanna be Nicholas Cage types....search through the national archives
• Free Rice - sharpen your vocab. Help malnurtioned Asians. win-win
• WikiSky - space...the final frontier....while at work!

take a look at the list, what are some of YOUR favorites? Or, ones that intrigue you?

Time.com's 10 Essential Sites

Time magazine and its online component (time.com) has released their annual list of "10 Essential Sites". Some of them I use religiously, some never.....so I have mixed feelings, but I agree with some of them.

Here's the list:

1) wikipedia.com - no brainer, deserves a spot on the list...but the top spot? I probably use this site a few times a week, max

2) yahoo finance - what is this....2003? yahoo finance used to be great, but I've moved over to google finance and haven't looked back. the differences....cleaner interface, interactive charts, and google's search

3) craigslist - no qualms, I love cl....in fact, I listed my apartment on there [shameless plug]. any takers?

4) espn.com - go there every day. need to figure out how to use my espn360 account.

5) yelp - I've heard great things, but I rarely use this site.

6) facebook - I used to be addicted to facebook, but stopped making hourly updates a year ago. of course, starting this site probably just cut into my fb time. I am probably less productive now than I was with facebook....go figure

7) digg - love it. I use it to gather fodder for this site, to find new blogs to read, and to find out about random stories.

8) google - should be on the top spot of this list. it (along with gmail and google reader) is probably the most indispensible site on this list

9) tmv - I'm proud to say that I've never been here. I sometimes catch some of their show when flipping channels, and I always feel dirty afterwards. I really don't want to feel like that at work...

and finally...

10) flickr - people seem to love it. Since I started using Photoshop Elements, I have been forced to use it (easy integration), so I'm not gaga about it yet...but i might still be.

What are some other essential sites that the list left off.....here's some from my daily surfing:

- google reader
- the USA Today & LA Times Crosswords (they are free!)
- orb.com - streaming media from your home pc
- rotten tomatoes - a movie review aggregator. I trust their tomato ranking system, and it hasn't let me down....well, once....I still want my $ back from Atonement.

am I leaving anything off?

Agent Zigzag.....Eddie Chapman

Sitting at the Tampa International Airport, I just finished the most incredible story. Its the TRUE story of Eddie Chapman, a career British criminal turned Nazi spy....turned British MI-5 agent....

Eddie's journey starts in lower class London, and takes you through Jersey (the island....not the Eastern US), to Paris, to Bonn, to Lisbon, Oslo, back to London, and ultimately to Ireland....

his riveting story, written by Ben Macintyre, tells the tale of love, betrayal, hope, espionage, and ultimately, patriotism...

this guy Eddie was one of the most secret spies of World War 2.....people like Goerring (head of the SS), J. Edgar Hoover (American FBI), and Winston Churchill followed his movements....the only British citizen to ever be awarded the German Iron Cross....the man was an enigma.

his story crosses paths with Ian Fleming, then a British Naval Intelligence officer, who used his memory of Eddie Chapman in creating James Bond.....he also was buddies with Terrance Young, who went on to direct Dr. No and From Russian with Love.

this book was incredible, I couldn't put it down, and I highly recommend it. It reads like a Tom Clancy thriller, James Bond script, and exercise in war brinkmanship......go out, and read it....you won't regret it.

Hot Deals at the Public Library

Just got back from the Chicago Public Library (Lincoln Park branch - Racine and Fullerton), and as I was checking out, my eyes caught sight of this board.

The board contained a list of the most popular Chicago area museums, including the Shedd Aquarium and the Museum of Science and Industry. Each museum had a status of either "In" or "Out" next to it.

So, being an inquring mind, I asked the librarian what the deal was. So here's the skinny:

Each Chicago area library (I'm sure that other cities have this as well) have free passes to the museums. They have up to 5 for each place, and each pass is good for up to 4 people. You can't reserve them in advance, but if you score one, you get to keep it for up to a week.

So when its raining, and you want to check out some fish, but not pay $25/each to go to Shedd...seek out your public library.

note - i also picked up Erik Larson's "Thunderstuck". Pretty stoked about this book....

True Crime

For the past year, I've been on a true crime / non-fiction espionage kick. I grew up loving Tom Clancy and Hardy Boy books, and somehow made the switch over to the non-fiction side.

Some of the books that I've enjoyed are:

1) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - murder and mayhem during the Chicago World's Fair

2) Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner - history of the C.I.A.

3) The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright - history of Islamic fundamentalism and Al Qaeda


I'm currently reading "Agent Zigzag", which is about a Nazi spy in World War 2. Once I'm done with this...I'll be looking for something new. Any good recommendations??

Amazon discussion forums = wtf?

A random sample of hot topics at the amazon.com discussion forums....please keep in mind that I didn't search for the weirdest topics, these came from searches of the current books that I'm reading....weird shit indeed

from a search for "Crime and Punishment"


from a search for "Theodore Rex"


and finally, from a search for "The Global Brain"



its days like this that make me weep for the future.....

Yes, I am a fatass.....

Even though yesterday was a travel day (6:55 am flight to Tampa = fun fun day), I still decided to gut it out, and hit the treadmill.

Gutted out 2.5 miles in a shade under 22 minutes, and I felt great. Since it felt so great, it got me thinking....why wasn't I running more consistently? the weather is great....I love the feeling...so why not run more?

then it hit me, I was sick of my audiobook...and dreaded listening to it! So, I decided that while I'm sure that John Adams was a brilliant man, he was just not that interesting of an individual. he must have had too much of that Puritan work ethic and moral sense....so there was no scandals (like Franklin), so shades of brilliance (like Hamilton), and no eloquence (like Jefferson)....and nobody would confuse him as a leader (like Washington).....

So, I'm done with David McCullough's "John Adams". The book was too detailed about what I considered non-interesting aspects of his life...things like how many petunias Abigail wanted in their Paris house, etc. If I want to learn about John Adams, I suppose I'll have to catch HBO's miniseries

I've moved onto Lawrence Wright's "The Looming Tower". So far, its reminding of Tim Weiner's "Legacy of Ashes", which is a great book...so i like...

Random thought - Future Historians?

As I mentioned earlier, I'm currently reading David McCullough's "John Adams". So this morning, I was riding the bus into work, and listening to the book on my ipod.

In the book, John Adams is currently stationed in Paris, tasked with finding a peace settlement that will be acceptable to both the English and French. He's also stressing because his daughter might marry somebody of ill moral character....so he decides to write her a letter.

The author mentions that the letter never reached Nabby (his daughter - terrible name), so how did we come to learn of the existence of the letter? Were the founding fathers so vain that they used carbon copies when writing letters?

Note - when I talk of carbon copies, I'm not talking about CC's on emails....I'm talking about real old school carbon copies, and putting things in triplicate.

That brings me to my next random thought. Imagine that I eventually grow up, and end up doing something amazing with my life. Something noteworthy. Something that causes best-selling historians to think "this guy is worth writing about".

Will future historians have access to google's servers for my email trails? Will they access my employers sametime servers? I mean, who writes letters these days? Will our electronic trail be used to piece together our stories by future historians?

Next book....John Adams

With the self-imposed moratorium on writing about Shantaram, I've finally moved onto a book that feeds my interest in history.

I picked up (downloaded) the audiobook version of David McCullough's "John Adams", and loaded it onto my ipod.

While I loved McCullough's "1776", this book still hasn't captivated me to the point that '76 did. That might be because John Adams was a much more complex person than George Washington, and his writing is full of nuanced thoughts.

I'm halfway through the book, and Adams just finished negotiating with the Dutch. Adams, while an interesting thinker, was not a character in the Ben Franklin or Alexander Hamilton vein. There aren't any stories of wild European parties, mistresses, or international intrigue. Adams atones for those "shortcomings" with his firm belief and passion for the American cause.

I still haven't seen the HBO series, but I plan on checking it out after finishing the book. IS the series worth checking out?

5 steps towards becoming better

On a flight home, I was busy watching Six Feet Under (season one, episode 13), when it dawned on me....my desktop was ridiculously filthy. Now, I'm not know as a particularly clean person, but for some reason, I felt compelled to clean up my desktop.

So, I clicked on the random notepad files, quickly glancing at them, and then either filing or discarding them as needed....I found one that I hadn't seen in a long long time.

Its a small document entitled "Better".....and it contained some notes I took while reading a book a few months ago.

In the very excellent book "Better", the Harvard Medical School professor and Mass. General surgeon Atul Gawande lays out his thesis for better performance. While the vast majority of the book focuses specifically on his chosen profession of medicine, the ending contained a very simple 5 step plan for being...well...better...at whatever you choose to pursue in your own life.

1) Everyday, ask somebody an unscripted question.

ipods, blackberries, technology has led to the rapid decline in random communication. strike up an unscripted conversation with the person next to you on the bus....great advice, that seems oddly ironic, because I'm typing this with my headphones on, and my neighbor on the flight seems to be doing the exact same thing.


2) When something happens that you perceive as "happening to you", don't complain.

about a month ago, I got rejected from all the top business schools in the country. While I was incredibly stressed out for the month leading up to the rejection, I felt oddly liberated upon hearing the news. Some of my best friends are attending prestigious schools like HBS, Kellogg, Chicago GSB, and Wharton next year....and I'll be on the sidelines, going through the process of applying again next year. The process will be painful, but, with the lessons that I picked up this year, I hope to do a better job at applying....and hopefully, getting in this time around.

3) Count something.......

better living through....measurement? I've actually applied this to my personal life by measuring my progress and preparing for a half-marathon. I've seen it pay divideds by cutting my average pace from 9:32 min/mile in January to a more respectable 8:48 min/mile here in April. If I can improve something like jogging in such a short amount of time, what else can I improve through measurement?

4) write something

you are looking at it. my blog. i started this as a place to vent my random thoughts....and to save my incredibly patient girlfriend from having to listen to my rants and raves....

so far, i'm happy with the progress....160+ page views, 100+ visitors....and a few guest writers. I'm really excited for the future of this site, and I hope that others can share in that excitement with me.

and finally....the last (and I believe) most important lesson....

5) CHANGE

Don't talk about Change. Don't think about Change. If you want to change, change. I've always wanted to get into photography...so I went out and bought a nice camera. I still stink as a photographer but, I'm making progress. Sometimes, the risk of not changing is much greater than the risk of changing. Take a wrong step....you might learn something new about yourself.

if you get a chance to read the book, I highly recommend it. If you don't, then I hope that my little opus shed a little light into the continually process that we all go through....in order to become "Better".

Doing the Wrong Thing for the Right Reasons

shantaram...

well, I know that I've written enough about this book, and you are probably sick of reading my drivel about this contemporary masterpiece, but I feel compelled to write one more.

So, while waiting for my flight back home to Chicago, I finished the book. I was so engrossed in the book, that American Airlines actually had to call my name over the PA, at the risk of losing my seat. But, I made my flight, stashed my carry-on bag into the overhead bin, and finish my book before takeoff.

The ending, like the rest of the book, was paradoxically great and drawl out at the same time. After 1000 pages of action and story building, we are presented with the final climax....and the final words of wisdom from Khader Khan. I won't give away the ending, but...you need to read this book all the way to the end.

Some words of wisdom from the great Khan:

"Regardless of the outcome, always do things for the right reasons. Its better to have done the wrong thing for the right reasons, rather than the right thing, for the wrong reasons."

"Determining right and wrong is easy. In the beginning of the universe, everything was simple. As time has passed, the world has moved towards more complexity. Anything, and any action, that impedes this movement towards complexity is inherantly evil."

and of course, he always had a toast ready for his enemies

"May he have 10 daughters, and may each of them marry well" (note for non-Indians...this is dowry issue for Indian fathers)

Now that I'm done with the book, I am nervously anticpating the movie.....so far, my research (a quick trip to IMDB) has revealed the following cast:

Lin - Johnny Depp (who bought the rights to the movie from the author, and is the producer as well)
Khader Khan - Amithab Bhachan....love it

With the perfect casting job for two main characters, I'm nervous about the host of other characters that need to be cast. The director needs to cast a wide net (hardy har har) to find the right folks. This search needs to be global, India, Iran, Australia, Liverpool, and of course, the US. Of all the characters, I'm most nervous about Prabaka. In the book, Prabu serves as Lin's conscience...and his infectious smile helps serve as a reminder of the good within Lin's most evil deeds....

so, two questions left to answer...who plays Prabu, and why haven't you read this book yet?

more about the movie when I learn more.....

books, books, books

I'm going to go into more detail about each book that I'm reading, but this post is just to test out the "labels" feature in blogger.....

currently reading:

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle