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May 2008

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What I'm Reading

  • Clare Morrall: Natural Flights of the Human Mind: A Novel (P.S.)

    Clare Morrall: Natural Flights of the Human Mind: A Novel (P.S.)
    After "Grotesque" this novel is very, very tame. At the same time it is full of a boatload of quirky characters. Quirky, funny, and often sad. Definitely worth reading.

  • Natsuo Kirino: Grotesque (Vintage International)

    Natsuo Kirino: Grotesque (Vintage International)
    Another, pretty strange book by the same author who brought us "Out." Out was about women who murder people and chop them up into little pieces and distribute the parts around Tokyo. "Grotesque" is about women who become prostitutes and I think it just might be weirder.

  • Ellen Gilchrist: The Cabal and Other Stories

    Ellen Gilchrist: The Cabal and Other Stories
    Another wonderful collection of Ellen Gilchrist stories. As I've mentioned before, I love the way this woman writes.

  • Neil Gaiman: American Gods: A Novel

    Neil Gaiman: American Gods: A Novel
    My friend Kieran blogged about psychopomps the other day...and referenced Neil Gaiman. I'm not sure how he's escaped me all these years, but I'm very happy to find him now. I'm also looking forward to reading the next one.

  • Vendela Vida: Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name: A Novel (P.S.)

    Vendela Vida: Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name: A Novel (P.S.)
    I picked this book up at the The Depot last Friday...killing time before a haircut...and I finished it that night. Vida contemplates identify...and the roles of parent and child. A trek through Lapland adds a layer of the exotic.

  • Asne Seierstad: The Bookseller of Kabul

    Asne Seierstad: The Bookseller of Kabul
    After Three Cups of Tea, I was on a bit of a roll. I'd picked this book up last Christmas, and decided to finally read it. It is a very different tale, but just as compelling.

  • Greg Mortenson: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time

    Greg Mortenson: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
    My mom gave me this book for Christmas and I finished reading it on 12/27. The story of Greg Mortenson and his quest to build schools and educate girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan is heart breaking, infuriating, and inspirational. I encourage everyone to read Greg's story that takes place in a part of the world where our wars and our religious differences result in people thinking of "them" and "those people," or worse forgetting about the people completely, as opposed to our shared humanity.

  • Pamela McDuffy: Island Fever

    Pamela McDuffy: Island Fever
    I bought this novel at Hasagawa's General Store in Hana, Maui. Pamela McDuffy is a local author and my copy is signed. I like reading novels that take place where I'm traveling. I almost didn't get past chapter 1, which read more like a romance novel than a murder mystery. However, the language toned down and the story got rolling and I enjoyed it.

  • Jonathan Lethem: Motherless Brooklyn

    Jonathan Lethem: Motherless Brooklyn
    This novel is GREAT! The main character Lionel Essrog is a Touret ticcing detective. Lethem puts a whole new spin on a classic genre with a character who defies all expectation.

  • John Burdett: Bangkok Tattoo

    John Burdett: Bangkok Tattoo
    This was the first of three mysteries I read while in Hawaii in December. I'd read Bangkok 8 and it seemed high time to read the next installment about Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep. I was not disappointed.

  • Daniel H. Pink: A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

    Daniel H. Pink: A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
    I'm pretty sure I am a right brainer who has tried to get a better handle on the other side in a left-brained corporate world. Pink makes the case that the whole brain is what is needed to move forward in the world. His book is encouraging, practical, and fun.

  • Michael Chabon: The Final Solution: A Story of Detection (P.S.)

    Michael Chabon: The Final Solution: A Story of Detection (P.S.)
    A delightful mystery, or as the title states, "A Story of Detection" about a young boy, his parrot, and the old man who took the time to pay close attention.

  • Ian Ayres: Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-by-Numbers Is the New Way to Be Smart

    Ian Ayres: Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-by-Numbers Is the New Way to Be Smart
    I was chatting with a colleague about a potential project, and then on the airplane I read a review about this book in Wired Magazine. I decided to stop at the Borders on the way home, and as I was parking, I realized the voice I was listening to on the BBC was Ian Ayres. I decided I had to buy his book. It is easy to understand...and perfect for number-phobic/intuitive thinkers like me.

  • Rosamund Stone Zander: The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life

    Rosamund Stone Zander: The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
    I had the pleasure of experiencing Ben Zander at a conference last spring. He is one keynote speaker I will never forget! How he got 5,000 techie IBMers to sing Ode to Joy...in GERMAN...and with passion is a miracle. I recommend his book to all of you.

  • Kate Atkinson: Case Histories: A Novel

    Kate Atkinson: Case Histories: A Novel
    At first I didn't like this book. The opening stories were dark and gloomy. And then I slowly got sucked into the tangled web of case histories.

  • Edmundo Paz Soldan: Turing's Delirium

    Edmundo Paz Soldan: Turing's Delirium
    Another book that feeds my continual fascination with code breakers and hackers. Paz Soldan won the 2002 Bolivian National Book Award for his contribution to the genre. A Second Life foreshadowed environment called Playground plays a role in this story. Of course, all the virtual environment tales pay tribute to my favorite Neal Stephenson and his Metaverse.

  • Claire Messud: The Emperor's Children (Vintage)

    Claire Messud: The Emperor's Children (Vintage)
    A good summer read...especially for those of us who love NYC. A thirty-something story that made me realize I really have hit middle age and it isn't a terrible thing.

  • Don DeLillo: Libra (Contemporary American Fiction)

    Don DeLillo: Libra (Contemporary American Fiction)
    DeLillo's take on the most famous 20th century whodunnit. Lee Harvey Oswald, David Ferry, Bay of Pig warriors, Jack Ruby, and a band of former CIA types who are still living in shadows and trying to manipulate history. Is Oswald a double agent? A cruel man who suffers from an oppressive mother and delusions of grandeur? Or just plain crazy?

  • James Rollins: Black Order: A Sigma Novel (Sigma Force Novels)

    James Rollins: Black Order: A Sigma Novel (Sigma Force Novels)
    A "brainy thriller" that I picked up at the airport. There are nazis, buddhist monks, book dealers and lots of extraordinary spy/special-forces types.

  • Gary Shteyngart: Absurdistan: A Novel

    Gary Shteyngart: Absurdistan: A Novel
    This novel revels in the absurd. Misha Vainberg: his history, his bulk, his lovers, his antics, his people, his life in St. Petersburg and on the Caspian Sea are original and absurd...right to the very last page.

  • Frans Johansson: Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation

    Frans Johansson: Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation
    The basic premise of this book is that innovation happens as people experience new insight when different perspectives or disciplines intersect. Johansson gives many interesting examples and talks about creativity, idea generation, idea execution. It is worth reading!

  • Alan Furst: Dark Star: A Novel

    Alan Furst: Dark Star: A Novel
    One of Christine's other clients told her that she was going to throw away a bunch of books that she's read for her bookclub. Christine saved them, and I rifled through the stack and took a few. Anyway, this was one of them. It is interesting historical fiction, a brainy thriller, and a fast read.

  • Jean Houston: A Passion For the Possible: A Guide to Realizing Your True Potential

    Jean Houston: A Passion For the Possible: A Guide to Realizing Your True Potential
    I like this book because it focuses on, amongst other things, the role of memory through all senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Think of a memory from your past, and then focus on the sense. Wonderful!

  • Vince Flynn: Term Limits

    Vince Flynn: Term Limits
    So John and I were flying to Oklahoma City for the Branster's wedding and I picked this up at the Oakland Airport. It wasn't until the next day on the flight home, in the last chapter that I realized I'D READ THIS SUCKER BEFORE! I've been pondering the difference between a good read and a memorable read. This was a good read, obviously not memorable.

  • James Ellroy: The Black Dahlia

    James Ellroy: The Black Dahlia
    NOTE: I went on a detective novel binge while sick in February. To get full reading story, scroll down to Clouds of Witness and work your way up. END NOTE..... And then I stayed on the creepy path. Fast forward to 1947 LA. Black Dahlia is code name for one of Hollywood's most notorious murder victims. I got through the book fast...and then didn't pick up another novel for a MONTH!

  • Philip Kerr: The Pale Criminal

    Philip Kerr: The Pale Criminal
    I then went back in time to prewar Berlin. There are blackmailers, Nazis, and serial killers in this tale. Note, serial killers before the Nazis became one and the same. I was about half way through this novel when I decided I think I'd read it before. I'm still not completely sure. However, if you like creepy detective stories...this one is for you.

  • Walter Mosley: Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned

    Walter Mosley: Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
    I fast forwarded from 1970's Boston to 1990's LA. Socrates Fortlow isn't a detective. In fact, he's a convict trying to get by in South Central. About a chapter into this incredible novel I realized I'd already read it. However, it is such a touching story that I kept reading and I'm glad I did.

  • Robert Parker: The Godwulf Manuscript

    Robert Parker: The Godwulf Manuscript
    From England I traveled to 1970's Boston where SCACE (Student Committee Against Capitalist Exploitation) is the prime suspect in the theft of a precious manuscript from a University library. I love this sentence, "(The dean's secretary) was back in about five minutes with a Xerox copy of an IBM printout of Terry Orchard's schedule." Capitalistism at its best! Oh and there are sentences that reference the "jive ass manuscript" !!!

  • Dorothy L. Sayers: Clouds of Witness

    Dorothy L. Sayers: Clouds of Witness
    When I was sick in mid-February I went on a detective novel reading streak. It was kicked off with one of my favorite detectives...Lord Peter Wimsey who was "born" in 1890. Ms. Sayers introduced this caper in 1927.

  • Alyson Richman: Swedish Tango

    Alyson Richman: Swedish Tango
    Written by a fellow Wellesley grad, this novel has the feel of an epic...in a concise 300 pages. It captures the evil of torture...featuring a Chilean woman in 1974. Today's NYTimes reported that this morning Augusto Pinochet (who is now 91 y.o.) was rescued from death after a heart attack. It actually crossed my mind that instead of saving the bastard they should have given him a jolt or two.

  • Daniel Hecht: Skull Session

    Daniel Hecht: Skull Session
    I picked this up in a used book store. While describing the story to Christine, I realized how much I liked this rather creepy thriller.

  • Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner

    Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner
    One day I was in a SF cab with an Afghani driver. We were chatting, and he made a comment that Afghanistan is the 51st state. The Kite Runner is a tremendous introduction to a country that is so far away, yet so intertwined with my own.

  • John Grisham: The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

    John Grisham: The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
    This is John Grisham's first attempt at non-fiction. When I first started reading, I was annoyed. Too dry. Then things got moving. It is a worthy read. Especially if you've ever pondered our criminal justice system, the death penalty, and the possibility of innocent people being wrongly accused.

  • Edwidge Danticat: The Dew Breaker

    Edwidge Danticat: The Dew Breaker
    A short novel that was a National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist. Ms. Danticat is from Haiti. I remember the first time I read one of her short stories in the NewYorker and I still remember the storyline! The Dew Breaker is equally memorable. Haunting.

  • Matthew Pearl: The Dante Club: A Novel

    Matthew Pearl: The Dante Club: A Novel
    A great airport purchase! A fun, fast, historical thriller...with a cast of 19th century poets translating Dante into American English. It is a bit bloody, but then the circles of hell are probably bloody too.


  • Curtis Sittenfeld: Prep: A Novel

    Curtis Sittenfeld: Prep: A Novel
    Tobi gave me this book. Given the pink and green belt on the cover, I don't think I would have read it on my own accord. Tobi said she read it b/c of her book club. : ) This novel is a painful reminder of how much adolescence sucks...and how cool it is to be an adult!

  • Ellen Gilchrist: Victory Over Japan

    Ellen Gilchrist: Victory Over Japan
    This is my second Ellen Gilchrist book. VOJ is the book of short stories that Tom (my writing instructor) suggested I read. He said that my short stories were of the same sort of "sassy" prose and that I could learn from Ms. Gilchrist's approach and style. I only dream that I could write anything like this!!!

  • Etgar Keret: The Nimrod Flipout: Stories

    Etgar Keret: The Nimrod Flipout: Stories
    Keret is one of Israel's hottest young writers. This is a book of short stories. Some are hilarious, others are quite sad. They all might cause you to question your perceptions about Israel and her people.

  • Colin Cotterill: The Coroner's Lunch

    Colin Cotterill: The Coroner's Lunch
    Vientienne, Laos, 1976. Marxist-Leninists, free thinkers, shaman Hmongs, American special ops units, a lot of dead bodies...and even more spirits. Enjoy!

  • Richard Nisbett: The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently...and Why

    Richard Nisbett: The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently...and Why
    When I showed this book to my mom, and then my dad, they both asked me the same question, "Which are you?" Although Professor Nisbett never mentions the number of years/generations in the US, his findings show that Asian Americans typically still think like Asians. Given that I have ancestors from both Asia and Europe, I assume I am a true blue hybrid.

  • Natsuo Kirino: Out : A Novel (Vintage International)

    Natsuo Kirino: Out : A Novel (Vintage International)
    Out has been on my "To Read" list for awhile. I finally picked it up after all my WC friends raved about it. It is a fascinating depiction of women in modern Japanese society...and the lengths they'll go to to protect themselves and one another. Not a book for the queasy or faint at heart!

  • Imre Kertesz: Liquidation (Vintage International)

    Imre Kertesz: Liquidation (Vintage International)
    I've been buying books that I can read in one sitting. My options tend to be page turning thrillers or very slim novels. This 130 page novel packs a punch. Kertesz, a Nobel Prize winning author, wrote a page turner that also makes one THINK!

  • Nicole Krauss: The History of Love: A Novel

    Nicole Krauss: The History of Love: A Novel
    Characters from around the world, of different generations, at different places in their lives...who come together in NYC because of a book. Nicole Krauss does a great job making the characters come alive. I admit...I had tears running down my face at the end of this brilliant story.

  • Madeleine Albright: The Mighty & The Almighty

    Madeleine Albright: The Mighty & The Almighty
    I saw Madeleine speak at BookPassage. Her reflections on America, God, and World Affairs are right on...and critical during this era of chaos amongst our current administration. The world needs America to send thoughtful people back to the White House!!!

  • Michael Frayn: Headlong : A Novel (Bestselling Backlist)

    Michael Frayn: Headlong : A Novel (Bestselling Backlist)
    I have mixed feelings about this book. Martin, a philosopher turned art historian/speculator, drives me crazy. Yet, his quest is fascinating...and with the power of the Internet...I was able to "see" the art he describes. Given the title...headlong...Frayn probably intended me to be annoyed.

  • Carolyn Parkhurst: The Dogs of Babel : A Novel

    Carolyn Parkhurst: The Dogs of Babel : A Novel
    What a wonderful novel. And, what a sad novel. And what an interesting idea..teaching a dog to talk to learn what happened to your dead partner. An idea, conflict, emotion. Tom always said that's all you need!

  • Lily  Tuck: Siam : or The Woman Who Shot a Man

    Lily Tuck: Siam : or The Woman Who Shot a Man
    In my day of post accident recovery, I decided to read a book. Some good old fiction. And one short enough to get through in a day. Siam was a great choice! It is an interesting snapshot of 1967 Thailand. I also felt the wanderlust itch creep back...

  • Irvin Yalom: The Schopenhauer Cure : A Novel

    Irvin Yalom: The Schopenhauer Cure : A Novel
    I have read all of Irvin Yalom's fiction. It is always about a psychiatrist and his patients. Dr. Yalom is a great model of someone who uses his work life as inspiration for fiction. This novel might be his best!

  • The Arbinger Institute: Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box

    The Arbinger Institute: Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box
    This book opened my eyes to some very simple but fundamental truths. Don't let the title of the book fool you. This isn't a book just for so called "leaders" and work situations. The ideas can be applied at work, at home, with extended family, at the gas station, in the supermarket, when bumping into someone on the street...

  • Thomas L. Friedman: The World Is Flat

    Thomas L. Friedman: The World Is Flat
    Suggested reading for the position I was interviewing for. I got the job...and now it is required reading! First "business" book I've read in awhile. Friedman is a journalist and commentator, and his book is FASCINATING! Read it!

  • Richard Zimler: The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon

    Richard Zimler: The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon
    This is a fascinating and heartbreaking novel about a community, family, and man who lived in Lisbon during the early part of the 16th Century. Zimler's depiction of what it was like to live at that time is vivid, graphic, and unforgettable.

  • Walker Percy: Love in the Ruins

    Walker Percy: Love in the Ruins
    It took me way to long to read this book. Not sure why. Parts of it I really liked, and parts I could do without. The crazy thing is it was published in 1971 and some of the political leftwing/rightwing characterizations ring true today.

  • Jane Smiley: Writers on Writing, Volume II: More Collected Essays from The New York Times

    Jane Smiley: Writers on Writing, Volume II: More Collected Essays from The New York Times
    This book has been next to my bed for weeks, perhaps months. I read a couple of chapters every week or so. Each chapter is only a a few pages long. Some are super short. I find some of the authors inspirational. I need to WRITE!

  • Philip Roth: The Plot Against America (Vintage International)

    Philip Roth: The Plot Against America (Vintage International)
    Philip Roth imagines what would have happened to the USA if FDR lost his third bid for the presidency to Charles Lindbergh. The main character in this novel is a young boy named Philip Roth. Through his eyes we see the country becoming increasingly anti-Semitic and un-American. It is a phenomenal tale. Read it!!!

  • Ellen Gilchrist: The Anna Papers : A Novel

    Ellen Gilchrist: The Anna Papers : A Novel
    Tom, my writing instructor, suggested I read Ellen Gilchrist's short stories. This novel was sitting on my bookshelf. In three parts, it tells the story of Anna from many different perspectives. I look forward to Gilchrist's book of short stories that I just bought. She's amazing!

  • Barry Lopez: Resistance

    Barry Lopez: Resistance
    This series of short stories is from the point of view of a number of Americans who feel compelled to "disappear" when the Patriot Act begins to prey on their civil liberty. A couple of the stories are shocking and heart breaking.

  • Tom Wolfe: I Am Charlotte Simmons : A Novel

    Tom Wolfe: I Am Charlotte Simmons : A Novel
    Tom Wolfe masterfully captures the specific cadences of whatever world he focuses on. This time it includes the diversity of a modern university. This novel is hilarious!

  • Neal Stephenson: The Diamond Age : Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)

    Neal Stephenson: The Diamond Age : Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)
    Another Neal Stephenson novel. I really love this guy!

  • Kazuo Ishiguro: An Artist of the Floating World (Vintage International)

    Kazuo Ishiguro: An Artist of the Floating World (Vintage International)
    A novel of perception, and how it changes over time, over time.

  • Robert J. Sawyer: End of An Era

    Robert J. Sawyer: End of An Era
    My friend Les gave me this book a couple of years ago and I just got around to reading it. It is science fiction at its best.

  • Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Vintage Contemporaries)

    Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Vintage Contemporaries)
    All I can say is WOW!!! What a great way to tell a story. Haddon truly gets into the mind of young Christopher.

  • Gabriel Garcia Marquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude

    Gabriel Garcia Marquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude
    I read this wonderful saga for the second time. Tom, my creative writing teacher, said "Read it and think about how on every single page something incredible happens."

  • Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason: The Rule of Four

    Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason: The Rule of Four
    The reviewers are right, this novel falls somewhere between Dan Brown and Umberto Eco's work. In the three bears theory of book rating...this "is just right" if you're looking for a fun summer read.

  • Susan Choi: American Woman

    Susan Choi: American Woman
    A Pulitzer Prize Finalist. This novel covers a lot of territory including the Patty Hearst story and a trip to Manzanar.

  • Stephen King: On Writing

    Stephen King: On Writing
    The first time I read this book I wasn't writing. It is still a good read...although the main advice is consistent with everyone else's: read a lot and write a lot.

  • Lev Grossman: Codex

    Lev Grossman: Codex
    It combines the elements I love most in my favorite novels: literary mystery (literally an academic trying to understand a mystery about a work of literature), virtual reality and computer geeks, and interesting twists and turns.

  • John Burdett: Bangkok 8 : A Novel (Vintage)

    John Burdett: Bangkok 8 : A Novel (Vintage)
    I first saw this book when I was in Bangkok. Then Bill recommended it. It is a fun mystery/thriller. This week's New Yorker just profiled Burdett's latest novel...a continuation of the story of Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep.

  • Harlan Coben: Just One Look

    Harlan Coben: Just One Look
    More summer mindless reading.

  • Carl Hiaasen: Skinny Dip (Hiaasen, Carl)

    Carl Hiaasen: Skinny Dip (Hiaasen, Carl)
    Bought this at La Guardia. Finished it by the time my plane landed at SFO. Florida through the eyes of Carl Hiaasen is always bizarre.

  • Dorothy L. Sayers: Strong Poison

    Dorothy L. Sayers: Strong Poison
    I arrived early for a luncheon date with my friend Helene and couldn't bear the heat...so, I ran over to the DC Public Library. I found this in the used book sale. As always Dorothy Sayers is a fun read.

  • Andrea Levy: Small Island : A Novel

    Andrea Levy: Small Island : A Novel
    I keep recommending this book to everyone. I LOVED IT!

  • JOHN GARDNER: The Art of Fiction : Notes on Craft for Young Writers

    JOHN GARDNER: The Art of Fiction : Notes on Craft for Young Writers
    Everyone seems to recommend this book. I was pleased to find it at a used book store in Berkeley.

  • Francine Prose: Blue Angel : A Novel

    Francine Prose: Blue Angel : A Novel
    I heard Ms. Prose on the radio chat about her new book...but I'm too cheap to buy it until it comes out in paperback. So, I decided to try an earlier novel. It is about writers...

  • Jack Heffron: The Writer's Idea Book

    Jack Heffron: The Writer's Idea Book
    Another writing book. This one has tons of "prompts" or exercises. I'm actually trying them...well, at least some of them.

  • Patrick McCabe: Breakfast On Pluto

    Patrick McCabe: Breakfast On Pluto
    Another coming of age story? Just a bit off-center...an Irish transvestite. An original voice filled with music.

  • Joyce Carol Oates: The Faith of a Writer : Life, Craft, Art

    Joyce Carol Oates: The Faith of a Writer : Life, Craft, Art
    JCO may be one of the most prolific writers alive. Hopefully some of her wisdom will rub off!

  • Audrey Niffenegger: The Time Traveler's Wife

    Audrey Niffenegger: The Time Traveler's Wife
    This story is really clever. I wish I'd thought of it! Ok. I have to admit...I cried at the end.

  • D. B. C Pierre: Vernon God Little: A 21st century comedy in the presence of death

    D. B. C Pierre: Vernon God Little: A 21st century comedy in the presence of death
    Huck Finn? Holden Caulfield? Owen Meany? Bart Simpson? This novel won the 2003 Booker Prize. For a non-American, D.B.C. Pierre, sure knows America well!

  • Carson McCullers: The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

    Carson McCullers: The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
    Quite a switch from the religious, scientific, contemporary fiction. This is a southern tale about a young girl's life.

  • Thomas H. Uzzell: Narrative Technique
    My Uncle lent me this book, which was originally my Grandfather's. It was published in 1934.
  • Marcus J. Borg: Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus & the Heart of Contemporary Faith

    Marcus J. Borg: Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus & the Heart of Contemporary Faith
    Another class I signed up for. This time at the Presbyterian Church in Tiburon. My mom took a similar class recently, and kept raving about it. I decided to see for myself...

  • BARBARA SHER: It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now: How to Create Your Second Life at Any Age

    BARBARA SHER: It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now: How to Create Your Second Life at Any Age
    This is the book I'm reading for my hour-long biweekly phone-conference sessions. So far I have learned that I've been going through a mid-life crisis...and that it is all uphill from here.

  • Elizabeth George: Write Away: One Novelist's Approach To Fiction and the Writing Life

    Elizabeth George: Write Away: One Novelist's Approach To Fiction and the Writing Life
    This book is about the craft of writing a novel and the creative process. With each "lesson," Elizabeth George provides excerpts from her own novels as well as the novels of other famous writers. Interesting, fast paced, and fun.

  • E. L. Doctorow: City of God: A Novel

    E. L. Doctorow: City of God: A Novel
    The writing is peculiar...it is taking me some time to figure out all the characters. Nonetheless there is something about this book that really grabs me. Probably the fact that it has both religion and science...

  • Michael Frayn: Spies: A Novel

    Michael Frayn: Spies: A Novel
    This novel is written from the perspective of a young boy. It captures how the power of suggestion influences perception...and how childhood games can be deadly. Haunting.

  • Aryeh Lev Stollman: The Illuminated Soul

    Aryeh Lev Stollman: The Illuminated Soul
    I finished Quicksilver (the first of 3 novels in the Baroque Cycle) the day after I returned home. I randomly picked this book off the haven't read shelf. It is a story of a traveler...

  • edited by Graeme Lay: The Third Century: New New Zealand Short Short Stories
    I always look for fiction written in the countries I travel. I was shocked by the prices of books in NZ. I can only guess it is because most books are imported from the UK. Despite much agonizing in book stores, I controlled myself and limited my book purchases to this one slim volume of stories.
  • Francois Bizot: The Gate

    Francois Bizot: The Gate
    I picked this book up in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It is an autobiography by a French scholar of buddhism who was working at Angkor Wat when he was arrested by the Khmer Rouge. They accused him of being an American spy. He lived to tell his story.

  • Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver

    Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver
    I love Neal Stephenson. I've read Cryptonomicon and Snow Crash. So far Quicksilver is great!

  • Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose

    Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose
    I read this many years ago...actually, I never finished it. The United napkins as bookmark is my reminder. After much DaVinci Code talk over holiday, I thought I'd give Mr. Eco's religious fiction another try.

  • Brett Dakin: Another Quiet American: Stories of Life in Laos

    Brett Dakin: Another Quiet American: Stories of Life in Laos
    More reading for my trip...

  • Monique Truong: The Book of Salt : A Novel

    Monique Truong: The Book of Salt : A Novel
    Recommended by my friend Mark (who also encourages me to stay with Proust). A different spin on my Vietnam research.

  • Jincy Willett: Winner of the National Book Award : A Novel of Fame, Honor, and Really Bad Weather

    Jincy Willett: Winner of the National Book Award : A Novel of Fame, Honor, and Really Bad Weather
    A book of sisters. A book about a book lover. A book about a lover of words.

  • Karin Muller: Hitchhiking Vietnam

    Karin Muller: Hitchhiking Vietnam
    More prep for my trip.

  • Lynn Freed: The Curse of the Appropriate Man

    Lynn Freed: The Curse of the Appropriate Man
    This book of short stories comes highly recommended. We'll see...

  • Andrew X. Pham: Catfish and Mandala : A Two-Wheeled Voyage through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam

    Andrew X. Pham: Catfish and Mandala : A Two-Wheeled Voyage through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam
    The text book was a bit of a slog so I switched to something lighter to prepare for my trip. Hmmm...perhaps lighter isn't the right word...parts of this book are heart wrenching.

  • George Herring: America's Longest War: The United States and Vietnam 1950-1975

    George Herring: America's Longest War: The United States and Vietnam 1950-1975
    Prepping for my trip to Southeast Asia...

  • Simon Mawer: The Gospel of Judas

    Simon Mawer: The Gospel of Judas
    I needed a break from The New Yorker and Proust...so, this was on my shelf. It is really quite good!

  • MARCEL PROUST: In Search of Lost Time Volume I Swann's Way (Modern Library Classics)

    MARCEL PROUST: In Search of Lost Time Volume I Swann's Way (Modern Library Classics)
    After much agonizing over which edition, which translation, I've settled on this version. So far so good...

May 19, 2008

Pushing through jetlag...

Img_0798I'm home from a whirlwind tour. It actually started a few weeks ago with a week in San Jose (California) and then two weeks ago I flew from SF to London, London to Singapore, Singapore to Hong  Kong, and back to SF.

I've posted pictures on flickr...and hopefully you have noticed the flashing "Recent Flickr Pics" to the right.

I've tried to push through jetlag by staying up when I land and going to bed and getting up at normal hours. However, last night I still found myself lying in bed at 3:30 wishing I could sleep.

My trip was for work...but I got in a fair amount of visiting with friends and family, sightseeing, and eating. I forgot how incredibly YUMMY and SPICY Chinese food is in Asia. My cousin John tested me with "zui la" (most hot) food at the Sichuan Restaurant...and I was in heaven! I at spicy frog and then visited the froggies with Nicholas afterward (picture included). I also played Guitar Hero for the first time. Thank GOD Travis didn't tell me that I could be booed off the stage. I made it through the easy version of Slow Ride my first time, and if I'd known about the booing part, I don't think I'd have been so successful.

I watched 5 movies:

  1. There Will Be Blood. I agree with everyone, DDL is fabulous...but it is a long way from My Beautiful Laundrette.
  2. Jumpers. I had to...it was about people who teleport.
  3. Cloverfield. NYC Gen Y type video tapes a friend's going away party and the destruction of Manhattan by a monster.
  4. Dan in Real Life. This is a very cute movie. Especially after all the blood and gore. Although I can't seem to get "Let My Love Open the Door" out of my head....especially at 3:45 AM.
  5. Then She Found Me. John and I went to see Helen Hunt's directorial debut on Saturday night. She did a great job, but I didn't get the Matthew Broderick character at all. He's WAY too wimpy.

Today I'm trying to catch up on he email and get focused on all the stuff I've been putting off the last two weeks. I guess if I can't sleep, I've got plenty to do!

April 29, 2008

Quick trip to Slims

Yesterday afternoon John got a text from his friend Joseph Wooten saying that he was in town for a show at Slim's and asking if we wanted to be on the list.

Joseph plays keys in the Steve Miller Band. When Joseph isn't traveling with Steve he is often traveling with his brother Victor. We've seen Victor's band play in NYC and at the SF Fillmore and I was all for an unexpected trip to Slim's!

Victor Wooten plays the bass.

He is breath taking and mind boggling. Every show is different. Last night we walked in to a full on reggae vibe with the entire club singing, "everything's gonna be alright.." The band moved into a South African mode and later in the evening there was incredibly beautiful Moroccan music. All mixed with a fair dose of funk, R&B, gospel, and jazz.

I present to you 5 minutes of magic. Enjoy.

April 24, 2008

The Press and the Hillary Clinton Death Watch

Vote So...if you haven't seen it, this is kind of funny. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank and Akira Hakuta make fun of the press and their continual desire to announce the death of Hillary Clinton's campaign to be the Democratic Party's candidate for U.S. President.

Only kind of funny.

I think the press really hate Hillary and they really believe that each and every time this will be it. AND what happens? The U.S. people do something unexpected. I LOVE that part of democracy. The unexpected. Actually, it is the part about democracy that I hate the most too. Sometimes the people do really silly things. Hmmm...like re-elect a guy whose middle initial is W?

So, why do I write about this? Because I really want Hillary Clinton to win. I think she will make a GREAT president. I think she can beat John McCain. And, I went and donated enough money to her campaign that it is going to show up if you Google my name when the next quarterly report is submitted.

So, I figured I might as well out myself. That's the weird part. The Obama supporters have been so up front and righteous about their candidate. No outing is needed. There are a number of Obama supporters in my family. They tend to be pretty up front and righteous. I've noticed that the Clinton supporters have been much more reserved, cautious, almost afraid to get our hopes up.

But my hopes are up. I preceded the 100,000 good people who donated money to the Clinton campaign on Tuesday. I donated last Saturday. However. Someone else in my family. A registered Republican...was one of the 100,000.

Hillary - YOU GO GIRL!

April 20, 2008

My blue eyed niece...

has been sick again for a couple of weeks. Poor little Carolyn Rose has had a lot of tummy problems since she was born...including a stay at the hospital about a month ago. Her mommy just sent this picture out asking for prayers. Please send good thoughts her way.

Blue_eyed_baby_2

March 22, 2008

Who are we?

A friend of mine, within IBM, shared this TED video. He has blogged often about his life after an aneurysm.

Do not miss Jill Bolte Taylor, brain scientist, neuroanatomist, spreader of a message of peace, as she describes experiencing her own stroke and the insight she now has about our place in this world.

February 17, 2008

Musing...as I try to participate...

I received an invitation the other day from the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Also, known as IR/PS...or that place I spent two years of my life nearly 20 years ago, wearing shorts, playing hackie sack, drinking tequila, and learning a lot.

In anticipation of the school's 20th anniversary, the invitation was to participate in a series of online threaded discussions on 15 topics lead by IR/PS professors. The discussion topics will  culminate in policy statements for the Pacific region and be presented in a press conference style forum at the anniversary celebration. The topics and moderators are:

  1. Bridging the Digital Divide - Peter Cowhey
  2. China's Global Role - Barry Naughton
  3. Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility - Peter Gourevitch
  4. Environmental Issues in the Pacific Rim - Lisa Schaffer
  5. Fragility in the Global Financial System - Takeo Hoshi
  6. Future of APEC: Regional Institutional Architecture for the Pacific Rim - Richard Feinberg
  7. Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation - Roger Bohn
  8. Japan's Security Policies: The Future? Ellis Krauss
  9. Language Passport for the Pacific Rim - Yashy Tohsaku
  10. Political Economy of Korea: North and South - Stephan Haggard & Jong Sung You
  11. Reforming US Immigration Policy - Gordon Hanson
  12. Security in Northeast Asia - Susan Shirk & Tai Ming Cheung
  13. Terrorism in the Pacific Rim - Barbara Walter
  14. The New Left in Latin America: How New? How Left? - Richard Feinberg
  15. Globalization and Supply Chain Management - Roger Bohn


My reaction was, "Cool! They're having a jam...and I'm invited to participate!"

I then went through the process of signing up for First Class so I could participate. I request my access, get my user name and password, log-in....and it's kind of a bust.

  • After experiencing the power of both our jam and blogging environments, I'm irritated by the kloogy discussion thread. This prompted me to go check out First Class...and it is being positioned as a secure collaboration and social networking application for education and business. Hmmm...a competitor to Lotus Connections?
  • The professors have each posted an issue statement to get the discussion going. But, the paragraphs feel more like term paper or test questions. They're not terribly conducive to sparking discussion. They're complex, intimidating, and too wordy.
  • Not surprising, although the forum has been up since February 4th, there has been little activity other than the posting of the issue statements.
  • In the few instances where people have responded, they've often provided a reference and a link to an article, as opposed to providing an opinion.
  • I must not be the only one scratching my head, one of my favorite econ profs, Takeo Hoshi, wrote in response to a post, "Hi Chris - Thank you for posting a very interesting  article to start the discussion.  I was hoping some other people to jump in, but I guess you have been busy.  Now we are entering a long weekend, I hope some of you join the discussion...."  What impresses me about Hoshi's response, is that it is pretty much the only example where there is a conversation. In fact, although, I'm not so interested in the topic (Fragility of the Global Financial System)...I feel compelled to jump in.

There is a lot I don't know.

  1. Is this an experiment for IR/PS in social learning? As an alumna, I don't think I've ever been invited to participate in something like this before, but is this also new for the current students and professors?
  2. Has the school done anything to prepare people for this type of communication, conversation, and learning? Was Professor Hoshi's response intuitive? Or, does he have experience with this type of conversation in other forums?
  3. What type of marketing campaign was underway to encourage participation? I reacted to an email.
  4. In the pyramid of creators, commentators, and readers...it is obvious that very few are creating, if you count links, a few are commenting, and I wonder are there many lurkers like me?

There is one response that is quite thoughtful. In fact, it is pretty much the only thoughtful response so far. As I read it, I think I recognize the writer's name...who, I have just looked up on LinkedIn...and sure enough. She is the cousin of Waishan Leung, one of my best friend's at IBM!

I wonder if I am too far removed from thinking "public policy" as opposed to "business"? I use concepts I learned at IR/PS all the time in my work. Yet, I'm struggling to jump in and respond. At the same, I wonder if it is the structure, not the content, that is inhibiting me. With that...I continue to muse...

February 05, 2008

Live blogging at sound check

Index_artist_14_4 While most of your are watching the Super Tuesday returns on TV, I am sitting in the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz. I am pretending to work. Actually, I'm even getting a bit done. But my real focus is watching Hugh Masekela and his band sound check. There are like 11 people on stage. Horn players, keyboard player, drummer, percussionists, guitars, bass. A violinist is playing right now. There are beautiful harmonies floating through the auditorium.

I spent years following Hugh when John was his tour manager. What a special surprise to see Khaya Mahlangu, a wonderful sax player, who I probably haven't seen since the earlier 90's! Old friends. Smiles and hugs.

The band is singing, "Bring back Nelson Mandela, bring him back home to Soweto, I want to see him walking down the streets of South Africa. Tomorrow!"

Fabulous.

January 25, 2008

Before the world changed

Talia
Talia,
originally uploaded by jokimoto2000.

I am honing my web2.0 chops. Seems silly how slow I am to adopt some apps, yet I've been blogging for over three years.

Tonight, I've been playing with flickr. I forgot that I uploaded a bunch of NYC photos after John and I spent Thanksgiving there. But that's all I did.  Uploaded them. No titles, no comments, no tags, no map associations, nothing.

Tonight I've been playing with all of that...titles, comments, tags, maps.

Over the last month, I've been clicking away. Jill keeps asking when I'm going to upload more photos of Carolyn. I hear some of you are asking for updates from the initial "hot off the press and out of the oven" photos on the day she was born.

Well first, I dedicate a flickr set to Niece Numero Uno. Miss Talia. I've created a set of photos from Christmas 2007. The majority of the snapshots are of Talia, but there are also photos of everyone else hanging around.

If you'd like to see the full set, go here. Enjoy.

Flickr

This is a test post from flickr, a fancy photo sharing thing.

January 14, 2008

This is my pledge...

Election During the years that I've been paying attention, by now I've usually picked my candidate and stood firm throughout the campaign and election. I guess I'm pretty good at picking candidates, because my guy has nearly always been the candidate. He hasn't always won. But he's been on the ticket.

This year, like many of my friends and family members I've been much more ambivalent. I've been leaning toward my fellow Wellesley woman, but I honestly can't decide. I have said more than once, "I just don't know...although, whoever runs on the Democratic ticket will be better than any of the clowns running on the Republican side." (Please note: I caveat that opinion by stating that although I disagree with many of his policies, I don't think John McCain is a clown. I believe he is a man of integrity, I just don't want him to be my president.)

So what is my problem? Maybe the fact is we have some really good choices. Maybe I'm ambivalent not because of weaknesses in the candidates but because of an overabundance of strength.

I just read Patricia Williams' commentary in the 1/13/08 edition of the UK Observer. She makes a number of very interesting points. My pledge is whether Hillary or Barack is on the ticket...I will support either one of them (or both as Ms. Williams dreams) all the way.

Recent Flickr Pics

  • www.flickr.com
    This is a Flickr badge showing items in a set called April and May 2008 Teaching and Travels. Make your own badge here.

Photo Albums

Links to Fellow Travelers

  • Our year and a half adventure ends.
    I met Rose and Eero through my brother Eric. We hiked Mt. Kili together. They are an amazing couple who have just completed a fantastic adventure.
  • Land of the free...
    My friend Thomas who was also on a Leave of Absence from IBM...has transformed his blog from discussions on his travels in Australia and New Zealand to musing about New York City. Yes, he like me returned to Big Blue.
  • www.alanrappeport.com
    Alan is the boyfriend of Kristen. I met Kristen in Hanoi when she joined the WC group for dinner. She's on a year long travel fellowship doing amazing things! Alan is traveling with Kristin. He is a journalist and photographer. Check out his site.
  • The Witness: A Feisty and Opinionated Journal Since 1917
    "Since 1917, The Witness has been examining church and society in light of faith and conscience..." This online magazine is a testament to the fact that the Republicans in my country do not have a monopoly on faith. I have had the good fortune of hobnobbing with Ethan, its Editor, at my friend Andy's famous parties.

Good Listening

  • Herbie Hancock -

    Herbie Hancock: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
    What a great album. Herbie Hancock is the man! I just watched him and Christina Aguilera on the Grammy's. She's got the pipes, and he's got the chops.

  • Tori Amos -

    Tori Amos: The Beekeeper
    Poetry in motion. I love this CD.

  • Moby -

    Moby: Play
    Since I wrote about him, I thought I'd go find his CD and play it. I still really like it!

  • Madeleine Peyroux -

    Madeleine Peyroux: careless love
    LLB and MP have the same booking agent. This came in the mail the other day. She has a beautiful, old fashioned sound.

  • John Legend -

    John Legend: Get Lifted
    I actually saw this CD being peddled at Starbucks. It is another one of those CD's sitting on my floor courtesy of Sony. There are some very nice tunes!

  • Rachael Yamagata -

    Rachael Yamagata: Happenstance
    When has there ever been a Hapa Popstar? Cool! Even better her music is awesome! Rachael is opening for LLB at the Alice show January 4th.

  • Various Artists -

    Various Artists: Mary had a little amp
    Another "sitting on the floor" find. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit how much I like this CD.

  • Prince -

    Prince: Musicology
    Another Sony artist that showed up on the pile in front of my CD player. Nice.

  • Kaki King -

    Kaki King: LEGS TO MAKE US LONGER
    I heard Leann Hanson interview Kaki on NPR yesterday morning. Lucky me...I realized since she's an Epic artist her CD was sitting right here on the floor. (Explanation: When on the road, Sony reps give John a lot of random CD's.)

  • Los Lonely Boys -

    Los Lonely Boys: Los Lonely Boys
    I have to plug these guys...since they're keeping my husband away from home! The album is excellent, but they're even better live. Go see them!!!

Cost of War in Iraq