Fall RA Book Club: Shadow of the Wind

The Shadow of the Wind

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Simrin’s review:

I enjoyed reading the novel The Shadow of the Wind because the story intertwined so many narratives of different people. The book incorporated magical realism and gave me the impression that I was falling into a new dream world. Specifically, there was a Cemetery of Forgotten Books which captivated me (being the very big book-lover I am) as it seemed to be an endless labyrinth of books, safe from the dangers of the outside world. The characters themselves were each dynamic, my favorite character being Fermin, a man with a childlike sense of wonder that was witty and warm throughout the book. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and thought it was lovely to read every night before I went to bed.

Becca’s review:

I really enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind. It was immediately obvious to me the care and craft that went into every single line by the author. The parallels between Carax's and Daniel's lives kept me intrigued until the very end, ever curious if Daniel's fate would be the same as the infamous Julian Carax. The division of the book into subsections made the read an easy one, and, although beholding a lengthy number of pages, I never felt I had to force myself to read further. Instead, I found it increasingly impossible to cease reading The Shadow of the Wind once I had begun. There are so many metaphors throughout the book that felt as if they were little pockets of all-knowing wisdom. My favorite nugget of advice is given by Nuria. She contradicts the common sentiment that the good times go by much too quickly. Instead, she asserts that when life becomes monotonous and unworth living, it is these very times that rocket past us; blurring life into one, ubiquitous path instead of singularly unique events. I hope my life doesn't echo this sentiment Nuria expresses. I hope my life doesn't feel fast.

Petuh’s review:

Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind is truly a masterpiece of fiction. Naturally blending reality with fantastical elements, this story plays with time as well as truth as it takes you down a winding road trying to figure out the mystery of who Julian Carax is and what happened to him. With a lovable cast of characters, you are transported around 20th century Barcelona where there are twists and turns at every corner. This page-turner will leave you on the edge of your seat, gasping with every new revelation. A must-read for anyone who loves novels.

Valerie’s review:

Zafron paints a riveting tale within The Shadow of the Wind that interlaces themes of mystery, darkness, and adventure. It reveals the story of the unknown author, Julian Carax, and the disappearance of his books through the eyes of young child Daniel, whose life just seems so serendipitously paralleled to Carax's. Zafron is able to utilize various perspectives and character voices to tell this quite heartbreaking story that depicts the complex era in Spain during the 1950s and the narrative of this tragic group of friends. Ultimately, the novel uses these elements of darkness and mystery to paint a picture of the difficulties of life and love.

Emily’s review:

When I received The Shadow of the Wind at the first meeting for the book club, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of reading a book about the meaning of books. The Shadow of the Wind, though, was about so much more than the influence of literature. Filled with dynamic relationships, both romantic and familial, as well as a unique mystery, the book quickly pulls the reader in and creates a fully immersive reading experience. The language is absolutely wonderful and the story is beautifully crafted and true to the human experience. The Shadow of the Wind has quickly found a home in my top five favorite books and I’ve been recommending it to others since I finished it. Absolutely a 10/10!

Chokehold

Chokehold

by Paul Butler

Finished the last of the RA Favorite books for the semester.  “Majority rules”…ah, how this concept has failed our country in so many ways over the course of our history.  Its failure couldn’t be more eloquently captured than Paul Butler did in his recent book Chokehold.  The book is a sociological, data-rich thesis on how African-American males have been ‘placed into submission’ through current policies and laws and by those who administer the law – police.  Butler draws from our earliest days as a fledgling country with the division of slavery to our present day policies that protect police and their ability to hold power over those not in power.  How could our country continue to divide the outcomes delivered to people of color and those delivered to white people?  Butler’s research is rich with quantitative data points that compel the reader to reflect upon one’s own privilege and then look externally to see the realities of prejudice and discrimination impacting African-Americans in society today.  He draws upon his own experience as a prosecutor, sharing details on how the system works and how we might actually change the system.  Reading the book is an opportunity to better understand the impact of one’s race on the simple act of walking down the street, driving in a car, or wearing a hoodie.  All choices that he presents can be problematic as a male of color.  I strongly suggest all my white colleagues/friends reflect on the various everyday things that whites take for granted and on how those with privilege can work to change discriminatory practices.  Laws on low-level offenses needs to change.  Important read for all.

Once a Runner

Once a Runner

by John L. Parker, Jr. 

I had a few RAs who were harder to meet with this semester, but I have finally met everyone!  I did have the opportunity to finish the book Once a Runner by John Parker.  It is a fictional story that draws upon the real-life experiences of the author and is set on the imaginary campus of Southeastern University (based on the University of Florida).  The lead character is Quentin Cassidy, who looks back after his Olympic days to the four years that led up to him becoming an elite one-mile racer.  After Cassidy is removed from the school’s racing team for leading a protest campaign against the institution’s dress and conduct policies, he trains under the direction of his coach, a former Olympic runner, outside of the school’s jurisdiction.  Using a disguise, he is able to enter a trials race against the world’s fastest mile runner.  The last chapters capture the build-up to the race, Cassidy’s anxieties, adrenaline taking over, and the last quarter mile between him and the world champion.  Cassidy finally meets his goal – winning the race – but, more importantly, runs the mile in sub-four-minute time at 3:52:20.  The book provides an excellent view into the mind of a runner and all of the things that one experiences: physical ailments, mental anguish, team support, and much more.  Additionally, Parker adds great depth through the interplay among Cassidy’s teammates, a cast of characters to say the least!  A classic for athletes.  Read this one. 

The Odd Women

The Odd Women

by George Gissing

Finished another RA Favorite book.  Don’t get as many old-time books, but this one, The Odd Women, was written in the late 1890s by George Gissing.  It is the story of the Madden sisters, three of whom die in youth/childbirth as does their mother. After their father passes away, the three sisters go on a journey that includes finding love, independence, and their voice.  The book is set in England during a time when women out-populated men by over a million, so being “paired off” for marriage was not an easy task.  Two of the subplots involve the youngest sister, Monica, and her struggles with marrying an older bachelor, Edmund. She later has an affair with another man, which leads to the end of her marriage. Meanwhile, Rhoda falls for a man who wants to marry her, but she only wants to live with him (which is not something acceptable in the world they live in).  Both Rhoda and Monica have challenges with their men and, in the end, one women stays connected with her man while the other separates, gets pregnant, and eventually perishes. It is clearly a book that reflects on the role of the woman and the lack of choices available to them in this era.  Lots of mystery as to what will happen to the lead characters with loss and sadness in the end.  A book of its time….  Interesting that a book at the advent of feminism was written by a man.  Ok read.

Wild

Wild

by Cheryl Strayed

Finished Cheryl Strayed‘s book Wild, her memoir of her personal journey through the PTC (the Pacific Crest Trail running from California to Oregon) after the death of her mother and a number of failed relationships.  The trip in total is over 1,100 miles starting in the Mojave Desert and ending in Oregon at the “Bridge of the Gods” that leads into the state of Washington.  Strayed is twenty-six years old when she makes the commitment to go on this solo journey. She departed on this trip four years after losing her mother to lung cancer at the age of forty-five years old, a major factor in her decision to leave civilization.  Throughout her journey, Strayed shares episodes of pain with her siblings, her relationship with her parents, and her relationship with her husband, who she married right after college (though her relationship ended before her journey began).  She also shares her struggle with another partner that involved difficulties with heroin.  Strayed discusses many of the highs (meeting new friends, reaches summits, experiencing the beauty of nature, a one-night stand with a man she meets on the trip) and the lows (physical pain, hunger, reflecting on the many loses in her life which lead to loneliness).  The flashbacks to her family challenges are conjured up through the trip and lead her to think about what is next in life.  Strayed clearly gains a sense of peace, fights her grief and personal challenges, and overcomes various physical struggles while on the trip.  Strayed’s willingness to be vulnerable serves as a guide for others coming from dysfunction and poverty to escape through reliance on self.

The Rosie Project

The Rosie Project

by Graeme Simsion

Finished another on the list of RA Favorite Books, this one by an Australian author. Graeme Simsion's book The Rosie Project is a comedy, as are most of the Australian books I have read.  The story involves a Professor, Don Tillman, a neurotically organized and structured man, who gets involved in two studies. One study is to find the most compatible woman for him to get married to (using a questionnaire he has validated to be statistically sound), and the second project is to assist a PhD student at the University, Rosie, to find her biological father.  Rosie’s mother told her that the man she grew up with as her father was not her biological father right before she passed away.  Years later she approaches Don to assist her in finding her father based on a graduating class photo from a final party as a class…and one of the males at that party is her biological father! While these two stories intertwine, Don’s closest friend, another Professor at the University, attempts to have Rosie and Don date. Don is unable to change himself and Rosie is unable to accept Don for his neurotic self!  The two end up gathering DNA from all of the male party attendees with a shocking twist as they identify her biological father.  It is a witty story with some 'adult humor’ and well worth your time.  I hear there is a sequel as well.

Boundaries Workbook

Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

Just finished reading Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend.  The book contains Christian theology drawing upon many of the messages found in the Bible and applies those messages to the many people who are unable to manage boundaries.  The book begins with defining what boundaries are and then goes through subsequent chapters explaining how lack of boundaries affects family, friends, spouses, children, work, ourselves, and God.  The authors then share ideas on what healthy boundaries are and how to develop them. It is a great self-help book with a focus on how we need others to help us meet those boundaries.  The book does delve into alcohol/drugs/sexual abuse/sex addictions and other issues that prevent people from staying within boundaries that connect us closer to God.  A very good read, especially for those who have a faith tradition.

Unbroken

Unbroken

by Laura Hillenbrand

Very strange that I have now finished another World War II book (also a true-life story).  Unbroken, written by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit), features the interview of a WWII veteran, Louie Zamperini. Louie is a former Olympic runner who joins the Army Air Corps after competing in the world games in Berlin (where he actually met Hitler!).  Louie was fast and one of the first to hit the sub-4-minute mile.  The story details his life from childhood, the Olympics, the War, and life at home afterwards.  Louie was in the flying battalion, and his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.  Only three of the eleven crew lived, Louie being one of them. After a 46-day survival in the ocean with two peers (one dies while on a raft), they are captured by the Japanese military and kept in a POW camp.  The horrific details of his time in captivity include being repeatedly beaten by one of the Japanese officers known as “the Bird”.  The war comes to an end when the Americans drop the atom bomb on August 6, 1945 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Louie, who the American government had noted as being dead, comes home to a jubilant family welcome but is left with the haunting nightmares of the camp.  He marries, has a child, but alcoholism and an inner fear debilitate him – until he attends a revival Christian meeting led by a young preacher, Billy Graham.  Graham changes his life and he becomes a born-again Christian. He then goes out to motivate others on the perils that face us but that we can learn to overcome.  A riveting story – I highly recommend!

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

by Heather Morris

Finished a terrific book called The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.  It is a true life story of a Lali Sokolov, a 26-year-old Slovakian Jew who gave himself up to the Nazis in the hopes that he would spare his family from capture.  Lali, age 87, begins to tell his story to Morris, who turns it into a book.  Lali goes into great depth describing the utter destruction that the Nazi’s dealt to all Jews and non-Aryan people.  Lali was determined to live and was offered an opportunity to become a tattooist, the person who marked all entering captives into Auschwitz and Buchenwald.  He was recruited by the tetovierer, the German name for tattooist, and he continued the role throughout his time in camp.  In reflection, Lali feels he may have been a ‘sell-out’ to the Germans for the role he played but knows it is what kept him alive and allowed him to receive more food than the other inmates.  He had a very strange relationship with the SS officer to whom he reported. His officer even allowed him to enter a relationship with another prisoner, Gita Furman, who was assigned to work in the administrative office for the SS. She did not receive the same extra rations that Lali did.  Lali later started to provide a portion of his rations to others in the camp and worked ‘undercover’ with another prisoner to get chocolates and other food for the prisoners.  The brutality of the camp was present throughout the book.  Prisoners being gassed and shot to death was normal.  It is unbelievable that our world was brought to such depths.  A horrific existence to live through.  Lali did survive and ended up being reunited with Gita after the war.  A love story through a hell that no one could ever have fathomed.  I listened to this one on tape.  I’d highly recommend.

One Person, No Vote

One Person, No Vote

by Carol Anderson

An exceedingly eye-opening book to read about how politics play a role in voting, education, and keeping poverty in select sections of various states within the US.  In Carol Anderson’s book One Person, No Vote, the reader learns the lengths that many politicians have taken to ensure that people of color continue to be disadvantaged in the electoral process.  Anderson provides significant background and historical perspective on the process of re-districting (gerrymandering) by both mainstream political parties.  Her research into the topic is in-depth with recent election outcomes to support her arguments.  The book is broken into five sections: The early days of the US election process, the use of voter IDs, how political parties in power purged voter rolls, rigging the rules for voting, and the current resistance (where some are asking for voters to prove their intelligence to vote!)  Every American citizen should have the right to vote, but do they really?  District lines should not be determined by the color of one’s skin nor should the number of hours it takes for citizens to vote.  This is a must read for every citizen and worthy of debate on how to resolve.   

The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux

by Kate DiCamillo

Finished Kate DiCamillo’s book for children called The Tale of Despereaux. It is a tale of a mouse who falls in love with a Princess, gets sent to the dungeon by his peers for interacting with the Princess, and, after a fretful capture of the Princess, the undersized mouse does what he knows he must do: enter the dungeon, try to find the Princess, and bring her back to safety.  This is a cute children’s book that provides moments of curiosity (the addition of some words into the vocabulary), reflection (doing the right thing), and ensuring the castle and the kingdom return to peace.  A few subplots included as well.  I think younger kids would really enjoy this book.

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

by Mark Batterson

Another Christian book with a good message and life lessons in In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.  The book provides a perspective on how to face the most challenging obstacles in life, risks that are worth taking, and coming face to face with the scariest things in our lives (the lion in the cage).  Batterson draws upon the Bible to share moments of courage from the ‘actors’ who have ‘crosses’ to carry.  Each chapter is underscored by a quote that introduces the main theme.  For example: “You are responsible forever for what you have tamed” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery. This introduces the theme for the chapter called “Locking eyes with your lion”.  Each person has to tame the thing that holds them down.  We determine how we will respond.  Batterson provides a sensible process for how to move forward in our lives to be the best we can be.  At the end of each chapter, the author presents a review of the top ‘takeaways’ and an exercise to reinforce the lessons learned.  A quintessential self-help book grounded in Christian doctrine.

Hearing God

Hearing God: Eliminate Myths. Encounter Meaning.

by Nathan Finochio

NYU RAs always provide a breadth and depth in the recommendations they share with me as favorite books.  It was refreshing to be offered a Christian book that discusses how to have a better relationship by listening to God.  Hearing God: Eliminate Myths. Encounter Meaning. by Nathan Finochio, a pastor in the Hillsong NYC congregational church, provides a series of reflections that offer a way to deepen connection to a Higher Being – in this case, the Christian God. What is my purpose?  How do I begin to find life’s path?  What meaning do the relationships I have with others have with respect to my journey? These are a number of the questions raised, and they are connected to readings from the Bible. Finochio writes nine chapters that debunk myths related to our relationship with God.  He suggests that God is connected with a person constantly.  We need to be more aware of how to listen more clearly and learn to have a conversation about what matters in life and how we interact with nature & others. And we need to focus on the big question: what am I doing in this life? What is my calling?  All really thoughtful questions and very much connected to biblical readings & real life stories from the author.  Helpful perspective for believers and great questions to ponder even for those who don’t believe in a higher being.

Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window

Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window

by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

What a beautiful story in Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi and translated by Dorothy Britton.  It is a true-life story told by the author reflecting on her childhood attending the Tomeo school after being expelled from her first elementary school.  The Tomeo school was run by a gentle man and leader, Sosaku Kobayashi, who believed in a non-traditional way to educate young children. He believes in fewer rules, less structure, and a heightened sense of exploration and creativity.  Tetsuko’s memories are heartwarming in describing how she learned, the students with whom she attended the school, and her wonderful upbringing with loving parents and playful dog.  All of the story takes place with the backdrop of World War II creeping closer to Japan.  The stories flow in a way that highlights the lessons taught through great parenting, a tremendous educational environment, and children who experience love and acceptance for who they are, no matter their abilities nor their physical characteristics.  Tetsuko informs her headmaster that her life dream is to eventually teach at the school, which leads to her desire to write the book years later.  With the war growing closer to Japan, the school is destroyed when a bomb drops on the building.  Tetsuko is reunited with her classmates years later (the group has annual reunions).  In the epilogue, Tetsuko shares updates on many of the children and other people she highlighted in the book.  This was a best-selling book and worth a read for all young children to learn the lessons of dreaming big and learning outside the box.  Highly recommend!

Heartburn

Heartburn

by Nora Ephron

Finished reading Heartburn by Nora Ephron, which was published in the early 1980s.  The story is about a married woman, Rachel, who seems very happy and is pregnant with her second child.  Rachel is a well-known cookbook writer and she includes recipes throughout her stories. The main story here is one that will end with a key lime pie in the face of her husband (soon to be ex).  Rachel learns from the local Washington, DC “wives group” of the local politicians that her husband is having an affair with another woman in the group.  Rachel tries to come to terms with her husband’s transgressions, trying to hold on to the marriage, but to no avail.  The themes of marriage, divorce, affairs, women’s counseling groups, and even how to cook with the recipes she shares are thrown together in this ‘comedy’, which is very much reminiscent of the early 1980s. There is tension throughout surrounding whether or not she will leave her husband.  A few laughs, but, for the most part, a light read that you might enjoy. 

The Argonauts

The Argonauts

by Maggie Nelson

The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson is her free-flowing, true-life story. Nelson describes the journey of marrying a female-to-male transitioned partner, the adoption of their son, the relationship with her parents (and consequent loss of her mother to cancer) and the pregnancy/birth of her son Iggy. Nelson’s style of writing is drawn from other influential authors, particularly Roland Barthes. Her writing moves from inspirations from her life to moments of pain surrounding issues related to gender.  She tells of the time she is stalked by an older white male recounting the death of her aunt Jane in the book she authored by the same name.  Her ability to interweave sexuality/gender transitioning, cancer, love, raising a step child, and the uncertainty of Prop 8 in California keeps the reader engaged throughout.  Nelson is a prolific author whose style matches many of the students of today who stay connected in ‘short bites’ of narrative.  Complex topic, complex writing, depth beyond words.  It is a relatively short read but will take some time to understand all of the themes and messages.

The Purity Myth

The Purity Myth

by Jessica Valenti

Finished The Purity Myth by Jessica Valenti.  The book provides the perspective of a feminist author and her views on how women, specifically young women, face the challenges of sexuality. Valenti presents data that runs the spectrum from pregnancy rate decline, the amount the federal government has funded healthy marriage initiatives and ‘chastity’-focused programs for young girls, sexual activity rates among high-schoolers, STI rates, HPV rates of infection, and demographic statistics for pregnancy/low-income and other issues related to young girls.  This is a book that would serve as a great resource for a student studying young girls and how they are influenced by society/impacted by governmental policies centered on sexual activity.  Valenti also presents her memories of losing her virginity and even reaches out to the boy she had sex with at age sixteen to get his thoughts on the experience.  A well-researched and data driven book.   A quick read with a ton of information.  It was published in 2009, so a decade has passed since it was first released and data may need to be updated.

Mindset

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

by Carol Dweck, Ph.D.

A really good book to help one re-think their approach to life in Mindset by Carol Dweck.  The book outlines how a person should adopt a psychology for success.  Dweck draws upon the work of leadership guru Warren Bennis, a long-time researcher on leaders in industry.  One will either live with a fixed mindset or a growth mindset – which will you choose?  Dweck provides the “how-to” in growing that ‘growth’ approach by suggesting the following: embrace challenges (don’t avoid them); persist in the face of setbacks (don’t give up); see effort as the path to mastery (don’t view it as fruitless); learn from criticism (don’t ignore it); and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others (don’t feel threatened by the success of others).  Learn from the lessons of those who think they are ‘better’ than others, especially from athletes, business leaders, and even teachers.  Look for those who are sincere with their feedback, who provide honest appraisal and want you to be the best you can be.  Too many people who impact youth can do harm with relentless criticism or praise that is not deserved.  This is a required reading in some of NYU’s courses in the psychology department.  I couldn’t recommend this one more.  We all need to take a real and detailed look at our effort to do the best we can in all that we do.  Dweck’s research is well-received and focuses mainly on children in elementary and high school, where the real impact can be made for building a brain that pushes one to be their best.

Station Eleven (RA Alumni Favorite)

Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

It’s nice to reconnect with an alum who served in the RA position, and it’s even better when they share an all-time favorite book to read.  I thoroughly enjoyed Station Eleven written by Emily St. John Mandel.  It tells of an epidemic, the Georgian flu, that devastates the world, killing most of the population.   The book begins at a Shakespearean play where the lead, King Lear, dies of a heart attack and moves from pre- to post-Georgian flu to fill in the background.  Arthur Leander (King Lear), Jeevan Chaudhary (the paramedic in the audience who tries to save him), Kirsten Raymonde (a child actress in the show), Miranda Carroll (Arthur’s first wife), Clark Thompson (Arthur’s lawyer), and Tyler Leander (Arthur’s young son from his second wife) are all part of the story. It describes their days in Toronto (pre-epidemic) and their journey to the Great Lakes area, where the characters who live through the flu epidemic fill in what happened to get where they are now.  Mandel’s story grabbed my attention early, and I loved how I learned more about the twenty-year change in the world.  Exceedingly well-written with characters who are eager to share their story.  A science-fiction graphic novel with a very unexpected outcome.  Can fiction actually come to life?  This one is a must read.  I love when the author is able to build multiple stories within one book….  Well done!  

(Extra Book) The Nickel Boys

The Nickel Boys

by Colson Whitehead

Thanks to Tracey G. for this recommendation - a really good read in The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.  The book is based on the real-life story of a reform school in Florida for young boys who committed minor offenses, lacked parents, or were there for a variety of other reasons.  As portrayed in the book, Nickel Academy is a cruel place full of hatred, especially for black boys who regularly get whipped and placed in solitary confinement. This is the place that seventeen-year-old Elwood Curtis ends up after receiving a free car ride home from his first day of a pre-college program.  Elwood was a bright young man destined for success, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He was forced to go to the academy by the judge of his case, and that’s when his living hell begins.  Rules were arbitrary and, for someone who worked so hard, always doing the right thing, he entered a place where there was no understandable ‘right way to behave’.  During his first week at the academy, he faced a beating for trying to assist another student being taunted.  In this place, he was bound to secrecy and there were serious ramifications if he spoke out against the academy. But this didn’t stop Elwood from making a plan. He waited for an opportunity to alert the authorities of the dangers in the academy and got that chance when a tour by the officials took place.  Elwood wasn’t ready for what happened next.  The story is a reminder of the type of world we live in where hate has and continues to prevail. It is disturbing to learn that those who ran the system at the academy brutally murdered some of the black boys who attended and buried them on the grounds.  All great stories have a twist, and this one is no different.  It is hard to believe that the 1950s and 60s was the time frame of this story. In this world today, we still witness abuse of children, lack of equality, and pure hate.  Books like this serve as a reminder so that we never forget what happened in our past.  Elwood and children like him need love, education and opportunity.  A profound story.

Being Mortal

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

by Atul Gawande

Death… it comes to everyone at some point, either suddenly or through a long disease.  I have experienced them both in my life.  My brother was killed in a motorcycle accident when I was nineteen years old.  He was vibrant and living a wonderful life and it happened instantaneously, whereas my sister struggled through cancer for 4+ years.  Neither is easy.  This RA Favorite book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, focuses on how we plan our final days.  It is written by a physician, Atul Gawande, and he intersperses his own family story of a parent at the end of their life. He also tells of a number of patients who teach him how to be a better doctor when it comes to a diagnosis that needs conversation and thoughtful decision making.  He begins the book with a discussion on how America has turned away from the elderly, where families look for nursing homes/assisted living and other venues to place their loved ones.  This is in sharp contrast with many countries where families keep their elders with them through their final days.  The book continues with how medicine has increased the life span of people today coupled with improved hygiene and how we filtrate water/sewage.  The most meaningful chapters for me include the idea of how we think through our end-of-life decision making.  Having experienced two instances in my family where that didn’t seem to happen as openly as it could have, I recommend everyone think through what your “goal” is when faced with a life-altering surgery, path for medication, or procedure that might end or substantially change how you live.  What outcome will be right for you?  Dr. Gawande is compassionate and shares his own failures and how he has improved patient conversations.  Letting go is not easy.  We all have a time to live and a time to die.  How do you want that time to work best for you?  Not an easy book to get through, but it is done with impeccable judgement and clarity.  Thank you, Dr. Gawande.  Add to your list, but do so when you have a clear mind and not faced with tough decisions.   

(Extra Book) A Compendium of Lines for All Occasions

A Compendium of Lines for All Occasions

by Knock Knock 

Whenever you get an extra book suggestion, you have to hold your breathe a bit…. And this one is a ‘one-liner’ response book for every occasion!  It’s called A Compendium of Lines for All Occasions.  The book has responses for all engagements with people ranging from insults, excuses, rejections, mind games, put-downs and cop-outs.  There are some laugh-out-loud moments and a few to put in the back of your mind should you need them, though I’m not sure I would.  I don’t seem to have that type of quick wit.  There are even a few funny ones for roommate relations.  It’s more of a book to place in the bathroom for ‘toilet reading.’  Numerous lines I have heard a few times over my life.

All About Love

All About Love

by bell hooks

What a great book to read to reflect on a most important emotion… LOVE.  bell hooks, a popular feminist writer, is the author of this classic, All About Love.  The book focuses on the year 2000 (when it was published).  hooks presents ideas about love in modern society by drawing from her own personal experiences.  She shares the dysfunction within her own family experience as well as definitions that are helpful in understanding her perspectives.  She also incorporates some of the actions of public figures (not always good), including from our president at the time, Bill Clinton, and his extramarital involvement with Monica Lewinsky.  hooks takes the complex concept of ‘love’ from a non-sexual point of view to dive deep into the concept.  The book contains thirteen short essays on aspects of love including: the clarity of love (defining it); the justice of love (childhood lessons); the honesty of love; what commitment means for love; the spirituality of love; the values of love; how greed interferes with love; loving in community; mutuality; the importance of romance in love; loving life and death; redemptive love; and when angels speak of love.  The book is beautifully written with simple concepts on how to live a life that attracts love.  The foundational values for creating love within all of one’s relationships are outlined in a non-judgmental but assertive manner.   I have always enjoyed hooks’ work, highly recommend.  What we need today in this world is more love, which is something that should be stressed more in college coursework.  I’d suggest it as a common read for college students!

The Displaced

The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives

Edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen

When an RA alum informed me that his book is now in print, I needed to add it to my list.  Just finished reading The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Life, edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen.  There are twenty short stories presented by refugees from around the world.  The RA alum, Joseph Azam, writes about coming from Afghanistan and having to struggle with how he chose his name when becoming an American citizen.  Thank you for sharing your personal challenges emigrating and the struggle of being placed in an American education system, a system that does not do a good job of training teachers how to welcome all and ensure that the other classmates understand it is perfectly fine being from another country.  In fact, school should be a place where we share the journey of immigrants and understand the rich cultures and various beliefs of students who may not look like us, speak the same language, or eat the same food. They too should be treated with respect.  Reading the various stories, the same themes emerged: bullying, bringing attention to difference in look/skin tone, accent, and heritage.  Have we not gotten better as a country?  Weren’t we all immigrants at one point in time?  We are at a very precarious time in our country’s history, and yes, history does tend to repeat itself.  The Middle East, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe are included based on the lineage of the authors.  This is a book that ALL higher education professionals should read as it underlines the trauma that many of the students coming to our campuses are coping with.  It is our job to ensure we create places of safety and comfort.  We are in a complex world and need to find ways to heal and strengthen those who are considered ‘outsiders’ by many of the people in this country.  Thanks to Joe and the other nineteen authors who braved their experience and were willing to share with us.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

by Luo Guanzhong

Finished a classic historical Chinese novel called Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong (or at least that’s to whom they attribute the book).  The book is believed to be written in the 1300s, is set in 170 AD, and concludes with the reunification of the country.  I only read volume 1 of 3, which was not an easy task as it is very long and has an immense number of characters and storylines.  The main story follows the leadership of the dynasty that includes military battles, power-play within the leadership, and family turmoil. In many respects, while very different, it had a feel of Game of Thrones with intrigue and battles at every chapter.  Not easy to write a one paragraph review, but I will say that, given its depth and impact on Chinese literature, it’s easy to understand why this is one of the most widely read historical novels in China. You’ll need a few weeks of commitment to get through volume one – no idea how long to add for the last two volumes.

Never Split the Difference

Never Split the Difference

by Chris Voss

Finished a great “skills enhancement” book by Chris Voss called Never Split the Difference.  Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, takes the lessons he learned through his education and fifteen years on the job to teach the common reader how to enhance success when attempting to purchase a car, rent an apartment, deal with a difficult client or even a terrorist who wants to blow up an airplane.  Voss takes from real life situations, such as bank robberies and hostage situations, and teaches college students how they can improve the outcome.  The techniques are shared in detailed step-by-step instructions throughout each chapter.  As an added bonus, the appendix includes a negotiation “cheat-sheet” to create before your next negotiation.  Some of the basic concepts include: how to really listen (have at least 4 people listening to what is being said and look for opportunities where you might be able to negotiate); never say “NO”, instead rephrase with “thanks” and explain why that won’t work; don’t make it personal; use how and why questions; never settle for the middle; don’t use the word ‘fair’; introduce the term ‘that’s right’ into the conversation; and know before going into a financial conversation what your bottom line will be.  Voss is clearly very talented, and this basic and simple approach is well worth your time to read it.  I plan on getting a copy to keep close to me when I need to negotiate in the future.

Memories of Peking: South Side Stories

Memories of Peking: South Side Stories

by Lin Haiyin

Sometimes you find that wonderful book that makes all the ‘not great’ books worth reading.  Thanks to the RA who suggested Memories of Peking – South Side Stories by Lin Haiyin.  The book is a series of short stories that follow the timeline of issues facing the author at age six.  It is a series of childhood memories capturing her early days living in an urban center facing loneliness, distinguishing ‘good’ from ‘bad’, and reflecting on the people who have brief but meaningful impacts in her life.  It is a book that brings me back to my own childhood, recall the few ‘characters’ who I still think about today, and made me appreciate the aspects that make me unique.  Whether it be the local butcher, Ralph (whom I met in 2^nd grade before he moved away), or the substitute teacher who smiled and approved of the work I did, these were the people who provided touch points to my youth.  You will find the stories sad, touching, and they will make you yearn for more.  I can see why this remains a classic in Chinese culture.  A great book to go back in time and appreciate those who helped us get where we are, but also to help us reflect on people who shaped our ‘arc of life’.  It is a very quick read – six short stories, all interconnected, with a very sad ending.

The Innovators

The Innovators 

by Walter Isaacson

Finished a good book that provides the history of the digital revolution, written by the author of the biography on Steve Jobs.  The book, The Innovators, by Walter Isaacson, starts with the history of thinkers who studied systems of math equations that can answer questions on productivity and artificial intelligence.  Isaacson begins the story with Lord Byron’s daughter, Ada Lovelace, who publishes notes on the Analytical Engine that Babbage created in 1847.  At the turn of the twentieth century and through the World Wars, the author presents the pre-history of the computer and all of the people who drew upon the last person’s work.  Isaacson presents the lessons of the digital revolution, the progress that happened because of collaboration, and how each person built upon existing knowledge.  The book chapters include the following: how programming for computers was needed to fulfill what computers could do; the role of the transistor and the microchip; roll-out of video games; the internet; the personal computer; the software war; online communities; and, finally, the world wide web.  Isaacson includes timelines of the inventions and pictures of all of the players in the development of the digital world.  This is a must-read for any computer science or math major.  It is a foundational book that helps explain where we are today.  I liked how Isaacson gives the personal stories of the key players, their families and educational backgrounds.  It is also great to read that NYU had some part in the story, from Richard Courant (math genius) to our own Clay Shirkey (Associate Provost).  I enjoyed gaining this perspective and being reminded that collaboration leads to progress.

Why We Sleep

Why We Sleep

by Matthew Walker, PhD

Thanks to an alum (Beau) for sending me this recommendation.  A good book to read when thinking about what influences productivity in staff.  I plan on using some of what I learned when I meet with the RAs in the coming month.  The book, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, is a scientific review on the power gained through sleep.  Walker is a PhD heading the sleep study center at UC Berkeley.  The book is broken into four parts: Definition of sleep and its impacts; the benefits of sleep; how we dream and what it means; and the bad effects of sleeping pills, lights at night and what we are learning from data collected from his studies.  Walker ends his book with twelve relatively simple steps to enhance your sleeping:

Stick to a schedule, exercise early in the day, avoid caffeine, avoid alcohol before bed, avoid

large meals before bed, avoid medicines that delay/disrupt sleep, don’t take napes after 3pm,

relax before bed, take a hot bath before bed, have a dark room/cool room/gadget free room,

have the right sunlight exposure and don’t lie awake in bed!

All great suggestions.  Walker also raises criticism (with data to back him up) on medical residents working too much in their role, and also the use of sleeping pills, which could kill you!  Helpful hints, good data, and a quick scientific read.  Good book.

You are a Badass

You are a Badass - How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

by Jen Sincero

Finished another RA Favorite book, a self-help read called You are a Badass by Jen Sincero.  The author attempts to shock the reader with jolting language early on, suggesting the reader needs to be “a new you!” through gaining a swagger.  I found the book, by this self-described life-coach, to have almost all of the ‘tried-and-true’ ideas utilized by coaches but with flare for the dramatic.  The book is broken into five parts with numerous chapters in each section.  I found the flow disjointed and felt it needed an easier breakdown to get the quick lessons that were being presented.  Her chapters opened with a brief quote from different famous authors.  Many of her philosophies were what I have read by numerous other “get your life together NOW” authors.  While it appeared she was going to present a new approach, I didn’t really find any.  Additionally, her prose was long-winded and the stories were drawn from her own experience with limited features to cement the ideas into the reader’s mind.  You can tell I didn’t find this to be the most helpful of “self-help” books, though her list of resources in the back had many of those I do enjoy.  If you are looking for a more memorable book for helping you move forward, try Barbara Sher’s I Could Do Anything, If I Only Knew How. I’d pass on this one.

Musicophilia

Musicophilia

by Oliver Sacks

I very much enjoy reading books written by NYU professors, and this one was no different.  Oliver Sacks, who gained notoriety as a neurologist, researcher, and educator, produces an important read in his book Musicophilia.  The book is his study on the impact of music on the human brain.  Sacks presents a series of real-life case studies of injuries (person hit by lightning), people with seizures, Alzheimer patients, and others who have experienced significant brain trauma. He investigates what happens when music is introduced into their lives. Some of the people he interviews are inspired to play music, such as the person who was hit by lightning (who becomes a pianist at the age of forty-two), while some of the people he follows have the opposite experience and can’t even hear music anymore.  In the book, he examines many neurological phenomenon, sharing his learning of the various, strange issues society deal with today.  In 2017, Dr. Sacks passed away, leaving significant data for future neurologists to take the impact of music on the brain to the next level.  A really inspiring and thought-provoking read.  Brilliant physician who did such important work.