Books that have kept me company recently...
Liar's Poker
~ Michael Lewis
Semi-autobiographical account of the author's stint as a bonds salesman on Wall Street. Paints the place in an interesting light - mix of fairly disgusting behavior on the one hand, but also showcasing the amazing way in which the financial system on Wall Street worked, the tenacity and other qualities of the people who worked there, the fortunes and mis-fortunes that were made there, and the way giants were made, and giants were destroyed. Since it is a first hand account of sorts, you tend to believe (somewhat incredulously at times) the goings-on in the firm in question (Salomon Brothers) and the Street as a whole, especially because you are looking at the tale unfold in hindsight (you know how the story ends - the financial meltdown story, that is). And this was in the 80's. The incredible part for me was that while reading the book, I could have easily transposed whatever Lewis was saying was true and happening in the 80's to twenty years in the future, to what happened to Lehman Brothers and the crisis of 2008. Wondered at times in the tale whether Lewis could possibly have been fitting the narration to make it sound incredulously congruous with the meltdown cycle twenty years in the future, but I think he's too smart to be making stuff up. And so, it is unbelievable in and of itself, that this whole thing is cyclical, and that too within such a relatively short span of time. Makes you wonder how people in general can let something like this (financial stupidity leading to financial crises) happen time and again. But such is the power of Wall Street. And that's the point Lewis is making.
Loved Lewis's quintessential narrative style and sense of humor (have read a couple of his other books and have enjoyed them all) throughout the story. Felt a little too ranty at times, but I guess he has every reason to be supremely disillusioned by the whole thing. Good insight into the inner workings of financial behemoths, and the Street culture. Makes you wonder whether twenty years from now, we'll see another one of these shenanigans.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
~Amy Chua
This non-fiction had received rave reviews and I had been wanting to read it for a while. Finally got hold of it. The author describes in the tale Chinese (indeed any non-Western) parenting style and how different it is from the western parenting style. How Chinese (aka Tiger) moms raise their children, push them, push them, and push them to excel in everything they can possibly take on - whether that's academics, music or something else. And how western parents on the other hand leave the choice to their children and will not push the children or discipline them excessively for fear of incurring the displeasure of the children. Chinese moms on the other hand don't care. They will humiliate their children if necessary to get them to be the best they can be, actually not the best they can be, but the best there can be...if you get the subtle but important distinction that is the hallmark of the style of the Tiger mom. Excellence is not an option. It is the end state. And to get to that state, the children will have to do whatever it takes. That Whatever usually takes the form of supreme hard work and hours and hours and years and years of practice. And the mom will be a Tiger, fiercely protective, constantly alert and territorial, sacrificing anything and everything to meet that goal of excellence for their child. Because that excellence in that field, will prepare the child for a fulfilled life, a life of confidence, return for effort, and redemption for being endowed with a gift. Hmmmm.
All this is illustrated from the author's personal example of getting her first daughter to become a brilliant pianist and her second daughter to become a brilliant violinist. Of course what happens is that the second daughter is a complete rebel (which is so not the Chinese way) and the story unfolds of the battle between mother and daughter, and how in the end, the Tiger mom has no choice but to succumb to the child's will. But she tries every single thing she possibly can to avoid that. Boy, does she try. She pushes her children to the point where you wonder how something terrible could not have happened. She made them work their butts off, practise every day of their lives for several hours each day since the day they turned three. She made them practise and practise, came hell or high water. Because she believed with every pore of her being that that was the only way to achieve excellence.
I liked the book, except for the end. I do not like books that don't end strong, no matter how brilliant the rest of the story. The author admits that she had no idea how to end the book and personally struggled with it. In any case, the book itself is worth reading. If you are into parenting, and if you are Chinese. Or Indian, I guess. I personally have opinions of how I will raise my child and how it will be the same and how it will be different from the western parenting style, which surrounds us. I certainly want to nurture any and all talent my child has, and aggressively develop it. But will I be a Tiger mom? It has its ups and downs. Time will tell, I guess.
Liar's Poker
~ Michael Lewis
Semi-autobiographical account of the author's stint as a bonds salesman on Wall Street. Paints the place in an interesting light - mix of fairly disgusting behavior on the one hand, but also showcasing the amazing way in which the financial system on Wall Street worked, the tenacity and other qualities of the people who worked there, the fortunes and mis-fortunes that were made there, and the way giants were made, and giants were destroyed. Since it is a first hand account of sorts, you tend to believe (somewhat incredulously at times) the goings-on in the firm in question (Salomon Brothers) and the Street as a whole, especially because you are looking at the tale unfold in hindsight (you know how the story ends - the financial meltdown story, that is). And this was in the 80's. The incredible part for me was that while reading the book, I could have easily transposed whatever Lewis was saying was true and happening in the 80's to twenty years in the future, to what happened to Lehman Brothers and the crisis of 2008. Wondered at times in the tale whether Lewis could possibly have been fitting the narration to make it sound incredulously congruous with the meltdown cycle twenty years in the future, but I think he's too smart to be making stuff up. And so, it is unbelievable in and of itself, that this whole thing is cyclical, and that too within such a relatively short span of time. Makes you wonder how people in general can let something like this (financial stupidity leading to financial crises) happen time and again. But such is the power of Wall Street. And that's the point Lewis is making.
Loved Lewis's quintessential narrative style and sense of humor (have read a couple of his other books and have enjoyed them all) throughout the story. Felt a little too ranty at times, but I guess he has every reason to be supremely disillusioned by the whole thing. Good insight into the inner workings of financial behemoths, and the Street culture. Makes you wonder whether twenty years from now, we'll see another one of these shenanigans.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
~Amy Chua
This non-fiction had received rave reviews and I had been wanting to read it for a while. Finally got hold of it. The author describes in the tale Chinese (indeed any non-Western) parenting style and how different it is from the western parenting style. How Chinese (aka Tiger) moms raise their children, push them, push them, and push them to excel in everything they can possibly take on - whether that's academics, music or something else. And how western parents on the other hand leave the choice to their children and will not push the children or discipline them excessively for fear of incurring the displeasure of the children. Chinese moms on the other hand don't care. They will humiliate their children if necessary to get them to be the best they can be, actually not the best they can be, but the best there can be...if you get the subtle but important distinction that is the hallmark of the style of the Tiger mom. Excellence is not an option. It is the end state. And to get to that state, the children will have to do whatever it takes. That Whatever usually takes the form of supreme hard work and hours and hours and years and years of practice. And the mom will be a Tiger, fiercely protective, constantly alert and territorial, sacrificing anything and everything to meet that goal of excellence for their child. Because that excellence in that field, will prepare the child for a fulfilled life, a life of confidence, return for effort, and redemption for being endowed with a gift. Hmmmm.
All this is illustrated from the author's personal example of getting her first daughter to become a brilliant pianist and her second daughter to become a brilliant violinist. Of course what happens is that the second daughter is a complete rebel (which is so not the Chinese way) and the story unfolds of the battle between mother and daughter, and how in the end, the Tiger mom has no choice but to succumb to the child's will. But she tries every single thing she possibly can to avoid that. Boy, does she try. She pushes her children to the point where you wonder how something terrible could not have happened. She made them work their butts off, practise every day of their lives for several hours each day since the day they turned three. She made them practise and practise, came hell or high water. Because she believed with every pore of her being that that was the only way to achieve excellence.
I liked the book, except for the end. I do not like books that don't end strong, no matter how brilliant the rest of the story. The author admits that she had no idea how to end the book and personally struggled with it. In any case, the book itself is worth reading. If you are into parenting, and if you are Chinese. Or Indian, I guess. I personally have opinions of how I will raise my child and how it will be the same and how it will be different from the western parenting style, which surrounds us. I certainly want to nurture any and all talent my child has, and aggressively develop it. But will I be a Tiger mom? It has its ups and downs. Time will tell, I guess.
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