meet my books

The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger

2010-10-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you'll start missing everybody"... these are closing lines of "The Catcher in the Rye", a wonderful novel by J. D. Salinger.

"The Catcher in the Rye" truly potrays confused, anxious, rebellious, corruptible, condescend, careless but caring, carefree but worried... and many other aspects of a teen age.

Holden Caulfield, the central character of the novel, reflects quite a few aspects of my teen days. Indeed, after reading through, you will also feel the same.

"The Catcher in the Rye" is the narration of events that Holden Caulfield went through during three days between expulsion from yet another college Pency and reaching home.

For him everyone was a "phony" and everyone was "phonier" than he imagined.

After expulsion Holden leaves the school, takes a train to New York and stay in a shady hotel for 3 days. He spends an evening dancing with three tourist girls and narrates encounter with a young prostitute "sunny"... rather funny encounter with sunny. He changes the mind as soon as she enters the room. And Holden's schuffle with Maurice, the pimp.

Holden shares his memories with his girl friends or so called... his brother Allie, DB and sister Phoebe. His dreams about job to catch the children, if they come close to the edge of cliff and becomes a "catcher in the rye". His "confused" experience with Mr Antonili, his teacher he admired most. He wakes up in the night to find Mr. Antolini patting his head and perceives as "flitty". He couldn't conclude whether his interpretation of Mr. Antolini action was correct or not.

Holden decides to move out west but somehow stay back after spending sometime with his sister, who also wants to go with him. At the close of the book, Holden decides not to tell anymore and refers that he is sick and being treated at mental hospital....

And also, there is another character pretty much like Holden himself.. "Hunting Hat"..

"The Catcher in the Rye" is considered one of the 100 best English novels of the 20th century and it is one of the best I have read.

-- ashutosh jhureley

A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini (Paperback - Nov 25, 2008)

2010-09-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

A powerful, energetic, compulsive, heart breaking, well-researched, fast paced and a simple novel by Khaled Hosseine.

A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the tale of Kabul and Afghanistan using storyline around of lives of two tormented women (Mariam and Laila) from different perspective but similar fate..

Kabul..."One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls"..

This heartbreaking but enlightening and eye opening story takes you through recent history of war torn nation, the suffering it's people lived though these unforgiving ages of war, it's culture and it's destruction.... soviets, mujahideen, taliban, americans, pakistanis... 9/11.. all aspects of Afghanistan captured through the eyes of "Mariam and Laila"..

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a story about family, joy, love, friendship, agony, sufferings, sacrifices, betrayal, hardships, despair and triumps... I couldn't stop thinking about the novel, it's character, the events I knew and tried to related with what Khaled portrayed... must read.

-- ashutosh jhureley

Into the Wild Jon Krakauer (Paperback - Aug 21, 2007)

2010-07-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

Christopher Johnson McCandless - Self-portrait - Stampede Trail, Alaska - 1992

TWO YEARS HE WALKS THE EARTH, NO PHONE, NO POOL, NO PETS, NO CIGARETTES, ULTIMATE FREEDOM, AN EXTREMIST, AN AESTHETIC VOYAGER WHOSE HOME IS THE ROAD. ESCAPED FROM ATLANTA, THOU SHALT NOT RETURN, ‘CAUSE “THE WEST IS THE BEST”. AND NOW AFTER TWO RAMBLING YEARS COMES THE FINAL AND GREAtEST ADVENTRURE, THE CLIMACTIC BATTLE TO KILL THE FALSE BEING WITHIN AND VICTORIOUSLY CONVLUDE THE SPRITITUAL PILGRIMAGE. TEN DAYS AND NIGHTS OF FREIGHT TRAINS AND HITCHHIKING BRING HIM TO THE GREAT WHITE NORTH. NO LONGER TO BE POISIONED BY CIVILIZATION HE FLEES, AND WALKS ALONE UPON THE LAND TO BECOME LOST IN THE WILD.

ALEXANDER SUPERTRAMP
MAY 1992

….. inscription by Chris McCandless “Alexander Supertramp” inspired by the spirit of Roger Miller song tells you everything about Chris’s quest and the book “Into the Wild”.

“Into the wild” takes you through an exceptional, highly moving, haunting and heartbreaking but inspiring story of man’s journey in to the unforgiving wilderness to explore oneself.

It is story about a young man’s, Christopher Johnson McCandless “Alexander Supertramp”, odyssey in to the wilderness of Alaska. He was intelligent, personable and talented, yet not happy. His search of happiness and freedom did cost him his life in the end but will inspire you. This book provides very well researched account of his hitchhiking from one extreme to other; people he met; friend he made; pain his family went through; his quest and his point of view. Book provides you fact from Chris's "pilgrimage" that will force you to think whether Chris was crazy or just unlucky.

Jon Krakauer has gathered facts from Chris’s inscriptions, journals, books (he read), notes, letters and interview with family, friends and people he met during these two years. Jon did a great job in reconstructing his journey..wow...

Good: Very well researched and very well written, fast paced and keeps you engaged.
Not so good: didn’t like section about Jon’s expedition to Devil’s thumb as it wasn’t necessary.

Did watch the movie “Into the wild” directed by Sean Penn, based on this book as well… combo was great experience.

-- ashutosh jhureley

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose - Tony Hsieh

2010-07-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

In-short: WoW...feeling happier... but had lot more expectation.

Delivering Happiness is very simple, easy to read, funny and fantastic book. After I finished reading the book, I had a very nice feeling, was happier but I was expecting more, lot more material.

In this book, Tony writes from his experiments as young entrepreneur to creating a successful business model based on (simple) core values. He narrates his experiments with worm farm, photo button and pizza business as a boy; his stint with oracle that ended with setting-up LinkExchange as young entrepreneur; his learnings from LinkExchange deal with Microsoft ($265 Million) and as investor; his experiences (and experiments) in building $1 billion Zappos brand in less than 10 years from nothing and finally Zappos "marriage" with Amazon ($1.2 Billion).

He also writes about personal experience and learnings on the way as a kid, in school, at university, first job, raves and parties, hikes and marathons, hiring and layoffs..

Book is very good initially but as it progresses, looses kind of plot and appears to be over hyped. It seems to pass on the message of self-glorification and suggest "my way is high way". This pretty much could be Tony's style, which he has proved to be successful.

Still it is true (as Tony mentioned in closing lines) this book can potentially help you:
- make your customers happier (through better customer service) or
- make your employees happier (by focusing more on company culture) or
- make yourself happier (by learning more about the science of happiness)

Good: written in very simple language unlike other business books, with lot of humor and real life examples, fast-paced, will force you to think, motivational and inspiring.

Not so good: seems like selling self or company, appear incomplete at places, could have been much better, unnecessary sarcastic humor

Must read for at least to be entrepreneurs. Lot of things could be grabbed from Tony's experiences and learnings.

-- ashutosh jhureley

Guts!: Companies that Blow the Doors off Business-as-usual Kevin Freiberg

2010-07-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

This book gives insight in to exceptional leadership journeys that transformed organisations and created mark on the business world. In this book Kevin and Jackie Freiberg has illustrated leadership strategies of the companies that made them great. Great place to work, great to work with and great to be associated with. These companies and organisations are well respected by society & communities; even better !!!

Leaders of these organisations are referred to as "Gutsy Leaders" because of their unconventional and innovative approaches that transformed the organisation. They risked everything for their passion, belief, motive and desire to bring the change. Results were extra-ordinary. for Southwest Airlines, Synovus, USAA, USS Benfold, Bon Marche, GSD&M, TDIndustries, Medtronic, Monarch School, Planet Honda, Quad/Graphics, SAS Institute, E&Y and Fredric's.

These "Gutsy" leaders tried untraditional and innovative ways to bring happiness and joy in everything they do, including "business". They substituted "position & ego" with "passion & trust"; they regard employee as "unique individuals and owners" not as "resources or commodities" and their motive is not only to deliver "service or product" to the customer, but deliver "experience".

It's all about Guts !!!. Gutsy Leaders Blow the Doors Off Business as Usual, Gutsy Leaders Brand Their Cultures, Gutsy Leaders Create a Sense off Ownership, Gutsy Leaders Hire People Who don't Such, Gutsy Leaders Lead with Love, Gutsy Leaders Make Business Heroic, Gutsy Leaders Inspire Fun and Great Leaders Gotta Have Guts!. These are chapters from the book but illustrate the true sense of unconventional and innovative approaches of "Gutsy" leadership.

Must read for all business leaders and managers; it "will" inspire and transform you as a person, as a leader, as a manager; hence organisation as a whole.

To complete the reading, you should also read Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success, Employees First, Customers Second: Turning Conventional Management Upside Down and Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.
-- ashutosh jhureley
guts (n): Fortitude and determination
gutsy (adj): Marked by courage or daring; plucky.

A Thousand Suns Dominique Lapierre (Paperback - Feb 1, 2000)

2010-07-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

Got "A Thousand Suns" as a gift and it was wonderful experience reading Dominique Lapierre. He is a genius story teller.. book is full of emotions, inspiration and admiration.

In addition to his account of experiences, interactions, interviews and research, this book is collection of excerpt from all other work from Dominique Lappierre (and Larry Collins) - O Jerusalem!, Freedom at Midnight, Is Paris Burning?, City of Joy....

It is great book, worth having in your library. But keep in mind that it is his point of view, you and many others may not agree. I don't agree with few and hence not 5 star for me.

After reading "A Thousand Suns", I couldn't resist reading his other books. I read "O Jerusalem!". Then it was "Is Paris Burning?" and "Freedom at Midnight" and "Five Past Midnight in Bhopal".... read all these back to back, want to read more of his books....

-- ashutosh jhureley

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Everest Disaster, Jon Krakauer

2010-06-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

Fascinating and mesmerising, obsessive and passionate, horrific and terrible, dramatic and chilling....

I scaled Mt. Everest and lived horror behind the 1996 disaster through the pages of this wonderful book. I was forced to buy this book at a train station by a good salesman (can't complaint) and read it in overnight train journey. Didn't realise when I finished it.

One of the best books I have read, It provokes and forces you to think why would anyone like you would like to scale the highest peak? Although, it is an account of terrible and unfortunate tragedy, it makes you believe that you could also do it. It is illustration of courage, passion, mental and physical strength, determination, compassion, helplessness and hope.

It touches issues like local communities (specially guides) who are dependent of these mountaineers and risks their lives for livelihoods, large scale commercialisation of such expeditions, complexity around support and rescue during these expedition, faith and belief, and lot more...

Krakauer without loosing the plot, cover the basic aspects and complexities of mountaineering expeditions. Indeed, these detail makes reading much more interesting, as it makes you feel that you know everything about climbing. On one hand, he explains how "not so difficult" climbing is (not particularly Mt. Everest) and on the other how "dramatic and dangerous" it could be.

Want to read more of Jon Krakauer - just ordered Into the Wild.

-- ashutosh jhureley

Critical Chain - Eliyahu M. Goldratt

2010-06-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

"Critical Chain" is a novel by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt illustrating the Critical Chain approach to Project Management as a novel, pretty much like his "The Goal".

Unlike other project management guides or BoKs, it uses real life like examples to introduce Critical Chain (Theory of Constraints) approach to project management. Storyline is around an executive MBA Project Management class, where the professor (Richard Silver, main character) discusses and tries to address issues in project management using real life example from the class. In the process, they evolve "Critical Chain" approach to project management by applying principles of Theory of Constraints.

The book is written very much like a fast paced novel with quite a few plots; struggle of a professor at work and home, shortcomings of teaching methodologies, project management using theory of constraints and few more.

good: fast-paced, like novel not a guide, challenges thinking process
bad: bit difficult to follow without understanding of Theory of Constraints, not as good as The Goal.

Must read for all project managers, as it gives another perspective or approach to project management, and can be applied to their existing framework.

-- ashutosh jhureley

Employees First, Customers Second: Turning Conventional Management Upside Down

2010-06-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Must read for leaders and managers, employers and employees.... exceptional case study about how simplicity can do magic....

The magic that Ford's "Assembly Line", Toyota's "Kanban", Dell's "Global Supply Chain" and Google's "Revenue Model" did to the manufacturing, supply chain and eCommerce, HCLT's "Employee First Customers Second" is going to do to service industry.

The book is first person narration of Vineet Nayar (CEO, HCL Technologies), through the transformation journey in HCL Technologies. Fast-paced, realistic, to the point, comprehensive, straight forward, solution oriented, bold but humble and stimulating.... may be provoking..

In the book, author narrates simple catalysts and tweaks that transformed HCL and those that are transforming HCL to be leader in IT. These can be applied to any enterprise or organisation, big or small, indeed already been or being applied in some shape or form - focus on value zone like Ford, Toyota, Dell and Google did in their businesses.

The journey is described in four stages, as mentioned in the book: looking in the mirror, creating trust through transparency, inverting the pyramid and transferring the responsibility for change to all.

Book is more like a travelogue, full of passion, excitement, celebration and achievement. I couldn't stop reading, since I picked up and writing this review immediately completing amazing 185 pages

-- ashutosh jhureley

The Piano Tuner - Daniel Mason

2010-06-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

Highly imaginative, obsessive and truly magical novel by Daniel Mason. A combination of fiction, fantasy and travelogue, an ambitious but intriguing piece of work by Mason.

The plot seems to be travel fantasy - Edgar Drake, a piano tuner with perfection in Erards, travels in to darkest jungles of Burma and India.in 1886 to help the Surgeon-Major Anthony Carroll. A sea voyage and boat journey in to the remotest possible place one would imagine to repair and tune a piano - a special piano, a peacemaker.

The novel takes you to trip of tropical Burma, in the setting of British imperialism. By the time you will finish the novel you would have imagined the life, the people and the nature there. You would have relived Burma of 19th century, through the eyes of 21st century student.

At times, especially in initial few chapters, the story line seems to be very confusing and moves all over the place. But there are sensuous, magical and intriguing moments that haunt you until you finish the novel.

"The Piano Tuner" is a beautiful story and I hope Daniel Mason's next novel "A Far Country" (haven't read it yet) is as delightful as this one. Positively recommend reading atleast once.

good - imaginative, obsessive, intriguing, sensuous

not so good - not well researched, overemotional at places

-- ashutosh jhureley

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

2010-06-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a book with many aspects and every time I read it, I gained a new perspective. I have read it 3 times and want to read it again, a must must read book.

I first read it by chance, when picked up from my office library before going out for my first solo motorcycle ride (on Royal Enfield) and thought it will give an insight about motorcycles. To be honest, it did. I prepared my list of must haves using references in the book. From a high level view, it appears that it tells you about maintaining a motorcycle, by someone who owned a motorcycle and spent time fiddling around with it.

This book is not about motorcycles, it is about values. It is about inquiry in to values (title).

It gave me whole new insight about how we perceive everything; our work, our relationships, our interests, our passion and our life.

Then I read it twice in next 4 years at different phases of my life and career. It helped me emotionally and professionally. Not because, this books teaches you something. It forces you to think, inquire about yourself and what you want to be.

Pirsig makes a lot of amazing points throughout the book. The book is about inquiry in to values, which is the reason it is worth a read.

-- ashutosh jhureley