I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

In 2011 I lived in South Africa, and I moved to China in 2012. Back then I did not keep up with the news much because I was very focused on my own personal journey. So when I read I Am Malala, I was unfamiliar with most of the events in the book. It wasn’t that long ago that I had heard of Malala Yousafzai for the first time, but she and Christina Lamb do a fantastic job in this book of not only chronicling the Talibanization in Pakistan but also personalizing the story through Malala’s eyes. I basically cried at some point during every chapter. Yet Malala’s story is not one of suffering or hardship, but of resilience. To say the book inspires is an ignorant understatement. There is a lot of evil in the world, but Malala Yousafzai proves it will not prevail. A champion of women’s rights and education, Malala tells the story of the Swat valley in northwestern Pakistan, how it was ravaged by an earthquake, a flood, and the Taliban in the mid to late 2000’s. Because it is written in her voice, the book flows quickly and is a very fast read. Not only do I give this book 5 stars, I recommend it to anyone who needs a replenishment of gratitude or a reinforcement of the goodness in humanity. I am thankful I chose to read this book. It has deepened my perspective and strengthened my resolve for a better world. Thank you Malala for sharing your story, and for inspiring millions of people to stand up for children and education. We can change the world.

The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma

I didn’t know who Robin Sharma was, so I didn’t exactly know what to expect when I downloaded this book to my Kindle. It was obviously some type of self-help book centered around ritualizing a morning routine, and because I’m currently trying to optimize mine, I gave it a try. It was an interesting, quick read, and I’m glad I gave it a shot. The book can be summarized in 3 sentences thus:

To increase your productivity, prosperity, and overall well-being, rise at 5am every morning to focus on yourself. By moving, reflecting, and learning in respective 20 minute increments for 1 hour every morning before anyone else is awake, you will live a more authentic, fulfilling life. Even though (like all change) it will be extremely difficult at first, unnatural after that, and automatic after 66 days, rising early is a keystone habit that will impact all other areas of your life by generating momentum for the rest of your day.

Sharma takes an unusual approach to this self-help advice: the book is a story, about an entrepreneur and an artist who go to a motivation seminar and befriend an eccentric billionaire, who takes them around the world while teaching them his secret methods. Constructing a narrative enables Sharma to reiterate the same points in multiple ways; the billionaire will lay out the framework for a specific habit, which the other characters then question and reword, allowing the billionaire to expound further. This writing strategy proves effective in that you will not misunderstand any point in the book, but it does get repetitive. I highlight a lot of my nonfiction books, but because so much of the writing was redundant reinforcement of the same topic, my highlights were much scarcer with the 5AM Club.

Nonetheless, the book is a fast read and provides valuable insights regarding the science of forming habits as well as offering many additional strategies and tools for being healthier, happier, and more productive. It’s a great starting point for establishing a morning routine, or for mixing up an already established one. I award the book 4 out of 5 stars for its usefulness and breezy reading experience. Many people refuse to read self-help, but when it’s an easy and entertaining experience, you can enjoy the journey while also learning something new.

Dune: Origin of Sci-Fi

Dune by Frank Herbert is a compelling masterpiece. It’s the first novel I’ve read in some time, and it was a refreshing change of enjoyment for me. It’s amazing the book was written in 1965, yet knowing that fact, understandable how it was the precursor to Star Trek, Star Wars, and the boom of the sci-fi genre over the past 50 years. Herbert weaves ecology, politics, and religion into a thrilling classic hero tale. There’s a steep learning curve, as he sprinkles many made-up words from fictional languages and cultures throughout the story. In the beginning it can be hard to get past the newness, and the reader is constantly required to infer meaning through context. But after getting through the first 30 pages or so, you start to develop a rhythm and a better understanding of the overall story setting. The exotic language even adds to the allure of the Dune universe as the reader becomes more comfortable. It reminded me of my experience reading The Hobbit as a young child: I wanted to put the book down but my Dad urged me to keep reading, to get to page 50. Just like that fantasy classic, Dune does not disappoint. The story is laden with insightful quotations from the characters—I highlighted as much of this book (on my Kindle) as I did some of my densest non-fiction reads. This just goes to show how powerful a well written novel can be. Dune serves as a prime example: a powerful story unfolds in a striking world, enabling the reader to enjoy the narrative as well as deeply reflect on society today. I award 5 stars to this science fiction epic, and recommend it to anyone interested in contemplating the grand forces that shape our experience.

Enlightenment Lessons

Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker might be the most important book I’ve ever read. It has altered my world view (in a constructive, positive way) and reinforced my confidence in the ideas of the Paradigms book I’m writing. Although very dense and time consuming, Enlightenment Now gives reason for being optimistic about humanity and the planet. To summarize in 3 sentences:

Pinker argues that the Enlightenment created a framework of science, reason, humanism and progress that has bettered the entire world. Because the media will get more attention and revenue if they report negativity, barely anyone is aware that people around the world are healthier, wealthier, freer, safer, smarter, happier, live longer, enjoy more leisure activities and leisure time, and lead richer and more fulfilling lives. Pinker proves this with an enormous amount of cited data, including over 70 insightful graphs, and advocates for a reaffirmation of Enlightenment principles: we might be irrational beings with many biases, but our ability to reason is what has enabled us to make all this progress, in addition to the scientific principles of requiring evidence, employing logical thinking, and reviewing each other’s work to validate ideas and phenomena.

I am convinced of the book’s thesis. We can attribute our progress—our accumulated knowledge and better life experience—to the sovereignty of reason, the application of science, and a humanistic morality. And we need to recognize this is what’s got us here.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It truly is a big beautiful amazing world. Yes, we still have problems, and many serious ones. But how lucky am I, are we, to stand on the shoulders of giants and enjoy the fruits of previous generation’s strive for progress. May we continue to improve the world for all. 

World War Z to Ours

I finished World War Z by Max Brooks yesterday, an insightful critique on modern society. Sure, the book uses the allure of zombies to capture your interest, but that’s not really what it's about. Just take a look at some quotes:

“Oh, c’mon. Can you ever ‘solve’ poverty? Can you ever ‘solve’ crime? Can you ever ‘solve’ disease, unemployment, war, or any other societal herpes? Hell no. All you can hope for is to make them manageable enough to allow people to get on with their lives. That’s not cynicism, that’s maturity. You can’t stop the rain. All you can do is just build a roof that you can hope won’t leak, or at last won’t leak on the people who are gonna vote for you.’”

“Ignorance was the enemy. Lies and superstition, misinformation, disinformation. Sometimes, no information at all. Ignorance killed billions of people.”

“…it means that, in politics, you focus on the needs of your power base. Keep them happy, and they keep you in office.”

“You can blame the politicians, the businessmen, the generals, the ‘machine,’ but really, if you’re looking to blame someone, blame me. I’m the American system, I’m the machine. That’s the price of living in a democracy; we all gotta take the rap. I can see why it took so long for China to finally embrace it, and why Russia just said ‘fuck it’ and went back to whatever they call their system now. Nice to be able to say, ‘Hey, don’t look at me, it’s not my fault.’ Well, it is. It is my fault, and the fault of everyone of my generation.”

“Confidence, it’s the fuel that drives the capitalist machine. Our economy can only ruin if people believe in it; like FDR said, ’The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’”

“Be nice if that was the lesson people took from all this misery. We’re all in this together, so pitch in and do your job.”

“Anyone around the world, anyone you talk to, all of us have this powerful shared experience.”

“I know I come off as a little too optimistic, because I’m sure that as soon as things really get back to ’normal,’ once our kids or grandkids grow up in a peaceful and comfortable world, they’ll probably go right back to being as selfish and narrow-minded and generally shitty to one another as we were. But then again, can what we all went through really just go away? I once heard an African proverb, ‘One cannot cross a river without getting wet.’ I’d like to believe that.”

Wow. Especially now, more than ever, we need to reflect on these statements. We need to reflect on the state of our world. Our society was not harmonious before the outbreak—will we ensure it becomes so when this is done? Will we learn anything from this?

I highly recommend Brooks’ social commentary. To read about a global pandemic during a global pandemic—it really illuminates our focus. We can change the world. Do we want to? Will we take the responsibility upon ourselves? It’s up to us...

Reading Lenses

Today was a travel day with a lot of waiting time, so I got to finish Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap. It’s a small book comprised of 7 short stories that immerse you into each narrator’s arduous circumstances, all taking place in Thailand. Although somewhat depressing, the book proves very thought-provoking. 

When we travel, do we really experience the true essence of the places we visit? A lot of the time...no. Especially when there’s a large economic gap between visitors and locals. By chance I was born to a middle class family in the United States, and thus I have this privileged ability to see other countries. So many Thais do not have such luxury. Sightseeing helps me understand how they view “farangs,” how odd we most be in so many ways, from their perspective.

But are our cultures that different? We’re so quick to observe and detail all our differences, and there are many. It’s easy. It’s convenient for our egos and our worldview to automatically put people in boxes, to dismiss them to the “other.” We forget that we all eat and sleep and shit and play and make love. Every culture dances and sings, if only to different music. Every person hopes for some sense of community and solidarity. We all want to be happy. We all want our tribes to be happy, and safe and successful. We laugh and cry in one language, for the same reasons. 

It seems the real divisions stem from economics. I’ve found it much easier to assimilate into the cultures of South America and Europe, and a lot harder to fathom the inescapability of the poverty in Africa and Asia. Perhaps if we can solve our most pressing economic issues, we can make progress on our collective humanity. 

All these thoughts from a few short stories—such is the transformation of reading. Putting on others’ shoes, even through literature, helps us see more. Same old eyes, different perception. But no matter how many enriching perspectives we entertain, it remains clear to me: we are one. 

Two Humans Past, Our Lessons Now

Becoming Teddy Roosevelt by Andrew Vietze is an interesting examination of President Theodore Roosevelt’s relationship with his former Maine Guide, Bill Sewall. It chronicles both men’s lives in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing specifically on their adventures together and extended communication through letters.

I knew little about Roosevelt and nothing about Sewall prior to this book, and to learn so much about both was much more intriguing than I suspected. It’s hard to believe that some of the events that occurred were nonfiction. “TR,” as the author refers to him, tracked down bandits with his guide in North Dakota for 3 weeks, climbed the tallest peak in Maine with only moccasins on his feet, and challenged multiple men to fights when called out by them. It’s crazy to think these were the times and possible adventures that befell such people who were to become Presidents of the United States.

It led me one of my biggest takeaways with this book: each person lives a unique, full life. People have adventures in their youth, they battle through hardships, their friends and relatives die, they succeed and fail at various things, and they are sad and happy. Both Sewall, a woodsman who lived in the northernmost county in Maine from 1845-1930, and Roosevelt, a son from a posh family in New York, experienced these things. These events are not limited to people of a certain time, a certain nation, or a certain creed. We all struggle, we all bustle, and we all love those we come into contact with. Both of these men are long gone, but it’s evident they lived fulfilling lives in which they expended their souls. It’s important for us to strive to do the same. Live each day, don’t take it for granted. Do what you’ve always wanted or dreamed of—the worst that will happen is you’ll fail. And life will go on. It’s truly a powerful realization, and this book spurred it within me.

I was also impressed by the volume of reading done by both men, irrespective of their class or social roles. They were both ‘learned’ men, who cared about the world and wanted to know about it. That thirst for knowledge seems to have eluded us in recent years, when any given fact is available at our fingertips through our mobile devices. It’s evident that studying, just for the sake of learning, bettered both of these peoples’ lives.

Finally, the book moved me deeply throughout. Friendship is a miracle that transcends time and place. These two men definitely loved each other, and both their lives were better for the other being in it. It’s consoling to know that you don’t have to face the big bad world alone. Even though these men were separated by hundreds of miles and a slow postal system, they thought about one another, shared with each other, and felt each other’s presence. Perhaps the most emotionally powerful lesson of the book was also its simplest: that true friendship is one of life’s greatest treasures.

Becoming Teddy Roosevelt is a quick read that gives one insight into the two human’s experiences in the world that they lived in, and it just so happens that one of them was President of the United States.

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning lives up to its ambitious title; it is probably one of the ten most poignant books I have ever read. The pages are littered with passages and quotes that evoke inspiration, urge a call to action within your own life, induce tears of the highest emotional level, and generate just plain joy for the human experience and life itself. Do yourself a favor and go to your local library to rent this book. Then see that the book is probably on backorder, that you’re probably number 15 on the list of people who are waiting to check the book out, and go buy it on Amazon. I mean, it’s one of the greatest selling books of all time. It’s that good.

The book is divided into two main parts, the first being recollections and stories from Viktor Frankl’s experience in the concentration camps during the Nazi Holocaust of World War II, and the second being an abridged introduction to Logotherapy, a type of psychotherapy that was created and pioneered by Frankl himself. I was pleasantly surprised I was moved by the text in both sections, as I had read reviews that criticized one part of the book or the other. They are both important and essential to Frankl’s message.

Which comes out to basically this: the purpose of life is to live with meaning, to have meaning for one’s existence and experience, and it is completely up to each and every individual to determine his or her meaning in life. Frankl lays out three possible avenues for achieving meaning: through work (or service, i.e. accomplishment, a devotion to a cause higher than one’s self), through love (defining one’s own life through his or her giving to another human being or group of people), or through suffering. While the first two paths are commonly represented in other literature and conventional wisdom, Frankl focuses specifically on meaning through suffering, as most people probably do not assume that is indeed a method for living a meaningful life.

His main discovery, through his trials and tribulations during his experience in the concentration camps, is that people can have absolutely everything taken away from them except for one crucial thing: the ability to choose one’s way. Or, put in a different way, to choose one’s attitude. No matter how horrible the circumstances… being starved, beaten, and tortured in the freezing elements of German winter… one can choose to live on, to believe in whatever values or principles or morals, despite those horrendous conditions. In spite of suffering, one can choose to hold one’s self with dignity, to suffer admirably.

While this topic is definitely not a happy one, it is nonetheless extremely powerful. When faced with such circumstances, a person can choose to live on, to live in each individual moment the way (s)he deems to live. That’s incredible. Frankl quotes Nietzsche several times throughout the book: “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Frankl himself, at various times in his life, experienced meaning in each of the three ways: his life’s work gave him meaning, his love for his wife and family gave him cause for existence, and his decision that he was not going to let his suffering define who he was or how he lived or died helped him endure the Holocaust.

I will leave with Frankl’s own words, as he says it best. If looking to be spurred to action, look no further than this excerpt from a lecture he gave on the meaning of life:

“It is we ourselves who must answer the questions that life asks of us, and to these questions we can respond only by being responsible for our existence.”