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Author: David Sedaris

On reading the first few pages of this book I was concerned that I was reading the diary of a consummate narcissist. However, very quickly I was taken in the complete opposite direction and was reading about a deranged child with some rather strange behaviors that you definitely wouldn't want in your neighborhood. It is hard to believe that David Sedaris' lived the colorful childhood that he has described in this Biography. However, if you are willing to suspend your disbelief for the few hours that it will take you to read this book, you will be truly entertained. I was reading this on the airplane and laughed out loud several times that the person sitting right next to me felt compelled to write down the title of the book and get one for herself.

Imagine: How Creativity Works

Author: Jonah Lehrer

For those of us who are in the business of Research and Development, creativity is by far, one of the most sought after attributes. You can have all the knowledge on every aspect of your project, but if you aren't able to create something different that your customer will love, you haven't accomplished much.

The book doesn't disappoint. It has many examples from diverse walks of life that will definitely have you thinking, and hopefully lead you down the path to increased creativity. I was sold when the book opened with Bob Dylan who is my most favorite musicians, or more precisely song-writer. The creativity that he has displayed in the many years, writing songs with a variety of themes and spanning multiple genres folk to country and rock and roll, is unmatched in the music industry.

Another example that I was really struck by was Milton Glaser, who is an icon in the field of Graphic Design. Jonah underscores the importance of constantly refining ones work, until it gets better and better. There are numerous examples of great artists constantly in search of something better: Hemingway said that he rewrote the ending of "Farewell to Arms" 39 times before he was satisfied. Milton had already got his work accepted with an "I love New York" logo but he was not satisfied and kept trying to improve on it, and finally had the inspiration for the I ♥ NY logo which is a much copied classic.

Losing your inhibitions is half the battle in getting creative. That is the reason why many of the artists that we know and love have rather eccentric behaviors. In the book Jonah delves into the role of the neocortex in inhibiting creativity. The neocortex develops late in children and this explains why creativity generally reduces as kids cross the third or fourth grade mark. It also explains the correlation between mind-altering/enhancing drugs and creativity.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone who needs a little extra creativity in their lives.

The Lotus Eaters

Author: Tatjana Soli

I have a weakness for historical fiction. A novel that blends some agonizing period in history, which is typically associated with war, with an element of romance thrown in, seems the perfect formula for education and entertainment. The Invisible Bridge is a similar novel that was set in Hungary during WW2, that I loved as well.

In her debut novel, Tatjana jumps in with both feet into war torn Vietnam and chronicles the events that unfold through the eyes of the photo-journalists Helen, Darrow and Linh who are each very different, but come together in their passion to tell the story of the Vietnam War through their camera lens. The narrative is very authentic and you will get an appreciation for the carnage and brutality that must have been prevalent during the Vietnam War. The prose is excellent and the descriptions are vivid and bring to life Vietnamese culture as well as the ravages of war. Tatjana explores what drives journalists to risk their lives to chronicle war stories. There is always the recognition and awards that they chase after, but deep down there is an addiction that can't be shaken off. One of the sub-themes that emerge is how a woman photographer was rather unwelcome during war-time and had to blend in with the men. Since the story is told in flashback the element of surprise is missing many of the events are rather predictable. Nevertheless Tatjana weaves a compelling tale that you will find yourself eagerly turning the pages to uncover. 

The book is very authentic with numerous Vietnamese phrases thrown in, and I got the feeling that it was written by someone who was present and knew the culture and landscape intimately. However both the first and last name of the author seemed somehow out of place in this novel. Only on finishing the book and reading one of her interviews did I learn that Tatjiana was born in Austria picked up some of her knowledge of Vietnam from Little Saigon in Orange County, CA. 

The Virgin Suicides

Author: Jeffrey Eugenides

Jeffrey's debut novel, showcases his phenomenal talent at storytelling. The book starts out with a young girl attempting suicide and very soon you are told in no uncertain terms that there are going to be several more to come. Against this macabre backdrop, he describes suburban life as seem from the vantage point of teenage boys going through their adolescent years in a typical American suburb in the seventies. Jeffery has the uncanny ability to intersperse tragedy, romance and humor in the same breath and you will find yourself turning page after page lapping up the developments, however bizarre they may be.

I recently read the graphic novel "My friend Dahmer", and was struck by the interesting contrast of these two books. Both describe rather tragic outcomes of a dysfunctional family, however they are very different. The Dahmer story is true, whereas the "virgin suicides" are a work of fiction; Jeffrey Dahmer is a boy and these are five girls; Dahmer takes others lives, here they take their own lives; the book is dark and serious; this one has black humor; Dahmer's parents ignore him; here the parents don't leave the girls out of their sight. Both books highlight the dangers of neglecting to understand adolescent children and the importance of giving them room to explore their world and express themselves in a safe way.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Author: Susan Cain


In this rather scholarly work, Susan explores the differences between introverts and extroverts. We learn that the definition of these terms are not as simple you think and there are many distinguishing factors to tell them apart. The main message is that introverts are the ones behind most of the discoveries and innovations of the human race, despite which they are a rather under-appreciated bunch. Susan revisits this theme over and over again, like a stuck record, presumably with the intention of making half the world who are introverts feel good about themselves. There are brief references to extroverts, mainly to provide some contrast, but the treatment of this is very superficial. There is hardly any mention of significant accomplishments of extroverts, maybe because Susan feels society has rewarded them enough.

Susan analyzes the different ways that introverts and extroverts deal with conflict resolution. There is also a chapter for parents of introverts that is meant to be a guidebook on how to raise children who have difficulty socializing with their classmates and friends in school. While the book is rather dry and humorless, it will definitely get you thinking. Are your spouse, children, siblings, friends, introverts or extroverts? Do some of their behaviors make more sense when analyzed through the lens of "intro/extro-version" ?

Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection

Author: A.J. Jacobs

This book reads like a stand up comic act on what you need to do to stay healthy. The first few chapters  will have you laughing until your sides hurt, which by the way, is healthy in itself. AJ not only researches all the exotic and esoteric diet fads, but also tries them out on himself. The results are a hilarious romp through the jungle of healthy regimens, many of which are bordering on insanity. However, the book is not only humorous but also packs a good dose of information that you will find useful if you care about a healthy diet. The jokes run thin after a while and I was thankful that AJ didn't go much above a couple of hundred pages in his attempt to educate and entertain us on our health habits. 

My Friend Dahmer

Author: Derf Backderf

The radio was on, and one of the pleasures of NPR is that they have such pleasant and soothing voices that are easy to let in one ear and out the other. Derf Backderf's voice is made for NPR and it was hard to tell the difference between the interviewer and the author, but one thing caught my attention: Jeffrey Dahmer grew up near Richfield, OH. This might not mean anything to most of you, but to me, it was startling, because one of my engineering teams is located in Richfield, and no-one had told me about this little trivia before.

The novel is graphic, both in the literal and figurative sense. The premise is simple. Derf had the pleasure or misfortune of going to school with Jeffrey and recollects his quirky years in high-school. It gets you back to the culture of the seventies where teenage drinking wasn't the taboo that it is today. There isn't much insight into Jeffrey's life at home, except for some oblique references to the fact that it was a dysfunctional environment. Since the novel is mostly pictures, so you can read it in 20 mins, which probably is not the right way to read it. The graphics are dark but very well done and I am sure if I wasn't so eager to turn the pages, I would have spent a lot more time admiring Derf's detailed rendering of high-school in the seventies suburbia. The author tells a compelling story of Jeffrey's childhood and how he was ignored by his parents, his classmates, teachers and neighbors. It begs the question, "would Jeffrey have turned out different if *anyone* showed him some love" ?  

I highly recommend reading this book. If you don't like it, you have only lost 20 minutes of your life.