# 24: The Broker

John Grisham

There is nothing like a Grisham thriller to read while on the beach! This book came to me courtesy of el maestro Koziner, both Guchi and I read it.

It started very well, quite funny, a true thriller. Then the book basically became a tribute to Italy - to the people, the food, the language, the architecture, and the lifestyle. The main character is forced to hide in Italy and lean to language - Grisham himself in the the author's note comes clean and says that in order to research the book he spent months in Bologna. It shows.

Well, the book was a quick read and with nothing to profound. The end is sort of strange with a couple of twists that are somewhat hard to believe. But hell, it is a quite quick read and really makes you think about spending some time in Italy!

# 23: Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Thich Nhat Hanh

Thanks to Vero for sending me this book. I read it on the beaches of Thailand, a primarily Buddhist country, and I must say I enjoyed the book quite a bit.

I have been trying to get into meditation and live a more "mindful" life. But for some reason I have a very hard time finding the time to mediate and to read books about mediation and Buddhism. I am very glad I was able to read this one. It is a short read and divided into three sections: the first is about personal mindfulness and meditation, the second about how to deal with your emotions within this framework, and third about how to make changes in the broader world (by first changing yourself).

I hope that after reading this I will continue to focus on my breathing, smile more, and try to live in the present. After all happiness is now, it is not something in the future.

# 22: Illumination in the Flatwoods: A Season with the Wild Turkey

Joe Hutto

It would be fantastic to meet Mr. Hutto, a true lover of nature. An article in the New Yorker led me to get this book, here is a man who raised wild turkeys by having himself imprinted on them.

He dropped everything in his life and dedicated almost all waking hours to being with these turkeys, and what he learned and passed onto us in his book was well worth it. Hutto basically learned how to communicate with these animals, and developed an understanding of how they view the world.

I was amazed by the amount of inherent knowledge these birds have, there is a long memory in their genes and when they are born they already know to avoid snakes and hawks and also know what to eat (just about everything). Amazing.

I have to say that the book was a bit repetitive at times .. since it was based on his field journal in which he described the days activity. And there were many days that were just a slight variation of: they woke up, they "foraged", saw a snake and then returned back home to roost.

But it is still a very good read and recommended, just for the opportunity to try and understand how other animals might view the world.

# 21: Next: The Future Just Happened

Another Michael Lewis book

Interesting take on the social implications of the Internet, written in 2001! It is cool to read these books with the vantage point of 5 years. While reading this book, Time magazine named "the individual" as person of the year due to the way the world has changed and people have been able to express themselves on the Internet. And Lewis himself focused on the power of the individual and how the power of the "elites" is diminishing.

The book is about 4 stories: a 14-year old day-trader, a 15-year old "legal expert", the development of TIVO, and one on the dangers of technology.

I must say that Lewis is a very insightful and a pleasure to read, the story of the day-trader and his parents was particularly good.

# 20: Nemesis

Bill Napier

Awful, awful, awful.

If this book can be published, then I should really spend some time trying to write, because the publishing bar is obviously much lower than I thought.

I have many more reviews to write before the year end, so I don't really want to go into the details of the book. Here is the quick summary: Astronomer hero, much jargon, stilted dialogue, totally unbelievable plot, a monk from 400 years ago ?, a caricature of people falling in love, plot reversals that make no sense. Please, save yourself the trouble, don't read it.

I actually left my copy in a hotel in Coral Island, Thailand, I pity the next person who might pick it up!

# 19: Homicide

David Simon

I arrived at this book because I got really into "The Wire", an excellent TV series on HBO. David Simon (along with Ed Burns) is one of the co-creators of the series.

Simon took a year off from the police beat at the baltimore Sun and effecitvely joined the Baltimore Homicide Department as an "intern". He was the eyes and ears of a year's worth of murders in the City, and put these experiences into a very solid book.

# 18: The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

Michael Lewis

Excellent. Truly a delightful read. Made me go out and buy other Michael Lewis books that I had not yet read.

I originally thought the book would focus on the evolution of the left tackle position in football. This position has gained strategic importance over the past twenty years, Lewis traces its emergence to the need to stop the new type of linebacker epitomized by Lawrence Taylor as well as the development of the "west-Coast" offense made popular by Bill Walsh. Lewis shows how strategic thinking question the football status quo and changed the relative importance of the players in the game. This section of the book is interesting and well-written and somewhat in the vein of moneyball.

However, most of the story is about Michael Oher. This is where this book shines. Michael is an athletic "freak of nature" with a an amazing story. Born into a terrible inner-city Memphis world: crack-addicted mother, living in and out of foster care, 13 siblings, never knew his father before his death, and rarely attends school. Michael is adopted (at first emotionally and then literally) by a white upper-class family when he is in the 9th grade. Truly a heart-warming and beautiful story - his interaction with his siblings, with his teachers and friends, college recruiters, all of it . Michael is currently the starting left tackle at the University of Missouri and by all accounts is expected to succeed in the NFL.

Read this book! It is very good.