The Imperfectionists - Tom Rachman

"The Imperfectionists" by Tom Rachman tells the story of an English-language newspaper based in Rome, from the point of view of its employees. Each chapter is fashioned like a short story, yet the reader experiences the continuity of a novel. I loved the way one character might be in the background of one of the chapters, mentioned in passing - but then reader has the opportunity to get to the know that same character more deeply in another chapter. It's almost as though the author is giving the characters another chance to re-shape their first impressions on the reader.

The stories range from comical to tragic - all eliciting the readers' compassion for the vulnerability and insecurities displayed by the various protagonists. Each vignette is punctuated by a glimpse into the past - how the paper was established by the whim of an American tycoon in the early 1950's and how the paper has varying degrees of success in the decades to follow. The book is timely because it captures the sense of helplessness felt by the newspaper industry, which isn't able to handle the ever shrinking attention span of a fickle consumer, not to mention the stiff competition from 24-hour cable news channels and the internet.

Readers will find themselves laughing as well as moved as they journey through the lives of the journalists, interns, editors and others whose careers have been touched by "the paper". The book is a stunning debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson

Right after finishing the book, I wanted to give it a 3 star rating because I felt as though a light had been abruptly switched off, and I was left in the darkness, with more questions than answers. I just wanted to continue reading and have a sense of closure. However, when I had a chance to reflect on the author's writing style, the unforgettable imagery that he (and the translator) brought to my mind, and my own emotions as I was drawn into the protagonist's life - I have to, in all fairness, give the book at least a 4 star rating, which it richly deserves. The prose is sparse, yet potent.. you have to re-read many sentences just to grasp the hidden meaning behind the text. There is a poignant beauty in the wilderness of Norway, which is described so gracefully in this book. The protagonist (Trond) is living the rest of his years as an elderly widower in a small village in Norway, in a rustic cabin not unlike the one he shared with his father during one fateful summer in 1948, when he was a teenager. We are given glimpses of his memories of that time, and his almost dream-like current state where he copes with the death of his wife. The pace of the book is surprisingly quick and you learn (as does Trond), that his father's past involved more than just leading a bucolic existence in a remote part of Norway. So an extremely interesting plot line develops, but you are left with this very unsatisfied feeling at the end of the book. Perhaps that was the author's goal - to make the reader mull over the tragedy of lost youth, coming to terms with unfulfilled promises made by a parent, and the experience of recalling long forgotten memories as a result of the self imposed isolation that is almost inevitable after losing loved ones.



"Out Stealing Horses" is a combination of meditative prose and quietly powerful narrative that is a refreshing reading experience. I think it might be even more enjoyable to the reader if they keep in mind that every word is to be relished, instead of waiting for the proverbial "beginning", "middle" and the "end".

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Rebecca Skloot writes compellingly on the scientific research around cell culturing, DNA engineering, ethical and cultural debates surrounding the commercialization of human tissues / genes. Moreover, she never lets the reader forget that behind all this research was a woman who suffered immeasurable pain, and in the wake of her death left behind a family who would be kept in the dark for more than twenty years about her contributions to science. Through her meticulous research, Skloot brings to light the reality of segregation in health care for African Americans in the 1950's, as well as the tug-of-war between a patient's ownership rights of their tissues and the advancement of medical science. Whatever your opinion of some members of the Lacks family - you can't help but be moved by the vicious circle of poverty, illiteracy and poor health that this family suffers from - even as there is a multi-billion dollar industry which came into existence as a direct result of Henrietta's affliction.

This book reminded me of the movie "Wit", in which Emma Thompson portrays a woman with terminal cancer, and who is treated by her physicians more like an interesting lab specimen than a woman who is undergoing immense emotional and physical pain. As with the movie, the reader of this book will feel a strong emotional connection to the central theme of the narrative, which is the dignity of human life.

Conspiracy of Fools - Kurt Eichenwald

I became a fan of Kurt Eichenwald after reading "The Informant". His journalistic style of writing and ability to turn even the most arcane business subjects into lightning paced stories, sets him apart from other writers in the same genre. So when I picked up a copy of "Conspiracy of Fools", I knew it wouldn't disappoint. It turned out to be a thrilling account of how the one of the largest corporations in America - Enron - was brought down by the greed and recklessness of its leaders.

The book was published in 2005, a year before the trial of Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling, so it does not describe their ultimate fate. Thankfully there's YouTube and C-Span for those of us who want to see the many congressional hearings! The book does take us from the very beginning of Enron's story, when the company was heralded as a pioneer in devising creative business strategies in the energy industry, which was just beginning to understand the opportunities and pitfalls of deregulation. Somewhere in the middle, Enron - under the misguided leadership of individuals who put a greater weight on short term gains over long term growth - started its downward spiral.. playing fast and loose with accounting rules, taking enormous risks without any regard for safety nets, rewarding reckless deal makers with huge bonuses and enabling one of the most flagrant corporate criminals to amass a fortune (it's own CFO.. Andy Fastow), while the company lost billions.

As you read the book, and the descriptions of the many convoluted deals that Fastow engineered to give the illusion of a healthy balance sheet for Enron (while keeping a cut of the loot for himself), you begin to realize that even though he was "stealing from the house", nobody was really "watching the house". I still cannot grasp the level of naivete that Ken Lay (as Chairman of the Board) and the 25 Board of Directors showed quarter after quarter. They never asked the hard-hitting questions that you would expect from the stewards of a company. Even when Sherron Whatkins (the self proclaimed Enron whistle blower) brought the various accounting issues to Lay's attention - he was not shrewd enough to ask for an independent review. He went on to project an image of confidence, when he knew there were inherent problems with many of Enron's divisions. Though, I'm not sure if "naive" is how I would describe Ken Lay - there are clues in the earlier part of the book that would lead me to believe that Ken's moral fibre left much to be desired.

The most fascinating aspect of the book is the unravelling of Jeff Skilling. As Enron's CEO - who resigned just months before the company declared bankruptcy - Skilling is a mass of contradictions. He was the one who decided to use "mark to market" accounting for evaluating Enron's energy contracts - something that was highly risky and signalled the "beginning of the end" for Enron. He was the one who gave the approval for Fastow's shady deals, without ever reading the details of the contracts. He had knowledge of the rot that had set into Enron's disastrous international projects, and yet continued to front a demeanour of success and confidence. The author gives an incredible look into how Skilling struggled under and ultimately gave in to the burden of maintaining this facade.

I just couldn't put down this book.. I started on a sleepy Sunday morning, and finished the following Sunday night. And even after I was done, I couldn't help scouring the internet for videos of congressional hearings, and trial scripts. The following YouTube videos are a must watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zxAJO7owy8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPqH3DrWEEU

I would also recommend an analysis of the Lay/Skilling trial, written by the lead prosecutor himself - "Behind the scenes of the Enron Trial: creating the decisive moments" by John C. Hueston. It's available on Amazon.com for $10, but worth it - because you get insights into the prosecution's strategy and the many missteps of the defense.

Marie Antoinette - The Journey - by Antonia Fraser

Antonia Fraser is able to give voice to one of the most misunderstood and besmirched figures in history.. Marie Antoinette. As the youngest child of Empress Marie Therese, Marie Antoinette had a largely care-free childhood in Austria. But it was a tragic twist of fate that transplanted MA from the informal court of Vienna to the austere and formal court of Versailles, at the age of fourteen when she became the bride of Dauphin Louis Auguste, the fifteen year old heir to the French throne. MA was hopelessly unprepared for the public life she was to lead in Versailles, and was almost immediately the target of tabloids who nicknamed her "l' Autrichienne" or "The Austrian Woman". And thus began her 23 year life in a country that mostly viewed her with suspicion and never wholly embraced her as their Dauphine, and later their Queen.

The book is quite a page-turner, and Fraser is adept at revitalizing a history lesson into something that is both intelectually stimulating and entertaining. The author offers fascinating details of 18th century life in the royal courts of Vienna, Versailles and Paris, while also trying to dispel the many myths that masked MA's real personality. However, I have to give the book only 3 stars out of 5, because I would have enjoyed the book even more if the author had given a more cohesive picture of the events that led up to the French Revolution (instead of focusing on just the events that had a direct impact on MA's life). Yes, the book is supposed to depict MA's evolution from an Austrian princess to the Queen of France, but no biography of MA would be complete without a more detailed explanation of one of Europe's most violent and pivotal revolutions. It was very frustrating that key figures and events of the revolution were merely mentioned in passing!

My second point of criticism is that sometimes Fraser gave herself license to embellish events when presented with an absence of documentary evidence. For example, there is no "real" evidence to support that MA had an extramarital affair with the dashing Count Fersen of Sweden, however the author makes it a point to insist that this was the case, basing her assertions on hear say. The best historical non-fiction writers not only share facts, but also their invaluable insights. Yet there were times when I got the feeling that Fraser was extending her insights into the dangerous territory of exaggeration.

Despite these shortcomings I would still recommend this book for anyone wanting to get a better understanding of MA, and her life from its innocent beginning in Vienna to its brutal end in Paris. You cannot help but feel some compassion for this woman who, despite the accusations of frivolity, was a generous person, a loving mother, a connoisseur of art, lover of music, theater, architecture and all things beautiful. MA's biggest fault was that she did not keep wise counsel. But how could she, when everyone around her was using her as a pawn to advance their own political interests? By the end, her head was wanted by one of the extremist proponents of the Revolution - Jacques Hebert- who had promised it to the "sans-culottes", or the poorer, more radical faction of the Revolutionaries. And so, MA's death - as her life - was yet another political calculation.

Nicholas and Alexandra - Robert K. Massie

The last Romanov Tsar (Nicholas II) and Tsaritsa (Alexandra) need no introductions - the tragic and brutal murders of Russia's Imperial family is known to most people. However, in this book, Robert Massie attempts to uncover the true natures of Nicholas and Alexandra, their fateful marriage, the secret illness of their only heir (Alexis) and the calamitous effect it had on a dynasty that had ruled Russia for over 300 years.



Massie is one of those rare authors who can transform meticulous research into a story that is rich with atmosphere, precise historical details and yet manages to keep a pace that rivals a best selling novel. Even though the author is sympathetic to the Imperial family, this should not be misconstrued as bias - the author's main triumph is his ability to remain objective, and use the available facts to illustrate all the different factors that culminated in their ultimate downfall.

As you read the book, you cannot help but feel the sense of doom in the last few years of the Autocracy as it begins to teeter from the rumblings of a revolution after - the unrelenting death toll of an ongoing war; a pseudo government that was completely mismanaged by a Tsar/Tsaritsa under the destructive influence of a charlatan (Rasputin); and dire warnings, which went unheeded, from the other members of the Imperial family who tried to pursuade Nicholas to create a constitutional monarchy.

Would the history of Russia be any different if any of these elements were changed? We will never know the answer, but we do know that even though Nicholas / Alexandra made mistakes during their rule, they acted out of the irrational fear that is typical of parents with a sick child. Inspite of all their short comings, the author tries to reveal a portrait of an intimate and loving family, who were unfortunate enough to pay the ultimate price for the political insensitivity of their patriarch.

I cannot bring myself to end this post on a negative comment, when in fact I was so moved by the personal story of Nicholas and Alexandra. I'm going to quote Winston Churchill who perfectly described Nicholas, the man, a decade after the Tsar's death....

"...He had made many mistakes, what ruler has not? He was neither a great captain, nor a great prince. He was only a true, simple man of average ability, of merciful disposition, upheld in all his daily life by his faith in God. But the brunt of supreme decisions centered upon him... His was the function of a compass needle. War or no war? Advance or retreat? Democratise or hold firm? These were the battlefields of Nicholas II. Why should he reap no honour for them? The devoted onset of the Russian armies that saved Paris in 1914; the mastered agony of munitionless retreat;... the Russian entry upon the campaign of 1917, unconquered, stronger than ever; has he no share in these? Inspite of errors vast and terrible, the regime he personified, over which he presided, to which his personal character gave the vital spark, had at this moment won the war for Russia."

Public Enemies - Bryan Burrough

Bryan Burrough meticulously pieces together recently released documents from the FBI archive to connect the criminal lives of Depression era bank robbers and kidnappers - from John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Bonnie and Clyde to the lesser known Machine Gun Kelly, Pretty Boy Floyd and Alvin Karpis.

The book describes in vivid detail, the FBI's efforts to capture these criminals. The FBI's "War on Crime" spanned the early 1930's and played an important role in shaping the Bureau into the nation's top crime fighting organization. Though J. Edgar Hoover took most of the credit for this, the author separates propaganda from real life events to show that there were other individuals within the FBI who worked tirelessly, dealt with the corruption at local law enforcement agencies and sacrificed their lives to capture the likes of Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson etc.

As far as the criminals are concerned - the author uses memoirs and witness accounts to describe their state of mind and relationships, but he makes no attempt to aggrandize their lives or their motives. At the end of the day, they were crooks who got an early start to a life of crime thanks to a depressed economy. Their stints in jail with other hardened criminals only perpetuated their cycle of violence and contempt for the law. That being said, you cannot help but feel the aura of celebrity around Dillinger, who was no less than a movie star in those days. His final capture by the FBI is one of the most gripping chapters in the book.

The book is NOT a collection of individual biographies. The author describes events in the order that they happened - so the reader has an acute sense of being right in the middle of all the action. And there's lots of it! You can just imagine Dillinger standing in a bank in his suit, fedora and with a tommy gun as he says "Stick 'em up boys, this is a hold up!", or the tires squeeling as a get-away car is mobilized at the end of a bank robbery, or the bullets flying as the police give chase, or the constant fear of capture as the criminals move from one hiding place to another.

Michael Mann's 2009 movie "Public Enemies" pales in comparison to the book. The movie is not based on facts, is slipshod, and does nothing to further our understanding of both the criminals or their captors. Melvin Purvis, who was in charge of the FBI Chicago office, and at the beginning of his career with the FBI was hand picked by J. Edgar Hoover to spearhead the "War on Crime" - was portrayed as someone who single-handedly brought down Dillinger, whereas this was far being true. Purvis, after a string of high profile and embarassing failures to capture Dillinger was demoted, and replaced by Sam Cowley who laid the foundation for Dillinger's final capture. Hollywood once again managed to take a complex story and whittle it down to 2 hours of shooting scenes between the "bad guys" and the "good guys". The only person who managed to recreate a character with authenticity was Johnny Depp - whose portayal of Dillinger was spectaculor.