Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

This is, in my opinion, a fascinating must-read. It is incredibly interesting. It talks about why people succeed: how they become outliers. Genius, apparently doesn't have a huge role to play in success. Opportunity, chance, and culture seem to be the key players in success. Mozart had to put in about 10,000 hours of time before he became a master of composition. Bill Gates was fortunate enough to go to a high school that happened to have a computer (in the sixties this was extremely unusual) and so he was able to put in about 10,000 hours of programming time, setting the stage for him to come into Silicon valley at just the perfect time. NHL players in Canada tend to have birthdays in the first three months of January. Why? What is it about being born early in the year that makes someone a better Hockey player? What is the significance of being born in a three year range in the early 1800's that enabled Rockerfeller and Carnegie to reach the pinnacles of success whereas those that came before or after by only a few years, didn't have the same advantages? Why did Korean Airlines have more airplane crashes than most airlines? Were their pilots inferior, or was there something else happening? Read it and find out. You will love this book. (This review makes me feel like I'm on Reading Rainbow...."but don't take my word for it" :-).

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs entered domestic service in 1910 at thirteen, working for Lady Rowan Compton. When her remarkable intelligence is discovered by her employer, Maisie becomes the pupil of Maurice Blanche, a learned friend of the Comptons. In 1929, following an apprenticeship with Blanche, Maisie hangs out her shingle: M. DOBBS, TRADE AND PERSONAL INVESTIGATIONS. She soon becomes enmeshed in a mystery surrounding The Retreat, a reclusive community of wounded WWI veterans. At first, Maisie only suspects foul play, but she must act quickly when Lady Rowan's son decides to sign away his fortune and take refuge there. Maisie hurriedly investigates, uncovering a disturbing mystery, which, in an astonishing denouement, gives Maisie the courage to confront a ghost that has haunted her for years.

I loved this book. I thought it was a fun and interesting read. It did however break my heart to think of all those poor men who fought in WWI. If they came home, none of them came home the same!