Walter Isaacson is a true storyteller, and this book yet another compelling, fast to read, educational, biography. He goes deep into the fascinating aWalter Isaacson is a true storyteller, and this book yet another compelling, fast to read, educational, biography. He goes deep into the fascinating and burgeoning world of CRISPR to explain it and its origins. And it's clear that CRISPR is changing the world, and will be something we are all familiar with in the decades to come.
The moral dilemmas CRISPR brings are large, and the book appropriately spends a lot of time on them. So far, most scientists and governments have approached it from the perspective that horrible genetic diseases (eg sickle cell) should be cured, but we shouldn't use it it for other purposes. So, Gattaca and designer babies are possible, but nobody is working on it. However, as the rogue scientist in China showed when he successfully birthed human babies after removing their HIV susceptible genes, it's only a matter of time before other rogue scientists show up. Eg, who knows what's happening in Russia right now...
I really enjoyed the story of how CRISPR was discovered. Isaacson puts a lot of onus on the trait of curiosity across all his biologies (Steve Jobs, Leonardo Da Vinci, etc). And Jennifer Doudna was only a pioneer and discoverer of CRISPR's uses because she was being curious and exploring the bounds of science.
Very interesting too to learn that lots of animal breeders, cattle farmers, etc are using CRISPR and see lot's of opportunities to use it more.
The drama between scientists discovering CRISPR and the patent wars was an interesting peek inside a world I knew little about. It added to the story, but maybe could have been condensed slightly. OTOH, I get it, he was covering a space not just a person, and needed to tread carefully, which I think he did....more
I agree with my friend and former coworker, Patrick Brown - too real. I was a startup CEO in San Francisco for over 10 years, and I ate at those restaI agree with my friend and former coworker, Patrick Brown - too real. I was a startup CEO in San Francisco for over 10 years, and I ate at those restaurants, went to those bars, took my company for an outing at the same place by the Stockton tunnel. Weird to see a different lens on the places I know.
And yet, I don't recognize the San Francisco she describes. In fact, I found myself rejecting it again and again, and almost put this book down. I do recognize that the gold rush of tech has brought a lot of people to the "Valley" (aka the Bay Area). And some of these people may not love what they do as much as those of us who are there because we love what we do. I think this is one of the biggest challenges tech is facing, which is why reading this book, while uncomfortable, was interesting....more
I'm not giving this book 5 stars because I'm friends with Jennifer and David, who I met through their amazing work at WorldReader.org. Though if I do I'm not giving this book 5 stars because I'm friends with Jennifer and David, who I met through their amazing work at WorldReader.org. Though if I do have a criticism of the book, it's that it doesn't talk enough about everything that organization has done and is doing, helping kids all over the world get sucked into the magic of reading good books.
But I liked this book for two reasons: The first is that it was fascinating to learn more about their journey and how they handled it. The second is that it's bold - but I think important - to talk about wealth. Wealth is not glitzy, and it doesn't make you happy - but I think most people have the opposite impressions.
A beautifully written and poetic book. It captures the heart of a slice of Africa in the 1920's and 30's. Worth reading for the prose alone, and to geA beautifully written and poetic book. It captures the heart of a slice of Africa in the 1920's and 30's. Worth reading for the prose alone, and to get a sense of what Africa was like. It was horse racing, old cars, old airplane adventures, and hunting. This quote was a good summary:
I read this while in Kenya, and it really brought it to life. There is a bit of ancientness in Africa that is innate, inside us, that can be brought out even now. Such as when we heard lions roar, it does something to your insides that makes you uneasy in a way you can't explain.
My grandfather and father were both hunters, and I think there is something romantic about what hunting in Africa must have been like. But also the amount of risk (health-wise) and cost it must have taken to be an elephant hunter (let alone what we now know it did to the population) seems crazy.
Magical descriptions and prose of the authors life in Provence, France. Full of humor, and tantalizing descriptions of French food, and French life. WMagical descriptions and prose of the authors life in Provence, France. Full of humor, and tantalizing descriptions of French food, and French life. Written in the 90's but still likely relevant (I'd be curious how much Provence has changed, but I'd bet this book still applies). Biggest takeaway was that the national sport of the Provencals, at least according to the book, is food.
A captivating memoir, well written, easy to tear through, and kind of heartbreaking. It was positioned by some as a way to understand what is happeninA captivating memoir, well written, easy to tear through, and kind of heartbreaking. It was positioned by some as a way to understand what is happening in America, and you certainly got to see a family that is off the grid and very poor. But I think it was much more a story about abuse. Emotional and physical, Tara's story is most impressive that not only did she break out and get an education, but she escaped the abuse from her father and brother that kept all the rest of her family in check. Her father in particular sounds like he has mental illness, and the consequences of his not getting care for that - because he was intentionally off the grid and doesn't trust doctors - was severe on his family.
Book 3 is more of the same: hilarious and wonderful stories about the Durrell's live in Greece. I think this one was even funnier than the last two. IBook 3 is more of the same: hilarious and wonderful stories about the Durrell's live in Greece. I think this one was even funnier than the last two. If there were more of these I'd read them! Most of the funny bits have to do with Gerry and his animals doing crazy things - for instance:
I loved this - book two kept the magic going. Makes me want to move to Corfu in those simpler times. Gerry is ~10 in this novel and spends all his timI loved this - book two kept the magic going. Makes me want to move to Corfu in those simpler times. Gerry is ~10 in this novel and spends all his time as a budding naturalist, exploring the island and brining home crazy pets. The funniest parts were some of his animals escapades - such as when he dissected a dead turtle on the porch, or dragged a bear into the house - both had me cracking up.
But as with the first book, what is magical about this book are just the descriptions of life in Corfu - from the locals, to the zany characters that visit the family, to the simply peaceful descriptions of their life.
I got hooked on the show which was amazing, and was recommended to read the book, which I'm glad I did because it's equally amazing yet different. TheI got hooked on the show which was amazing, and was recommended to read the book, which I'm glad I did because it's equally amazing yet different. The Durrell's story is an escape from ordinary life in a way that I can't articulate but I kind of love. It's also hilarious - what a family! I really feel like I got to know Larry, Leslie, Margo, Mother, Spiro, even Lugaretzia.
A fun book that gives you a sense of living in Paris as an expat and what to appreciate about French culture. Narrated by the author so definitely recA fun book that gives you a sense of living in Paris as an expat and what to appreciate about French culture. Narrated by the author so definitely recommend listening. Great read while on vacation in France. I loved many of the annecdotes were hilarious - eg the one about how the gym had no plan for visiting every day they only had a once a week plan. Or the one comparing the French fax error codes to French culture. ...more
One of the best sports biographies I've read. I was a huge Agassi fan growing up, not because of his flair or haircut, but because of his amazing topsOne of the best sports biographies I've read. I was a huge Agassi fan growing up, not because of his flair or haircut, but because of his amazing topspin and his tenacity. So to get the inside story on where he got both of those, was fascinating.
The first thing to realize about Agassi, is that like many tennis players, he got good, then bad, then really bad, then good, then bad, then good, etc. In other words, he loses. A lot. But the fascinating part of his story is what motivates him to keep going. Because, as he says, he hates tennis. Full disclosure, I don't fully believe him when he says that, I think at a level he likes the game and winning. But his motivation switches over the years - from wanting to please his dad, to wanting to get to the top, to needing to find new motivation in his team, and ultimately, with his charitable work. I love how in the end his comeback is motivated by wanting to win for his center, to be able to give more to the kids - that's fascinating, cool, and admirable.
Another interesting aspect of Andre is how loyal he is to his team - to Gil, to his coach, his wife, etc. He needs them for confidence, and for strength - more for emotional strength than physical - in a way that was striking. He makes a lot of statements like:
The romance of his decade long chase of Steffi Graff was fascinating to read about, and in the end, incredibly romantic as well. The notion that he had such a crush on her from the beginning, and chased her for that long, was - well, sweet. And then there was this gem of prose, describing their first rally together:
An interesting book that describes Howards return to CEO and the challenges of getting Starbucks back on track after massive scaling and the economic An interesting book that describes Howards return to CEO and the challenges of getting Starbucks back on track after massive scaling and the economic downturn of 2008 left it in a vulnerable position.
Howard comes across as someone that loves Starbucks - the company he created. His passion for innovation and coffee and making it work are infectious, and learning a little about his leadership style was very interesting. I particularly enjoyed his descriptions of how Starbucks went astray as it had scaled to over 20 thousand stores, and how he tackled bringing it back. "The Transformation Agenda" - because sometimes if you give change a name people will believe it's coming.
I enjoyed reading about the campaign to close all Starbucks stores to let employees watch a training video. A big statement, one that was very public, and acknowledged they knew they had issues they need to improve. Bold move, and a respected one.
My only criticism of the book is that it comes across as a lot of corporate speak. I'm not saying it's inauthentic, just that the kind of language that he needs to motivate his employees is likely different what what he needed to put in this book. But he's clearly an inspirational leader.
Howard spent a lot of time focused creating a quality experience for his customers. He realized that every piece of the Starbucks experience was crucial to building a top tier brand that stood for quality and a place that people would want to spend time at. From the smell of coffee in the store (and the related battle to have or not have cheese sandwiches), to choices people have, to the interactions with the baristas. The baristas were crucial, because with over 20 thousand stores, he had to create programs to train them and make sure they had the right values and approach.
I still love my Blue Bottle, but I have more respect when I walk into a Starbucks store now. ...more
A truly inspirational book by a truly inspirational man. Coach Wooden coached 17 seasons at Indiana and UCLA before winning a championship - and then A truly inspirational book by a truly inspirational man. Coach Wooden coached 17 seasons at Indiana and UCLA before winning a championship - and then he won 10 out of the next 12! He is one of the greatest coaches ever, and Reading his book gives some great insights into his philosophy.
My only criticism of the book is that I think he spent too much time comparing his players, and answering questions like "who was your greatest player". I guess he got those questions a lot, but it didn't add much for me.
Another key aspect of Wooden's philosophy was that he believed the little things, the details, really mattered. Two examples of this: First one was that one of the first things he taught new players was how to properly put their socks and shoes on. It turns out, you can easily do it wrong, which leads to blisters - but kind of amazing to think of him teaching Kareem or Bill Walton how to put their socks on! The second was he really believed in strict discipline and cleanliness - for instance he believed in the team cleaning up a locker room before leaving. These little details would "establish a spirit of togetherness and consideration that help unite the team into a solid unit."
Wooden believed in focus, and "playing your game":
Interestingly, Wooden didn't believe in "charging teams up on an emotional level", as many coaches do. In fact, I bet most people that that giving inspirational, charged up speeches is one of the key attributes of a great coach. So this was interesting - and helpful in a lot of ways - people respond more to confidence and having a plan.
One tactically smart thing Wooden did right before he started winning championships, was to change his practices from having 5 starters vs 5 second team, to 7 or 8 first teamers vs the rest. The first team during practice was literally a rotation between those 7 or 8. This got the key bench players used to playing with the first team, and made a world of a difference.
But I think my favorite takeaway from the book, was Wooden's philosophy on what to ask of his players. He didn't ask them to win. He asked them to strive to have a "perfect practice", or a "perfect game". In other words, to play to the very best they can in the given moment. While that may sound obvious, keeping his teams focused on that instead of winning likely made the difference. It's all too easy to start focusing on winning or losing or things that aren't in the moment.
It was nice to be back in Africa, even for a short time. This was a beautifully written memoir, and a remarkable glimpse into what Africa was like a cIt was nice to be back in Africa, even for a short time. This was a beautifully written memoir, and a remarkable glimpse into what Africa was like a century ago. I fear the Africa Dinesen described is long gone.
I picked this up tainted by having seen the movie first, and was kind of glad and surprised at the differences. The fact that she almost doesn't even mention her husband, who was so prominent in the film, I think would have been strange even to those who hadn't seen the movie. Also the way she described her romances was so proper one wasn't sure for some time if they were friends or something more.
The language used to describe the culture in the early 1900's, and the relationship between the Natives and the Europeans, was very interesting. At times you'd read over sentences that just wouldn't fly today, and you'd have to remember this was describing a different time - one where slavery existed, and Kenya was still a British Colony. What was clear however was that Karen Blixen cared deeply for the Native people that she encountered.
One thing I found interesting was the legal system the Kikuyu used. Instead of attempting to judge guilt or innocence, they Kikuyu simply demanded payment from the wrong-doer for whatever damages they had done. In the book, the parents of the child who accidentally shoots another child are forced to pay for their childs mistake, even though it was as accident. In todays world, the parents of the shot child would sue the heck out of the parents of the other child, so I suppose in that case the end effect is the same. There are many places where I'm sure this system would break down, and I'd love to discuss it over a few drinks with a lawyer. But I did have to admire the simplicity of it - if you cause another person to have a loss (for whatever reason), you have to make up for it.
The novel was full of funny little tidbits, all designed to help you get a sense of the people and the world as she saw it. The Merchant of Venice story (p268) stuck out for me - it was hilarious! Here are the relevant lines: "But what else could he do?" I asked , "when he must not take one drop of blood?" "Memsahib", said Farah, "he could have used a red-hot knife. That brings out no blood." "But", I said "he was not allowed to take either more or less than one pound of flesh." "And who", said Farah, "would have been frightened by that, exactly a Jew? He might have taken little bits at at a time, with a small scale at hand to weight it on, till he had got just one pound. Had the Jew no friends to give him advice?" ...more
A truly heartwarming story of riches to rags - I tore through it on a NY-LA flight. Highly recommended for anyone who works and wonders if they shouldA truly heartwarming story of riches to rags - I tore through it on a NY-LA flight. Highly recommended for anyone who works and wonders if they shouldn't be paying more attention to their personal happiness. Some great business anecdotes throw in from the authors experience in a top-tier advertising firm in NYC. But mostly this is a story that makes you question the sanity of giving your whole life to a corporation that can easily discard you when you get older. Definitely highlights the importance of doing what you love - even if its working at a coffee shop!
The other interesting bit was the culture of Starbucks. Instead of giving each other orders, employees are taught to ask each other to "do me a favor". They are taught to be 100% positive in everything they do, and to constantly positively reinforce their coworkers. Coworkers are actually called Partners, and patrons are Guests. The language we use is so key to setting the right tone!
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