"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde

Does eternal youth deserve the price of your soul?

This is the question I kept asking myself as I read through Oscar Wilde’s book. The narrative is characteristic of the author’s flamboyant nature and readers will find certain descriptions a little uncanny. Overall, this is an interesting story, written with purpose and to me this was the most important thing. Although the moral of the story has been copied over by many other authors (with slight variations), the dilemma remains the same – is one willing to sacrifice his internal peace for the price of the eternal beauty? The best answer to this question is a quote from Thomas Wolfe: “The surest cure for vanity is loneliness.”

- by Simon Cleveland

"Why Do Men Have Nipples?" by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg

It can make you laugh, but it is really worth the money?

This a book filled with plenty of trivial information, some none of us had ever wandered about. Indeed, I was curious to learn about the effects of coffee on human growth (there are none by the way), but truthfully, I could have gone without the data on bodily functions and human waste. My advice is, if you are looking for a book to discuss over dinner with your friends and friends, skip this one. Frankly, I wouldn’t even bring it up at the bar and if that’s the case, then why read it at all when you can just go to the net directly for answers to common questions?

-Simon Cleveland

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

A classic that must be revisited every once in a while as a reminder

Apocalypse Now doesn’t do justice to this story. You need to actually lose yourself amidst the pages to discover the true darkness humanity possesses. With each page, you’ll be drawn further and further into the jungle of emotions, where you’ll try to keep away from the tentacles of nausea and disgust as you traverse the primordial struggle for survival. Sure, you’ll fight the mosquitoes and humidity of ethics, but in the end you will succumb to what Joseph Conrad refers to as the dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths and germs of empires.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Present at a Hanging and Other Ghost Stories" by Ambrose Bierce

Tap into the mind of one of the greatest ghost story writers of all times

This short collection is guaranteed to make you feel eerie in those cold, dark nights when you stayed home alone to read. But then again how else to savor these stories? Here is a pointer. Get your hands on a copy of this book sometime around mid-day Friday. Blow off your friends for the night and go straight home. Wait until the daylight is just a memory and then sit with this book on your favorite old chair, preferably near a window, and delve into it with only the nightstand light on. Take time reading each page, relish each word, don’t pay attention to the creepy scratching on you window, or the squeaking in the other rooms, it’s all just in your mind. Whether you’ll remember about the serial murders in the book, or the ghostly apparitions– it won’t matter. What’ll matter is how you experience reading about them…give it a try, be brave…

-by Simon Cleveland

"Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell

It’s ironic how marriage engagements are sealed with other people’s blood

What? The title doesn’t make sense? Did you know how many people suffered to get the diamond on your wife’s or fiancé’s hand? I don’t either, but you can take a guess once you read this book. Come, take a ride to a place where children spend their last breaths in a ditch, sifting dirt and mud for the precious stones. Take a walk with the men that die in jungles while transporting this contraband to another country. Sit down with the monsters who butcher the pregnant women, who cut the arms of teenagers, who kill for pleasure.

This is not fiction, my friend, this is real and it occurs even now as you read this review. And it will continue to occur until the value of diamonds remains artificially inflated by DeBeers’ monopoly. But I know, next time an anniversary or marriage comes along, you’ll still buy a diamond for your wife or fiancé. What do you care, you don’t have to die to buy…

By Simon Cleveland

"The Ruins" by Scott Smith

Oh wasted time, what can I do to win you back?

I didn’t read Scott Smith’s first book, but if I had, I would have stayed away from this one. No, seriously, what were the publishers thinking? What was Mr. Smith’s agent thinking? What happened to professionalism, intelligent plots, believable stories? I mean, common, a talking vine? Mr. Smith, you could have done so much more with this book? You could have taken the ruins and actually combined them with the history of the ancient Indians (invent one if you don’t know it, that’s what you are paid for), then woven it with contemporary superstition and this book could have been worth reading. Did you really think you will win fans with a plain trip to Mexico and a bunch of urine-collecting, tequila drinking youths?

I’m not surprised though - this is what commercialization does to the literary world. Mr. Smith got his advance check and the readers paid for it. Thankfully, there are libraries and I didn’t spend a dime on this book…now if I can only find a way to get someone to pay for the time I wasted reading it…

-by Simon Cleveland

"Under and Alone" by William Queen

In my booklist Mr. Queen’s book gets the highest rating.

Besides keeping you interested until the end, this book does one other thing – it teaches you bravery. I know you know what bravery is, but do you know what bravery is?

In this day and age when a word like that can only make sense when associated with far away lands of Arabic speaking people, deserts and terrorist actions, this book will bring you back to American soil, to the cities we live in, to the streets we walk on, the roads we drive on, our own back yard. Bravery exists here and is made of self sacrifice and duty.
In the pages of this book you will discover what it takes a man to overcome the impossible, to expose himself to danger every day in order to accomplish his mission.

This is the true story of a hero who sacrifices himself daily for two years as an undercover agent of the FBI to bring down one of the worst motorcycle gangs in the history of America. I guarantee it’ll keep you thrilled and the story will touch you deep inside and leave a mark.

-by Simon Cleveland

"End of Faith" by Sam Harris

If you haven’t heard of Sam Harris by now, you are seriously behind the news wagon.

I believe it wasn’t by mistake that you end up here checking out this book? Most likely you heard about it from a coworker, a fellow churchgoer, or your friend’s mother (or wife) and most likely it went something like: “There is this fellow by the name of Sam Harris, who is trying to turn good and honest folks like yourself away from the truth…”
We all know that similar conversations in the past stirred movements like the inquisition or the infamous witch hunts. So, let’s just say these people were a little bit behind on their reading (they were behind on a lot more, but let’s be polite)

First and foremost, you need to proceed with a ‘very’ open mind when reading this book. See, it’s not that it will introduce something so incomprehensive or unreal that you’ll need to reread each page…oh, no, on the contrary, it will make so much sense, that the abundance of it will cause you to cringe. And cringing you’ll do until the last page.
And why, you ask? Because it has been so damn long (nearly 2,000 years) since someone stood up on the fifty-foot pedestal flashing the bright light in the faces of the masses and then pointing to the common sense that had been crucified in exchange for a couple of table spoons of a sugary substance called faith.

People, what went wrong? Was it our need to feel safe by disillusioning ourselves with beliefs in superstition and immortality? What else could it be? Deep down inside of us there is this basic need to be absolutely sure that the ego will stay alive forever. You know what I’m talking about. I am talking about the desire to persist for epochs. And what offers us this absolute guarantee? Yes, religion, you are catching on my dear reader. And what happens once we follow it? Slavery, torture, terrorism , death…stop me if it gets too monotonous.

But you won’t make sense of this review until you get your hands on a copy of this book. It will change your life.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Killer Instinct" by Joseph Finder

Ever since Paranoia, Mr. Finder’s work has been getting progressively worse.
Paranoia was a niche, new and exciting. The prospective of corporate espionage, high-tech spying, survival of the most devious, it was a great concept, an exciting new story (as I read it I could almost smell the movie popcorn, the upcoming blockbuster). But then came Company Man, with its disappointing tale and unbelievable characters. And now – Killer Instinct.

What happened, Mr. Finder? Commercialization got in the way? Was it the need to publish, to produce another moneymaking novel without honoring our intelligence? Why write if your characters would be bleak and simpleminded? Why produce a story if it will be as regular as a patient on a fiber diet? Where are the exciting unforeseen circumstances? What happened to eeriness, unpredicted behaviors, risky yet credible propositions? How come your novels are getting worse instead of better? Why the all foreseen Hollywood ending now? Think over these questions and make the right choices in your next book. But keep in mind, it’s hard keeping the fans if you produce frequent rubbish.

I don’t recommend this one. Try ‘Paranoia’ or check out Grisham or Patterson’s books instead.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Ghost Writer" by Philip Roth

I must confess - when I began reading this book, I was immediately taken aback from the depressive mood expressed through the character of the loner. Then, after awhile, the intensity of the emotions, the narrative style, the vivid and unmistakable human nature took charge and I was left with utmost admiration - admiration for the life the book took on and the life it gave me.

Like Patrimony, Ghost Writer delves deeper into the metamorphosis of human behavior over the course of a life time. Readers become aware (almost immediately) of the sadness of making the wrong choices, of getting sick, of dying. At the same time, reading in between the lines is a prerequisite for Mr. Roth. Take for example the wild affair the narrator has with the Scandinavian model. The force of words, the carefully constructed content of what transpired between those two is so powerful, that it almost certainly would arouse any reader.

I have really only one remark. Mr. Roth, you are one of my favorite writers and I thank you for taking the time to create such passionate and deeply moving literature as the one I found in Ghost Writer.

This book is highly recommended to all lovers of contemporary American literature.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Sleeping With the Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude" by Robert Baer

Robert Baer’s second non-fiction book is another sobering call to the American consumer for rationality. Listen to this: When our unquenchable thirst for oil must be satisfied, Washington goes the extra step to acquire it!

Turing our attention to few well known (outside of the 495-beltway) facts about the American-Saudi Arabian political connection, Mr. Baer explores the consequences of a half-century’s stream of money and oil between the two countries and the subsequent product of it- terrorism against democracy.

There is a complex web that has been weaved in Washington and this book attempts to untangle it, but whether it’s successful I leave to you to decide (keep in mind, there are countless references to Saudi-Arabian prices and their contributions to American campaigns. There are the names of many famous politicians rumored to have been connected with some of these princes. And of course, there are also plenty of CIA ‘Deletions’ that left me wondering what else does the US government want to hide?)

Overall, I recommend this book to all lovers of true political conspiracies.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays" by David Foster Wallace

Do you have any idea how many lobsters die each year in order to satisfy our culinary cravings? I’ve no idea, but after reading the essay ‘Consider the Lobster,’ I have to say – too many.

Mr. Wallace approaches the issue from the stand point of our claw-y friends. Put yourself in the lobster’s position – here you are, backtracking through the bottom of New England’s coastline and suddenly you find yourself in the 100+ lbs pressure cooker of the annual Main Lobster Festival. You squirm, you fight, you die. But who are you? Are you just a tasty subject, one that is born to feed the gluttony of others, or are you more than that? Does anyone ever consider the fact that from a biological stand point, the lobster is a lot more of a complex system than the simple single cell organism of the ocean? If yes, then how come we avoid considering the consequences of the painful gastronomic preparations, that the Lobster MAY be feeling the unbearable pain of the boiling water?

There are other interesting essays in this book. Essays like the on the debauchery of American porn industry, on the depravity of selected few who parade their sexuality not only on TV, but on the Las Vegas strip ( I personally found this essay too overwhelming for my literary tastes).

…and there are more.

Overall, I recommend this book to all intellectual seekers of the contemporary issues that plague our nation. Here is a chance to satisfy your tastes for criticism, creativity and irony with a highly entertaining and skillfully constructed book.

- by Simon Cleveland

"A Death in Belmont" by Sebastian Junger

Ever since "The Perfect Storm," I've been intrigued by Mr. Junger's writing style. Careful construction, fascinating details and the all encompassing thrill, are just some of the great qualities of his books.

In his latest "A Death In Belmont", Mr. Junger narrates the chilling story of a crime that occurred practically in his own backyard for which (he speculates) an innocent man was found guilty of committing. Believe it or not, Mr. Junger begins his book with the description of a picture in which his mother and he are posing for the camera, while the convicted Boston Strangler (Al DeSalvo) is smiling in the background. As the readers will discover, Mr. Junger's family came very close to loosing one of their own to the viciousness of this serial killer. The book is written well and in the end one is left wondering about the effectiveness of our judicial system and whether is has failed us more than helped us over the years.

This book is recommended to all crime fans and those curious about what murders may have been wrongfully allotted to potentially innocent bystanders.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Terrible Hours" by Peter Maas

This is the tale of the heroic effort it took to save the lives of United States navy men aboard the sunken submarine Squalus. Following the successful mission, the author examines the 100+ days it took to salvage the vessel, the rebuilding of it and its subsequent missions.

Although rich in detail and at times too technical, the book failed to capture my attention to the extent ‘Shadow Divers’ did. What I found lacking was the intimate details of what went on with the survivors during the critical hours from their sinking to their salvation. In contrast, the author did an excellent job capturing the point of view of those who put together the rescue mission.

The book will find favor with all readers interested in submarines, war time stories and rescues missions. However, for a real thrill ride, I highly recommend ‘Shadow Drivers’ by Robert Kurson.

-by Simon Cleveland

"First Person Plural: My Life as a Multiple" by Cameron West

I’ve always been fascinated with the intricacies of the human mind. After completing a book about a patient with schizophrenia I picked up for a change, this book about Disassociative Identity Disorder. I’ve to tell you, in sharp contrast to the effort it took me to comprehension the symptoms of schizophrenia, DID required challenging- no, scratch that- almost mind-bending attempt on my behalf to comprehend how the brain could invent mechanism to cope with abuse.

The story spans over the course of several months. Examining in detail tribulation after tribulation, Dr. West constructs a painful and chaotic existence, beginning with the emergence of several male and female identities and ending with his treatment. Readers are spared the details of the child abuses. And who would want to read about the worst kind of sin? Of course, it must have taken a superhuman effort on the part of the author to complete this book. How could one retain control of his own fragile self when so many identities constantly struggle to burst out in the open and get control of his body? Truthfully, it’s beyond my imagination.

Despite attempts to keep a certain level of sanity within the story, readers must be prepared for a quite confusing narrative. As identities came out across the page, one is forced to struggle to understand the intricate emotions of each personality. Of course, at times I wanted to stop reading, my interest wavered during the dialogues. At other times I was fully captured in the story (especially towards the end when the author finally accepts the reality of his disorder).

For someone who wasn’t very familiar with this type of psychological disorder, I found the book very informative. For those interested in learning about how the disorder manifests itself in the beginning, what impact it has on a patient, and how the person learns to cope with it, pick up a copy of the book.

By Simon Cleveland

"Love Thy Neighbor: A Story of War" by Peter Maass

I have a confession to make - I am guilty of ignorance.

While in 1992 I was taking my first trip to Europe, falling in love for the first time, getting my introduction to Pentecostalism and learning to live, people were being exterminated only several hundred miles away from me.
While I was going into my fourth year of high school education in Bulgaria, boys and girls my age were being raped and tortured and murdered and it took me 15 years to find that out. How is it that I knew nothing about that war? How is it I never paid attention to the news, never took interest in what was happing in Bosnia? How? How come I turned a blind eye to the grizzly events occurring in a land where people spoke Slavic language similar to my own, had features similar to mine, shared with history similar to the one of my county? How can I have been so blind to the genocide in Bosnia?

Then, in the winter of 1992 I came to the United States and looking back now I find I wasn’t the only one guilty. For three years (1992-1995) the United Nations, countries like Britain, France, Russia and of course, the USA, looked to resolved the conflict by ignoring the direct problem in the region. Peaceful solution is what everyone was talking about and looking for, and all the while men, women, and children died by torture, by fire, by knives to their throats. Over 200,000 people. 200,000 died in this conflict and having read Peter Maass’ book I feel disgusted with myself, with humanity in general.

I suspect there were hundreds of other conflicts that occurred and I missed. I know there were many more that history sheltered away from humanity and perhaps I’ll never learn about their victims, but having read this book and having learned of the dangerous games politicians and people with power played, I’m left with a nauseating feeling of shame. Shame for being a human and possessing the realization that evil is something people grow inside, something they cultivate and feed from. For all of our 100,000 years of civilization we have nothing to show except death, destruction and deceit. Is this what we should be proud of?

I recommend this book to everyone. It’s hard to find stories out there that are so open, so raw, so real in their context to make readers seriously wonder what society, civilization, morality and ethics really mean. Mr. Maass, thank you for being so honest.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Stalking of Kristin: A Father Investigates the Murder of His Daughter" by George Lardner

What can I father do when his daughter has already perished from the hands of a brutal murderer? Fight the ghost of someone who’s long gone? Fight the parents of this ghost? No. He must fight the system that failed him, that failed countless others and that if it isn’t changed would continue to fail until one day you and I find ourselves in the same inescapable situation - loosing our children due to the negligence of those who are getting paid to protect us.

This is a truly sad book. It recounts the story of a young college girl in Boston, who falls in love with a man only to find out that he is an abuser and a control freak. Over the course of the story, the reader finds out what it truly means to mess up a boy, as one follows the failure of his family to build a safe and loving atmosphere for him and as the justice system allows him, now an abuser, to go free again and again he commits his final crime, taking the life of another in particularly bone chilling matter.

This book should be a reminder of what we can expect if we don’t pay attention to the misfortunes we hear about on TV, or the stories we hear from our neighbors and family members. In my opinion, every father and mother should read this story and make up their minds on how to communicate openly with their children, how to foresee outcomes of deadly relationships well in advance. True, the system fails us often, but we, as parents, can fail our children more often when we make the mistake of distancing ourselves too much, when we assume that growing up is the same as getting old. This story should remind us of when our children need us the most.

- by Simon Cleveland

"The Shining" by Stephen King

What makes a book scary? Is it a story of demons, or ghosts, or a few murders? Or is it the inexplicable madness that could taunt the mind of a reader long after the story is over and the book is closed and returned to the book shelf? The Shining is one such story. It's the account of a family, their battles with their own demons in a hotel that somehow feeds on their fears and emotions.

Often, the case is made that a book is scary because it unexpectedly freaked a reader with a sudden twist, a ghostly encounter, or a creepy voice. In `The Shining' there is something different. There is suspense, ever so slowly building, until the trickle becomes a river that pulls one toward a vortex of twisting horrors, of something evil that has been molded and cooked and stored until the one to be fed stumbles on it unexpectedly and then its so horrifying that he is left stunned, numbed, petrified.

King is a king in the world of literary terror. He is a king of his own domain, of the masterful horror story, of a universe where hedge animals stalk, hotels share emotions and people communicate via their minds. Oh, and `The Shining' can not be told via a word of mouth, or seen as an interpretation by Kubric or any other director for that matter. `The Shining' must be experienced only through the words, because only words can make alive that which is too dreadful to share, or show. For all fans of the horror genre believe me when I say:`The Shining' makes one heck of a memorable experience.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Recovered, Not Cured : A Journey Through Schizophrenia" by Richard McLean

I stumbled accidentally on this book. Running a search through the online database at a local library branch, the title popped up on the screen. I cross-referenced it with the opinions of other readers from Amazon.com and decided it'd be an interesting overview of this incredible disease - schizophrenia.

I found out after checking the book out that it won the Australian Book of the Year for 2004, which intrigued me further. Having read it, I am also of the opinion that it deserves the award. The book is short and easy to read (in terms of narrative), but it reveals the complexities of the disease. The author narrates his experiences from the moments the symptoms appeared to the medication phase that restored order in his daily existence.

The book is written in snippets of experiences and often the reader is hurled one story after another of the patient's psychosis, paranoia, search for codes or deciphering of codes and secret messages, the delusions of voices the author heard and his reactions to them. In addition to these experiences, he inserts numerous e-mails from other schizophrenia patients he'd received or read on mental illness-online boards, as well as messages from family members of mental patients and how they coped with them. Since he is a graphics designer by trade, he'd added plenty of visual representations of his internal torments.

I recommend this book to all readers interested in learning about the symptoms of schizophrenia, how to seek treatment and how to learn to cope with the disease.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed" by John Vaillant

In my opinion John Valliant’s book is improperly equated to Krakauer’s works. I believe this is done as a marketing effort. The considerable difference is in the main subject of the work - in Krakauer’s it’s the man, in Valliant’s it’s the Nature.

This book is a manifesto, a cry for worldwide attention of the destruction forces of human nature, against the mindless consumerism that exterminates the landmarks of the natural world.

I loved this book. I enjoyed reading about the intricacies of a profession, which claims more lives each year than many other high risk jobs. I was captured in the narrative on the delicate nature of this very complex organism – the tree. I was amazed to learn of another miracle of the Earth – the Golden Spruce, this landmark of biology that survived despite all odds. I was saddened to find out of yet another disappearing Indian nation, that of the Haidas.

Beautifully written, containing a wealth of information on an industry I knew little about, it narrates a story about the act of a sick man and his effort to attract worldwide attention to the right issue via the wrong deed. But in the end, the story begs the question – Is sometimes the sword mightier than the pen? You decide, reader.

This book is wonderful and should be on the reading list of all high schools. Young adults must learn about the consequences of logging, the result of defaced lands and their effect on the world’s environment.

- by Simon Cleveland

"The Middle East - A Brief History Of The Last 2000 Years" by Bernard Lewis

After reading `What Went Wrong? : The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East', I was impressed with Mr. Lewis' level of detail and clarity of writing on topics such as religion and modernity. Now, after completing `The Middle East', I'm reminded yet again of his talent to construct detailed historical account of the political, religious and socio-economic aspects of life in that region. In this latest book, Mr. Lewis examines the major factors leading to the complexity of issues plaguing the Middle East today.

Beginning with the rise of Islam in the 6th century and it subsequent spread to all neighboring kingdoms, the author examines the impact of a religion on the core structure of society, its influence over culture, art, the rationale behind the rivalry of Eastern states (then Persian now Iran) and the West (Syria, Egypt, then Anatolia- now Turkey), military conquests and the resulted political reforms. Readers will learn about the causes behind the low economic growth of the entire region (despite its rich oil reserves), about the 8-year war between Iran and Iraq, about the formation of the Jewish state and subsequently the country of Israel, about the numerous military conflicts in the region since 1949 and a host of other historical facts.

This book is complex in nature and requires a complex reader with deeper interests and even an advanced set of thought. It's great for history enthusiasts, students of the Middle Eastern societies, diplomats and/or businessmen planning to live and work in that part of the world.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Finders Keepers: The Story of a Man Who Found $1 Million" by Mark Bowden

How to loose $1.2 million in one week

Some of you may have seen the movie “Money for Nothing” with John Cusack. Some of you may even like it. The movie is partially based on the true account of Joey, a Pennsylvania drug addict, who back in the early 1980’s caught a brake in life. He found $1.2 million that fell off a truck and over the course of a week managed to loose most of it, before getting caught by FBI. Apart from the incredible luck this man had, nothing else is much interesting about what happened with him. Readers of the book will find out the numerous stupid choices he makes in an effort to keep the money. Bottom line – the book is interestingly written, but the story is ridiculous and doesn’t deserve the time it takes to read it.

- by Simon Cleveland

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

This fictitious story details the tragic account of a life spent in painful reconciliation with wrongfully made choices.

The main character, an Afghanistan boy, grows up in the turbulent times of the 1970s when civil war and economic turmoil ruled the plain. Forced to make a choice whether to help his long-time friend (and servant) Hassan during a confrontation with a local bully, Amir makes a choice which would haunt him for the next 20 years.

The readers of this book would be amazed with the author’s insightful and engaging narrative as they follow Amir on his voyage from Afghanistan (through Pakistan) to the United States where he attends school and college and becomes a successful novelist.
The novel could be considered competed at this point, except the author had another idea of how to resolve Amir’s internal conflict. From then on, the books brakes with reality and transforms into a fantastic quest of self redemption. Amir returns to Afghanistan to free the son of his long lost friend Hassan from an orphanage, abuse and impending death. The experiences surrounding this quest for redemption border on magic as Amir descends into the world of Taliban, brutality and destruction. And as in all happy Hollywood-endings, the book delivers a spectacular (even tearful) conclusion with Amir’s victorious achievement of inner peace.

Six words – great narrative but an unbelievable storyline.

Still, I recommend the novel to anyone interested in learning about the culture and people of Afghanistan.

-by Simon Cleveland

"See No Evil" by Robert Baer

I became interested in this book after watching Syriana when at the end of the movie a post-script announced “…based on the book See No Evil by Robert Baer.” Naturally I became interested in learning about the truth behind the fiction.

The movie is largely based on one of the many cases during the author’s long career as a CIA agent (this one was related to his experience with a shady investment figure from the Washington lobbying community and closely connected with Clinton’s campaign contributions scandal).

See No Evil is collection of cases, an autobiographical account of the ex-CIA agent Baer and his utter discontent with his former employer. The book is also a wake-up call, a bitter cup of strong coffee that jolts in the early morning hours of the day. It is a crash course on the history of Militant Islamism and the agent’s personal involvement in the recruitment of spies in the fight against enemies of the US. It is also an example of how not to lead a government institution. As in all bureaucratic agencies, the CIA (which it seems to me should be the least bogged in bureaucracy) succumbed a long time ago to careerism, lack of professionalism and carelessness.

As I read this book, I became worried. No - I became down right scared about the lack of intelligence the US had about this great perils of evil – the terrorism in the modern age. What do you mean the US didn’t know for years who committed the suicide bombing of the American embassy in Beirut? What do you mean agents of the CIA were trying to convert Muslim spies to Christianity and could care less about that other thing they’re hired to do (their job)? Are we talking about one of the most feared organizations in the world, or are we talking about my grandma’s church group? And what do you mean CIA agents were embezzling funds from the US government to set up their own European businesses and were never punished for that?

As the author voiced his disappointment with the CIA I huddled and shivered. If this is how CIA is being run, I better invest in a bunker underneath my back yard, because only God would be able to help me against those idiots with the bombs underneath their clothes.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn more about the things going on behind the scenes in the war against terrorism.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Orientalist : Solving the Mystery of a Strange and Dangerous Life" by Tom Reiss

A good non-fiction novel is distinguished from the rest by the depth of its sources. And I have no complaints about the number of resources used in this book (the references list goes on for nearly 50 pages). From this perspective, Tom Reiss has done a great job. Congratulations.

Has justice been done to the legacy of one of the most mysterious literary figures of the twentieth century– well that remains an unanswered question. True, Reiss introduced the name to us, told us about his childhood, his schooling and his marriage. But beyond that, more questions remain than answers. For one, Reiss hits but misses big on the one major thing a reader would expect to find– what are the personal characteristics of this mysterious writer? And what better way to learn that for ourselves than read and analyze some of his works? Without this we could piece together an image of the man’s qualities, look at some pictures, learn about his family, or follow him on a trip (most of us could only dream of), but in the end I ask what about the analysis of Lev’s writings? As a reader of the biography of a fellow writer, I expected to see more about the hero of Lev’s works (certainly more than just the occasional reference of this or that book). Since I never read any of Lev’s works, I remain confused and a bit irritated. Lev still remains more of a mystery to me now than before. I still find myself asking the question - who was Lev? And in my opinion, one needs to look deeper into Lev’s works (one thing Mr. Reiss avoids doing) to find out.

Overall the book is not really worth exploring unless it’s required for homework assignment or needs to be used for its rich references.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Galileo's Daughter : A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love" by Dava Sobel

Truthfully, a very small portion of this book is dedicated to the life of the daughter of Galileo. Very little is known about the correspondence between father and daughter since only a few letters remain to testify of their intimate communication that span over several years. One thing is clear - Maria Celeste was the strongest emotional support for Galileo during the time of his trial and subsequent home arrest. Careful readers will find a lot more written in-between the lines of Maria Celeste's letters to her father than noticeable at first glance.
The major part of the book is dedicated to the life of Galileo, following him from his early years as a professor in mathematics to his elder years of forced seclusion. Within the pages of this book the author brings to life the age of darkness when religious fervor penalized scientific minds with dogmas, trials and punishment. Among other things, readers will learn about Copernicus' sun-centered theory, explore Galileo's astronomical observations, documentations and publications of his discoveries and then will be shocked at the ultimate prize for Catholic disobedience.
Despite the few remaining letters, the author successfully weaves around them Galileo's biography to capture the spirit of love and devotion. You'll see the beauty of a daughter's caring heart (despite spending her entire life in a convent as a nun). You'll even share a tear with the rest of us (who read the story) when you find out about the outcome of their final union.
Beautifully written, this book makes for a great reading and is both good for readers interested in family relationships as well as non-fiction readers curious about the life of one of the first pioneers of modern science.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli

There are several classical books that withstood the test of time and in one way or another deserve attention. One of them is “The Prince”. Why? Its applicability to the democratic state remains a question, however I’m sure politicians read it for how to make one nation the dominating force in the global community. But, if you’re not interested in international relations (how to rule over a principality), read this for its uncanny insight into the darkness of the human nature. Believe it or not, it is a great psychology tool. Of course its center stage is reserved for the leader of a monarchy. But then again forget about what’s obvious and focus on what’s written between the lines. Take for example the following statement:

“…men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need to keep your word to them.”

Here is the perfect example of how a mid-16th century writer characterizes the eternal and unchangeable human nature. Time and again he addresses the lack of trust one should put in people and how one is to handle his enemies. Many of us have already established our own framework of how to do this, but checking this framework against such a historical artifact would be extremely beneficial.

In addition, the book possesses a wealth of historical information on the topic of political strategy and to be fair – all of us can take advantage of a political lesson (especially in this day and age).

A short and quick read, I recommend it not only for its lessons, but for the mere fact that history deemed it worthy of preservation.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The World Is Flat : A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century" by Thomas Friedman

To the aspiring CEO – put this one on your night stand!

A work of monolithic proportion. Carefully researched, addressing some of the most pressing issues of the day, this book should be on the night stand of every aspiring CEO.
The author (a two time Pulitzer Prize winner) takes the comparative approach to structure and never fails to keep the readers busy with questions of strategic, technological and political importance. (A quick glimpse of the index is enough to give one a head-spin). For example, consider the ‘triple convergence’ factor for building a successful business (have you ever heard about it?) or how about such notions as ‘outsourcing’, ‘in-sourcing’, ‘global supply chain’. Executives will reap the benefits from the countless examples of successful decision-making strategies implemented at top companies like UPS, Wal-Mart, JetBlu, and Yahoo. Even if you are not a fan of the business genre, you’ll find something beneficial in this work. (take a chance for a change). Fully developed, carefully constructed and extremely interesting, this book should be a required reading for all intellectual readers (especially MBA students, business executives and high-rank political figures).

- by Simon Cleveland

"The Judgment of Paris" by Ross King

Do you ever wonder what happened to Meissonier? No? Do you even know who Meissonier was?

If not, here is a chance to find out. Two figures left an imprint on the French art amidst the turbulent times of the late nineteenth century. Manet, whom history dubbed the father of Impressionism (although at the time art critics branded him untalented) and Meissonier, then the highest paid painters and now a figure obscured by history. How did time turn the tables on these two characters? Why is Meissonier forgotten, while the Manet’s paintings sell with $20 million price tag? The answer is in this book.

Mr. King’s skillful examination of the art’s progression from its realism to the appearance of impressionism in the latter part of 1800’s makes for a delightful reading. He analyzes the art critics of the time, the leading political figures, the consequences of a war with Prussia, the French life and French economy.

Written with intellectual appeal and with an eye on the events that drove history, The Judgment of Paris is highly recommend to all lovers of historical non-fiction.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Conspiracy of Fools : A True Story" by Kurt Eichenwald

Forget Grisham. Forget Finder. Kurt Eichenwald delivers the real deal. Carefully researched, coupled with a number of years of experience as an investigative journalist, Eichenwald tells the unbelievable (but true) saga of the biggest bankruptcy in US history - Enron's. Illuminated by the perverse machinations of a former CFO, the story details the sins of capitalism - deception of the greedy, disillusionment of the powerful, and the carelessness of those who are suppose to be impartial. Masterfully constructed, the book reads like a novel, capturing the essence of what went on behind close doors and never failing to remind of the perils of blind trust.

But here is where it gets tricky. If one is to compare the book to say the documentary film "The Smartest Guys In the Room", one would be amazed to find there are gaps in Eichenwald's book. Although he mentions about Enron's young traders, he conceals additional details of Enron's evil culture of greed and complete lack of ethical standards. The book lacks fairness in revealing the true enemies in disguise. When I finished reading it, I wondered whether Skilling was truly blindsided by the `hedge-fund' affairs. How could a CEO, who brought on board the creator of the affairs, be so ignorant of the huge losses Enron was amounting ($40+ billion)? The mere fact that Skilling resigned before the actual bankruptcy took place is a clear indication that he was aware of the deals since their inception.

Oh, well, in spite of these gaps, I highly recommend this book for its creative depiction of the historical facts. I never thought a real story could be delivered with the same intensity and thrill as Grisham's fictional accounts.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Over the Edge of the World : Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe" by Laurence Bergreen

Now, there should be no excuse for those claiming a lack of good historical sources of the first voyage around the globe

For lovers of the non-fiction accounts of sacrifices made in pursuit of honor, riches and glory, this book should be a great find. Readers will be convinced beyond doubt of the struggles Magellan and his crew endured in their historic voyage. Masterfully recreated from several historical resources, biographer Laurence Bergreen brings to life the cost of bearing the title of Discoverer. Resurrected in the story are the deviousness of the human character, the lust for currency greater than gold – the spices, the once undoubted might of the former Spanish armada and the terrible cost for it all – the loss of human life.

Carefully constructed story coupled with an excellent writing, this should be on the reading list of every reader dreaming of the voyages of the glorious past.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Hunger of Memory : The Education of Richard Rodriguez" by Richard Rodriguez

I return to this book 8 years after I read if for the first time. Within minutes I find myself recalling the Sunday brunches my parents used to prepare for our entire family, the joyful sounds of my growing up in Virginia, after spending my early years in Eastern Europe. I intimately know the things Mr. Rodriguez writes about, because I’ve experienced them.

The book itself is an abstract approach to the original structure of an autobiography. It lacks the voluminous accounts of monthly or yearly accomplishments (Colin Powell ‘My American Journey’ or Bill Clinton’s ‘My Life’ come to mind). Rather, the author takes on a path of moral reflection on the time it took one boy to become a man and the education it took to transform one’s identity. He assembles a combination of essays through which via a free flowing narrative, he conducts self-examination over the emergence of his ‘public’ character and the replacement of his ‘private’ persona.

But there is something else in this book. There is longing. Longing for the days when the ’sounds’ of his family brought meaning and recognition for what he was meant to be, for where he was meant to go (or was that a childhood illusion?). A reader would find it difficult to ignore the author’s emotional yearning for the past for a childhood now gone, when love, and family, and values, and identity made sense.

Mr. Rodriguez has done a superb job of capturing with words what many of us (first or second generation Americans) feel as members of families with similar backgrounds.
I highly recommend this book.

-by Simon Cleveland

"True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa" by Michael Finkel

What’s one man’s demise is another’s redemption…or is it?

Michael Finkel wrote this book in an effort to alter the popular opinion that he is a reporter who falsified articles. He wrote with one objective in mind - to emerge as a talented author and honest human being. But was he able to do so? It’s up to the readers to decide.

What’s the book about? As it turned out, a serial murderer used Mr. Finkel’s identity to hide himself from the law. Luckily, the FBI did their job and caught the man. And when Mr. Finkel found out that his identity has been compromised for nearly a month, he saw an opportunity to use the story a stepping stone toward redemption, toward purification of his own public character.

The book is written well, but having read it, I wouldn’t recommend it. For one thing, it does little to reveal something new about the character of the murderer. It simply affirms his deceitful nature. And I could care less about Finkel and Longo’s correspondence. At times it read like a falls gospel – an account of lies between two insincere men – the dishonest journalist and the two-faced murderer – what a pair.

If anyone is interested in the story, the Internet is a perfect source for Longo’s biography.

- by Simon Cleveland

"The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" by Erik Larson

This book has a seriously misleading title. It should have been called ‘The World’s Greatest Fair’. A very small portion of the book explores the gruesome (and speculative at that) details of the H.H. Homes’ murder streak.

The author does an excellent job exploring the 1893 Chicago fair that put the city in the minds of so many for decades to come. One couldn’t help but marvel at the gigantic effort, resources, man hours and deaths that went into preparing the stage for the gathering of over 700,000 people at one time. Never again did so many historical figures of the 19th and 20th centuries come together again as for this fair. And although the picture the author paints is outstanding (his list of references at the end of the book goes on for pages), one is left to wonder why H.H. Homes was included at all in this book.
I must admit I felt a bit mislead (and subsequently disappointed) to find out that the story was about 90% devoted to the fair and only about 10% to what really went on within the walls of Homes’ little hell-hotel.

For those readers looking to find out the reasons behind Homes’ murders – try another book as this one is exclusively about the Chicago fair.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II" by Robert Kurson

I literally devoured this book. In about 16 or 17 hours I had finished it cover to cover and was on the net looking for another book by Robert Kurson. What’s phenomenal about this story is its unbelievable and yet true account of an ordeal two divers went through, and the years of struggle, to identify a sunken WW2 submarine 60 miles of the coast of New Jersey. The firs one is an ambitious risk taker who’s ready to do almost anything to get the answer, while the second, a more cautious yet daring, willing to go the distance beside his friend. The book doesn’t omit a thing. Readers will become intimate with the dangers accompanying deep-ocean diving, such as the narcosis, the oxygen depravation, and yes - death. There are three deaths that occur in the process of discovery, six years go by and two families are ruined, but in the end the mystery is solved. For me, the story represents a tribute to the true human will, what separates the man from the animal – the willingness to face death for the sake of knowledge. What separates this book from the average ‘based-on-a-true-story’ books is the exceptional narrative with which the author creates a heart pounding, the-edge-of-the-seat, electrifying ride into the little known territory of underwater exploration. In the end, the reader is left wanting more, needing more. A GREAT JOB!

- by Simon Cleveland

"Patrimony" by Philip Roth

There is something sad, something utterly painful about book tributes to fathers. When reading Wiesel’s “Night”, Franzen’s “My Father’s Brain” or Roth’s “Patrimony”, one comes to grips with a difficult reality, of the unnatural heart ache and grief that accompany aging and what they do in the mean time to the father-son relationship.

“Patrimony” offers a glimpse of this aging, of the deterioration of the body. As one reads, one physically partakes into the burden of loosing a loved one, of facing the difficult decisions of what comes next, of recalling memories, of learning to struggle, of the heartbreaking doctor appointments…Philip Roth never holds back. He doesn’t protect from the sorrow, or grief. He tells his life’s story with honesty and shameless openness that requires not only brilliant clarity, but also the strength of love, love of the kind passed down from a good father to a worthy son.

This is a difficult book with an extraordinary writing and should be considered by anyone who has, is or will ever care for an aging parent.

- by Simon Cleveland

" The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague In History" by John M. Barry

Upon completion of this book, one is left with mixed feelings. Almost immediately it becomes apparent that an enormous effort went into researching and writing the story. At the same time one can’t escape the sense that the author struggled in the beginning with how he envisioned the structure of the book. For the first quarter of the book (roughly 140 pages), the readers suffers thorough agonizing details about the conditions of the medical schools in America at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Page after page, line after line, tiresome details of political influence and academic struggles to build the best medical system in the world (for one who is interested only in the Influenza pandemic, this appeared intrusive and out of place. Part 1 through 4 read like a PR campaign for Johns Hopkins University. The question lingers – Why? ).

To learn truly about the devastating effects of the disease, I highly recommend skipping to part 5 and reading all the way through part 10. This portion of the book tells a gruesome story and by far represents the most in-depth material I’ve found far as to the spread of the infections, statistical numbers as to the dead, as well as the measures to protect against (or lack of measures) taken by public officials.

The remainder of the book again dips into unnecessary biographical information of semi-successful researches hunting for the Influenza pathogen. If short on time, skip to the new Afterward, in which the author posses some critical questions regarding the current state of preparedness should another pandemic hit the world.

Overall, the book is good, but it drags in places. In the end, it is only worth for its research into the spread of the disease and its destructive effects.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Desperate Characters" by Paula Fox

With exceptional imagery, similar to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Paper”, or Cynthia Ozick’s “The Pagan Rabbi”, Paula Fox weaves a powerful drama, this one in search of questions as to the values of the modern family, the struggle for personal identity.

At the center of the book we find a middle-aged woman who, in an act of kindness, suffers a wound inflicted by a street cat. Over the course of several days, she questions not only the need for treatment, but also her marriage, her devotion to her husband and the outcome of her personal choices.

The book, although short, is packed with exceptional observations and requires numerous readings and analysis. The author masterfully paints the ever transitioning complexities of modern society, the transformation of values (both within the family, as well as within society as a whole), the degradation of dreams, friendships, the faith in the modern and the faith in one’s self.

I encourage your to tickle your intellectual senses and devote a good portion of your free time to understanding the message of “Desperate Characters”.

- by Simon Cleveland

"1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" by Charles Mann

Attention: this book will generate a whole new interest in you – a rare hunger for knowledge and understanding of the historical progression of the peoples of the North and South American continents.

What Jared Diamond did for the Old World with his “Guns, Germs and Steel” and “Collapse”, Mr. Mann does with this book. With an exceptional clarity of thought and abundant research, the author examines the Paleo-Indian civilizations with their demographics, cultural development, agricultural and scientific advancements, architectural and religious inclinations.

From rare archeological finds to modern theories of migration, the author’s accounts of the life and times of the early inhabitants of the Western hemisphere never failed to surprise or fascinate me. The book examines in detail the lost civilizations of the Incas, the Mayas, the Olmec, the Clovis and a host of tribes in North America.

I was awestruck to find that Indian civilizations were actually the ones to discover the Wheel, the number 0 (zero), and the modern Calendar among other things.If you enjoy a good non-fiction reading, this is the book for your. I also believe this should be a required reading for all High School students.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Twenty Seventh City" by Jonathan Franzen

"The Twenty Seventh City" is Jonathan Franzen’s first book, but his debut is exceptional. Had I read this book back in the late eighty when it was first released, I’d followed Franzen’s career more closely. Not many twenty-something year-olds can write with such clarity, stamina and talent.

The story takes place in Franzen’s home city of St. Louis. It follows the devious raise and fall of an American-born female with an Indian descent (we are talking Bombay Indian), desperate to win the elections for unification of the County and City. Of course, Franzen introduces numerous other characters and masterfully examines not only their relationships, but their complex internal natures, emotions, aspirations and needs.

This is a book that replaces TV, internet and radio as a sort of entertainment. You’ll get home from work, school, whatever, and would want to grab it and loose yourself in it. You’ll go to bed with it and wake up with it. It’s well thought, entertaining and intricate. I highly recommend it.

-by Simon Cleveland

"Candide" by Voltaire

If you liked ‘Don Quixote’ or ‘The Alchemist’, you’ll enjoy ‘Candide’.

My personal opinion of the genre of ‘fables’ is that unless one is intimately familiar with the author’s biography and is sufficiently versed in history, books like ‘Don Quixote’, ‘The Alchemist’, or ‘Candide’ should only be read before bedtime and to an audience of no older than 12 years of age.

Like any other fable, ‘Candide’ raises a few of the basic questions of life: wealth, the issues of free will, religion, optimism in the hardest of times, metaphysics of life and of course - love. Expect that a lot is hidden behind the names of the numerous characters introduced by Voltaire. Some of the examples the author uses do not sit well with me – take the one with the raping Bulgarian warriors and their king (by the time the book was written, Bulgaria was into its 400th year of Ottoman slavery without any kings or queens). At times the book drags, especially with Candide’s endless voyages, or recount of impossible stories.

I’d rather reread ‘The Stranger’ by Camus than read this one for the first time.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Underworld" by Don DeLillo

A bag of mulch with a few well concealed marbles in it

Ah, whatever happened to following a story neatly developed around several (and by that I mean no more than say 5 or 6) characters? Why, Don? Why do you have to taunt me? Why did you not only introduce 10 or more characters, but also jumped around in time? How much more confusing can you make this novel? Did you ever think of us, born after the clock struck 12 of December 31, 1970?

Truly, I was lost in the pages. I lost my way somewhere between 1953 and 1962. I tried. Believe me. I tried. I searched for signs. I looked for ways to make sense of this cacophony of historical events, of human emotions, of snippets of dialogs. I tried unsuccessfully. For 800 pages, Don, I tried. For 800 pages I lifted the lamp above my head and searched for a way to proceed forward. At some point the road was sufficiently lit. I followed Nick’s tracks for example in his adolescent explorations, but then I lost them again. Then my mind retracted in further confusion when you introduced the I-character, and then the Edgar-character, and many more, and ‘Me-lost again’.

Don, believe me, I loved ‘The Body Artist’. I liked ‘Cosmopolis’. But despite the monolithic effort, all I can say about your ‘Underworld’ is that it’s drenched in confusion, in post-modern babble. It’s a bag of mulch, Don, and I had to dig to find the very few marbles buried in it in order to satisfy my lust for Contemporary American Literature.
I actually felt truly sorry for the readers, for myself.

- by Simon Cleveland

“Everything Changes” by Jonathan Tropper

Amusing…but that’s all

“Everything Changes” by Jonathan Tropper is an amusing book. I read it while I was on a plane to Paris and it certainly made my 9 hour-American Airlines’-‘room-less’-sleepless- coach ride bearable (but now that I think about it, it must’ve been my warm and fuzzy anticipation of my wife and I’s romantic gateway to the Love capital instead)…it left me with a ‘more to be desired than fully satisfied’ feeling…you know the one I’m talking about.

I have to admit- I find certain repulsion to the Topper’s comic-foreseeable resolution to the story. Why is that? Could it be due to my own acceptance of the uncertainly life has to offer, of the knowledge that beyond the happy Hollywood ending life does not necessarily proceed as planned? Perhaps that’s why I crave the attractiveness of Franzen’s melancholic finality, to the inherited page-soaked realism always with a touch of sadness and despair (life doesn’t hide its secrets in Franzen’s works; life is naked, exposed, real).

Topper’s character, a young professional who’s about to get married, finds out not only that he is in love with his best friend’s wife, that the blood in his urine is not caused by cancer (I never really found out what caused it), but that his estranged father is a lot more messed up than previously anticipated (fathering and then again dumping a 4th son for someone else to raise). In the end, like all who write in anticipation of capturing Hollywood producers’ attention, Topper sticks to the plan and never ventures to surprise the reader. The story ends with a bitter-sweet ‘everyone gets what they wanted in the first place’ account which was ‘what I didn’t want to read but was stuck in the plane’ reading.

- by Simon Cleveland

"The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell

As usual – Highly Educational

Like his “Blink: the power of thinking without thinking”, “The Tipping Point” is another of Malcolm Gladwell’s brilliant studies on the psychology and behavior of the masses. The message of the book is simple and it translates into: “If you want to spread a message to the masses and get the expected response, find and encourage the Connectors, make sure your message is sticky enough and finally, be mindful of the power of the context”.

Highly educational, the book offers several good examples from our daily lives (ranging from the marketing and social successes of the Sesame Street TV show, or the reduction of crime in New York City) supported with plenty of valuable commentary, analysis and research.

If you are in search of a good non-fiction book with a solid message and a remarkable common sense, this is your book.

-by Simon Cleveland

"The Professor and the Madman" by Simon Winchester

Who says murder is an unjustified act?

The Oxford English Dictionary - a 20-volume work of art, which took nearly 80 years to prepare and includes over 300,000 entries (and approximately 350 million characters), quite frankly owes its existence to the aid of one William Chester Minor, an American, graduate of Yale, physician, an American Army Officer, (and yes!) a Schizophrenic and a murderer. Simon Winchester (author of the memorable "Krakatoa" and "The Map That Changed The World"), reveals in his "The Professor and the Madman" the mystery behind the creation of the biggest, most up-to-date, authoritative, and accessible reference work in the world - The Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Via his masterful narrative, he examines the life of one of the two Americans (both insane by the way) who took part in the cataloging of over 10,000 entries of the final version of the OED. Interesting, isn't it? The book is truly very engaging. It explores the darker side of the human psyche and I can't shake the bizarre feeling that has it not been for the murder, which William Minor committed one April morning in 1872, his substantial contribution to the OED might have never occurred (and subsequently the OED might have taken a lot longer to complete and might have looked a lot different). I'll leave it up to you to be the judges of that. I recommend this book to all those readers interested in the trivia that often encompasses some of the history's major works of art (and science too).

- by Simon Cleveland

"Cosmopolis" by Don DeLillo

“Cosmopolis” by Don DeLillo is a story about the powers of greed, lust and revenge as seen through the eyes of post-modern nostalgia and technology obsession. Written in DeLillo’s characteristically poetic and often harmonic lyrical tone, the story is wrapped up in certain sadness and longing after the basic human emotions lost in a society stricken by the plague of information technology, heartless bits of 1’s and 0’s, media driven global financial markets and of course the demonic obsession with money.

The pages seem soaked in this cold blue neon light of radiating motion, of brutal cause and effect relationships, of sorrowful physiological weaknesses. At the center sits a powerful yet uncharacteristically young broker who proceeds to gamble away his fortune against the movements of the Japanese yen (against his instincts and nature) from the comfort of his mobile office (his limousine).

The book is worth exploring, if not for the story, for its honest and open narrative that does not cringe or retract when exposing the shameful but realistic qualities of the human physique. I recommend this book for those readers who are interested in DeLillo’s unforgettable language talent.

- by Simon Cleveland

“Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking” by Malcolm Gladwell

Fascinating and Very Useful

Full of useful and more importantly need-to-know information, “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking” by Malcolm Gladwell is one of the books that brake out of the traditional non-fiction genre to deliver more than the promised and subsequently anticipated content. The title is engaging in a sense that it reflects some powerful and mysterious skill set humans possess but are somehow not aware of. However, this is not a self-help book but one that none the less helps with its message. Its multiple examples reveal what once seemed conceivable but not cognitively possible. Who knew there is a study proving men over 6 feet earn on average $5,000 a year more than shorter men do? And how stunned can one be if one learned facial expressions are not necessarily evoked by emotions, but quite the opposite – facial expressions do evoke emotions (try it yourself, force yourself to smile for 5 minutes and observe the results afterwards)?

The author constructs the book by offering remarkable incidences and then examining the core networks of their causes, while at the same time drawing some powerful conclusions. In the end, even if you are unsure about the book, whether by looking at its cover, or reading reviews about it, I encourage you to pick up a copy in a bookstore or at the library and read the first 10 pages– you wouldn’t be disappointed. Overall, I highly recommend it.

-by Simon Cleveland

“You Are Not A Stranger Here’ by Adam Haslett

It never quite lifts off the field of the common.

The reason why I picked up a copy of "You Are Not A Stranger Here" by Adam Haslett was because I stumbled on an article recently claiming Jonathan Franzen praised the author. Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed.

The book is a compilation of short stories, most of which involve a man or woman in need of some sort of medical assistance (a 70+ year old Alzheimer’s patient, a severely depressed homosexual – actually there are two stories of this kind, a Schizophrenic woman, a doctor who’s treating a patient). The connotation of the stories borders on the bizarre, but it never quite crosses the border between unusual and exceptional. I attributed this to the fact that the author is making his debut with this book and does not want to overly expose the narrative, so instead he cautiously treads.

My recommendation is as follows: If you can find this book in a library, take a look at it, you may find something spiritually helpful. If you are thinking about spending some money on a book go for “The Body Artist” or “How To Be Alone” instead.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Terra Incognita" by Sara Wheeler

I felt sorry for the trees that died to make "Terra Incognita" by Sara Wheeler. Once in a while a person accidentally stumbles on an especially annoying book. One written particularly because a desperate publisher made a phone call, or mailed a letter with a check to an author with the words: “It’s time to write another one, Shirley…” and the author hurled herself to write, without a plan, without ideas and the only thing that came out was a dull diary filled with self pity, anti-Americanism, sexism and generally criticism… Well, this is one of those books and I truly feel sorry for the trees that have to die annually to satisfy the erroneous marketing projections of underpaid book editors in the current cost-cutting environment (especially after the advent of Print-on-Demand) in order to deliver such hideous and mind numbing gems. Yet I am also grateful. I’m grateful for these sacrifices because they serve to carry a message to the reader, which he or she can carry to you the broader audience. That message is - DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS BOOK AND THIS AUTHOR.

In terms of content – well, there is no story here. This is simply a tedious account of a lonely woman who spent someone else’s money to visit Antarctica and record her daily experiences. What kind of experiences, you wonder?

The kind that go like this”

“…we took off over the frozen sound toward the Transantarctics…”
“…we could see individual birds waddling about with stones in their beaks…”
“…Later that day we landed at the snout of the Mawson Glacier for a picnic...”
“…so we all had our own few feet of privacy. It was hot and dark inside…”
“…and later we saw all their small yellow tents pitched in the distance...”

and go on and on and on…

Occasionally the author makes references to Scott’s, Shackleton’s and other expeditions, but in no way enough to stir imagination or interest. I doubt you’d learn anything new from this book.

If you are truly interested about Antarctica, the history behind the conquests and a first person account of the harshness of the pole and its frozen lands, check out “Race to the Pole: Tragedy, Heroism, and Scott's Antarctic Quest” by Ranulph Fiennes.

Yield to reason – ignore this one.

- by Simon Cleveland

"Strong Motion" by Jonathan Franzen

I just finished reading “Strong Motion” by Jonathan Francine. No surprises here – the book, like all his works, is an astonishing piece of art. The story takes place in New England where the reader learns to navigate cognitively through the suburbs of Boston, Harvard Yard, around old towns like Ipswich and Peabody and into the mind of the author with his personal experiences of these old places.

In the midst of elaborately descriptive paragraphs (Franzen bravely forges ahead with an impressive knowledge of seismology), the reader learns of a new geological theory - if a chemical company pumps waste into the depths of Earth long enough, it’d surely create cataclysmic events, powerful earthquakes, destruction and a host of other things that accompany mass hysteria. The main character is this twenty something year-old boy named Louis who’s out on his own, navigating through life, jobless, penniless, learning to fall in love with an older woman (Harvard University doctor), making the mistake of his life and trying to redeem himself. Ah, what a rich work of emotions, strong motions, with powerful ‘show-you’ narratives rather than ‘tell-you’ mundane lectures. I read and read and read and loved it and I’m sure you would too. I highly recommend it.

- by Simon Cleveland