11: Read 3 books

The thing about a good book is that it lets you travel without moving your feet.

Back in school I used to love reading a good novel, between Alex Rider and Harry Potter I was turning pages till 1:00am in the morning. I remember buying the 7th book in the Harry Potter series before a flight home from England and falling asleep with my head in the pages. I was a modest reader, but as I grew older the dust settled on this hobby and my interest in reading waned. So, in creating these Challenges I wanted to revisit this enjoyable past time as a source of adventure, knowledge and wisdom. So I switched off the Netflix library of movies and went to my own bookshelf to see what I could discover. The three books I decided to read were: Chasing the Scream, The Art of War and Made in Australia.

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Made in Australia | Memoirs of an Australian Jewish Family

By Miriam Segal.

This book was particularly special because it was written by my Grandmother and it charted my family's history. It is a beautifully written and has a timeless wit and character that moves the reader through ten generations of familial heritage. The story begins in 1770 with Josselle Hollander of Amsterdam whose grandson lived in Jamaica where there was a flourishing cane sugar industry. The research and craft dedicated in this book is highlighted by the intricate and detailed recounts of 200 year old stories. That being said, my favourite chapters were towards the end when Grandma recounted old stories of my own father as a child. It was interesting to read that not much had changed for Dad in the last 50 years, he is still poking his tongue out when concentrating and waking up early to watch the golf.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the Segal/Joseph family history and about Jewish family life in Australia. A timeless classic that enshrines forever my family story.

★★★★★

Chasing the Scream | The Search for the Truth About Addiction

By Johann Hari

I first learnt about Chasing the Scream when listening to Johann Hari on the Joe Rogan podcast. This story is told through the lens of wonderful and weird characters, from a transexual drug dealer in New York to a homeless political activist in Vancouver to a bereaved mother in Mexico - in order to find the truth about drug addiction. The style is introspective but informative, and it challenges the reader to confront their own preconceived biases about drug addiction. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for their own answers about addiction, whether it is to help a friend, a family member or better understand themselves. A must read page turner.

★★★★★

The Art of War

By Sun Zu

This is a classic book on military strategy written in the 5th century BC. The poetry of the words still radiate despite being a Chinese translation. This book has been used time and time again as a reference point for warfare and business. It is an instruction manual on how to lead and motivate a team, beat your enemy in war and prepare for any circumstances. I am not a military general, so extracting value out of this book required interpretation and imagination.

The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambush. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.

This is my favourite quote in the entire book. I'm not sure why it stuck with me but it did. To me this quote means that if something is about to go awry pre-emptive signs will exist, so make sure to be vigilant, to avoid an ambush.

This book is teaming with small life lessons like this, so if you enjoy these jolts of motivation or clarity this is a book for you. However, if you are looking for something more immersive, then maybe give this one a miss.

★★★