Book Review: ReWork

Opinions are like a Box of Chocolates

Life is full of opinions, advice and people of the opinion that they are giving good advice. Many veterans from the world of Big Business feel the need to share their knowledge, to help others and – of course – to sell books and cash in on them with speaking engagements. The biggest obstacle they run into: the ambitious professionals they are trying to inform, are too busy working late and climbing ever upwards on the career ladder to make time for someone telling them how to do things differently.

The best way to tackle this problem: deliver the information bite-sized, be to the point and make it look like something someone could enjoyably inhale within one or two lunch breaks. It famously worked for Spencer Johnson’s bestseller Who Moved My Cheese?. Marketing guru Seth Godin also has a couple of very successful books in print, using the same principle: Free Prize Inside being his first and The Dip being a recent New York Times bestseller. Godin’s books are indeed fun to read, but then you would expect so from a writer whose whole career has been built around connecting with an audience.

New kids on the business book block are Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, with their title ReWork. They are no strangers to writing, contributing to Signal vs. Noise, one of the web’s ‘most popular’ blogs, and they follow the nugget approach, with success. On top of their writing accomplishments, Fried and Hansson are the founders of 37signals, a ‘trailblazing’ software company with an unusual structure: there are a relatively small amount of employees, spread out over different countries, working across time zones. Every once in a long while, everybody meets up in person to touch base. The 37signals work ethic is interesting: overwork is frowned upon, Facebook and YouTube distractions are okay and the time spent in meetings is kept to a bare minimum.

Their book is a rapid-fire of ideas. Some examples: don’t always try to grow bigger on principle, as it might be bad for your company, don’t always do what the customer wants and don’t stress yourself out about skipping ‘good’ to get to ‘great’ straight away.

You might want to reread ReWork after the first time you finish it, as you are likely to zip past the various concepts só fast that a lot of them won’t stick with you. Beware that some of the ideas likely won’t be applicable to you: the book flap makes it seem like the book will be highly useful to everybody. However, it’s mostly geared to people who are (thinking of) running a business, and a few points are specific to the software industry. For instance, 37signals institutes long periods of ‘alone’ time, so people can work on projects efficiently, without distractions from colleagues. There are plenty of jobs however, where communicating with colleagues and customers makes up a large part of the actual work.

While the writing is nice and lean, the book – in its hardcover edition – has been injected with some steroids it seems: large margins and space-wasting but not terribly useful illustrations make the book unnecessarily bulky. It was clearly done to make the book look more appealing, but feels like overkill. Rest assured however, that it’s not overcompensation for something lacking in the content department. Fried and Hansson themselves appreciate a good writer: ‘Writing is today’s currency for good ideas’. They advise to always hire the better writer, in case of doubt, the thought being that someone who can express his ideas clearly is a precious commodity, as it also indicates a clear mind. They would definitely hire themselves on the basis of this book.

Book Review: Sh*t My Dad Says

From Wit to Twit - Dads Say the Darnest Things

Twitter is becoming more and more entangled in popular culture. Not only are Classics like Romeo & Juliet and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off being relived there, there are now also phenomena that originate on Twitter, but make their way off there, into other media.

Case in point: Sh*t My Dad Says. From Twitter to book to television series; it’s a strange route to take, but none the less, that’s the route the Sh*t My Dad Says phenomenon will end up taking if the series gets off the ground. William Shatner would end up playing Sam Halpern, author Justin’s dad, a smart-yet-crude curmudgeon with a nifty turn of phrase.

How did it all get to this? When Justin had to move back in with his parents because of an unfortunate break-up, he decided to start Twittering things his dad said. Surprisingly quickly, his account went viral and spread all over Twitter. Inspired by this, HarperCollins decided to publish an accompanying book by Justin. It is a character study of his father, from Justin’s perspective, as he grows up. Each chapter describes an interesting ‘father event’ and is followed by a selection of his quotes. The short stories call to mind David Sedaris, but often lack the finesse and a twist. It’s a bit sad to say, but the most entertaining bits are still the quotes. Such as: ‘The dog is not bored. It’s not like he’s waiting for me to give him a f*cking Rubik’s Cube. He’s a goddamned dog.’ Or: ‘I’d say I was gonna miss you, but you’re moving ten minutes away, so instead I’ll just say don’t come over and do your f*cking laundry here.’

Still, if you are a fan of the Twitters and want to know more about the man behind the mouth, you should definitely check out Sh*t My Dad Says.

Sam’s response to all the hype around him is typically blunt and practical: ‘What do I give a f*ck? I don’t care what people think of me. Publish whatever you want.’

Book Review: Keith and the Girl's What do We do Now?

For all your rude but effective relationship advice

There’s a new relationship guide on the market and it has a bit of an attitude, as the subtitle indicates: smart answers to your stupid relationship questions. Not for those devoid of a sense of humour, clearly. The writers of What do we do now? are themselves a couple and they run one of the biggest podcasts out there: Keith and the Girl. They ‘air’ five free podcasts per week, each one with a run-time of somewhere between one and two hours. Topics are varied: news, celebrity gossip, personal experiences and relationships, all given a comic spin. It helps that within the varied supporting cast there are a lot of stand-up comedians to join in with entertaining banter.

The show is known and loved for being very un-PC while having its heart in the right place. N-words, F-words and plenty of other bad, bad words are regular visitors and it may take listeners a couple of shows to figure out that there’s no reason to take offense here, as it’s all coming from a good place. You might not always agree with the opinions that are being aired, but if you get riled up about something, there is room for discussion on the message boards at the Keith and the Girl site. Time difference permitting, you can even sound off and give feedback during the taping of the shows in a live chat room.

KATG has been keeping itself alive and running with the help of sponsors and merchandise sold through the site, but has now branched out into the publishing world with their book full of ‘modern advice for modern couples’. The book is divided in chapters by topic (In-Laws, Money, Sex and Kink, etcetera.). After a short and personal preface on the subject at hand, Keith and Chemda (aka ‘the girl’) reply to conundrums presented by their listeners. They do this separately, sometimes disagreeing with each other and getting into a discussion. The playful tone is apparent from page one, with Keith gate-crashing the introduction by his editor and berating him. Soon after, Chemda ‘speaks up’ for the first time:

Keith: Hey, baby! When’d you get here?

Chemda: They just edited me in, I guess.

Their advice tends to be funny, broadminded and blunt. As with the opinions on the podcast, you might get rubbed the wrong way from time to time, or just disagree, but you’ll easily get over that because you’ll find yourself smiling for much of the rest of the way. If the dynamics of relationships interest you, then this is a lighthearted sounding board for your own thoughts on the topic and a good book to read with a partner and discuss.

A sample chapter can be found through this link. Also check out a video promo for it. If the book tickles your funny bone, remember there are also over a thousand very entertaining free Keith and the Girl shows to feast your ears on, available through iTunes and the KATG-site. What do we do now? Now we buy the book.

Comic Book Review: The Walking Dead Compendium

The Walking Dead might just be those WITH a pulse…

The Walking Dead Compendium, which was released last year, collects the first 48 issues of an ongoing, gripping and moody comic book series, which deals with a doomsday scenario involving zombies. Not the fast-running, overly aggressive kind as seen in recent pop culture, but the old-fashioned, lumbering, dumb kind, that will – however – still rip you apart, given half the chance. They roam around in hungry herds, attracted to noise and movement but solitary ones may also pop up out of nowhere for a fatal surprise.

The Walking Dead has a large and mutable cast of characters-who-still-have-a-pulse, with frequent additions as old friends and foes fall by the wayside. The ‘lead’ is Rick, a policeman. In the first issue of the series, he wakes up in a hospital-bed from a coma, after having been shot in the line of duty. The siege on humanity is already well underway at this point, the cause unknown. Rick heads out to find his wife and son, hooks up with other survivors and turns into a leader of sorts, trying to keep everyone alive and out of despair.

The dynamic between the survivors is what makes this book tick. It’s not so much brain-eating that takes center stage but the effects on the human psyche of a global disaster, with no clear hope that the situation will ever get better. Some people go crazy, others commit suicide, or let their base instincts take over and prey on the weak, while a few soldier on and try to live their life with some semblance of normality. Disagreements about the best way to survive lead to aggression and in-fighting. As you might suspect, this isn’t a very cheery book, though there are some bright spots now and then to alleviate the grimness and there is always enough tension to keep you glued to the page, wondering what happens next. No one is safe in this comic and even long-time favorites may be given the axe – or more likely the ‘chomp’. Author Robert Kirkman has stated that even Rick may die at some point, the book going on without its (former) main character.

Kirkman started out this series with the pitch: a zombie movie that never ends. He was left wondering ‘What happened next?’ several times when the credits started to roll on undead classics and decided to come up with his own answer. Now nearing issue 70 of the series, there is still no explanation for the downfall of civilization as we know it and no end in sight. It’s a testament to the strength of Kirkman’s storytelling that you don’t feel annoyed by this lack of an explanation. Providing one might take away from the feeling of being overwhelmed and out-of-the-loop, and the reason would likely be somewhat silly in any case. The artwork suits Kirkman’s story well, being somewhat coarse and gritty: Charlie Adlard has been the artist from issue 7 onwards. Tony Moore did the much cleaner, detailed traditional artwork for the first 6 issues but had to bail due to time constraints.

The Walking Dead is currently in production as a television series by Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. It will only loosely be following the comic book series in terms of ongoing plot though, much in the same way Dexter – the series – only somewhat resembles Dexter – the books. So there is no excuse to miss out on the Compendium: dive into it as a primer to the characters and to just wallow in some good and moody storytelling. And rejoice, the credits won’t be rolling on this story anytime soon.

Book Review: Gay Travels in the Muslim World

Gay identity is denied in most Muslim countries. That there are men and women within those areas who primarily love people of their own gender is a biological certainty. But most of them would not label themselves 'gay' or 'lesbian', they would see the attraction as just one small aspect of themselves that they try to fit into their lives while adhering to what is expected of them by friends and - especially - family. Family is very important, both caring for the current generation as well as raising the next one. Getting married before you are thirty and having children is the only accepted way to live in many places. Not doing so could lead to loss of honour for you and your family. This means that most gay love and lust takes place behind closed doors and isn't acknowledged even while everybody around knows it happens. As long as there are no witnesses and it isn't talked about, everybody can pretend that no social mores are being broken.

Considering that gay sex is officially frowned upon and even punishable by death in many Muslim countries, the casual intimacy between men is one that will surprise many tourists. Much more than in Western countries, men are likely to be seen touching each other in a physically intimate way or even walking around the city hand in hand. The 'Western' gay identity threatens this way of interacting with each other by making it look suspect and threatens the entire family-oriented society. It introduces new options and choices that could upset the basis on which the society is built. Gay Muslims may start to question things and realise that the way their heart is pulling them does not have to point towards certain doom, but could lead them to a happy, if alternative, family life.

Gay Travels in the Muslim World is a series of autobiographical short stories, edited by Michael Luongo. It gives an impression of the Muslim world as described above. The majority of them deal with contrasts and conflicts between Western culture and Muslim culture, from varied perspectives. Most of the stories were written by Western visitors, one or two by people within the culture. The style, tone and attitudes of the writers vary, and while some of the tales are likely to annoy you, you will find a couple that are touching and interesting. I liked the story of an American who starts a long-distance romance with a Turk, only to find out he is married and has children. Rather than break up with his long-term lover, the Turkish man integrates him as an 'uncle' into his family, where he is lovingly accepted.

Not all stories are sweet though; in several of them, local men desperate for money and tourists desperate for sex with locals meet each other on a sharp and uncomfortable knife's edge between two cultures, using each other for selfish purposes.

All in all it is an interesting collection, well worth a read for anybody interested in this different perspective on gay identity. And if you want to take a more academic look at the topic, you may want to pick up Unspeakable Love - Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East.

Book Review: Wishful Drinking -Toasting Princess Leia

Carrie Fisher bares not-quite all in a funny memoir

Carrie Fisher's life was always an autobiography waiting to happen. As the daughter of the eccentric Debbie Reynolds - of Singing in the Rain fame, among many other roles - and singer Eddie Fisher, she grew up in a Hollywood family under great public scrutiny. Carrie compares their level of public interest to the Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie merger. Ms. Reynolds was soon dumped by Mr. Fisher for a certain Ms. Taylor, first name: Elisabeth. A merry dance of Hollywood relationships ensued, her parents making their romantic way among the famous and powerful.

Carrie meanwhile, landed a certain movie role that she would never live down, no matter how hard she still tries: that of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. The silly 'buns on the side' hairstyle and golden bra from Return of the Jedi haunt her to this day. She embarked on an ill-fated relationship with Paul Simon and then on an equally doomed relationship with a Hollywood producer who left her for a man, but not before gifting her with a much adored daughter. During all of this, she battled with what was ultimately diagnosed as bipolar disorder, and accompanying drug and alcohol problems. Oh, and I see I forgot to mention that one of her best friends died at her home one night.

Considering the large amounts of interesting material at her disposal, it is surprising how relatively thin the autobiography is that has finally hit bookstores: Wishful Drinking. When you also take into account its large black and white photo's and illustrations in combination with a large font size, it's no wonder that you will be able to go through it in a couple of hours. There are plenty of quotable lines to keep you entertained, but the book stays frustratingly close to the surface, skipping over interesting topics while hinting at untold depths. She allows the readers into her life, but only so far. She is admirably open, however, about her bipolar disorder and addiction problems. In fact, the reason for writing the book is supposedly that she is going through voluntary shock treatment to handle her condition and wants to capture her memories while she still has them.

Wishful Drinking apparently ties in with her one-woman show of the same name and it seems a little more could have been done to convert it into a 'proper' autobiography. There are jumps back and forth in chronology, certain events being referenced a couple of times in different chapters and some of the jokes are repeated. With references to Sarah Palin and the financial crisis, the book does feel fresh, but it gives the impression that it was rushed to the printer without a good final polish. Her writing is less tight than in her previous works, the most famous one being the semi-autobiographical novel Postcards from the Edge. Often Wishful Drinking reads like a speech that has been transcribed: too much spoken language and not quite literary. Still, for anybody curious about Princess Leia in the real world - or Hollywood in any case - it is good for an entertaining couple of hours, even if you don't learn much about the behind-the-scenes at the Star Wars movies. But I did come away from reading this book with the knowledge that according to George Lucas, there are no bras in space. Which is important to know.

Movie Review: Wanted

Wesley Allan Gibson (James McAvoy) is a bit of a loser, to put it mildly; broke, working a soul-deadening job and too wimpy to confront his friend about regularly boinking his girlfriend behind his back. To his considerable surprise, he suddenly and violently gets drafted into a fraternity of assassins for paternal reasons. He didn't know his father when he was growing up, but he turns out to have inherited dad's ability to speed up his heartbeat, allowing him to experience time as if things around him are happening in slow motion. This device is used to great aesthetic effect throughout the movie, by showing the most outrageous action scenes at a crawl, giving the viewer a chance to chuckle at the fantastic absurdity of it all. The 'cool' dial is cranked up all the way to eleven. It almost makes you overlook the complete lack of stealth in the approach of the assassins, who are causing merry mayhem and riding around on metro trains without any regard for witnesses and security cameras.

Wanted is definitely a case of style over substance, but puts up such a strong, full frontal assault of it that you are likely to give in. You will smile as a car bowls over a bus and then drives off the side of it. And you will shake your head appreciatively when a lethal bullet is followed backwards in time across a cityscape to land in the gun that fired it. Winning the gold medallion of 'cool' in this movie is Angelina Jolie. I am far on the gay end of the Kinsey scale, but seeing her in this movie made me slide considerably towards the middle. She is ridiculously sexy, gliding across the screen in supreme femme fatale mode.

The phrase that kept going through my mind while watching Wanted was 'collateral damage'. The killers in this movie operate under the philosophy that by taking one specific life they are presumably saving many others. But they are not too concerned with the lives of any number of bystanders when the bullets and cars start flying. Even the good guys have landed a fair amount of innocents in the morgue by the time the end credits roll, and none of those who survived seem too concerned about that. Death is also being dealt to characters who simply seem misguided, without giving them a chance to reassess their situation. This is understandable in a movie that needs slow motion gunfights and therefore cannon fodder, but it makes the killing seem completely random for the most part.

The movie was based on a graphic novel written by Mark Millar. He has said he will not be writing a sequel to Wanted in comic book form, but one or more sequels are sure to hit the movie theatres, hopefully bringing back its few surviving assets.

Wanted, 2008. 110 min. Director: Timur Bekmambetov. Starring: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman.