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Book Reviews

The Art Of War By Sun Tzu - BOOK REVIEW

14/3/2012

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You know how sometimes you find a book that makes you feel all pumped and inspired all the while that you are reading it? Yes? This isn't one of those books. Personally I didn't really enjoy it and I only reached the end because it's so short. You can finish it within a couple of hours.

This book has been heralded a classic and must-read for any business leader but I find its principles to be the polar opposite to what I believe is good and fair. It condones leadership with absolute control over one's "troops". I feel Sun Tzu's text is designed to 'groom' a thick skinned, heartless leader who's only focus is winning regardless of the tactics used. I'm a 'let's make love not war' type of girl so amongst the lines that I didn't like are:
  • "All warfare is based on deception." Personally, I think any business based on "deception" is not a good business and certainly not one to which I would want to give my good custom.
  • Of five dangerous faults which may affect a general Tzu includes "Over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble." That to me says, think of your men as resources nothing more, don't think about the fact that they have children and families, too much concern will lead to poor decision making. Really?
  • "Bestow rewards without regard to rule, issue orders without regard to previous arrangements; and you will be able to handle a whole army as though you had to do with but a single man." Tyrannical much?
However, there were a couple lines that I thought of as good:
  • "Ponder and deliberate before you make a move." Fair enough.
  • "He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them." A fair warning against complacency.
  • "Fight not unless the position is critical." Agreed but I personally think we still fight willy nilly.
If you feel like reading it anyway, it's very cheap on kindle. p.s. you know you can read kindle books via your PC or your phone, right? I have been reading books via my iPhone since 2009 and I love it. I still buy non-fiction books though. And if the book is really good I want both digital and physical copies - greedy!

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The End Of Marking Time By CJ West - BOOK REVIEW

10/3/2012

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I think this is what they call a “modern day classic”. 100% original and remarkably perceptive of people’s motivations and behaviors. It’s extremely reminiscent of Orwell’s “1984” but is different enough to make it trés original. Thoroughly refreshing and I strongly recommend it as a must-read.

In the book a 'professional' thief goes into a coma and when he wakes up four years later the whole legal system has changed. Prisons no longer exist and in their place is a relearning/reeducation system designed to teach people the error of their ways. The protagonist Michael O'Connor is a guy with great intentions but each time he is out to help someone he uses the only skill he has: breaking and entering. He finds the whole reeducation system painful and wants a way out of it. I won't tell you how the story ends you can find that out for yourself but it will definitely get you thinking.

The book got me thinking about a lot of issues. For instance, the focus away from imprisonment to relearning civil skills; the difficulty of reeducating people that have gone too far down the wrong path; the importance of a good upbringing with two loving parents; the difficulty of catching white-collar crime; the inevitability of governmental control over us - with so many transactions recorded on loyalty cards, credit cards and on the internet the Government can more effectively control all of us - there no point in not conforming e.g. by avoiding taxes as you will almost certainly get caught.

The last book I read (Private London by James Patterson) took me a month because I kept finding something else to do, it didn't grab my attention. This one took two days although it was slightly longer and I work full-time! ​

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    Heather Katsonga-Woodward

    Time allowing, I love to read.  If I read anything interesting, I will blog about it here.

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Heather Katsonga-Woodward, a massive personal finance fanatic.
** All views expressed are my own and not those of my employer ** Please get professional advice before re-arranging your personal finances.
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