Review: The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un

The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un by Anna Fifield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was 100% fascinating. Given the rare glimpses and the misinformation involved with North Korea, it is all sorts of interesting to have someone give a coherent (or as coherent as can be expected) account of Kim Jong-un's life.

Having attended school in Switzerland a few years prior to Kim Jong-un, I had heard various rumors about him and his siblings there, so it was good to read something that made a bit more sense.

Some of the information was truly surprising, such as the use of meth in North Korea. Some of those user rates seemed extremely high, so I wonder if they can be verified in any way.

The chapter on the talks with Trump was excellent: "After all, the leaders of the two countries had only seven years of political experience between them. Six of them were on Kim Jong Un's side." And then they struck a deal. The country that has reneged on ALL of its nuclear deals promised a vaguely worded agreement of working toward the denuclearization of the peninsula (which, weirdly, would include South Korea). In exchange the U.S. ordered the suspension of US military exercises with South Korea (which was a surprise to South Korea and Japan).

When Kim Yo-Jong (Kim Jong-un's sister) went to South Korea for the olympics, she stayed in the hotel suite, but she brought her own cot to sleep in, and didn't leave one fingerprint or strand of DNA. When Kim Jong-un attended the summit in Singapore, his agents occupied his suite for two days after he left in order to get rid of every single trace of DNA he may have left. As much as the west likes to make fun of them, these guys really seem to know what they're doing now.

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Review: Your Duck Is My Duck: Stories

Your Duck Is My Duck: Stories by Deborah Eisenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I felt at times that this book was written for people with a higher IQ than mine. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it. Each one of the stories had something to contribute, and while I understood and enjoyed some, some left me completely perplexed. I barely caught a few subtle allusions here and there, which makes me think I probably missed a couple more.

And if anyone understood the story "Merge" please let me know. That one left me very confused, but very curious.

Probably 4.5 stars

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Review: Poesie

Poesie by Catullus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Why is it that every time I read something in Latin I revert back to being a middle schooler? Well, aside from the fact that I was a middle schooler when I studied Latin. I find myself finding all the curse words and "fun" expressions and seeing how they were used in Latin. And Catullus provided plenty of material for that.

Regardless, I enjoyed this, although more the translation than anything. I probably enjoyed some of his shorter love poems to lesbia (which were apparently dedicated to Sappho) more than the longer epics he seems to be known for.

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Review: The Bridegroom Was a Dog

The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yōko Tawada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING AND IT WAS SO WEIRD BUT I THINK I ENJOYED IT BUT I'M NOT SURE.

The first one "The Bridegroom was a dog" made no sense to me. The second story "Missing heels" just seemed like one long dream, while the last one, "The Gotthard Railway", was my favorite since it talked about places I know and love.

Just like with "Memoirs of a Polar Bear", I'd give these somewhere between 1 and 5 stars. Rounding up to 4 stars this time because she mentioned Ticino and the Gotthard tunnel.

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Review: Death Sentences

Death Sentences by Suzanne Myre
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

These were very hit or miss. Pretty much all of them discussing either death, pets, or some combination thereof.

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Review: Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison by Charles W. Calhoun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A president who is known only for being sandwiched in between the terms of another unknown president, despite being the grandson of a third (semi-)unknown president.

Despite this, however, he was a pretty capable individual, although certainly not singular. The author seemed to gloss over Harrison's whole Hawaii annexation (which basically turned the U.S. into a colonial empire), and I would've enjoyed more gossip about his marriage to his niece, which the author seemed keen to avoid.

I find it very curious to read about how the Republican party during this time is Northern, pro-civil rights (and anti-slavery) and pro-big government. In many respects the complete opposite of what it is today. It will be interesting to see how this all becomes inversed over the next century.


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Review: The Quiet Boy

The Quiet Boy by Nick Antosca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent short story. Reminded me of Shirley Jackson in a way. Possibly because I don't read many other short thrillers.

4.5 stars

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Review: The Girl from Venice

The Girl from Venice by Martin Cruz Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a light and quick-paced novel taking place in Italy at the end of WWII. All things that rank favorably for me. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find the talk about fishing and boating at all boring. I found it pretty fascinating in its own way, and it was pretty much the sum of character development.

Which brings me to the issue I had with this. The characters just seemed odd for some reason. I felt like I had stumbled in halfway through the book or something. They kept saying and doing things that seemed odd, with no real explanation. This included Cenzo, the protagonist, when dealing with them. Why does he feel he can say this and that to one person and not another? Why does he go to this person's house and not the other's? It all just seems to be quite random. Maybe I need my hand held more or something, but there you go.

Anyway, 3 stars in all, since I enjoyed Cenzo, his fishing, and his friends back home.

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Review: The Square

The Square by In-hun Choi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Apparently this is considered a classic in Korean literature, and I am sure I don't appreciate it fully for the time and place in which it was written (I know that it was written shortly after books like it were even allowed to be printed). There is probably also quite a bit of symbolism that is over my head.

It covers a man moving from South Korea to North Korea and back South (and then to a "Neutral country"), starting before the war and ending after it, although there is pretty much nothing about the war itself.

The juxtaposition between the two countries was probably one of the first that was ever made in literature.

I did, however, find the protagonist pretty annoying at times. I guess it was due to principle, but he seemed rather spoiled, naive and too idealistic at times. I'm not sure if this was on purpose or not.

The ending was really beautiful in its own way.

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Review: The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse

The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse by Pierre Abélard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Someone needs to make a movie based on these two. 2 extremely intelligent people falling in love. Taking place in the middle ages in Paris and Northern France. They must hide, escape, have a son while on the run, and then finally return and get married. And that's when the trouble starts, and the husband gets castrated and persecuted and the couple is separated forever, relying on these letters to communicate from thenceforth.

Having said that, Abelard does come across as pretty annoying and condescending in these. I don't doubt his intelligence, but neither does he. I did enjoy the arguments as to why women are stronger than men in the Bible (starting around p. 118).

I wish more were written about the final group of letters. If they really were written by Abelard and Heloise it would really add quite a bit, since the tone and subject matter is so different from the other correspondence.

I also wish I knew what happened to Astrolabe.

4.5 stars

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Review: Where The Story Starts

Where The Story Starts by Imogen Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, I'm going to try to comment on this without spoilers, but no promises...

The two main men in this story (the father and son) were extremely childish and spoiled. Even for spoiled rich men they seemed exceedingly so. And their childishness was only surpassed by how frustratingly servile the women were (both the mother and daughter, but especially the mother), protecting and indulging these men at every turn. So in the end the main man never had his comeuppance (when he is found out, the person doesn't reveal it to him or to anyone else, and when he causes a woman's death, he never finds out and lives in ignorant bliss) and never realized how his decisions had real consequences.

All that aside, I rather enjoyed this.

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Review: The Volta Santo of Lucca

The Volta Santo of Lucca by Pietro Lazzarini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A pretty full informational booklet about il Volto Santo, from the legend, to the actual history, to what we really know about its history (and how). It also details famous and holy people who have had to do with the Volto Santo, and general description of how focal it has been to Lucca as a city.

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Review: Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis and Clare of Assisi

Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis and Clare of Assisi by Jon M. Sweeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not really about the friendship between Francis and Clare of Assisi, since they hardly ever interacted, other than at the very beginning and for a famous meal together.

However, this was still very interesting. Particularly about how badly (and quickly) Francis's teachings were subverted and altered after his death. In fact, even though he left precise instructions, and said that these directions were not to be changed, they still were completely.

Also interesting how his followers (the spirituals) included Ubertino of Casale, of "Name of the Rose" fame.

I get the impression that he probably came closest to taking the life of Christ (and therefore the Bible) literally, getting rid of all his possessions.

I was also impressed by Clare of Assisi, who probably deserves much more acclaim, being the first female to develop her own "rules" in Catholicism.

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Review: Will It Fly?: How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don't Waste Your Time and Money

Will It Fly?: How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don't Waste Your Time and Money by Pat Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All in all I got some great notes. If you already have a business or product/service, you can pretty much skip the first chapters (although they're useful to review from time to time in life). Some great points later on. I especially plan on using the methodologies for searching forums for issues people may have, as well as the entire pre-order section. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

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Review: The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand out From The Crowd

The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand out From The Crowd by Allan Dib
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some of my notes from this book (since they don't fit in the private notes, once again. Come on Goodreads!):
4 stars for now. We'll see how it pans out once I apply all this. But I appreciate that everything seems actionable with little or no fluff.


*****
a good plumber isn’t necessarily the best person to run a plumbing business

Apply 80/20 to the 80/20 rule: 64/4 rule, or 96% of the stuff you do is a waste of time.

BEFORE: (prospects):

You want to work with them, they value your work, they are profitable

Target market:
What keeps them up at night? What are they afraid about? Angry about? angry at? what do they read/watch? What is their day like? What ONE thing do they want above all?
Create avatar.

Craft message:
Why do they want to become translators?
Don’t confuse them. (not too many options).
What objections do they have?
Take away pain points.


Reach market
Don’t get your name out there. Get prospect names in here.
One is the most dangerous number in business (do you just have one client? one supplier? one source of leads? offer one product?


DURING (Leads):

Capturing
Don’t be a hunter, be a farmer (long term relationships)

Nurturing:
Continuously nurture (more like 12 contacts before they become a client)
Market them until they buy or die.
Don’t be a pest, be a welcome guest.

Sales Conversion
How do I minimize risk? (guarantee returns? Testimonials!!)


AFTER (customers)

World class experience
Build a tribe
Sell them what they want, but give them what they need
Tell the audience about the effort going into this. (all the skills, the checks and balances, the backstory, etc.)

Increase customer lifetime value
Upsell: Sell the expensive thing, upsell cheaper things.
Try a voucher? (for every x spent you get something). Tipo if you get consulting you get the course for free or something.

Stimulating referrals
Just ask (was a pleasure working with you. If you know anyone in a similar situation, they can get a voucher for 10% off their consultation, and you receive 10% your next one).
orchestrate referral
Who has your clients before you?




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Review: Il ladro di ragazze

Il ladro di ragazze by Carlo Silini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All in all a good historical novel, with interesting twists and turns, taking place in the 1600's between Mendrisio and Northern Italy.

It did drag on at certain points, however, and could probably have been around 100 pages shorter (there were some tangents and meanderings that didn't seem to add anything to the story).

3 stars, but since it's so difficult to find historical novels taking place in Ticino, I'm bringing it back up to 4 stars.

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Review: Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland by Henry F. Graff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good, concise book about a rather uninspiring president. The first democrat in the white house since Buchanan, prior to the civil war. Probably best known for serving two non-consecutive terms.

Some interesting tidbits:
One of his daughters, Ruth, died young, but Baby Ruth candy was named after her.
Built a house in a park North of the White House, now it's Cleveland Park.
The city, Cleveland, was named after his ancestor.
The whole story of the tumor in his mouth and having it removed in secret on a boat seemed fascinating.
He was against taking possession of Hawaii.



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Review: Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant by W. Chan Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely some good pointers from this book. I have copious notes that I'm going to have to sort out now.

EDIT: Reread this around 2 years later to apply it to my business. Let's see how it turns out. I can't help thinking it all seemed very anecdotal though. How many companies applied these same concepts but didn't achieve success? Anyway, we'll see how it goes...

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Review: La briscola in cinque

La briscola in cinque by Marco Malvaldi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nice, short, fun book, with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, although the main point was the Tuscan conversation, especially with the old guys in the bar. Recommended for all those who miss Tuscany. I will be checking out the others in this series.

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