Review: Morgan: American Financier

Morgan: American Financier by Jean Strouse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I see some complaints that this book doesn't concentrate enough on finance and discusses Morgan the person too much. I wonder what a biography is supposed to do, if not discuss the person. My background is in finance and economics, but learning about the person shows me the why behind many of his decisions and statements.

Having said that, the economics and finance of the time were super interesting, and the financial world was obviously very different back then. 

This book is a massive endeavor, and I found some parts more interesting than others (I confess the list of artworks, and how and why he bought them, didn't interest me as much). But overall it was an extremely informative look into the life of a man who, beyond being rich, was extremely influential during his time. Pretty much single-handedly reversing the financial panic of 1907 (we probably could've used someone like him in 1929, or 2008 for that matter). 

Incredible to think it took 15 years to research/write this book. Although I can't help wondering how much the "House of Morgan" coming out in 1999 had to do with that. 

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Review: The Last Of Hanako

The Last Of Hanako by Ch'oe Yun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed both these stories quite a bit. I almost feel like it's a view of Korean society from the outside looking in, if that makes any sense.

UPDATE:

After re-reading the book, I can confirm that both stories are still enjoyable. The first story is more poignant than I remember it, while the second was pretty much as I remembered. I'm still amazed this is the same author as "Mannequin", which I didn't really enjoy at all. These stories are a very different style. 

Since Goodreads doesn't specify it, the translation is by Ju-chan Fulton.          

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Review: Beginning with My Streets: Essays and Recollections

Beginning with My Streets: Essays and Recollections by Czesław Miłosz

I thought I would find the first part, discussing Vilnius and Lithuania, the least interesting, since I know so little about that region. But it turned out to be enthralling. Especially his back and forth with Tomas Venclova. I confess the other sections then didn't retain my interest all that long, and this book probably should've been a dnf for me. This is mainly because I think Milosz is too poetic and philosophical for me, and I just found it hard to keep up. For this reason I won't give a rating, but I'd rate the first part 4.5 stars. 

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Review: My Innocent Uncle

My Innocent Uncle by Ch'ae Man-Sik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very pleasant surprise. These stories seemed quite nuanced in their critique. Yes, obviously the Japanese occupiers were extremely bad, but the government prior to it also took advantage of the people rather than look out for them. And quite possibly the government after as well. Also, the people who went along with the Japanese during occupation didn't necessarily get what they bargained for. 

These are three stories: My Innocent Uncle, about a (pretty brainwashed) pro-Japanese laborer complaining about his leftist Uncle who is against Japanese rule. "A Ready-Made Life" is about an "educated" man not being able to build a life during the time of occupation. And "Once upon a Paddy" was probably my favorite, describing how life for the poor was corrupt before Japanese occupation, with nothing much changing after (and the confusion reigning in the interim). 

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Review: Botchan

Botchan by Natsume Sōseki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This may have been my favorite Soseki book so far. Botchan, over time, becomes semi-relatable and likeable. Overall an enteraining series of occurrences as Botchan goes to a small town to become a teacher, and becomes involved in the goings on about town. 

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Review: The Chronicle of Manchwidang

The Chronicle of Manchwidang by Moon Soo Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whenever I get the feeling a book has ended mid-story, I can only assume I missed something, whether plotwise or symbolic (usually symbolic). This was what happened here. The story was quite interesting, building up gradually as the son makes his journey South, leading to a culmination toward the end, only to conclude... I'm not sure how. Oddly, I guess. With a sort of whimper. Which is why I assume I'm missing something. Probably some of the symbolism of "Manchwidang" itself. 

But this might also be due to my reading in translation. If the Hangul, or even the Hanja of Manchwidang were shown it might help. Am I right in thinking one version was "滿醉" (very drunk), while the 'official' one was "萬歲" (10,000 years)? 

Still, an enjoyable short story. 

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Review: The Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life

The Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life by Jay Belsky

I was reading this purely from a practical, personal point of view (I have a 4 year old and we're trying to raise her well). I confess that, although this was created for the layperson, I found myself skipping to the conclusion of the chapter for several of these, since I wasn't all that interested in the nitty gritty of the study methodology (I'm in no position to reject or accept any of their findings, regardless). 

Some of the most interesting takeaways have to do with self-control of the child, and how important this is later in life, and has more on a bearing on their life than raw intelligence. 

The findings on daycare were interesting too (possibly one of the few positives of Covid, then, may be that our daughter didn't have nearly as much daycare as she would have otherwise). While quality of daycare matters somewhat, pure quantity is much more important (broadly put, the more the worse). 

I'm not really in a position to give it a rating, but I found it mildly to just a little useful, and moderately interesting. 

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Review: Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō

Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō by Yoshida Kenkō
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perfect for night-time reading. Relaxing, enlightening and interesting thoughts by a 14th century Japanese monk. 

Some of my notes:

"They call liquor the chief of all medicines, but it is, in fact, the origin of all sicknesses. [...] As for the future life, liquor deprives a man of his wisdom and consumes his good actions like fire; he therefore increases the burden of sin, violates many commandments and, in the end, drops into hell. [...]. Though Liquor is as loathsome as I have described it, there naturally are some occasions when it is hard to dispense with. On a moonlit night, a morning after snowfall, or under the cherry blossoms, it adds to our pleasure if, while chatting at our ease, we bring forth the wine cups. Liquor is cheering on days when we are bored, or when a friend pays an unexpected visit"

(No. 175)

"Oshiki corresponds to the tonic note A. Interesting that this tone was used in both East and West for tuning" 

(Note on No. 220)

No. 79. 

The story about the monk getting his head trapped in a pot (No. 53) was pretty wild. 

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Review: Weasels in the Attic

Weasels in the Attic by Hiroko Oyamada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nothing at all like "Factory". These are 3 short stories, which tie together, and deal with family, having children, and friends. The opposite of action-packed, but in a good way. I thoroughly enjoyed this. 

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Review: In the Café of Lost Youth

In the Café of Lost Youth by Patrick Modiano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I can never resist a book taking place in the cafés of Paris, whether fiction or non, and this was no exception. In fact, the café spills over into the streets and we witness a bit of the lives of the people in the café. 

Anyway, I found the ambience and general feel much more appealing than the story itself, so I'm not really sure if I'm a Modiano fan or not. 

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