As the year rolls slowly to its end, one must reminisce and reflect on the number of books one has read, all of which would have contributed to one’s knowledge base and built one’s capacity. Always, a book does for me what nothing else not even Television where I spent three and a half decades can do for me. My mind is fully enriched and I do not have to read in public. It allows me time to reflect and enjoy nugget of wisdom from writers all by myself. A book always excites me and a good bookshop can entertain me for upwards of five hours non-stop. I am a living testimony of the benefits of books and I am quite literally a reading addict but then trust me, it’s a good thing. Here then are the latest collection on my desk and I am dipping in and out of them. Nirvana
1) Madeline Albright, Read my Pins. I have always admired Madeline Albright former American Secretary of State. She held this auspicious position when it was not so fashionable for a woman to be in charge in such a powerful position. She did so elegantly and opened doors for many more women to be in the same powerful position, Condoleezza Rice and Hilary Clinton. This week I saw her on television speaking truth to power on Christiane Amanpour’s show on CNN. As usual, she takes no prisoners and told President Trump candidly how he is slowly denigrating the American brand due mainly to his many misadventures including the latest one in the Middle East. Her book Read my Pins is love for a fashion accessory, the brooch, also often referred to as a pin. In this coffee table book, she tells us she uses her brooches to tell stories so if she wears an eagle, she is going for a good victorious meeting, if she wears a Serpent it may be not so good a meeting or someone has referred to her in negotiations as a Serpent. The book is a beautiful book, subtitled stories from a diplomat’s jewelry box. It’s a collector’s item.
2) I hid my voice by Paninoush Saniee author of the internationally acclaimed bestselling The Book of Fate, translated by Sanam kalantam. My recent interest in the mind’s hold on the body, anxiety disorders and depression led me to this incredibly nuanced book. This is the story of a four-year-old Shahaab who has not started talking. The doctor believes there is nothing wrong with him but in his innocent mind, he believes children who are talkative and clumsy like his elder brother are their fathers children while clumsy kids referred to as dumb by his traducers are their mother’s children. No one in the family understands him except his maternal grandmother who seems to possess the understanding and kindness he so desperately craves. Described by the Guardian of London as “memorable and nuanced dissection of a patriarchal society” and the Independent on Sunday as a book written “…passion and anger from the inside. It’s a compelling account.” This is a gem of a book.
3) My brother and friend, APC National Publicity Secretary and fellow Chevening scholar has written an engaging book on how the 2015 elections were won and lost. Titled, on a Platter of Gold, How Jonathan won and lost Nigeria, Bolaji brings insights and perspectives that provides analysis of the Nigerian political class. All politicians should read this book as all students of history. journalism and politics. This is a fascinating account not only from a brilliant journalistic mind but from the stable of a scholar who took his time to bring us the wares. Described by Editor in chief of the interview, Azu Ishiekwene as “a rare three dimensional view of the Goodluck Jonathan presidency”, this is a book to be read and re-read.
4) How to write better copy by Steve Harrison. This is a book for all those who want to communicate better. Be you an advertiser, a journalist, a broadcaster, a public servant, a private sector official, an entrepreneur or a brand expert. This book gives you easy steps to grab attention and prioritize your messages. It answers questions like How do you create a brief and make your copy flow, to how to make your writing interesting and everything from how to write an impactful headline to how to get the response you want. This is a book everyone who wants to communicate better must get a hold of.
5) To Pixar and beyond, my unlikely journey with Steve Jacobs by Lawrence Levy is an amazing book about the nexus between technological strides and entertainment. Clearly one cannot do without the other. Steve Jobs had invested fifty million dollars in Pixar that was lost when Levy took over as an executive of the animation studio. This is the story of how the company was turned around. They went on to make blockbuster animation movies including Toy Story. This is the insider account of how they ran one of the world’s greatest startups and a tribute to Levy’s enduring friendship with Steve Jobs.
