So much to say, so many topics to write about after a brief hiatus. I’ll begin with the most interesting for readers. In homage to the annual Rude VC summer reading list, I’m advancing the book recommendations for those who are sheltering in place.
Let’s start with the rat stories. Rats have been on my mind lately. It all started with the advent of 2020 as the year of rat. Even aside from the Chinese zodiac tradition, current events bear witness to rats in the Western sense, say for example, the monumental U.S. government bailouts for billionaire hedge fund holders of junk debt in plain public sight. The lights are on, and the rats are in the room !
The Year of the Rat, by Chen Qiufan.
Human intervention in the natural order of animals produces disruptive results for humanity. Sound familiar ? In The Year of the Rat, the subject matter concerns genetically modified rats. Although I try to remain cognizant that I am interpreting this realist science fiction through a Western lens, Chen offers a commentary on educational systems which strikes me as relevant to all of us.
King Rat, by James Clavell.
I first read James Clavell’s literary debut King Rat decades ago as a child and decided to revisit it for the aforementioned motivations. However you may feel about Clavell’s later work, this novel stands the test of time better than the others. King Rat even offers some food for thought (pun intended) on an historical equivalent of modern monetary theory. I now realize that the novel’s protagonist was based on the author’s own experience as a prisoner of war during WWII.
Catch and Kill, by Ronan Farrow.
In 2017, a routine network television investigation led Ronan Farrow to a story only whispered about: one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers was a predator, protected by fear, wealth, and a conspiracy of silence. Do you see the recurring theme here ? As Farrow drew closer to the truth, shadowy operatives, from high-priced lawyers (surprise: the same firm who performed shenanigans on behalf of Theranos) to elite war-hardened spies, mounted a secret campaign of intimidation.
The Scientist and the Spy, by Mara Hvistendahl.
The Scientist and the Spy recounts the true story of an industrial espionage operation begun in 2011 in an Iowa cornfield. The dynamics of U.S.-China relations, zealous law enforcement, and corporate lobbyists make this tale particularly chilling in today’s era of Covid-19. Hvistendahl’s compelling writing style includes gems like this particular passage: “Kevin treated conversations about details like endurance sports. For an FBI agent looking for a friendly source with the patience to explain scientific concepts, he was ideal. For an agent hoping for a slip or an omission, he was a nightmare.”
Go Ahead in the Rain, by Hanif Abdurraqib
Nothing to do with rats, but I still find myself reminiscing on passages from Go Ahead in the Rain that I cannot recommend this masterpiece highly enough. This beautifully crafted book bills itself as a love letter to one of the greatest hip-hop sounds ever. It is most certainly that, and much more. Abdurraqib’s lyrical waxing simply inspires goosebumps. For instance, in an ode to the cassette mix tape, he explains the importance of making every song count: “No skippable songs meant that I wouldn’t have to take my thick gloves off during the chill of a midwest winter to hit fast forward on a Walkman, hoping that I would stop a song just in time. No skippable songs meant that when the older, cooler kids on my bus ride to school asked what I was listening to in my headphones, armed with an onslaught of jokes if my shit wasn’t on point, I could hand my headphones over, give them a brief listen of something that would pass quality control, and keep myself safe from humiliation for another day.”