Tag: book review

I want to be an astronaut

Akshat Rathi2 Comments

Review of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog at the Night-time, as part of my #100bookschallenge.

During my time as a demonstrator in Oxford’s historic Dyson Perrins lab, I had the opportunity of supervising a student with Asperger’s syndrome. His name is Edward (name changed), and he is one of the smartest and weirdest student I’ve ever taught. Reading Mark Haddon’s book made me realise for the first time what was going through Edward’s mind in all those hours that we spent setting up reactions, distilling compounds and taking various measurements.

Haddon’s book is a strange but wonderful read. It draws you in by starting with a murder of a dog that is being investigated by a 15-year old, Christopher Boone, who suffers from (although it is not stated) Asperger’s syndrome. Written in first person, it gives you a deep insight into what it is to suffer from an autism spectrum disorder. The book has received rave reviews, and, from what I understand, it does a remarkably good job of portraying Christopher’s challenges.

Somewhere in the middle of the book, the storyline becomes predictable. But that is no bad thing. By that time I found myself so engrossed in Christopher’s world that I wanted to know how he experiences the rest of the story.

There are some truths about our human existence that we normal people are too scared to admit. But Christopher’s disability doesn’t stop him from seeing through them and thinking how stupid everyone can be. That constant reminder throughout the books is very humbling.

The book is also, in many ways, a really good example of science communication. Throughout the book Christopher talks about wanting to be an astronaut. For his age, he also shows a remarkable grasp of science and maths, and discusses ideas from relativity to algebra with ease and clarity.

There are many quotes from the book that I’ve marked, but one that struck me the most was: I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them.

PS: This was my first fiction book in a long time and it was over in a flash. I’m considering tweaking my non-fiction to fiction ration after this reading!

Where can you strike gold in the next decade

Akshat Rathi2 Comments

Review of Ruchir Sharma’s Breakout Nations, as part of my #100bookschallenge.

In Breakout Nations Ruchir Sharma, a globe-trotting investment banker of emerging markets at Morgan Stanley, takes the reader on a ride too. Claiming to spend a week every month in one of the world’s emerging market economies, Sharma shows the depth with which he grasps the landscape of these oft-misunderstood economies.

The book’s timing is no accident. The 2008 crisis, which Sharma calls the Great Recession, has reshaped many future predictions, especially for emerging markets. And yet, Sharma claims that the world will miss opportunities because it is still looking with the wrong lens. He constructs his own rules (see below) and, apart from standard metrics, he uses his own indices to figure out the next economic miracles: lists of billionaires with how many billions each amassed, second-city populations, prices of cocktails and hotel rooms.

These emerging markets have grown to represent almost 40% of the global economy. which makes treating them as one class a big mistake. Each country comes with its own set of quirks, challenges and opportunities. A point that Sharma makes with great conviction (and few examples) is that economics of a country doesn’t depend on the political ideology of the country, but on the character and vision of its politicians.

His shortlisted nations that will grow at over 3% per annum over the next decade are: Czech Republic, South Korea, Turkey, Poland, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and the East African union.

The Economist claims that some of what Sharma wrote is wrong. For instance, he treats economies like companies: “The growth game is all about beating expectations, and your peers”. Whereas the success of a country can mean more opportunities for others. While that may be the case, my fundamentals of economics aren’t anywhere good enough to spot such mistakes.

For me the book was a good read to gain perspective on the most exciting economies of the world. An important part of which was to see how Sharma connects past and present leaders of these economies and their impact on them. And for a number-heavy book, Sharma’s writing makes it interesting enough to read large chunks in one-sitting.

PS: Sharma’s rules of the road

  1. Different operating rules apply in different nations, depending on rapidly changing circumstances. Popular understanding tends to lag well behind the reality: by the time a regime’s rules have been codified by experts and hashed over in the media, it is likely already in decline.
  2. Watch the changes in the list of top billionaires, learn how they made their billions, and note how many billions they made. If a country is generating too many billionaires to the size of its economy, it’s off-balance.
  3. If the local prices in an emerging market country feel expensive even to a visitor from a rich nation, that country is probably not a breakout nation.
  4. Strong companies and stock markets should, but do not necessarily, make for strong economies, so don’t confuse the two.
  5. Be alert to the moment when rulers have outlived their usefulness. No matter what the system of the government, it is a worrying sign when leaders try to extend their hold on power.
  6. Watch for steady momentum behind economic and political reform, particularly in good times.
  7. Check the size and growth of the second city, compared to the first city. In any big country the second-largest city usually has a population that is at least one-third to one-half the population of largest. The ratio reflects regional balance in the economy.
  8. Watch the locals, they are always the first to know. They will be bringing money home to a breakout nation and fleeing one in trouble.
  9. Don’t get hung up on rules.
  10. The sight of local companies going global is often celebrated in headlines as a national success, but the more accurate interpretation depends on the circumstances. If more than 50% of a nation’s corporate earnings are coming from abroad, it could be reason for concern.