Then We Came to the End

This is a supplemental post. After Christmas I will no doubt spill an epic stream of consciousness that sums up two of the hardest months of my life so far...but for now here is a review of a great book my bestest mucker DragonDrop gave me.

Working in a creative role you often wonder if the challenges, pressures and cultural nuances are the same in other companies. Then Came to the End by Joshua Ferris reassuringly and sometimes scarily confirms this! It tracks the lives of a group of creatives working in a US advertising agency during an uncertain economic climate (sound familiar folks?). The unwritten competition and peer pressure to out-perform and out-create each other is compelling and fascinating. The limited lifespan of the creative comes into its own and younger blood threaten the old school, whilst others hit pre-midlife crisis and consider U turns and drop-out strategies in their careers. My favourite term and concept in the book, which I am sure every designer can relate to, is 'Polishing Poo'. You know, a client gives you a load of badly written copy on a scrappy piece of A4 and expects a great design to mask the poor quality in the final piece. How many times have I been asked to do that?! Three words - Copywriter...Hire One. This book may not appeal to those not working in a similar industry, but it is a great insight into the human condition, office politics and power struggles. Made me want to quit my job and farm Emu though (or something). 8/10. Cheers DD.

Bad Lands

Just finished a brilliant book and had to blog a wee review:

A long time fan of the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks (they've seen me right on many a beaten (and unbeaten) track, I was really excited to hear it's c0-founder Tony Wheeler's new book was out. Bad Lands charts his travels through many of the countries he originally visited when LP was in it's infancy in the 70s. Some countries were new to him, but others were re-visits and had dramatically changed politically, environmentally and socially. The main theme is to visit countries in the so called 'Axis of Evil' and report what mainstream media doesn't. 

This is a fascinating and very well written book - Not surprisingly the picture Tony paints is quite different to the preconceptions the general public might have, though some are obviously confirmed and often amplified. What is so refreshing is his experiences with Joe public in these countries and their warmth, humour, generosity and happiness to be ambassadors for their countries, despite the regimes they live or have lived under. The changing fortunes of countries due to the discovery of oil, collapse of communism, war or fall of a dictator have much impact on it's people and the restraints it's governments put on them. For example in Cuba there is relative freedom for tourists (assuming you're not American or a Guantanamo inmate) to search out culture and a real view of the country, whereas in North Korea it is impossible to even get in the country without having a designated 'guide' the show you what they want you to see and brush everything else under the carpet.

He charts a kind of cheesy Evil Meter in the book, scoring countries on human rights, mad leaders, the treatment of it's people etc. which sounds in slightly poor taste, but brings up some surprising results. The most alarming being that the country that has supported terrorism the most is actually the US. Just look at their support for various regimes in Central America and the Middle East to aid their manifestos. I guess terrorism emotes a very different response depending which way it is aimed i.e. one man's terrorist is an other's freedom fighter. Not giving opinions here, but food for thought.

Anyway, if you love travel books as I do and are fascinated by other cultures, people and their politics, it's a fine read. 9/10