Book Notes: "Utzon and the Sydney Opera House" by Daryl Dellora

Utzon and the Sydney Opera House: Penguin Special by Daryl Dellora

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I picked up this essay in the foyer of the Sydney Opera House while waiting to go in to see My Fair Lady. The theatre was great but the book made me angry. The way Utzon was treated by a conservative NSW government was very similar to the way Walter Burley Griffin was treated with his grand design for Canberra. These outstanding architects were basically bullied so the respective governments could take over the original plan and make a mess of it. The cheap approach ended up costing more and was less functional in both instances. I noticed the poor acoustics in the Joan Sutherland Theatre and wondered why the opera is not in the concert hall. Now I know.



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Book Notes: "Ego is the Enemy" by Ryan Holiday

Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After reading The Obstacle is the Way, I decided to read this most recent work by Ryan Holiday. While the way some of the snippets of biographical histories have been used as examples could be challenged from their somewhat mono-cultural bent, and there were quite a few typographical errors which put me ill at ease, I still found this work helpful. Again, I marvel at the wisdom of somebody so young but the depth of reading by the author is obvious and this encourages me to look beyond the standard criticisms of formulaic success manuals with small historical snippets as supporting arguments. I particularly like the bibliography and I will request a copy of the extended reading list available from the author. But as part of my overall reading plan, I am glad that I took the time to read Holiday's work and I intend to read the rest very soon.



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Book Notes: 'As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This short book is in two parts. The first part provides an essay on the power of thinking to overcome one's own selfishness. The second part provides thirty-one days of morning and evening meditations. Ryan Holiday mentioned this book a few times, so I purchased a copy. I particularly like the Dover "Empower Your Life" Series which includes a number of interesting books in unabridged formats. Allen's work has inspired me to revisit a few books I read in the early 1990s and early 2000s. The key message is that "Sweet is the rest and deep the bliss of him who has freed his heart from its lusts and hatreds and dark desires". Without referring directly to it, Allen indicates that the internal locus of control, one of the central lessons I try to teach in my leadership classes, is the key. I intend to try these meditations over the next month, because I think Allen is right.



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