Q2 2023 Reading Review

Horse: A Novel? - I don't typically read fiction but a friend bought this book for me and I felt obliged to read it. I am glad I did. In short, Horse is a story about the past and the present tied together by the legendary horse that actually existed in real life, named Lexington. But it's much more than a horse book. At its heart it is about race relations in America, about hope, about what family means when families are pulled apart by time and circumstance. The book, while fiction, is actually supported by many facts which made it more interesting in my opinion. The story of Lexington and his career in the 1850's really happened. The paintings that were made to honor the horse really existed and one was really found in the estate sale of Jackson Pollock's art agent. The bones of Lexington were stored away and forgotten in the Smithsonian - only to be unearthed again many decades later. More than a book about an equine athlete but a book for the horse lover and the history lover alike.?

The Flag and The Cross: White Christian Nationalism and The Threat to American Democracy ?- The white christian population in the US pulled the lever to re-elect Donald Trump at an 81%?clip. While Trump was squarely beaten he tried to overthrow the US government?to hold on to?power and the US capitol was stormed in an attempt to kill the democratic?process and the peaceful transfer of power. Those two things are hard truths and they are directly linked to the core of this book. It goes on to make several clear and concise arguments about how White Christian Nationalism isn't about freedom but about power, control and race. For WCN's?the only freedom that matters is to preserve the power of "us" over "them". Actions are justified through a toxic stew of lies, conspiracy theories, overt Jim Crow racism and of course - violence. I'd love to tell you January 6th was the end of this story - after reading this book it's hard to believe it ends there.?

How We Live and Why We Die : This is all about the evolution of cellular science and what we have learned on how we grow, live, reproduce and eventually die. A few of the big takeaways. (1) You have to keep inflammation low. I've mentioned this in the past but it's a key trigger for cancer cell growth. Anything that reduces inflammation is good for the diet. Turmeric is a must. The paste I've mentioned in past readings is an easy thing to integrate (2) Take a Vitamin D supplement as it's one the best things to help with production of the telomerase enzyme which is found in your telomeres. These are basically the protective caps at the end of a DNA sequence that are like shoelace tips. Frayed telomeres indicate cellular age and breakdown (and death). (3) Eat fewer calories if you can. Almost all studies point to reduced calorie diets improving longevity.?

Things Are Never So Bad That They Can't Get Worse: Inside the Collapse of Venezuela ?- The most complete thing I have ever read as it relates to the history, culture and the eventual deterioration of the country over the last 40 years. The author does a fantastic job both giving you a comprehensive look at the history and formation of the country while also pairing it with current events. The weaving of past and present chapter by chapter allows the reader to feel engaged with the present drama (a blackout that kills all electricity in the country in 2019) while understanding the "how did we get here" building blocks underneath. A country that was so flush with oil money in the 1970's and 80's now can't feed, clothe or provide housing for large parts of its population. It's a searing look at how state corruption, socialism and an over reliance on a single export drove a once thriving country into darkness (literally and figuratively). A good one to pick up.?

The Last Enforcer : The life story of one of the nastiest power forwards to ever grace the hardwood - Charles Oakley. Oakley recounts his first several seasons with the Chicago Bulls and their new rookie Michael Jordan through to his ten year run with the Knicks under several coaches including Pat Riley. It's a great read for any fan of the NBA. I am not a huge NBA guy but I will admit that the Oakley story was intriguing. The game has changed so much from what it used to be that I wonder if guys like Oakley and Anthony Mason and Xavier McDaniel would have major roles like they once did. That said,?it is hard to believe the guys today flying on PJs with personal dietitians, "load management" and complaining about "back to backs" would have handled the physicality of those 90's NBA teams and simply disposed of them with ease. Reading the Oakley book was a nice walk down memory lane.?

A Heart that Works : This book is beautifully written. Rob Delaney is an actor and comedian and he is also a father. This is the story of his son Henry who was born with brain cancer and the two year battle to save his life - and ultimately, not being able to save his life. I read it in one sitting. It was so intense and powerful and honest. I couldn't put it down. I cried the whole way. I wish Delaney and his family never had the story to tell; but since it happened -- I am grateful he had the strength to tell it in the end. This is the must read book this quarter. It's hard but it's worth it. You will hug your kids (if you have them) a little longer after you get through it - that I know. 5 stars.

The Nineties: A book ?- I feel like I say this everytime I read a Klosterman book. I love it while I am reading it and he makes some interesting points on pop culture, music and society at large - and then I instantly forget most of it when I am done. I think it's his writing style. Anyway - the net of this book is a look back at the 90's which he describes as the last decade of decades. It is an analysis of Generation X (of which I am a part) and the myriad of things that happened in the decade sandwiched between what he calls "self indulgent Baby Boomers and self obsessed Millennials". He also spends a good bit of time arguing that this was the last moment of time where the internet didn't bend everything and the last decade before post-truth politics took over. Definitely?an interesting one - especially if you are a Gen Xer and lived through the 90s. But like me - you will probably enjoy it and then forget it when it's done. Kinda like the 90's.?

Rough Sleepers : Rough Sleepers is a book about homelessness in America. It is told through the life story of Dr. Jim O'Connell. A Harvard trained doctor who devoted his life to treating the homeless in the Boston area since 1980. Official estimate published by HUD in 2020 documented 1.44 million homeless in America. Many non-governmental estimates place the yearly total of homeless people at 3 to 3.5 million. That would be 1% of the population. One estimate from the national alliance to end homelessness found that 10 million American households were suffering from housing insecurity (once missed rent payment from eviction). It's against this backdrop that we watch Jim treat the Boston homeless population with empathy and compassion through medical support as well as (often harder) attempts to find them secure housing. Near the end of the book and Jim's own career, he reflects on his life and muses,?

“We just have to enjoy the good days and accept the bad days. It’s sort of the theme of our work. Sisyphus. If you don’t enjoy rolling the rock up the hill, this is not the job for you.” Then he paused and revised his interpretation of the myth. “Or I guess you have to enjoy the walk down. I used to think that a beer with Barbara McGinnis at Boyle's on a Friday night was the walk down the hill.”?

Daphne Byrne : This is a graphic novel (comic book) and it's the first front to back comic I've ever read. My son and I were killing time a few weeks ago before I dropped him at a movie so we hit a comic store. I picked this up as it looked like a turn of the century horror comic set in NYC. I think it's the first in a series and while it was beautifully?illustrated I don't think I'll rush back to read more. No knock on the story or the art, it's just not my bag really. Fun to try it out though.?

Chuck Berry: An American Life ?- Chuck Berry is a rock legend. Johnnie B Good among countless other hits dotted the landscape of 50's American rock. He is also portrayed as a paradox. A man who didn't smoke, drink or do drugs yet was arrested for stealing a car, armed robbery, sex with a minor and tax evasion across his career. While a musical genius, Berry seemed to be a money motivated artist with little openness or warmth for most of his white audience. Race and dislike for authority ran deep and long within Berry and colored much of his life and some of his music. I knew next to nothing about the man and while long, this book has to be the most comprehensive thing written on his life and career. I didn't come out feeling particularly excited to go chase down and listen to Berry music after reading. I am not sure that was the intent of the book to begin with - but that's where it landed.?

Mastering the VC Game : This is a bit dated as it was written in 2010. Still a good read as it helps explain how GP's and VC's work with LP's. It also touches on how funds are organized and how people get paid. The most helpful chapters explain deal term structure and things like pre and post valuations, option pool allocation and other conditions and provisions?related to board control, tag/drag rights, liq preference and other legal details many founders may be caught off guard by if they haven't raised outside capital before.?

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic ?- An expansive analysis that spans two decades (from 1995-2015) on the opioid?scourge that has gripped the United States. It weaves together Purdue Pharmaceutical and the rise of Oxy, the decline and addiction of white working class middle American cities and a persistently nimble Mexican drug cartel called the Xalisco Boys who push black tar heroin into these cities when pill mills won't meet demand. It's a great piece of investigative journalism and while a bit dated (as it was written in 2015) it does an amazing job of building a brick by brick case on how we have landed ourselves into the mess we have on our hands today. The saddest part is knowing that here in 2023 things have only become worse with the rise of Fentanyl and now Tranq. Rivaled only by our consistent, persistent refusal to address our massive gun problem - our drug problem is killing our children and robbing our country of a brighter future. Dreamland is a must read for anyone looking for some clarity on how we ended up here.?

Have a very happy fourth of July weekend out there in America -- Dzik.