This summer, I read Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith, which is a pen name for J.K. Rowling. It’s the first book in a series about a private detective named Cormoran Strike. I loved Rowling’s writing style back when I read the Harry Potter books (though I only read the first four in elementary school, since that’s all that was translated into Croatian by 2001). She’s still great at creating a vivid atmosphere and memorable characters. But in this book, she crammed in so many overused private detective clichés that it spoiled the whole thing for me. I’m done with that series - no more for me.
I also ordered three autobiographies this summer by these fine gentlemen: Patrick Stewart, Rob Halford, and Jerry Seinfeld. I’d heard Halford’s was way better than Stewart’s, and I think that’s probably true. I gave up on Stewart’s halfway through because:
a) He went on and on about his theater work, which was too much for me.
b) I got distracted by another author, Ryan Holiday.
Someone recommended Holiday’s book Ego Is the Enemy. I know the title sounds a bit cheesy, like something you’d see on a self-help shelf, but it actually helped me with a personal detail I’d been dealing with. After that, I kept reading his stuff—not so much for self-help, but because I enjoyed the short, interesting stories. His books fall into a category marked “159.9” in libraries, which is popular psychology. I sometimes find authors there whose work is easy to read but still sticks with you—like Jorge Bucay, for example.
Over the past few months, I’ve read four of Holiday’s books: Ego Is the Enemy, Discipline Is Destiny, Courage Is Calling, and The Obstacle Is the Way. I’d recommend them to anyone. Each chapter is short - only 3-4 pages, about 10 minutes to read - and dives into a cool psychological insight about a historical figure, from Marc Antony to Florence Nightingale.
Still, I felt bad for ditching capt. Jean-Luc Picard so I picked Stewart's autobiography back up, starting at the chapter where he talks about starring in Dune. I’m hoping there’ll be fewer theater stories and more about his movie and TV career from here on. After that, I got The Fury by Alex Michaelides as a gift, and I’m planning to read Rob Halford’s biography next - unless something else sidetracks me again.
