Children At The Centre An Evaluation Of Early Excellence: Fill & Download for Free

For the first time since I came to China in September 1978, my admiration for Deng's opening and reform project is tempered by concern. It's no secret that my thesis when I studied political science at the Australian National University was the recently terminated Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.As s result I am very familiar with its origins and forms. Now what concerns me is that I now see some manifestations which bring back to mind those conditions. Eg:a. Cult of the Great Leader: Early in the pre-revolutionary days, the Red Army was known by peasants as the Mao-Zhu army due to the excellent military leadership of Zhu De. Does anyone speak of Zhu De these days? Well his picture is on one of the currency notes. At some stage it was felt easier for the country to accept the communists if there was an elevated personage who could claim the Mandate of Heaven. Someone above the common man. Someone who could publish authoritative works which would be read as infallible by the barely literate. As the main driver of the Red Army strategically, Mao was the natural candidate. Of course Mao's coarse character and simple education made this difficult. But everyone would pitch in. Battles won by discredited leaders such as Zhang Guotao could be attributed to Mao, other stories such as the crossing of the Dadu Bridge could be exaggerated. As for the great literary works, Mao could put down his ideas and the educated ideologues such as Chen Boda could stretch them out them into better Marxism, others could add literaty polish. Mao naturally complained about this. One time he claimed a document he authored had come back to him 16 times with suggestions for revision.The project was a brilliant success. Whenever Mao held audiences in Tiananmen students who had marched for hours to get there would be quite hysterical. One of my Chinese teachers, a Russian studying at Beijing University in the early fifties attended such a rally. The atmosphere was so electric, she found herself screaming and crying just like the Chinese students although she did not share their love of the myth-surrounded Chairman.Mao built on this during the GPCR printing his little Red Book of quotations, holding several audiences in Tiananmen, getting Lin Biao and his wife to praise him to the heavens, urging them to go out and "Bombard the Headquarters" and throw out the "revisionists" taking the "Capitalist Road". In case people didn't know who he meant he made it plain he meant Party chairman Liu Shaoqi and general secretary Deng Xiaoping.b. The books of quotations of the present leader are already out there just like those of Deng, Liu and Jiang Zemin. However a new wrinkle: the mobile phone app for the young kiddies.c. The stern leader image of Mao was later softened by that of the Beloved Leader, Zhou Enlai. Zhao Zeyang and Hu Yaobang tried this as did Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. But in the present day China the great leader wants to be the beloved leader as well. His natural counterpart Premier Li Keqiang gets almost no media coverage. He is not promoted as a leadership partner at all. So we see the greatly feared persecuting leader appropriating the warm and fuzzy title of Uncle.d. Party corruption: during the Cultural Revolution Mao often denounced the CCP as having become corrupt, or bourgeois. He claimed you could buy a favour for a packet of cigarettes, a good watch will get your son or daughter back from a country assignment. Mao was preparing the way for overthrowing party leaders at every level. In present day China an attack on Tigers and Flies in the party is under full steam. Leaders of strong party cliques like Zhou Yongkang and Jiang Zemin were destroyed in brilliant campaigns. Similarly leaders of the Shanxi Gang, the Petroleum gang and the railway Gang. Poisonous weeds! Cow ghosts all of them.e. Control of the PLA: at the time of the cultural revolution The PLA leaders, headed by Luo Ruiqing, were firmly behind the leadership of Liu and Deng. In the Politburo Mao was outnumbered. He could not command support from the only extra-party power centre, the PLA, his old power centre and to get the attack on the Party underway he had to do that. One story at the time claimed that Mao ordered Long March emulation campaign for the PLA as they were getting soft. Accordingly Luo, who commanded the Beijing military district ordered his troops out of the capital on long marches. At a signal from Mao, Lin Biao, then military commander of the Shandong area swept into Beijing and announced his support for Mao, who was then able to intimidate the committee members and upgrade the GPCR into a full political campaign at the politburo meeting on Aug 16, 1966. Mao had won.In present day China we also have seen a particularly virulent attack on the heads on the PLA followed by pledges of loyalty to the great leader.f. Suppression of the intellectuals. The initial thrust of the Cultural Revolution was an attack on intellectuals who had written critical books and plays such as the writer Wu Han, writer of the Beijing Opera, Hai Rui Dismissed, and Deng Tuo, writer of the Three Family Village literary column. Of course Chinese jails these days have plenty of people who have spoken out through literature such as lawyers and artists. Liu Xiaobo is just one of them. Even a group of feminists are now in jail for planning a protest March. In the GPCR Mao was able to control all media and bent it to his support. Here in China now we see dissenting picayiins closed down, new rules limiting the use of pseudenyms on Internet chat sites, and stronger control of Internet access.f. Economic conditions: in 1966 China had been restored to normal growth rates after the destruction of the GLF. Farmers, now reformed from impossibly large communes down into smaller production brigades with some private plots allowed, were happily growing grain in useful amounts. Production in urban factories was going well with some individual production bonuses to motivate tired workers to reasonable efforts. All of this was anathema to Mao, indeed it was against everything he believed in as a thoroughgoing Stalinist. It outraged and infuriated him.Our present great leader too was an enthusiastic Red Guard. He too beat his revisionist teachers, he too aimed to over throw the party leaders in power. True he could have joined a Purple Red Guard troop and defend people under attack like his father but he chose not to. He was a loyal son of the party, of Chairman Mao. If he had to beat his own father in order to demonstrate that well he would do that too.Rather than go to jail as the traitorous spawn of a leader on the capitalist road, he joined a revolutionary committee, the early attempt at an alternative revolutionary system. Later on the Army came in and directed these consist of 1/3 new revolutionaries, 1/3 old, trustworthy party members, and 1/3 PLA. After the Cultural Revolution our hero went down to run a small town so as to get out of Beijing and away from the corrupting and dissolute influence of the other, newly liberated princelings.On coming to power it can be argued that he saw things pretty much as Mao saw when in 1965 when he initiated the GPCR. He'd heard much from his father and friends about the glory of the old days in Yenan when most were souls of virtue and the party and the PLA were held in awe and reverence by most. A corrupt party, a dissolute and unprepared army, a complete destruction of the socialism so many had died for (Mao always said 20 million), businessmen and cadres alike, rich as Croesus secreting billions in overseas accounts, the people lusting after foreign cars, European style houses or apartments, and places in foreign universities for their children.If you were the son of a famous revolutionary family who had given their lives for socialism. What would you do?

Let us read the history of Canada: This country is/was built by the Whites, by taming the wilderness in an extreme cold weather and surviving in an hostile environment.Let us, we people of color/Asians/ all nonwhites accept the fact in modern times Whites mainly people from the British and the French origin who built this country were far ahead of the rest of the world in Governance/Discipline/Vision/Hard Work/Punctuality including Exceptional Work Ethics/. They had an excellent balance between work and rest of the life activities.On top of it, they had a backing of advanced science and technology, and backing of the wealthy mother countries.Followed by equally charged White Europeans: They all brought a lot good stuff to the table, and their contribution made this country very beautiful.How do I know: I have worked with almost every race/religion/creed/color/Now let us accept the fact: Not all of us are created equal.Now let us forget once for all: These are all slogansWe are all children of God, Yes, indeed, we are all equal, B.S.,some are more equal than the others.God did not create anything equivalent, accept the fact, and understand the problem.God/Nature created trillions of rain drops not even two are identical.Then why do we have these slogans: These are just created to get votes and imagination of modern smart politicians. This is a modern B.S. and an illusion.There are certain facts in life.The rich kids are privileged.Certain races are privileged.Once one understands these facts of life and works to compensate these shortcomings in addition to regular hard work, life may move forward.What is the reality?Canada was always a white country, except the Chinese and the East Indians unskilled laborers. Those people suffered and endured very harsh conditions.History books are full of hate, efforts to keep Canada white, laws were designed to keep Asian migration to the minimum, and Canada got its immigrants from Europe mostly all porcelain white.Our present P.M. dancing to Bhangra beat, and putting fancy clothes are just part of the drama, signs of the time, to keep his fancy job in place, and recruit more new tax payers. I am very sure he still may think, we South Asians still smell curry.Most of the whites still call us Pakis, blacks nigger, and the Chinese Chink at home and privately.Well it does not bother me: Because we also call Whites, Goras and white trash too.Let us fast forward:That pool of white immigrants from Europe has dried with falling birth rate and better opportunities at home.Now Canada opened the doors to others.Did Canada Change? No sir/madam: Write it on your forehead, as follows:The Canadians are highly educated people.There are universities/colleges sometimes 6 or 7 or more in 150 Km radius.Does Canada need trained white color worker? Hell no.Now here are some golden nuggets.Any high paying, stable, regular jobs and with tremendous benefits are full.Let me very blunt, if you speak English/French with an accent, new immigrant it is not for you.Any high paying lucrative franchise good business, same as above.Now Canadian degrees/diplomas and your Asian education is not the same.Canadian authorities are also aware of some fake, bogus, inflated and useless documents from individual countries.My wife and I both went back to Universities and Colleges here. It had opened our eyes.Now if you are coming from the developing countries which most of the immigrants are these days.1. Life in Canada, will not be a bed of roses.2. Be prepared to go back to University/college/ even then it is no assurance.3. Be ready to cut the mountain and make your path.4. Be prepared to understand subtle preference, rejections, and kicks in the butts.5. In case you got immigration of fake/bought degrees/ once they find out and blacklist you, the game will be over for you.6. Our young prime minister may put fancy clothes and dance like locals, but even he cannot help you find work. He has no control of such activity in Canada.7. Here is the selection process:First choice white Anglo Saxon protestant (WASP), Canadian from the British origin, Second French Canadian and third white European. Second generation Asian. In case you have found something white collar job in your field, rest assured they did not find anyone from the above preferences.No one wanted that job from their first second third and fourth choice. How do I know, over 45 years and soon 50 years did not leave anything for chance to understand?Like it or not that is the way it is, or your second generation kid who gets the target one shot, one chance, like an Eagle, Your second generation may break the bread with the king/queen of the jungle.He/she (the king /queen of the jungle) also wants super sharp shooter in his/her team, that thing happens when you put your kids in soar with eagles as soon as he opens the eyes in this cruel world8. Now, I know, it is very hard to accept facts of life:North American education is different than rest of the world. (It is not, GHOTTA, cramming, it is very practical, it teaches how to think and NOT what to think as it is done in most of the Asian countries).Accented English and French are very hard to understand for the native population.Canadian experience and knowledge are vital, I have seen some fake diplomas, fudged resumes and entirely misleading statements and extremely crafty way of hiding the fine details. One example will stay with me forever; I must give super credit to the writer.There is a big gap in understanding some of the body languages, some Canadians are puzzled by our bobbing the head. Saying sir/madam with every sentence, and failure to write good prose.There are a whole lot of issues, which employers are very concerned. But they do not say for the law/public image/they merely reject the candidate.Besides: I sat on the other side of fence, to know the selection process.In case you are coming here that your second or third generation may reap the harvest then venture here. At the end of the day it is very small population on huge landmass, with a little industry, it appears the only growing industry is Tim Horton, coffee shops.Here are our close to fifty years.This was very long journey:My wife and I worked on almost every job, went back to schools, there were days, with two kids, in tow.We did 16 hours seven days back to back, at our times we had no choice, because we only could afford one way ticket to this land.We could not go back, we had no options either make it here or that is the end of the road.These days new immigrant may have more options, and some thump their chests for nothing.Some days were extreme hope and some days were total disappointment.Two of the following are: Harvard alumni MBAs one in Deans honors list, One successful lawyer, one with two masters degrees with 30 years of Canadian Corporate experience from a foot soldier to decorated general, now self employed for the last 15 years,and one Canadian health professional with close to forty years experience.AndThe most important of all: Two little monkeys, center of our universe, Grandma/pa part time jobs to spoil them(JK, in a good way)Conclusion:Canada was never and will not bed of roses, for new immigrants from developing countries, accept it.It was like that when we came in the early 70 s and prior to that it was even for challenging.The mantra:Work hard, leave “ Kitty Party” very popular pyramid scheme in South Asia, at home and Mahjong (very popular domino game China) back home too. Matching sarees/dupata/ and new recipe of samosas of celebrity chef: X Kapoor back home. Same way dim Sum of Beijing and hot pot of Chongqing at home too.Forget servants, maids, and being drama queen/king. I cannot help but to tell you guys/girls a story: While back a story of a drama queen from ex country, this lady told me: She comes from a wealthy family, and she does not know how to boil water for tea. I told her: Sister, go for a sight seeing and best is go back home.Well, rest of the story is very long, needless to say: After a long struggle, to fool the system/s here she did go back.Stop complaining.Please stop writing glorious stories of Canada to the villages of your home country. That you bought a condo, car, and leaving fine detail that it is all loan/mortgage/ and the job you have is very temporary.Yes, there is pot of Gold if you and your kids survive. Based on my evaluations and observation on real data, only a few will make to that pot of Gold.The fancy brochures of Canada’s landmarks and beautiful landscape, please put them in the suitcases for now. Once you pay 30 to 50 cents in taxes from every dollar, it will take life life to save to see those places. After all you are recruited to pay for expensive vacation our prime minister just took and there is/was huge controversy. BTW: Nothing is free here, one way or the other, you or your next generation or next generation will pay, it is just deferred payment plan.Well with modern technology, cell phone, internet. social media, new immigrants exactly know what to expect when they come here.Second thing most of them complain:A lot of discrimination, well they easily forget situation back home.AlsoPlease keep in mind Canada is huge landmass, with small population, manufacturing jobs are almost zero now if any. When we came everything was made here, how many white color jobs and Tim Horton can afford to open?AlsoPlease keep in mind: Slavery/Second class citizenship/Discrimination/ Class difference/ Richness/Poverty/are facts of life.Nothing has changed only the methods change to keep the less fortunate on the thread mill longer. And it takes several generations to buy out your slavery and cut the chains. Now that is very tricky also if your next generation does not get attracted to fancy lights and lavish lifestyle only then. Some were on the verge of cutting the chains, but the next generation wore them again.( This is discrimination is not of color/race/religion/ it is simply new people coming from less fortunate countries, be it war torn or economic refugees)AlsoThere is no Canada Waali Bua jee ( there is no aunt in Canada): Please try not to listen to your American wali Bua jee, and U.K. Waale Maama jee, and Canada wali Maasi (Your factitious uncles and aunts from, the USA/UK/Canada: There is no uncle/aunt/cousin in this part of the world. Everyone is fighting its own battle; no one has time.Also:Please keep in mind this advice which was very popular when we were growing up in the Punjab region of India:In case one is an Idiot in Lahore, chances are one will be an idiot in Peshawar too. Changing Lahore to Peshawar does not alter one’s intellect, circuit board and wrong education at home.That saying is still valid nothing much has changed, the alcoholics from back home are still alcoholics here, they still have a big problem with the law, family violence and array of other issues here too. Well, the liver is liver here also, and alcohol eats liver either in Lahore or Peshawar, Chandigarh or Ludhiana too.High Character/hardworking/clean cut girls and boys win the race in the end.Lousy reputation here too eventually sinks a lot of wild characters in Canada also, in fact, more than back home. Once earned a criminal record the game is almost over, here there is no forgiving through under the table.Also:The west is west, and the east is east. ( You cannot match specific good and bad things with the best, we can only be the be best Eastern, only God had been kind to us certain way, and vice versa.)Also:One tit bit for the road: It is 100 percent true my story:We four classmates left our hometown same time, same neighborhood, same school, and almost identical classes.a. Star of stars back home.b. A +c. Degree via Bhatinda (To obtain degree by questionable ways).d. Drop out.Today almost fifty years, we are at the same level, four lines on the graphs going up but the same difference as we left.Job Cycles:Canada or North America went through job cycles:When Canada needed hardcore laborers to lay rail lines in the total hostile land, the Chinese and the East Indian unskilled laborers were okay to come. Then they passed various laws so that they do not grow here.Then the lull time, immigration was just trickle.There was shortage machine operators/tool and die, makers,/ then it did not matter about the color of the cat so far it catches mice.Then there was a shortage of math/science teachers; then accent did not matter.Then there were shortages of Nurses, then Tagalog speaking nurses from Philippine Islands, no problem.Now if Canada needs software developers then our bobbing head is acceptable.Rest assured this ride also may change after all how many of them Canada needs.With China becoming extremely powerful, its super productivity, state of the art infra structure, and the Chinese learning English in millions, the world order is going to change.This blip in the glory of software developer and call centers will be a beauty of the past. The Chinese storm is in the horizon.Now I know personally, Chinese students basically run the show in number one university in Computer related field. They are the majority in my rough estimates and China is sponsoring countless of them for Western/English based education.Now there is a surplus of teachers/nurses/tool and die maker is an old trade/ the Chinese and the East Indians, unskilled mill workers where the saying started (Chuk diyage Phatte, means we will lift the planks) are dead mills.These cycles come and go, so are software developers cycles.Some new immigrants from the developing nations write very glowing tributes. However, give it time and hold off until one is here several years.This is fact of life: No country/region/my birth country India, this hidden hate and jealousy is a part of life:This is may not be significant but this could happen.Here is an answer from an Indian born in the USA, lives in Canada, please read his person experience on most racist thing in Canada.User-9289008652279380341's answer to What is the most racist thing someone has said to you?Another example:Akshay Kanth's answer to What is the most racist thing someone has said to you?Another example:Uche Metuh's answer to What is the most racist thing someone has said to you?In case it happened to him, it could happen to me too, it did not as yet, but after close to fifty years here, I would have answered this young lady very differently who American born Indian Canadian resident.Also please note: As any writer/singer/poet/ I am no different, I also appreciate an applause. It helps.In case you have read my different articles on this topic previously no body is forcing to read this one.Also most of trolls are from one area, full of jealousy, profanity, and total losers. Other than bringing yourself to the lowest levels and your country’s image BTW, which is almost nothing at world levels anyway, you are achieving nothing.Disclaimer:This is our personal story, it does not mean it is a classic and universal story in Canada.Also please keep in mind, we all are different, our aims, objectives, and missions are different. For example, My mother asked us to put our hands on her head and asked for specific vows before we left for Canada. One of them was my wife, and I will go back to University/college if we have to. We both did not dare to break the vows once we were here.It is not a success/bravery/or great write up story; it is just one of a million stories.One success story does not make this place a land of cream and honey, and one failure does not make this country a dump land.Sure there are success stories but please dig deep you will find more to it, some with intense devotion and the real deal, some with fluff, some pure fraud and some with a flash in the pan.The beauty/horror of western style democracy: Mr. Donald Trump is a President, Mr. Justin Trudeau is PM, and once Mr. Lallu Prasad Yadav was Chief Minister of Bihar. Mr.Clinton and Mrs. Hilary Clinton, were also once darling of the crowds.Yadav’s political career hit a snag, however, following allegations, beginning in 1996, that he and a number of Bihar’s other leading bureaucrats and politicians were implicated in a corruption scandal (often called the fodder scam) involving the embezzlement of tens of millions of dollars of state money that supposedly was to be used to purchase animal feed. Yadav was forced to resign as chief minister in July 1997, but he installed his wife, Rabri Devi, as his successor, and it was widely believed that he remained in charge of the state administration. In December 2006 Yadav was acquitted of the original corruption charges.Lalu Prasad Yadav | Biography & FactsSo therefore, these leaders/MP/MLA come and go after all they are there for four or five years? and life is very long.I did not venture into Canadian politics, mainly because I went back to the university and found work in my on profession.BTW: Our MPP, the locality we live in Toronto suburb, is from Iranian descent.Majid Jowhari (Persian: مجید جوهری‎) is a Canadian Liberal politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Richmond Hill in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election.Jowhari attended Ryerson University, earning a Bachelor of Technology in industrial engineering, and York University's Schulich School of Business, where he earned an MBA. He founded his own boutique consulting firm to provide advice to chief financial officers.Jowhari was elected as the Liberal Party's candidate in Richmond Hill on September 7, 2014, and became the first federal party nominee of Iranian heritage.He was elected to the seat in the October 19, 2015 election, narrowly defeating Conservative candidate Michael Parsa.Jowhari apologized on November 14, 2016 for incorrectly selling himself to voters as a professional engineer during the 2015 federal election campaign.Majid Jowhari - WikipediaIt appears Mr. Jowhari preferred politics, than Engineering and Boutique consulting business.Jag Bhaduria - WikipediaHere is another MPP, Jagdish Singh Bhaduria, also known Jag Bhaduria, who fudged his resume:He was expelled from the Liberal caucus in early 1994 after concerns that he had embellished his resume attracted considerable adverse publicity to Bhaduria. In seeking the Liberal nomination, he had claimed an "LL.B. (Int.)" Many were under the impression that this was a claim to a Bachelor of Laws in international law. Bhaduria, in fact, possessed no bachelor of law degree, and argued that the Int. referred to the intermediate examinations he had taken towards an unfinished LL.B. from the University of London.Jag Bhaduria - WikipediaOur present defense minister has to say the following for his fake/fabricated bravadoHarjit Sajjan apologizes for claim about Afghan offensive | Toronto StarOTTAWA—Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has formally apologized for embellishing his role in a key Afghan offensive even as evidence emerged that he had made the false claim before.Some in Canada chose career in politics.Former mayor of Toronto, God rest his soul in peace:Honorable Rob Ford, I am sure he had tremendous qualities.However,he had problem with drugs and alcohol addiction, in addition to some domestic disturbance.Rob Ford - WikipediaMug shot in Miami, Florida (1999)See also: Timeline of Rob Ford video scandalFord suffered from alcohol and drug addiction for many years. After the death of his father in 2006, Ford's abuse grew and led to public episodes of intoxication, followed by public denials. His episodes were symptomatic of the diseases of alcohol and drug addiction.His episodes were reported in the media widely and attracted much condemnation. According to Dr. Tim Stockwell, director of the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. in Victoria, while the reporting may have raised awareness of alcohol and drug addiction somewhat, much of it was stereotypical judgments and "very stigmatizing".Ford's abuse led to him being stripped of much of his powers as Toronto mayor and he later entered rehab.On April 15, 2006, Ford attended a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game at the Air Canada Centre. According to a couple nearby, Ford was intoxicated, using profanity, and insulting people. The couple then sent a detailed complaint to the City of TorontoWhen confronted about the episode three days later by a National Post reporter, Ford initially denied having been at the game, but later admitted it."I'm going through a few personal problems, but it doesn't justify, you know, getting drunk in public and pretty well acting like an idiot if you ask me."It appears to me there is very low competition in such positions, therefore new immigrant may have a good shot.Here is another former MPP from South Asian heritage:Miss Ruby Dhalla: In office from 2004 to 2011.I am very sure Miss Dhalla have great qualities and served Canada very well,However Margaret Wente has to say the following:Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente has described Dhalla as unpopular among her colleagues in the Liberal parliamentary caucus, where she is viewed as a "high maintenance" self-promoter. In a survey of parliamentary staffers from the Hill Times, Ms. Dhalla was voted the worst MP to work for, and the pollsters suggested that she had "more [staff] turnover than anyone on the hill". She was also said to be more interested in the limelight than in doing parliamentary work, with a former caucus colleague saying "It's everything starting with making sure she's in every photo-op with the leader. I often hear of events where she calls the organizers and says 'I want to speak,' even though she wasn't invited", and she showed up at the 2009 Liberal convention in a white stretch limo. When the caregivers' controversy broke out, one MP was quoted as saying "I don't get the sense that too many people are feeling all that sorry for her"Ruby Dhalla - WikipediaRight or wrong she was also involved inCaregivers controversyJanuary 2008 Indian visitDhalla has tried to block the release of a DVD of a Bollywood movie, she starred in before she was elected to Parliament.Dhalla has claimed that images of her used for promoting the film were doctored -- something the film's producers have denied. Dhalla has also denied producers claims she signed a distribution waiver, was paid $2,000 or gave a supportive TV interview at the premiere in an cinema that screens made-in-India movies.Ruby Dhalla - WikipediaThe producers claim to have a witness who saw Dhalla sign the waiver, although purporting that the waiver itself was "destroyed in a fire"What really bothers me: Even for a small security related job, you need security check i.e. record free from Criminal record.But we had no qualms in voting for a mayor who was alcohol and drug addict, I guess: Only in Canada.

“On a small scale, a classic yields significantly different meanings when read in different circumstances and moods; on a large scale, a classic conveys wholly different worlds when read in different times of life, at different stages of experience, feeling and understanding of life. Classics may be interesting and even entertaining, but people always find they are not like books used for diversion, which give up all of their content at once; the classics seem to grow wiser as we grow wiser, more useful the more we use them”So goes Thomas Cleary's definition.It is no secret to those around me that I enjoy reading, both for the joy and for the practical utility it has yielded me. Below is a selection of books that I deem to be my own classics. I read them in my early twenties and was profoundly influenced by all of them.As I grow older, they continue to enter my thoughts and shape my actions, I hope that amongst this selection you can find something equally life-altering.1. Meditations by Marcus AureliusMarcus—perhaps the only true philosopher king—had unimaginable responsibility and carried the Roman Empire on his shoulders. Stoicism, as Marcus presents it, is not a stuffy academic philosophy. It is a philosophy for pragmatists. A philosophy which provides armour for the active man against the assaults of life. Thanks to the Meditations, we have access to Marcus’ playbook for handling people, misfortune, death and struggle. It teaches us, as philosophy should, how to live.2. Letters from a Stoic by SenecaAnother of the great Stoics was Lucius Annaeus Seneca. A man with near-limitless wealth, he was what Nassim Taleb calls an aggressive stoic; he enjoyed all the benefits of success, whilst teaching himself to be impervious to losing it all. Despite this wealth and success (or because of it) Seneca was cast as the tutor to the tyrannical Nero, was banished from Rome in his later life, and was later ordered to take his own life by the same Emperor he once tutored. In his letters to Lucilius, Seneca offers sound advice on dealing with success, confronting grief, learning from others and the true meaning of friendship.3. Discourses and Selected Writings by EpictetusCaptured in the form of lecture notes by his student Arrian, Epictetus gives a more thorough treatment of the logic of Stoicism. A key theme in all of these lectures is the dichotomy of control. The separation of events into what we can control and what is not in our power to control. He advocates, along with Marcus, limiting good and bad solely to your own actions and thoughts, whilst building an indifference to everything else.4. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklViktor Frankl's portrayal of his experiences in the concentration camps of World War II is one of the most empowering and sorrowful things you will ever read. Frankl shows us that even under the most degenerate of authority, in the lowliest of conditions, we always have a choice of how to act. Always.But as we grow older and our culture moves on, the danger of losing touch with the realities and impact of the World Wars becomes more apparent. Books like Man’s Search for Meaning are an invaluable tool to help us re-forge this connection and to remind us of our all too human past.5. The Complete Essays by Michel de MontaigneWhen I think of Montaigne, I think of joy. Of a life lived with gaiety, with vigour, with unquenchable energy. He was an unabashed skeptic, completely aware of his own fallibility, comfortable saying I don't know. He was a student of the human psyche in conflict and in conduct. His essays radiate and infect you with a desire to question, to explore, to play. They encourage you to exceed your capacities and to open your eyes to the wonders of the people and the environment you live amongst.6. The Open Society and its Enemies by Karl PopperPopper's work is a perfect model of an attitude which is in dire need in the age of experts and gurus. Irreverence. Popper takes on some philosophical giants (Plato and Marx). And he finds them wanting. When he said that "we must break with the habit of deference to great men," they were not empty words. Popper shows us how with this demonstration of incisive thought, clear communication and his defence of democracy.7. Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim TalebNassim’s work changed my mind. I had never considered our response and approach to comfort, order, routine and certainty. I had never thought about what happens when we deprive ourselves of their opposites: variety, volatility, stress, uncertainty. Of all the things I took from Taleb’s Incerto—and there is a lot—it is this shift in mindset and philosophy that has impacted my life the most. The notion of turning into disorder and uncertainty. Embracing it rather than shunning it. Capturing it in my every day life. Learning to love volatility not hate it. This has been the lesson I am most grateful to Nassim for. My quest to become a person that gains from disorder is only starting, but it has already enriched my life.8. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert GreeneThe central idea behind this book is an understanding of the mechanisms of power, influence and social environments. Some cite the malice and immorality of power as their chief reason for avoiding such unashamedly practical texts. But it is for precisely this reason that we must look at the underbelly of human nature. By recognising the structures and strategies of power, we can protect ourselves against those who abuse it, and advance our own interests, whilst eliminating collateral damage to others. As Publius Syrus puts it, “He can best avoid a snare who knows how to set one.”9. Mastery by Robert GreeneThe depth that Greene penetrates into the learning process is such that when you revisit your own work or craft, you see it in a new light. He breaks the learning process down into the following stages: finding your life’s task, completing an apprenticeship, experimenting in the creative-active phase, and assimilating your skills to achieve Mastery.Of more importance than this breakdown is the formula that Greene observes. Mastery = time x intense focus x self-belief. It seems simple, but once you start to examine it, you begin to see how often we expect mastery from ourselves and others, whilst neglecting one or more of the components. We expect it overnight. We think it can be gained in an hour every day. We mistake our lack of confidence for the presence of humility. Greene neutralises those false conceptions to reveal the time, dedication and sacrifice necessary to attain the highest heights. Mastery is a powerful text. The mastery formula is even more powerful. Apply it.10. Rules for Radicals by Saul AlinskySaul Alinsky was a doer in every sense of the word. His reputation as a hell-raiser is built not on myth, but tangible deeds. Rules for Radicals, completed shortly before Alinsky passed, is the compendium of his experiences organising, motivating, directing and harnessing the power of the people. A man who saw reality as it was, not as he wished it to be, he leveraged the system to his fullest advantage to bring about change. A champion of effective action who we have much to learn from.11. Strategy by B.H. Liddell HartThe indirect approach is a game changer. The process of upsetting equilibrium (Hart calls it "dislocating") before striking, and proceeding to exploit it, seems intuitive now, but in practice is often overlooked. The indirect approach is revealed in the context of war, but it is useful in application to anything that requires strategy. You also learn about the strategy spectrum, the difference and interplay between tactics, strategy and grand strategy, along with Hart's nine prescriptive aphorisms for effective strategy. A book for anyone who has to make plans, develop a course of action, and implement it in the most effective way.12. Brave New War by John RobbThe era of state versus state warfare, of conflicts like the World Wars has passed says John Robb. The new warfare is one that utilises what Robb calls systems disruption. Hailing from Lawrence of Arabia and his methods in the First World War, the new style of conflict is one that targets infrastructure instead of casualties, and uses technological advances to exert millions of pounds of economic damages for a trivial cost. An enlightening and scary look at the effects of global interconnection and the dangers it poses.13. The Art of War by Sun TzuThe classic manual of conflict. Thomas Cleary's translation makes this text accessible and displays how relevant it still is. It is no coincidence that the work of great strategists like Liddell Hart, Robert Greene, John Robb, John Boyd, Alinsky and many others all end up at the same principles espoused by Sun Tzu over two millenia ago. The emphasis on fluidity, on adaptation, on timing, and on the importance of winning without fighting, is something we must periodically remind ourselves of.14. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemann and Amos TverskyThe culmination of forty plus years researching, testing, evaluating and solidifying his concepts, this practical guide is the tool to help you make critical decisions, whilst avoiding our innate psychological biases and flaws. But be warned, once you start to dig into the literature behind biases, you will disappear for a long time. I also advise reading the work of Gerd Gigerenzer. He sees some of the same problems and issues with our judgement and understanding of risk, but opposes how Kahneman et al. recommend solving them.15. Quiet by Susan CainMost pop psychology books draw on already over-used and ineffective insights and offer little in the way of practical strategies. Not this one. Quiet is a great medicine for a cultural outlook that favours the brash, the loud and the over-confident. Possibly the biggest perception here is that while extroverts recharge and recuperate around people, introverts need to regain their energy in less stimulating environments.16. A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes by Peter BevelinPiecing together the principles and methods that make Sherlock Holmes such an incisive reasoner, this short volume will alter how you look at your own thinking and judgement. Better approached as a collection of statements and aphorisms, rather than a free-flowing narrative, Bevelin simultaneously gives you the tools to be a better thinker, and makes you want to read the Sherlock Holmes stories. This short text is a prime example of the power of deductive reasoning.17. Never Let Go by Dan JohnThis book is mostly about lifting and training. But some of the parallels between lifting and life are so blatant that they are unmissable. Discipline, support systems, a healthy social environment, honest and regular assessment - all are paramount. This book also taught me about elegance, grace in performance and infected me with a love of lifting and learning. Dan’s later books Intervention and Can You Go? are more industry-specific, but deal with a worldwide problem; how to make sustainable behavioral change and promote a lifetime of improvement.18. Mushashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era by Eiji YoshikawaTakezo starts out as an unruly and typical young male, salivating at the spoils and glory associated with war. He knows defeat and exclusion and is reborn after a period of intense seclusion and study, as Miyamoto Musashi. Actively seeking the Way, he meets cunning enemies, subversive associates and constant opposition. A man at odds with the conventional way of doing things, by necessity, he has to be unconventional, in both his ongoing education and his tactics. By seeking out the major schools of the samurai art and challenging them, he observes their weaknesses, absorbs their strengths and synthesises his new experience with his own skills and knowledge.Musashi is the perfect example of the wanderer who, by examining all of the extremes and peculiarities of his discipline, proceeds to surpass them. He studies form to leave form. Musashi emphasises the humility and the constant re-mastery that is necessary to become the best. It’s a tale of the twisting path to utter perfection.19. Zorba the Greek by Nikos KazantzakisLife is defined by contrasts, as is this tale. A young English writer setting off to Crete encounters Alexis Zorba. The Englishman is the stereotypical intellectual-philosophiser, pondering and questioning his every action, careful at every junction and paralysed by his rationalising. Zorba stands as a free spirit. He follows his passions. He loves with all his heart and lives with all his energy. Depending on your perception, this can serve as a cautionary tale to reduce the heartache caused by Zorba's impulsive instincts, or as a call to embrace the reality of your surroundings, and enter into every action with vigour.20. The Godfather by Mario PuzoAs well as being a complete page turner, Puzo's tale depicts the influences of power, loyalty and anger upon a family. Tucker Max called it “a guide to modern manhood.” There are lessons in subtlety, strategy, reputation and recognition. And this: the Don "claimed that there was no greater natural advantage in life than having an enemy overestimate your faults, unless it was to have a friend underestimate your virtues." Read that a few more times.21. The Collected Works of Kahlil GibranGibran's ability to capture and evoke unspoken emotions is still one that strikes me every time I come back to his work. After being asked to give a reading at my friend's wedding, I immediately chose On Marriage and On Children. Another of his poems, The Scholar and the Poet, is one that I find myself coming back to. Whilst The Prophet is the most well-known of his works, his collection of aphorisms in Sand and Foam, along with some of the parables in The Madman and The Forerunner, are equally striking. Joy, sorrow, friendship, love and work are all touched upon.22. 12 Years a Slave by Solomon NorthrupA testament to the sheer savagery of human beings that can be awakened by an overwhelmingly cruel culture and upbringing. It details atrocities that, with our current cultural mindset, seem unimaginable. We view it as impossible that one man could treat another in such ways. It is not. And the reason may be that the slaves weren't considered as humans. They were perceived to be animals. Uneducated. Worthless. A mere possession.While this account highlights the cruelty of man, it is, perhaps more importantly, an ode to the indomitable spirit of an individual who has vowed to keep going, fight back and reverse the injustice so prevalent around him.23. Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex HaleyMalcolm X's descent into a life of poverty and crime, into robbery and a skittish, paranoid existence eventually lands him behind bars. Through a rigorous re-education, a total reinvention of self, he comes out the other side as a leading catalyst in the civil rights movement. Refusing to be censored. Refusing to silenced. Refusing to be caged in. He fought for what he believed in and paid for the struggle with his life.We often think that our circumstances paralyse us, making it impossible for us to move on or change. Malcolm shows us that if you have the audacity to change your mind and follow through, your circumstances are a non-issue.24. Ender's Game by Scott Orson CardThis is a raw and insightful tale of what it feels like to be thrown into an alien environment with no friends, little direction and no respect. And for that reason, if you’re starting out in a new job or a new environment, I highly recommend it. Ender, after being bullied and targeted, realises that he must attain two things to survive. He must gain the respect of his peers, and that respect must be based upon his capabilities, his excellence. He has to become really fucking good.The way he does this will be familiar to anyone who understands the process of learning. He studies his environment - who matters, what makes people act and react, who has the influence. He studies his peers - his enemies, his instructors, his teammates. And he studies himself - his weaknesses, his talents, his knowledge. By acknowledging no authority except excellence, and endeavoring to become so good they couldn’t ignore him, Ender not only survives, he thrives.25. Master of the Senate: The Years of LBJ III by Robert CaroLearning and education is not just about ideas, conceptual models and abstract frameworks. It is about an understanding of human nature, an understanding of men. I’ve read no better demonstration of just how to go about attaining this understanding than Caro’s books. LBJ arrives in the Senate and watches. He observes. He pays close attention to the relationships between Senators, to who has stature and power. He reads men, determines what makes each individual tick, what makes each person vulnerable and how he can use that to his advantage.Yes, LBJ was ruthless and amoral. Yes he used the men around him as instruments of his ambition and desires. But just because you don’t condone his methods, doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them. LBJ was one of the keenest observers of men, social pressures and power. Whether we like it or not, these are forces that are still prominent in our own environment. There is a reason that Robert Greene called this series the greatest self-help books he’d ever read.A Final Note on Reading“To this day I still have the instinct that the treasure, what one needs to know for a profession, is necessarily what lies outside the corpus, as far away from the centre as possible. But there is something central in following one's own direction in the selection of readings: what I was given to study in school I have forgotten; what I decided to read on my own I still remember.” - Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile