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The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison ::
I have a problem with most of the technology executives out there. They’re dorks. They’re self-involved and they’re self-important. and would have more fun talking about their Libertarian criticism of Big Government (Scott McNealy, I’m looking at you), or they’re latest weird clothing (Steve Job’s ensembles seem to get more ridiculous every year) than they would about the technology that actually made them all their millions, or in some cases billions of dollars. Yes, tech always seems to be secondary to these people’s cult of personality.
In most ways, Larry Ellison is no different. Before reading this book. I’d known about Ellison’s house in Athernon, about his relentless pursuit of company growth, and his desire for Bill Gates' throne. But beyond that, he much a mystery. After reading this book, most of the gaps were filled it. And my conclusion? It goes something like this: while Larry Ellison is just as obnoxious as all those other rich Silicon Valley weirdoes, he is the one I can relate to the most. Maybe it’s his hyperactivity, or maybe it’s his underlying need to make trouble that I find intriguing. Or maybe it' something else, something irrational. But one thing I know for sure: while maybe meeting the guy would be nice, and having a conversation with him would prove fascinating, I would in no way want to work for him. Or be his friend.
The one thing that drove me crazy about Ellison in this book was his desire to be the absolute richest, the most powerful man, not only in the world of technology, but, well, in the world. Period. To him, that meant taking out Bill Gates. What a weird obsession for someone who has accomplished so much. I have come to the conclusion that if there was any single flaw in Ellison’s character that wound up hurting both him and his company the most, it is that singular, foolish insecurity.
But then there’s Bill Gates. I have my problems with him, to be sure, but one thing I will say is that he handles his throne well. Probably better than Ellison would, were he actually to have somehow usurped him. But whatever -- for all his flaws and mistakes, Ellison seems to handle the position he landed in just fine. Even though he would hate to hear that suggestion.
The Spectator Bird ::
I was hoping that, in this new year of reading, I would be more vigorous. But it was something about the holidays, the booze and the cold, the snow drifting onto the porch and leaving me feeling isolated, that made the process start slowly. It took me nearly two weeks to read The Spectator Bird, a 214-page book. I know I am typically a slow reader, but usually it takes no more than a week to read a book, especially one that is so short. I can give you the excuse that Stegner is a dense, nuanced writer, and reading fifty pages of his work is like reading an entire book by a lesser author, but that would be disingenouous, bordering on outrightly false.
Honestly, I was frustrated with this book. It was one of those stories in which not much happens: a retired literary agent tends to his home, his wife, his aging physical self, but in the meantime he is grappling with the errors he has made in his life. Through his ruminations we see the people he has lost, the choices he has made and the inactivity that has resulted in an existence that he now sees is unchallenging and unfulfilling. This leaves him feeling quite sad. And while the feelings he relates are nuanced and tangible, I found it hard to read forty pages of a flashback only to find that in real time, we never left his bedroom. It made me feel stuck, and while that might have been the point Stegner was trying to communicate, I was uninspired to push forward. I had to deal with the snow and the cold outside.
But don’t get me wrong. This book is excellent. And as I noted before, there are some truely great passages in the book. And as I’ve been reading it, I’ve found that Stegner’s style is having an effect on me -- as I write, I feel similar to the way I did when I was reading the book. I’ve learned that that’s a sign of a truely excellent writer. And I recommend you read this book. Just don’t do it in the dead of winter.
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