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Rooted: The Hidden Connection Between Cultural Heritage and Success
"It is very rare to find a book which makes you think, has genuine insight into the human condition and is easy and fun to read." � Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom"The Impact of Identity is an ideal guide to adapting and learning without forsaking what makes you unique". � Garry Kasparov, Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation and Chess GrandmasterThe world is rapidly changing, and our beliefs are constantly challenged. Without a strong connection to our roots and confidence in our being, the slightest changes around us can be devastating to our identity.So how can we create the foundations for ourselves, to allow us to move flexibly with our complicated world and embrace advancements of any kind while staying true to our beliefs?Irina Nevzlin has lived the immigrant life from a young age. But her rich life experience and notable entrepreneurial successes have taught her that in our global and ever-changing world, we are all immigrants of sorts. This unique book offers a fresh and insightful perspective on how we can build ourselves up to adapt with greater ease to our complex world.Discover answers to questions you may have never even known you is it important to know who you are and where you belong?Which tools are at your disposal when solidifying your identity?What new skills must you acquire to thrive in this world, and how can they be learned?Why is the future something to look forward to, rather than fear?Explore a new approach to establishing a clear-cut, resilient identity to enjoy a more fulfilled, meaningful life.
124 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2020
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356 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 3, 2021
I came across this book in an unusual way: I read an -- but this book turned to be identity and not language.
Irina Nevzlin was born into the era in the Soviet Union when religion and ethnicity were being erased. The cultural hero she learned about in school was a 13 year old boy who had turned his parents in for being enemies of the state. Her family was limited in educational opportunities and what work was permitted because they were Jews, but they were not allowed to find out what being Jewish meant. She was a member of the Communist Party at eight. Her parents emphasized education, but her Russian friends weren't academically oriented and began drinking at twelve.
She was thirteen when the Soviet Union collapsed, followed, she says, by most Russians turning from Communism back to Orthodox Christianity. She was able to visit Israel with her family, and from her changed comfort level, realized that at home she'd been living as though with a mask on, that is, not being able to be herself in public. Back in Moscow, she got herself accepted into a Jewish school and thereafter began making decisions for herself and developing her identity. She emigrated when, under Putin, her father's business partner was arrested, going first to London for three years and eventually to Israel, where she runs a museum.
I think her family had the financial means to assist in that enterprise.
For her, discovering and developing her identity means being part of a people and lifestyle plus it eventually meant living in Israel -- all of which served to plug her into a network. She herself did not become religious but finds herself able to compromise on that score with husband and sons for the good of the family as a whole.
The gist of the book is on self-development following from finding one's roots.
She talked about the antisemitic accusation of calling Jews 'rootless cosmopolitans' and recommends being, instead, a rooted cosmopolitan.
I actually have a book by that name (that I haven't read): by James Loeffler.
She references various other books and authors that I have read, , for example, and (who wrote the great Thinking, Fast and Slow).
Her book is a pep talk on being rooted, flexible, and open to new learning and development. Or, as we used to say in "the '60s," finding yourself.
I agree with most of what she says, but it's not that easy. As she herself says, it took some changed circumstances before she could see she was living with a mask on, as she puts it. To change and to believe other than in the accepted version of reality often has to wait until -- something happens. One cannot simply be exhorted.
But a pep talk can't hurt. The exhortation may coincide with moments of illumination.
I thought perhaps she erred by making this book too general, too overly-universalized.
Yet there's the author of the original article who brought this book to my attention: she found it of value.
Irina Nevzlin was born into the era in the Soviet Union when religion and ethnicity were being erased. The cultural hero she learned about in school was a 13 year old boy who had turned his parents in for being enemies of the state. Her family was limited in educational opportunities and what work was permitted because they were Jews, but they were not allowed to find out what being Jewish meant. She was a member of the Communist Party at eight. Her parents emphasized education, but her Russian friends weren't academically oriented and began drinking at twelve.
She was thirteen when the Soviet Union collapsed, followed, she says, by most Russians turning from Communism back to Orthodox Christianity. She was able to visit Israel with her family, and from her changed comfort level, realized that at home she'd been living as though with a mask on, that is, not being able to be herself in public. Back in Moscow, she got herself accepted into a Jewish school and thereafter began making decisions for herself and developing her identity. She emigrated when, under Putin, her father's business partner was arrested, going first to London for three years and eventually to Israel, where she runs a museum.
I think her family had the financial means to assist in that enterprise.
For her, discovering and developing her identity means being part of a people and lifestyle plus it eventually meant living in Israel -- all of which served to plug her into a network. She herself did not become religious but finds herself able to compromise on that score with husband and sons for the good of the family as a whole.
The gist of the book is on self-development following from finding one's roots.
She talked about the antisemitic accusation of calling Jews 'rootless cosmopolitans' and recommends being, instead, a rooted cosmopolitan.
I actually have a book by that name (that I haven't read): by James Loeffler.
She references various other books and authors that I have read, , for example, and (who wrote the great Thinking, Fast and Slow).
Her book is a pep talk on being rooted, flexible, and open to new learning and development. Or, as we used to say in "the '60s," finding yourself.
I agree with most of what she says, but it's not that easy. As she herself says, it took some changed circumstances before she could see she was living with a mask on, as she puts it. To change and to believe other than in the accepted version of reality often has to wait until -- something happens. One cannot simply be exhorted.
But a pep talk can't hurt. The exhortation may coincide with moments of illumination.
I thought perhaps she erred by making this book too general, too overly-universalized.
Yet there's the author of the original article who brought this book to my attention: she found it of value.
May 28, 2020
This book was not what I expected. I think if you’re an immigrant this might be a very helpful tool, because most of the book is about that. I was expecting more tips and tools on how to discover your core drivers, personality traits, etc outside of what your environment has determined. Nature vs. nurture discussion. Instead it talked more about why knowing your identity is important, how the author found their identity and that you should do what they did based on how they did it. I found the advice that was provided to be very subjective based on their experiences but I did like the commentary on the current political climate. Didn’t agree with everyone she said, but it was mostly interesting.
September 15, 2023
Some interesting points especially near the end but also so much waffle.
January 3, 2022
I thought this was a good book in the age of COVID, where all of us are immigrants to this new society of existence. I enjoyed her discussions of the change processes over the years and the impact our individual identities play within change. Overall, it was a good short read.
December 28, 2023
Currently available on Kindle Unlimited, this short book has an intriguing title and strap line. Identity is something that has always interested me, as I am multinational and multicultural. I have always been a Briton in France and a Frenchman in Britain. My French half is Catalan and my British half is English, but I have little connection to my ethnicities. As an atheist, I have no religious roots. Culturally, I feel more community with scattered individuals around the planet than I do with my neighbours. So this book’s promise chimed with me.
However, it did not deliver. It is a narrow and shallow view of the subject.
The author sets out her personal journey as a Russian Jew, growing up under an artificial Soviet identity that never was hers, discovering her Jewishness, and experiencing life as an immigrant in England and Israel. From this experience, she asserts that the discovery of one’s roots and the cultivation of one’s roots enables the individual to flourish in an increasingly confusing and diverse world. Okay, that’s fine in itself, but there’s no mention of anyone having more than one set of roots - a frequent occurrence in a migratory world.
The author proves to be highly suspicious of multiculturalism, drawing a truly bizarre parallel between Soviet suppression of ethnic and religious identities and an alleged European project to similarly suppress the national identities of the member states.
*What?* Sorry, this author places herself squarely in the loony bin with that conspiracy theorist assertion.
The European identity felt by many people across the continent (not all obviously) is not an artificial imposed replacement for existing national identities based on loyalty to a political party. It is similar to the feeling I experience of being British, which is a supranational identity distinct from and additional to being English, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish. It is a recognition that we have more in common than what divides us. An individual can belong to more than one community entirely comfortably, as I find with many of my multinational friends.
And one can be confident in one’s own identity and tolerant towards the identities of others, whilst having more than one set of roots. Being diverse, being complex, is not the disadvantage this author appears to believe it to be. Being “rootless� means having no roots, it does not mean having complex roots. The author argues that patriotism is an important part of having an identity, as opposed to nationalism which demeans the patriotism of others, but does not consider the possibility of having multiple and contradictory patriotisms.
By ignoring the experiences of people born of parents from communities that are often opposed in many different ways, the author has missed a crucial test of her arguments.
Similarly, the author expressly rejects the notion of finding roots in anything other than ethnic origin (everything else is just a “label�). Political, religious, economic, cultural communities are not valid in her view. As a Briton and as a Frenchman equally, I know that much is not true. Simple example: take an Eastender and a City gent. Don’t tell me that their shared ethnicity makes them belong to the same community. Take a Brummie and a Yorkshireman. Same. Take a Geordie and a Mackan. Same. Ethnicity is too broad a brush, as every ethnicity has multiple subdivisions. No ethnicity is uniform let alone simple. Taking that point further, what of the phenomenon of cultural tribalism, rockers and mods, and punks, and goths? Seriously, a lot of people find closer community in global cultural trends than in ethnicity. And what about sexual communities, LGBTQ+ identities are as worthy of examination as ethnic communities. But the author classifies these identities as being part of the modern confusion that causes lost souls to embrace nationalism or even extremism in their search for easily understood traditional certainties.
There is an inherent contradiction between the author’s assertion that ethnic roots define a person and her assertion that each individual should develop their own identities and embrace diversity and change (having anchored themselves in their inherited identity). She argues that individuals should cultivate self awareness and take charge of their destinies rather than meekly doing what society at large or their families expect of them (that’s good), but also argues that such self awareness can only come from knowing one’s roots. So ethnic / cultural norms must be accepted so as to transcend them with confidence? I don’t get that. Self awareness does not need a starting point. The author fails to make a firm connection between taking responsibility for one’s own life and belonging to an ethnic group.
This is an interesting book, raising important questions, but it ultimately fails to present a coherent argument to support its premise that confident individuality arises only from collective identity and that collective identity can only be ethnic. Shame.
However, it did not deliver. It is a narrow and shallow view of the subject.
The author sets out her personal journey as a Russian Jew, growing up under an artificial Soviet identity that never was hers, discovering her Jewishness, and experiencing life as an immigrant in England and Israel. From this experience, she asserts that the discovery of one’s roots and the cultivation of one’s roots enables the individual to flourish in an increasingly confusing and diverse world. Okay, that’s fine in itself, but there’s no mention of anyone having more than one set of roots - a frequent occurrence in a migratory world.
The author proves to be highly suspicious of multiculturalism, drawing a truly bizarre parallel between Soviet suppression of ethnic and religious identities and an alleged European project to similarly suppress the national identities of the member states.
*What?* Sorry, this author places herself squarely in the loony bin with that conspiracy theorist assertion.
The European identity felt by many people across the continent (not all obviously) is not an artificial imposed replacement for existing national identities based on loyalty to a political party. It is similar to the feeling I experience of being British, which is a supranational identity distinct from and additional to being English, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish. It is a recognition that we have more in common than what divides us. An individual can belong to more than one community entirely comfortably, as I find with many of my multinational friends.
And one can be confident in one’s own identity and tolerant towards the identities of others, whilst having more than one set of roots. Being diverse, being complex, is not the disadvantage this author appears to believe it to be. Being “rootless� means having no roots, it does not mean having complex roots. The author argues that patriotism is an important part of having an identity, as opposed to nationalism which demeans the patriotism of others, but does not consider the possibility of having multiple and contradictory patriotisms.
By ignoring the experiences of people born of parents from communities that are often opposed in many different ways, the author has missed a crucial test of her arguments.
Similarly, the author expressly rejects the notion of finding roots in anything other than ethnic origin (everything else is just a “label�). Political, religious, economic, cultural communities are not valid in her view. As a Briton and as a Frenchman equally, I know that much is not true. Simple example: take an Eastender and a City gent. Don’t tell me that their shared ethnicity makes them belong to the same community. Take a Brummie and a Yorkshireman. Same. Take a Geordie and a Mackan. Same. Ethnicity is too broad a brush, as every ethnicity has multiple subdivisions. No ethnicity is uniform let alone simple. Taking that point further, what of the phenomenon of cultural tribalism, rockers and mods, and punks, and goths? Seriously, a lot of people find closer community in global cultural trends than in ethnicity. And what about sexual communities, LGBTQ+ identities are as worthy of examination as ethnic communities. But the author classifies these identities as being part of the modern confusion that causes lost souls to embrace nationalism or even extremism in their search for easily understood traditional certainties.
There is an inherent contradiction between the author’s assertion that ethnic roots define a person and her assertion that each individual should develop their own identities and embrace diversity and change (having anchored themselves in their inherited identity). She argues that individuals should cultivate self awareness and take charge of their destinies rather than meekly doing what society at large or their families expect of them (that’s good), but also argues that such self awareness can only come from knowing one’s roots. So ethnic / cultural norms must be accepted so as to transcend them with confidence? I don’t get that. Self awareness does not need a starting point. The author fails to make a firm connection between taking responsibility for one’s own life and belonging to an ethnic group.
This is an interesting book, raising important questions, but it ultimately fails to present a coherent argument to support its premise that confident individuality arises only from collective identity and that collective identity can only be ethnic. Shame.
March 31, 2024
This book is not what I expected, and while I'm still glad I read it, I wouldn't recommend it to most people. First, this is not a self-help book nor a broad exploration of finding one's identity. Instead, it addresses what we can learn from immigrants and is a glance into Irina Nevzlin's personal journey into finding her identity as a Soviet-born Jewish woman.
The Impact of Identity boils down to several key points:
- Your cultural/ethnic background is most important. Here you will find "your people." Other categories that often play a role in a person's identity like religion, hobbies, gender, political affiliation, and sexual orientation are simply "labels" that cause confusion.
- Don't blame others / Accept responsibility for your circumstances. Although you may not be the cause of your circumstances, by taking responsibility you can work on fixing your issues. Placing blame on others not only puts you in a victim mindset; it is also simply a waste of time.
- Learn a new language. In the process, you'll not only learn a new language, but a culture.
While Nevzlin brings up a number of interesting points, I found myself disagreeing with her on many things throughout the book, often for political reasons. I won't argue that this book is bad simply because I disagree with the author's politics; I often enjoy reading books from authors with diverse backgrounds/beliefs. I will argue, however, that a book marketed as trying to help people establish "a clear-cut, resilient identity to enjoy a more fulfilled, meaningful life", should bring more to the table than personal stories, tips that mainly apply to only a portion of the population, and encouragement to stick to "your people."
Ultimately, Nevzlin fails to present much more than personal stories, encouragement to stick to "your people", and an endorsement of nationalism, while minimizing or ignoring the fundamental reasons that cause people to struggle to find their identity while dealing with economic and/or social hardship. If you'd like to learn more about what immigrants face as they integrate themselves into their new country, you very well may find plenty of interesting information. But I cannot recommend this to anyone looking for help on establishing and accepting their identity.
The Impact of Identity boils down to several key points:
- Your cultural/ethnic background is most important. Here you will find "your people." Other categories that often play a role in a person's identity like religion, hobbies, gender, political affiliation, and sexual orientation are simply "labels" that cause confusion.
- Don't blame others / Accept responsibility for your circumstances. Although you may not be the cause of your circumstances, by taking responsibility you can work on fixing your issues. Placing blame on others not only puts you in a victim mindset; it is also simply a waste of time.
- Learn a new language. In the process, you'll not only learn a new language, but a culture.
While Nevzlin brings up a number of interesting points, I found myself disagreeing with her on many things throughout the book, often for political reasons. I won't argue that this book is bad simply because I disagree with the author's politics; I often enjoy reading books from authors with diverse backgrounds/beliefs. I will argue, however, that a book marketed as trying to help people establish "a clear-cut, resilient identity to enjoy a more fulfilled, meaningful life", should bring more to the table than personal stories, tips that mainly apply to only a portion of the population, and encouragement to stick to "your people."
Ultimately, Nevzlin fails to present much more than personal stories, encouragement to stick to "your people", and an endorsement of nationalism, while minimizing or ignoring the fundamental reasons that cause people to struggle to find their identity while dealing with economic and/or social hardship. If you'd like to learn more about what immigrants face as they integrate themselves into their new country, you very well may find plenty of interesting information. But I cannot recommend this to anyone looking for help on establishing and accepting their identity.
January 2, 2025
This really should have been either a think piece article, a biography, or a how-to guide for immigrants, but the author did not commit to a format.
As it stands, it contained no new or valuable insights and far too much “choose to not be a victim�, “personal accountability�, and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps� talk from an author who is the daughter of a Russian oil baron. The author hints at interesting experiences and I would have preferred to have read a biography than her personal opinion on identity. It was very much her own opinion based on only her experiences, which she acknowledged, but it came across pretty out of touch. She creates hypothetical immigrants and says what she thinks they would do and feel instead of interviewing and creating case studies of diasporas and how they create community and identity.
It was a short book but I don’t think there was enough substance here for even that. There were entire pages that were mostly long quotes from other books and paragraphs that were just lists of examples, rhetorical questions, or the aforementioned hypothetical scenarios.
As it stands, it contained no new or valuable insights and far too much “choose to not be a victim�, “personal accountability�, and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps� talk from an author who is the daughter of a Russian oil baron. The author hints at interesting experiences and I would have preferred to have read a biography than her personal opinion on identity. It was very much her own opinion based on only her experiences, which she acknowledged, but it came across pretty out of touch. She creates hypothetical immigrants and says what she thinks they would do and feel instead of interviewing and creating case studies of diasporas and how they create community and identity.
It was a short book but I don’t think there was enough substance here for even that. There were entire pages that were mostly long quotes from other books and paragraphs that were just lists of examples, rhetorical questions, or the aforementioned hypothetical scenarios.
May 21, 2023
Distasteful
The author is telling you very simple day -to- day known facts in an extremely patronising way that make me ask question am I mad reading this but also referring the mental state of the author . The author is saying that the brain should not look for change because it will use too much energy ( according to her brain use only 20% energy .....very much questioned)and in the next chapter she is saying that we have to find new ways of living in order to grow more brain cells and our brain will have more grey matter .....our brain does not grow , it improves the storage and passing information....lts quite a long way to explain, we have to study languages which I support but we have to study in order to question about yourself ....I sound like a lunatic trying to explain sth with her terms of advice/ coaching ....the worst book I ever read , I can't believe that someone will publish it.
The author is telling you very simple day -to- day known facts in an extremely patronising way that make me ask question am I mad reading this but also referring the mental state of the author . The author is saying that the brain should not look for change because it will use too much energy ( according to her brain use only 20% energy .....very much questioned)and in the next chapter she is saying that we have to find new ways of living in order to grow more brain cells and our brain will have more grey matter .....our brain does not grow , it improves the storage and passing information....lts quite a long way to explain, we have to study languages which I support but we have to study in order to question about yourself ....I sound like a lunatic trying to explain sth with her terms of advice/ coaching ....the worst book I ever read , I can't believe that someone will publish it.
March 10, 2021
A personal account turned historical perspective and argumentative essay on the how identity impacts our lives and the world. The title is too vague; identity here refers to cultural heritage and ethnic identity. The author gives an interesting background on her upbringing in USSR and discovery of her Jewish identity after leaving Russia, but then digresses into arguments that feel pushy about other topics such as immigration and victimization. This book did not have a strong psychology foundation, which I was hoping for, although the author does mention Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. A great political read with historical undertones with interesting facts about Israel and Russia.
January 16, 2023
Who are we! Why are we here!
I loved this book. It is full of personal and very meaningful insights to discover ourselves as well as how to adjust to ever changing circumstances. Learning to accept responsibility for ourselves, knowing our roots, and not blindly accepting everything we hear as being the truth. Easy to read and understand. Learning to understand yourself is a key theme. Be grounded in your ethnic upbringing, make sound and thoughtful choices, and move forward. Life is short. Making intelligent choices gives you a much better chance of having a happy one. Thank you, Irina Nevzlin
I loved this book. It is full of personal and very meaningful insights to discover ourselves as well as how to adjust to ever changing circumstances. Learning to accept responsibility for ourselves, knowing our roots, and not blindly accepting everything we hear as being the truth. Easy to read and understand. Learning to understand yourself is a key theme. Be grounded in your ethnic upbringing, make sound and thoughtful choices, and move forward. Life is short. Making intelligent choices gives you a much better chance of having a happy one. Thank you, Irina Nevzlin
January 24, 2020
Irina Nevzlin leads the reader on a voyage of discovery in which they discover the importance of having a unique identity with strong roots in one's cultural identity. In this modern world of displaced peoples and shifting population she explains the necessity for each of us to know where we have come from and then being able to fit that experience into our future growth. I highly recommend this book.
March 27, 2023
What a wonderful book!
I found this book the same week my biological paternal family found me. I am 69 and found that I had known always about the adoption, but not about all of my heritage. This has sent me on a search of who am I really. This book has blessed me in many ways. I love the authors concepts and ideas and her example! Thank you for blessing me on this new adventure of finding more pieces to the puzzle that is me.
I found this book the same week my biological paternal family found me. I am 69 and found that I had known always about the adoption, but not about all of my heritage. This has sent me on a search of who am I really. This book has blessed me in many ways. I love the authors concepts and ideas and her example! Thank you for blessing me on this new adventure of finding more pieces to the puzzle that is me.
January 4, 2024
3.5
This is good. There's not much to say other than it's helpful to get you in a mindset of how to build and be more comfortable with who you are. There are some things where I'm like, "ehhhh, did we need this?" But overall, it was solid. Definitely tabbed some content I enjoyed and will be coming back to when I need a reminder.
It's worth a read if you're interested in sociology and psychology and a different perspective on what makes/ lets us build upon our identity.
This is good. There's not much to say other than it's helpful to get you in a mindset of how to build and be more comfortable with who you are. There are some things where I'm like, "ehhhh, did we need this?" But overall, it was solid. Definitely tabbed some content I enjoyed and will be coming back to when I need a reminder.
It's worth a read if you're interested in sociology and psychology and a different perspective on what makes/ lets us build upon our identity.
May 1, 2024
“What is making me un-comfortable? What do I have control over and what is out of my hands? Can I learn a new skill or gain knowledge to deal more elegantly with the situation? If I do something differently or don't do something, how will it influence the way I feel or my well-being? You will always come out of this process feeling calmer and smarter.�
February 25, 2020
Thought-Provoking
The little book is interesting and thought-provoking. I identified with many of the ideas expressed and underlined a few inspiring lines. A recommended reading to anyone in quest of personal identity.
The little book is interesting and thought-provoking. I identified with many of the ideas expressed and underlined a few inspiring lines. A recommended reading to anyone in quest of personal identity.
April 14, 2020
Thought provoking and an Enjoyable read
Well written and presents ideas in a unique as well as practical way. Many good takeaways to reflect on one’s life and finding one’s place in the world
Well written and presents ideas in a unique as well as practical way. Many good takeaways to reflect on one’s life and finding one’s place in the world
November 14, 2020
Too much history
If this was for history seeking it would be great sadly I was looking it to be self help and really did not get what I was hoping yo get. Excellent writing skills lls.
If this was for history seeking it would be great sadly I was looking it to be self help and really did not get what I was hoping yo get. Excellent writing skills lls.
January 15, 2021
The Power of Knowing Who You Are
Interesting topic with a great potential for discussion on identity development. However, the narrative is more of outline with repetitive information on the author's background.
Interesting topic with a great potential for discussion on identity development. However, the narrative is more of outline with repetitive information on the author's background.
February 3, 2021
Not what I expected...
It wasn’t the type of book on identity I was looking for - I wanted something more neurosciency... but it was still able to drop some interesting nuggets into my brain.
It wasn’t the type of book on identity I was looking for - I wanted something more neurosciency... but it was still able to drop some interesting nuggets into my brain.
March 27, 2020
Very good book
I wasn’t sure what this book would entail. When I got into reading it, I was hooked. It digs on deeper themes as finding and standing in your roots. Excellent read.
I wasn’t sure what this book would entail. When I got into reading it, I was hooked. It digs on deeper themes as finding and standing in your roots. Excellent read.
July 26, 2021
not my favorite, made me think a little about my life but i didn’t really feel connected to what she was talking about. felt like i was just reading it to get it over with
December 3, 2021
It is inspiring and encouraging not just for the target audience but pretty much every one.
Read
January 15, 2022Yes
August 14, 2022
great book
The author has written about a compelling storyline that can help people if they are willing to apply what is being offered.
The author has written about a compelling storyline that can help people if they are willing to apply what is being offered.
August 18, 2022
While the subtitle hints at something worth reading, the book reads more a history book and skims topics that doesn't even come close to whetting the appetite.
January 16, 2025
did not get what I wanted from this book, but it has its merits
December 20, 2022
I don’t always rate books I read, including many I like. And when I do, I have a pretty broad rule, to reserve a 5 for books that knock my socks off (or teach me something I didn’t know), 4 for books that I enjoyed and are definitely worth reading, 3 for books that I didn’t enjoy but that I think others might like reading.
On occasion, I have given a 5 to a short-story collection where there is a story or two that knocked my socks off, but where the other stories might otherwise merit a 4 or even a 3, in my system. And then sometimes I’ll give a 3 to book that had potential, but where the writing was “meh� � or it read like a first draft.
And parts of this book, particularly the first and second chapters read like first drafts as if the author Irina Nevzlin just dictated them and revised them once after typing them out. There are, to be sure, nuggets of wisdom in those chapters, but on the whole, they read a little rough.
But I kept reading.
In Chapter 3, the book finds its stride, I was underlining passages and scribbling in the margins. Nevzlin, an immigrant herself, gets at why immigrants are often successful, “’adolescents from immigrant families’�, she writes quoting a 2015 study, “remain connected to their roots�, creating “a new hybrid identity that combines different values and attitudes from their immigrant families and host country.�
And I scribbled in the margin how this corresponds with my observation (as a student of myth and history) of mythologies that resonate and nations (and empires) that flourish. Such mythologies, such nations are syncretic, incorporating stories and ideas from a variety of different sources. Europe, for example, advanced out of the Medieval Era, the so-called “Dark Ages,� when artists and thinkers brought in ideas from the classical world and blended them, if you will, with the then-reigning Christian faith. A new culture—and a new Europe—emerged, a Judeo-Christian Græco-Roman amalgamation.
Similarly, with a Muslim ruling class and a largely Hindu population, the Mogul Empire flourished for three centuries on the Indian subcontinent.
If nations flourish by blending ideas from different cultures, it’s no wonder that immigrants flourish in cultures different from those where they were born. Such individuals blend, as Nevzlin writes, ways of thinking, of living from the culture of their roots with those from the nation where they develop into adults.
A smart observation that will keep me thinking.
On occasion, I have given a 5 to a short-story collection where there is a story or two that knocked my socks off, but where the other stories might otherwise merit a 4 or even a 3, in my system. And then sometimes I’ll give a 3 to book that had potential, but where the writing was “meh� � or it read like a first draft.
And parts of this book, particularly the first and second chapters read like first drafts as if the author Irina Nevzlin just dictated them and revised them once after typing them out. There are, to be sure, nuggets of wisdom in those chapters, but on the whole, they read a little rough.
But I kept reading.
In Chapter 3, the book finds its stride, I was underlining passages and scribbling in the margins. Nevzlin, an immigrant herself, gets at why immigrants are often successful, “’adolescents from immigrant families’�, she writes quoting a 2015 study, “remain connected to their roots�, creating “a new hybrid identity that combines different values and attitudes from their immigrant families and host country.�
And I scribbled in the margin how this corresponds with my observation (as a student of myth and history) of mythologies that resonate and nations (and empires) that flourish. Such mythologies, such nations are syncretic, incorporating stories and ideas from a variety of different sources. Europe, for example, advanced out of the Medieval Era, the so-called “Dark Ages,� when artists and thinkers brought in ideas from the classical world and blended them, if you will, with the then-reigning Christian faith. A new culture—and a new Europe—emerged, a Judeo-Christian Græco-Roman amalgamation.
Similarly, with a Muslim ruling class and a largely Hindu population, the Mogul Empire flourished for three centuries on the Indian subcontinent.
If nations flourish by blending ideas from different cultures, it’s no wonder that immigrants flourish in cultures different from those where they were born. Such individuals blend, as Nevzlin writes, ways of thinking, of living from the culture of their roots with those from the nation where they develop into adults.
A smart observation that will keep me thinking.
November 10, 2019
Discovering self in the chaos of today’s world
Israeli author Irina Nevzlin is the Chair of the Board of the Museum of Jewish People in Tel Aviv, co-founder of the Israeli Center for Better Childhood, and president of the Nadav Foundation � each role representing her focus on building a meaningful life and building personal identity, strengthening roots, and developing collective identity.
Irina Nevzlin writes in a manner that encourages the reader to respond with appreciation and attention, not unlike a warm conversation with an intelligent and compassionate friend. In her Preface she writes, ‘I woke up one morning in December 2018 with a book in my head. Throughout my entire life, until that moment, I had never thought of writing a book but I felt an urge to share a message that derives form personal experience. As Guy Kawaski says, “Learning by anecdote is risky, but waiting for scientific proof is too,� My message is simple. There are many things we can do and decisions we can make that reduce fear, bring meaning, and enhance enjoyment while exploring life in our fast-changing world. If you want to make your life better by getting fresh insight and a different perspective � this is the book for you.�
Sharing her origins in the USSR and later in London, Irina brings us into her circle of life invitingly, and in this wise book she discusses such aspects of her philosophy as Connecting to who you are � trees, roots, personal growth, Making sense of the world today, Why immigrants can help us fond a solution, Some ideas on getting to know who you are (digital identity, differentiating between labels and identity, multiculturalism and its impact on identity, discovering your personal identity versus having it handed to you), Enjoying a bold new spirit of adventure, and more.
Ever positive in her outlook and in her teaching and guidance, Irina shares her insights in a dialogue with the reader that makes entering her enlightened state of self-discovery accessible to all. This is a sensitive and caring book by a woman of significance. Recommended.
Israeli author Irina Nevzlin is the Chair of the Board of the Museum of Jewish People in Tel Aviv, co-founder of the Israeli Center for Better Childhood, and president of the Nadav Foundation � each role representing her focus on building a meaningful life and building personal identity, strengthening roots, and developing collective identity.
Irina Nevzlin writes in a manner that encourages the reader to respond with appreciation and attention, not unlike a warm conversation with an intelligent and compassionate friend. In her Preface she writes, ‘I woke up one morning in December 2018 with a book in my head. Throughout my entire life, until that moment, I had never thought of writing a book but I felt an urge to share a message that derives form personal experience. As Guy Kawaski says, “Learning by anecdote is risky, but waiting for scientific proof is too,� My message is simple. There are many things we can do and decisions we can make that reduce fear, bring meaning, and enhance enjoyment while exploring life in our fast-changing world. If you want to make your life better by getting fresh insight and a different perspective � this is the book for you.�
Sharing her origins in the USSR and later in London, Irina brings us into her circle of life invitingly, and in this wise book she discusses such aspects of her philosophy as Connecting to who you are � trees, roots, personal growth, Making sense of the world today, Why immigrants can help us fond a solution, Some ideas on getting to know who you are (digital identity, differentiating between labels and identity, multiculturalism and its impact on identity, discovering your personal identity versus having it handed to you), Enjoying a bold new spirit of adventure, and more.
Ever positive in her outlook and in her teaching and guidance, Irina shares her insights in a dialogue with the reader that makes entering her enlightened state of self-discovery accessible to all. This is a sensitive and caring book by a woman of significance. Recommended.
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