Call Me By Your Name

    As a huge movie with many fans, I thought it would be the right thing to do to read the book "Call Me By Your Name" by André Aciman.

    Oliver, a postdoc from Columbia, travels to the Italian Riviera for six weeks to stay with an esteemed scholar, his wife, and his seventeen-year-old son, Elio. Elio is naive but bold and quickly realizes he is falling for the man staying in his bedroom. Aciman describes Elio's longing and yearning in great detail while he hopes and prays that Oliver will finally make a move. 

    As soon as Oliver does, the two spend the rest of the summer caving into their desire and learning to understand each other and their feelings. However, the end of the summer comes quickly, and Oliver needs to travel back to the States. There is no big fight or argument; they both understand that their relationship has a distinct timeline. 

    The book ends with them meeting 15 years later and discussing their impact on each other's lives. While the ending seems almost anticlimactic, it depicts a sense of nostalgia and growth for both men. Aciman describes Elio's obsession and desire as a boy while trying to figure out his own sexuality in such a powerful way, transporting the readers into a hot Italian summer. While it is classified as a coming-of-age story, this novel goes beyond the typical 'young adult book' in a way not many authors have been able to so eloquently. 

    I think this book was beautifully written and encapsulates the struggles of a relationship and growing up. Although the relationship between the two has a large age gap, I think the emotions and feelings are incredibly raw and heartbreaking. 

Rating: 3.7/ 5 Stars

Leaders Eat Last: Part 2

    After finally finishing the book, I feel like I could single-handedly change the world in the next hour. There were so many topics and different aspects of leadership covered that I feel like I should just run for president! #Buerman2024

    There are a few topics that I believe to be the most important, so I am going to focus on those parts...

1) Empathy is a crucial characteristic of a leader. 

When employees feel valued and understood, they are much more likely to do their best work. Employees should never be viewed as machines. Employees are people with their own lives, feelings, and obligations. These employees should also trust the company that when the going gets tough, they are not sent to the chopping block first. If employees feel their work is appreciated, they are much more willing to go down with the ship. 

2) Always stay a step ahead of the press. 

When a company is faced with adversity, it is imperative to stay ahead of the situation. When the company has handled a situation poorly or there is corruption in the workplace, nip the situation in the bud. The public is way more receptive to an open and honest company compared to a company trying to shove the skeletons back in the closet when they fall out. 

3) A team must run as a unity or it simply won't run. 

All employees of a company need to feel safe. If there is a hostile work environment, ideas are less likely to flow. If the boss/ CEO/ Leader of a company is separate from the group, employees feel abandoned. Humans love order and working as a team to achieve a goal. 

I think this book should be mandatory for anyone in a leadership position.

Rating: 4.2/5 Stars