Which Story did you like the least and Why?

Use this forum to discuss the January 2018 Book of the Month, "And Then I Met Margaret" by Rob White
shree_reads
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Re: Which Story did you like the least and Why?

Post by shree_reads »

DustinPBrown wrote: 19 Jan 2018, 11:25
uyky wrote: 18 Jan 2018, 06:01
Emma13 wrote: 18 Jan 2018, 04:39 I had a real problem with the story about the Maasai woman. The way he imposes himself on this incredibly private moment is repulsive, particularly when he then uses her chant as some kind of self-help mantra in his comfortable day-to-day life. The lack of empathy there is startling.
I was thinking the same thing. I felt wrong just by reading about it. It's something that you just don't do if you possess even a tiniest bit of decency. It was one of the stories that showed the lack of authors respect to anybody else but himself.
I felt this way as well. It was completely insensitive of him to sneak off and watch her perform such a personal ritual without her consent. And he learns the phrase she said, but he never learns what it means?? And he tells it to people like it's some mantra he came up with? Completely disrespectful to that village as a whole.
I agree, he should've atleast made an effort to learn the meaning of that chant before exploiting it like this. The story is indeed inspiring, but some parts felt like he was describing something he was watching on NatGeo. There was a sense of otherness he imparted to the Maasai villagers, like they were some exotic species waiting to be understood... idk it just felt wrong.
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Post by pinklover »

Sincerely wrote: 17 Jan 2018, 03:16 I loved all the stories and therefore cann't point on any story that i found least fascinating.
I agree with you. I found that each story is unique in a way that make sense. It wouldn't be included if the author doesn't want to make any sense. Well, I found it unique and there is also a lesson from it even if how simple it is. It is just like a puzzle, we need to solve it. :tiphat:
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Post by cshaffer17 »

I didn't enjoy the running with the bulls story. It was a little pompous, and had he gone that far down the rabbit hole to completely forget his origins in just a few short years after having money? I would hope that wouldn't happen to me if I came into money. I'd like to always try to stay humble.
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Post by SPasciuti »

shree_reads wrote: 26 Jan 2018, 01:07
DustinPBrown wrote: 19 Jan 2018, 11:25
uyky wrote: 18 Jan 2018, 06:01
I was thinking the same thing. I felt wrong just by reading about it. It's something that you just don't do if you possess even a tiniest bit of decency. It was one of the stories that showed the lack of authors respect to anybody else but himself.
I felt this way as well. It was completely insensitive of him to sneak off and watch her perform such a personal ritual without her consent. And he learns the phrase she said, but he never learns what it means?? And he tells it to people like it's some mantra he came up with? Completely disrespectful to that village as a whole.
I agree, he should've atleast made an effort to learn the meaning of that chant before exploiting it like this. The story is indeed inspiring, but some parts felt like he was describing something he was watching on NatGeo. There was a sense of otherness he imparted to the Maasai villagers, like they were some exotic species waiting to be understood... idk it just felt wrong.
Yes. I’m really glad someone mentioned this because I hadn’t exactly been able to put it into words. I think the most egregious thing here is that he took her words and ran with this idea that they should be some sort of motivational chant for him to help himself with. While I appreciated the idea of respecting cultures, I just can’t get on board with mudding them up to fit whatever skewed perspective someone who doesn’t understand wants it to. Cause that was a very emotional and upsetting moment for the mother and he really didn’t have the right? The best takeaway I could find from it was the message implying respect and lack of judgement—and I liked learning about the culture—but yeah, he wasn’t really all that respectful about it in the end.
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Post by pinklover »

cshaffer17 wrote: 26 Jan 2018, 12:40 I didn't enjoy the running with the bulls story. It was a little pompous, and had he gone that far down the rabbit hole to completely forget his origins in just a few short years after having money? I would hope that wouldn't happen to me if I came into money. I'd like to always try to stay humble.

Your right! you have a brilliant reflection in his book. Being humble when reaching our own success is the best. People got arrogant when got rich but not all, yet it happens most of the time. :tiphat:
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Post by Sahani Nimandra »

Actually none, because each has its own uniqueness and each has something to say so there is nothing that I actually disliked in person.
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Post by eBookreviewer »

The running with the bulls one because it is bored for me.
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Post by pinklover »

I see that running with the bulls is the common dislike of this story. But for me, it is a source of fun. I laugh upon reading it, my imagine makes me laugh with it. hehehe
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Post by KFree_Reads »

I liked all the stories because I felt there was point to all of them. I think each story added value to the book. Rob White is undoubtedly an excellent storyteller, his stories are testament to that. As I read I was less concerned with whether or not I liked or disliked a particular story but was more focused on "what is the point of this story?", "what did he learn?" or "whose life did he change/who changed his life?". I think because I read with this mindset I cannot pinpoint a story I may have disliked. Besides, the book is an account of 'his' experiences.
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Post by Amystl26 »

Sincerely wrote: 17 Jan 2018, 03:16 I loved all the stories and therefore cann't point on any story that i found least fascinating.
Hmmm definitely makes me want to read this one now! :techie-reference:
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Post by R-g-R »

The stories where he expressed slightly negative attitudes towards his wife were my least favourite.

I understand the story-telling technique, particularly when the author is speaking publicly, however I don’t think it translates as successfully on paper. Of course each story of this type ends up with his wife painted in a good light...so I do put it down to the differences between hearing the stories at a wealth seminar for example, and reading the same words...
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Post by Strongbob25 »

The story about the deer was really disappointing for me. I'm not really sure that a deer can be a mentor, when it was just doing what deer do.

Your information about the veracity of the cupcake story does not surprise me. A lot of the tales in this book seem more than a little too "perfect". Maybe the whole thing is a sham...
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Post by Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha »

I didn't really like the Masai woman's story. I might have liked it if he had been able to offer medical care and change the outcome of the situation. That would have been a hit for me. Basically he just observed a woman's pain ... That did not do so much for me.
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Post by The BookWorm Nagham »

The story i least liked was the 14th chapter, the one about Rob and his wife Kat going to a race track, he found the class boring and he imagined himself receiving praises. I thought that he was so full of himself. He thought that he could do anything, I expected him to fail but he didn't! He just had one wrong turn. So how did he learn his lesson?
Later on he gave a team of young bowlers a mantra: Look where you want to go not at where you don’t want to go. I just couldn't connect with it.
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Post by Nelsy Mtsweni »

I think all storied were well-written and held a dense idea or thought behind them. I am sure if one reads with an open-minded attitude, they can learn a lot from them.
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