Book
Reviews
|
|||
|
Go to Executive Times
Archives |
|||
|
Swimming
Across by Andrew S. Grove Rating: ••• (Recommended) |
|
||
|
Click on title or picture to buy from amazon.com |
|
||
|
|
|||
|
Immigration and Naturalization Intel Chairman Andy Grove has written a
fine memoir, Swimming
Across, that I’ve finally gotten around to reading. The book, unlike many
memoirs, presents the embarrassing anecdotes along with the salutary one, and
readers are engaged in the story early on, and attention rarely flags. By the
end of the book, which marks Grove’s arrival in America following the
Hungarian Revolution, we’ve enjoyed the blooming of a somewhat geeky kid into
a bright and energetic chemistry student, welcomed by American hospitality,
and able to use his talents in a new society. Those who would like to close
our borders to immigrants may want to read this story to rethink their
position. Here’s an excerpt (pp. 196-7) that provides lessons for all about
following our multiple interests in life: My
fascination with opera also continued to grow, so much so that I decided to
take singing lessons. This wasn't the first time I had tried to get involved
in singing. Some years before, I had tried out for a folk-singing group. I
liked the sound of my own voice, and I fantasized that I would be discovered
as a latter-day Chaliapin. I showed up at the audition, but when I belted out
one of the few Hungarian folk songs I knew, the chorus director cut my
performance short and sent me home. After this rejection, I didn't try to sing
for a long time. It took courage to try out again, but some years
had passed and my voice had changed, and to me, at least, it sounded much
better than before. The audition was longer this time. I sang, then the
accompanist played some chords and I had to break out each of the notes of
the chords to demonstrate that I had a measure of musical aptitude. This
time, to my relief, I was accepted. The lessons were half an hour long, two evenings a
week. They were outright boring. The teacher made me practice singing scales.
She was pretty matter-of-fact about my voice and paid a lot more attention to
the advanced singers. I didn't care. I was learning real singing, so I
persevered with vigor, using the times when I was alone in the apartment to
practice. I would have been mortified if anyone at home heard me. My singing
was not meant for friends and family, only for me and my teacher. After
several months of scales, during which my singing voice got smoother and more
flexible, I was promoted to simple Schubert songs. The particular songs my
teacher chose must have had great pedagogical value because they were just as
dull as the scales. I persistently asked to sing something more interesting,
and eventually my teacher took pity on me and allowed me to I choose the next song. I
asked to learn my favorite aria from Mozart's opera The Marriage of
Figaro. In it, Figaro explains the realities of army life to a young boy
who is anxious to join up. The music varies between lyrical and military
melodies, between cajoling and aggressive tones, representing the variety of
drama that I craved. This was a lot more intricate than the Schubert
songs, and it took months to get it right. Not only did I have to control my
voice through the range of the aria, but I had to learn to pace the music
just right. I had never really learned to read music, and I always had
trouble with timing. But I loved every minute I spent on it, even when I had
to sing particular parts over and over. One winter evening after school, I got involved in
a deep discussion with one of my schoolmates when I realized it was time to
go to singing class. He came with me and we continued our argument all the
way there and even while sitting in the anteroom until it was time for my
class. I went in and practiced the Figaro aria. My classmate had told me he
didn't know anything about music and wasn't interested in opera, so I was
surprised that he was still there when I came out. We resumed our walk, but
before we could resume our argument about chemistry he asked, "What was
that stuff you sang? I could hear you through the door and it sounded really
neat." When my singing went well, it made me feel better about
everything, even if things at school were tough. I thought I had made an
important discovery. I realized that it's good to have at least two interests
in your life. If you have only one interest and that goes sour, there's
nothing to act as a counterbalance to lift your mood. But if you have more
than one interest, chances are something will always go okay. Thanks to Grove’s interest in chemical
engineering, he went on to American schools and business, citizenship, and
the building of a great American company. Enjoy reading Swimming
Across and the early life of a remarkable individual. Steve Hopkins, July 25, 2003 |
|||
|
|
|||
|
ã 2003 Hopkins and Company, LLC The
recommendation rating for this book appeared in the August 2003
issue of Executive
Times URL
for this review: http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/Books/Swimming
Across.htm For
Reprint Permission, Contact: Hopkins
& Company, LLC • 723 North Kenilworth Avenue • Oak Park, IL 60302 E-mail: books@hopkinsandcompany.com |
|||
