The World's Best Book Summaries
When did Anne Frank’s diary entries begin? What were the main themes in her writing? Anne Frank’s diary entries began in 1942 when her parents gifted her a diary on her thirteenth birthday. She loved the gift and began confiding it immediately, writing about her life in hiding and her musings on love, identity, and sexuality. Keep reading for the summary of Anne Frank’s diary entries.
What is the Theranos story? What happened to the company Theranos and why did it fail? The Theranos story is about the rise and fall of the Silicon Valley startup that promised to revolutionize healthcare. Theranos took the world by storm but was unable to deliver on their promises. Read more about the Theranos story and what happened to the once-promising health startup.
Why were Bob Iger’s first hundred days as Disney’s CEO so important? What big changes did he make to the way Disney is run? Although Bob Iger’s first hundred days as Disney’s CEO overlapped Michael Eisner’s final 6 months, all eyes were on Iger. Iger chose to take advantage of his position to repair relationships Eisner had destroyed and to fundamentally change how Disney would be run. Keep reading to learn more about Bob Iger’s first hundred days as Disney’s CEO.
What is the connection between Orientalism and Imperialism? What role did the Orientalist scholarship play in the expansion of the Middle Eastern empires? In Orientalism, Edward Said deploys the theme of Orientalism and Imperialism to explore the role Oriental Studies played in the expansion of the Middle Eastern empire. He suggests that Orientalist tropes about Eastern passivity played a major part in legitimizing the imperialist project. Keep reading to learn about the connection between Orientalism and Imperialism.
How did Bob Iger become the CEO of Disney after Michael Eisner retired? Why did his interview process take over six months? In 2004, Michael Eisner stepped down from his position as the CEO of Disney. Although Bob Iger should have been the obvious choice as successor, the board had lost faith in Iger during his time as second in command and was hesitant to promote him. Keep reading to learn how Bob Iger became the CEO of Disney despite all of the backlash he faced.
What role did the Orientalist stereotypes play in the making of the Orient identity? Were they accurate in their representation? Orientalist stereotypes were the hallmark of the Orientalist movement. Orientalists believed there to be little if any distinction between cultures within the Orient—it was all one undifferentiated mass, so what was true for Egypt was also true for Iran, Transjordan, Palestine, and Arabia. Read about Orientalist stereotypes.
Who was Albert Dussel? What was the relationship between him and Anne Frank? Albert Dussel was a local dentist and an acquaintance of the Franks. He joined the Annex in early November 1942. Initially, Anne took a liking to Dussel, but as time went on, their relationship deteriorated. Read about Albert Dussel, his relationship with Anne Frank, and other residents of the Secret Annex.
What was former Disney CEO Michael Eisner like? How did Eisner revitalize Disney and then almost cause its downfall? Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner revitalized Disney, partially by putting its abundant assets to work and partially by expanding their footprint. However, his micromanagement and pessimism led to tensions with board members and ruined potential business deals. Continue on to read about former Disney CEO Michael Eisner’s rise and fall within Disney.
Who were the leading Orientalist scholars? How did their works influence the common perceptions of East Asian cultures? As a scholarly discipline, Orientalism emerged in the late 18th-century when the study of East Asian societies became the major focus of academic attention in Europe. Orientalist scholars specialized in the study of languages, cultures, and modes of thought of the Eastern World. Read about the most influential Orientalist scholars and their role in shaping the common perceptions of East Asian societies.
Who were the van Daans in The Diary of a Young Girl? What was their relationship with the other residents of the Annex? The van Daans are a Jewish family that hid alongside the Franks in the attic attachment of Otto Frank’s business premises (the Secret Annex). Mr. and Mrs. van Daan constantly fought with each other and with the other residents of the Annex. As for Peter, he and Anne ended up developing romantic feelings for each other. Read about the van Daans family and their life in the Secret Annex.