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I personally didn't connect with the story of the cupcakes as I have read the similar story with different ingredients on the internet.
It looked like that Chapter " The Squawk Heard Round the World" was added for name sake.
Which Story you didn't like? And Why?

I loved all the stories and therefore cann't point on any story that i found least fascinating.

When I read the cupcakes story, I was left wondering whether any of the stories in the book were true or if they were concocted illustrations. I've heard three or four versions of this "cupcakes" story from different sources over the last several years. Maybe they all have Rob White's "cupcake" story as their proto-story, but I kind of doubt it.

I agree with most people about the cupcake story. But the one I hate most was the story about running with the bulls. It seemed so self centered. The tale of a spoiled millionaire (who went running with the bulls in silk shirt ) who learned not to yell at his friend because the accident happened. Not to say anything about supporting bull fighting as a way of growth (but he saved a deer when he was a child so that's ok ). My hat off to you, sir .

PriyaRD wrote: ↑16 Jan 2018, 01:07 I personally didn't connect with the story of the cupcakes as I have read the similar story with different ingredients on the internet.
It looked like that Chapter " The Squawk Heard Round the World" was added for name sake.
Which Story you didn't like? And Why?

It’s been a bit since I read the book and I’ve read a bunch since I put it down. I don’t seem to remember the cupcake story. What was it about again?

As for me, the story I liked least was probably the Margaret one. I was just expecting so much more and she turned out to be just this regular kid focused on her dress. And like...he might have seen her as super impactful, her entire chapter just felt lackluster, which was thoroughly disappointing, especially after the hype the title gave her. And I feel like the lesson she taught him was one that he really should have been aware with from the start, considering how he’d grown up.

I'm pretty sure it's the one where the author sits across from a woman he doesn't know at an airport (I think) to eat his Hostess cupcakes and is absolutely outraged that the woman takes one of his cupcakes. Lo and behold, the woman had her own package of cupcakes which the author mistook for his own, so he'd actually just sat himself down and helped himself to someone else's food and was rude on top of it.

I'd never heard that story before so I'm disappointed to find out that it probably wasn't the author's experience at all. I didn't like the running of the bull story either. It felt like it boiled down to "I was a big jerk, and then I learned to not be a jerk!" Not exactly transformative.

jaylperry wrote: ↑17 Jan 2018, 11:51 When I read the cupcakes story, I was left wondering whether any of the stories in the book were true or if they were concocted illustrations. I've heard three or four versions of this "cupcakes" story from different sources over the last several years. Maybe they all have Rob White's "cupcake" story as their proto-story, but I kind of doubt it.

Exactly!!! After reading that Chapter (Chapter17), I was doubting the authenticity of the other stories as well.

SPasciuti wrote: ↑17 Jan 2018, 13:07

PriyaRD wrote: ↑16 Jan 2018, 01:07 I personally didn't connect with the story of the cupcakes as I have read the similar story with different ingredients on the internet.
It looked like that Chapter " The Squawk Heard Round the World" was added for name sake.
Which Story you didn't like? And Why?

It’s been a bit since I read the book and I’ve read a bunch since I put it down. I don’t seem to remember the cupcake story. What was it about again?

As for me, the story I liked least was probably the Margaret one. I was just expecting so much more and she turned out to be just this regular kid focused on her dress. And like...he might have seen her as super impactful, her entire chapter just felt lackluster, which was thoroughly disappointing, especially after the hype the title gave her. And I feel like the lesson she taught him was one that he really should have been aware with from the start, considering how he’d grown up.

The cupcake story is in chapter 17, in which the author search for the mini-cupcake he bought and found it on the side of the lady who is sharing the table with him and his wife. He grabs and eats it thinking it's his own and he gets irritated at the lady who smiles and takes one of the cupcakes from him and he thinks she is arrogant to take his cupcake and eat. So he takes the remaining cupcake and keeps in his lap After the women left, his wife tells him that his cupcake has fallen down on the floor and so she has kept it on his travel bag. Then he understands he ate the other lady's cupcakes

Regarding Margaret, I was expecting Margaret story to be a top-class one among others as it is the title of the book. but it was just so normal and I thought the author overreacted to this incident. Moreover, who in the earth thinks such small kids will hear a lecture about his hard work instead of eating the snack and mess it around . of course I couldn't get the point that the author related this incident with being nice to his employees because I thought understanding the employees was basic manners to be a good boss.

BookishCreature wrote: ↑17 Jan 2018, 13:31 I'm pretty sure it's the one where the author sits across from a woman he doesn't know at an airport (I think) to eat his Hostess cupcakes and is absolutely outraged that the woman takes one of his cupcakes. Lo and behold, the woman had her own package of cupcakes which the author mistook for his own, so he'd actually just sat himself down and helped himself to someone else's food and was rude on top of it.

I'd never heard that story before so I'm disappointed to find out that it probably wasn't the author's experience at all. I didn't like the running of the bull story either. It felt like it boiled down to "I was a big jerk, and then I learned to not be a jerk!" Not exactly transformative.

ya, that was the cupcake story. Agree with your opinion on the bull story

//It felt like it boiled down to "I was a big jerk, and then I learned to not be a jerk!" Not exactly transformative.//
loved that comment..haha.. felt the same

uyky wrote: ↑17 Jan 2018, 12:23 I agree with most people about the cupcake story. But the one I hate most was the story about running with the bulls. It seemed so self centered. The tale of a spoiled millionaire (who went running with the bulls in silk shirt ) who learned not to yell at his friend because the accident happened. Not to say anything about supporting bull fighting as a way of growth (but he saved a deer when he was a child so that's ok ). My hat off to you, sir .

Agree!!

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.

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 don’t think I have a least favorite because I found myself intrigued with them all.

uyky wrote: ↑17 Jan 2018, 12:23 I agree with most people about the cupcake story. But the one I hate most was the story about running with the bulls. It seemed so self centered. The tale of a spoiled millionaire (who went running with the bulls in silk shirt ) who learned not to yell at his friend because the accident happened. Not to say anything about supporting bull fighting as a way of growth (but he saved a deer when he was a child so that's ok ). My hat off to you, sir .

I agree completely! The running with the bulls one was so un-self-aware that it made me cringe a little. Oh no, the dude may have stained your $100 silk shirt, why the hell did you wear that to a bull run anyway? What exactly did he expect when he went?

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.