From the Bookshelf This is a fortnightly review of bestsellers for business executives Adapt to survive By Nicole Wong A new thriller leads us to question what creates an identity For many of us, the idea of playing different roles or assuming new identities in diverse situations or at various stages of our lives is nothing surprising. It goes almost without saying that success often depends on being able to meet new challenges, and that is closely linked to the ability to adapt by modifying our behaviour. The process may not be easy, since being expected to give up one "identity" with which we feel comfortable can threaten our self-esteem. For those in the media spotlight who have the misfortune to fall from grace, the situation is even more difficult. Sometimes in the face of unrelenting scrutiny, they must face the question of how to pick themselves up, make a fresh start and get back to where they were. Spy game John Grisham, the author of such international bestsellers as A Time to Kill and The Pelican Brief, may give readers an insight into how to do it in his latest novel, The Broker. Joel Backman, a former Washington power broker, has spent six years in a federal prison for trying to sell access to the world's most advanced satellite surveillance system, known as JAM, to a foreign intelligence service. After being granted a last-minute pardon by the outgoing President Morgan, Backman is smuggled out of the US by the CIA, who wait to see who will kill him and which of the interested parties may know the secrets of the system. Leaving the country with the military as Major Herzog, Backman is transformed into a Canadian tourist in Italy and learns the language with the help of a local tutor. He then adopts a series of new identities and escapes to different European cities, before ultimately reappearing back in the US as himself. Corresponding to the theme of conspiracy, the secrets of JAM and Backman's past are mostly presented as the character's reflections rather than in actual dialogue. The reader therefore follows the struggles of his inner world, as the fight for survival evolves through the course of a number of assumed personas. Shifting realities A significant feature of the characterisation in The Broker is the way Backman is identified: whenever he assumes a new disguise, he is known by that new name not only by the other characters, but also by the author and by himself. It is part of the effort to immerse himself in the fictional life he has taken on and to blend in with the local culture wherever he is. As he wrestles with these various lives, we see how embracing change is the only way to survive, especially when threats are constant and realities may be shifting. The reader witnesses the need to exchange one identity for another as circumstances change, and of living one's role to the full in those different situations. Backman's return to the US, with all its drama, demonstrates the importance of taking advantage of circumstances. The media that once contributed to his downfall helps him get back his former life, as he makes a publicised reappearance in his original identity in an attempt to confuse his enemies. Such drama is on a much grander scale than anything we might experience in our own lives and the extent to which someone who is wanted by global intelligence could really hope to start a new life is ambiguous. From that perspective, the question of what it would take for a person to start with a clean sheet and a different identity and still achieve their previous level of success is left for the reader to ponder. Content highlights: Assuming different identities is necessary to stay ahead of the game Being immersed in reality is the only way to survive change Taking advantage of circumstances is crucial to success About the authors Born in 1955, John Grisham majored in accounting at Mississippi State University and, after graduating from law school in 1981, went on to practise law for a decade in Southaven, specialising in criminal defence and personal injury litigation. In 1983, he was elected to the state House of Representatives and served until 1990. Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in 1987. He became an overnight success when he sold the rights to his second novel, The Firm, to Paramount Pictures. The Firm also became the bestselling novel of 1991. The later success of The Pelican Brief and The Client consolidated Grisham's status as the master of the legal thriller. The Broker is his first book in the spy thriller genre. ” Excellent twists... Grisham hasn't lost his touch ” – Geoffrey Wansell in the Daily Mail Taken from Career Times 18 March 2005 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]