Two Worlds

Every now and then I find a book I have to recommend. Usually it is a design book of some sort since I am a confirmed Design Book junkie.

“Bend, Not Break – A Life in Two Worlds” by Ping Fu, is not a design book, per se. It is a “don’t put this down until the last page is read” book about a Chinese immigrant who designed a new life for herself with flexibility and determination, resiliency and firmness , self doubt and healthy self confidence.

“Bend, Not Break” is also a book that could have been fiction, but is not. The emotional and physical violence Ping Fu endured as a result of Mao’s Cultural Revolution encourages me to consider if I could have survived the deprivation and humiliation she endured, let alone allowing them to be only a part of the story not the end of the story.

Her life achievements also include finding Geomagic, a 3D digital reality solution company that, among many amazingly creative tools, is redefining Henry Ford’s concept of manufacturing. She asked why manufacturing and assembly lines have to only make products that are identical. Then she designed ways for manufacturing to also customize products. I like thinking about that idea!

I have not met Ping Fu but my guess is she would not take full credit for this achievement or for her many others. They include (as stated on her book jacket) an MS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois; work for the National Center for Supercomputing Applications; AT&T Bell Labs. She is a member of President Obama’s National Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a Board Member of the Long Now foundation.

A benefit of “Bend, Not Break” for me personally is that Ping Fu painted a picture which helps me understand Chinese friends I have from 30 plus years in the apparel and textile business. She does not pretend to speak for all Chinese, of course, but I see many of my friends more clearly thanks to her book about her life in two worlds.

“Bend, Not Break” is a book to read and be shared.