Swimming Across is a memoir by Andy Grove about his early years and eventual emigration to the United States. Born in Hungary on September 2, 1936, Grove was no stranger to troubles and tribulations. With the opening of the Second World War, Hungary decided to side with the Axis Powers when Germany attacked Russia. With a somewhat detached air, Grove goes through his experiences with the Hitler army and Stalinist Russia. Not that he wasn’t affected by any of these happenings, but I don’t know if I could keep my cool with recalling some of these events; especially when he starts talking about the disappearances.

In any case, the book is very good, but I skimmed a lot of it. I do know that Grove never returned to his native Hungary as of the printing of this book. Grove states that it is because Hungary is no longer what it once was and I can understand that.

I had not heard of Andrew S. Grove either when I started with this book, so I am pretty bad with the names of recent famous people. Now I know that Grove, born Grof Andris, was a founder of Intel and one of its most celebrated chairmen. ( )

http://kdegelau.blogspot.com/2006/05/swimming-across.html ( )