Book Summaries 2024

https://amzn.to/3Kbw4NW The smartphones in our pockets and computers like brains. The vagaries of game theory and evolutionary biology. Nuclear weapons and self-replicating spacecrafts. All bear the fingerprints of one remarkable, yet largely overlooked, man: John von Neumann. Born in Budapest at the turn of the century, von Neumann is one of the most influential scientists to have ever lived. A c...

https://amzn.to/3QVPo5u In The Two-Parent Privilege , Melissa S. Kearney makes a provocative, data-driven case for marriage by showing how the institution’s decline has led to a host of economic woes—problems that have fractured American society and rendered vulnerable populations even more vulnerable. Eschewing the religious and values-based arguments that have long dominated this conversation. K...

https://amzn.to/3WTM7HU In The Way of the SEAL , retired Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine outlines strategies adapted from his military experience to help business leaders master the challenges of today’s rapidly evolving world of work. The explosion of technology has forever altered the corporate landscape. Leaders must have a balanced, flexible, forward-driving mindset to navigate the change. Div...

Changing your behavior is hard. Changing the way you behave around other people is even harder. But if you can understand why you’re not always the best version of yourself, you can put yourself on the path toward being a better partner, parent, colleague, or friend. In Triggers , Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter explore the environmental and psychological triggers that trap us in negative or un...

https://amzn.to/3V8FxMi I f you’ve ever noticed that history seems to repeat itself over the course of centuries, you may be wondering what causes that pattern—and how it may play out in the future. In The Fourth Turning , historian William Strauss and consultant Neil Howe explain how Anglo-American history follows a pattern of four 15 to 25-year periods, called Turnings, and how the behaviors of...

https://amzn.to/3VaPQ2g Serial entrepreneur Daniel Priestley begins his business guide Oversubscribed with an unusual premise: Get more people interested in your product or service than you could possibly serve, and don’t start selling it until that happens. In this guide, we’ll discuss why and how you should build this extreme level of demand for your products before starting to sell them. Then,...

https://amzn.to/4buQJbK Have you ever wished you could tell what someone was really thinking? In What Every Body Is Saying , former FBI agent Joe Navarro provides insights into how to decipher body language. He argues that by practicing good observation skills and learning to decode universal patterns of behavior, you can master the language of nonverbal communication, gain access to people’s true...

https://amzn.to/3WVom1W Despite its title, Power vs. Force by David R. Hawkins is really about human consciousness: what it is, how to measure it, how you can boost your consciousness, and the benefits of doing so. Hawkins believed that as well as having individual consciousness, we all have access to a universal consciousness. By boosting your consciousness level, you can connect to this universa...

Many of us consider good mental health to be an important quality for leaders, whether they’re a nation’s president, a military general, or a CEO. However, in A First-Rate Madness , psychiatrist Nassir Ghaemi argues that mental illness can make leaders better fit to lead during crises and that mental illness contributed to the successes of historical leaders such as Winston Churchill and Franklin...

https://amzn.to/4buSc1O What if you could create your dream life through the power of thought? Roxie Nafousi explains that this practice, called manifesting, is achievable for anyone. Many people see manifesting as simply picturing the thing you desire and receiving it. However, effective manifestation requires you to fundamentally alter your mindset—your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. In Mani...

https://amzn.to/3WQh0g3 In 1-2-3 Magic, clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan introduces a simple countdown approach to discipline that lets you spend less time managing your child’s behavior and more time enjoying your relationship. The book distills discipline into two tasks: stopping unwanted behavior and initiating productive behavior. Phelan explains that when you’re able to spend less time...

https://amzn.to/3K7WKiG Stealing Fire , co-written by Stephen Kotler and Jamie Wheal, tells the story of a modern revolution in our understanding of peak states of consciousness such as flow, mystical enlightenment, and psychedelic experience. According to the authors, these peak states—collectively, "ecstasis"—can catalyze personal transformation, expand your creativity, and connect you to a palp...

https://amzn.to/4bOdbfW Information technology is so deeply embedded into every facet of the modern world that businesses today live or die based on the strength of their IT departments. If a company fails to properly manage IT services, it risks losing its competitive edge and the goodwill of its customers. In The Phoenix Project , Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford present a fictional cas...

https://amzn.to/4bOgfbS What if there were a secret shortcut to elite performance and creative innovation? According to workplace performance psychologist Ron Friedman, there is—and it’s called reverse engineering . In Decoding Greatness , Friedman argues that the surest road to success is to take apart work you admire to see how it’s made, and then create your own version of it . By doing so, he...

https://amzn.to/3V70Opw Do you prefer to listen to sad songs? Do you seek out beauty in everyday life? If so, you may have a bittersweet disposition. In Bittersweet , Susan Cain defines bittersweetness as the state of experiencing intense joy, sadness, and yearning simultaneously. She argues that you can glean greater meaning and wisdom from life when you embrace bittersweetness, even if you don’t...

https://amzn.to/4axr8xI Imagine there was a miracle cure that could help you feel less stressed, lose weight, sleep better, run farther without losing your breath, and live longer. According to breathing coach Patrick McKeown, not only does this cure exist, but it’s also free to anyone with a set of lungs—it’s practicing proper breathing . He says modern living conditions cause the average person...

https://amzn.to/4aLjzDP Climate activists have misled the public into thinking there’s proof that our actions have led to global warming and possible climate catastrophe, according to former energy industry scientist Steven E. Koonin. On the contrary, Koonin argues that the facts about climate change are far from certain . In his 2021 book, Unsettled , Koonin concedes that the climate is warming a...

https://amzn.to/3yyascc In Billion Dollar Whale , Pulitzer finalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope chronicle the rise and fall of Jho Low, a Malaysian entrepreneur who allegedly stole billions of dollars from his government’s coffers. Low spent his newfound wealth on a decadent lifestyle, hosting parties with celebrities, purchasing yachts, and gambling exorbitantly. In addition to covering Low’s ex...

https://amzn.to/3Vak4Cz In Discipline Is Destiny , Ryan Holiday examines the power of discipline through the lens of the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism. Holiday argues that your ability to practice discipline—one of the four cardinal virtues of Stoicism—determines how successful you are (aka your destiny). This is because discipline dictates whether you work consistently and avoid the tempta...

Effective communication, according to Peter D. Andrei, is more of a science than most people think. Persuasive speech is a complex craft that can be studied and learned, and its strategies can be broken down and used by anyone. In How Highly Effective People Speak , he shares the basic strategies of powerful communication, teaching you how to speak with eloquence and persuasion by tapping into pat...

Almost everyone has experienced situations where, despite knowing what they should do, they’re compelled by an inner voice to do something easier or more enjoyable. In The Power of Discipline, Daniel Walter explains that if you allow these temptations to dictate your actions, you’ll never reach your full potential. He argues that to combat temptations that hinder your success, you must strengthen...

When most people think of microbes, the first things that come to mind are disease-causing germs or healthy probiotic yogurts. We go about our lives largely unaware of the trillions of microbes on every surface and throughout our bodies. In his debut book, science journalist Ed Yong explores the mysterious and fascinating world of microbes: microscopic organisms with the ability to make sea creatu...

Whether you’re unhappy at work, interested in another field, or worried your job will become obsolete, it’s never too late to make a career change. Barbara Oakley asserts that whatever your age or occupation, you can have a mindshift, which means opening up new opportunities through transformative learning. In Mindshift , she writes that it’s possible to overcome perceived barriers—such as age, im...

Media are rife with haunting stories of true crime, but some accounts are more chilling than others—particularly those that involve torture and murder. In If You Tell , Gregg Olsen recounts the story of notorious abuser and murderer Shelly Knotek, who, along with her husband Dave, abused and tortured their daughters, nephew, and two boarders—resulting in three deaths. Olsen is a best-selling true...

Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing, but never have? Are you waiting for the right motivation to move you toward your goal? If so, then you’re going about it all wrong. In The Motivation Myth , Jeff Haden argues that you shouldn’t wait for motivation to start you down the road to success. Instead, you make your own motivation by creating a plan, breaking it into achievable steps, celebratin...