The World's Best Book Summaries
Is talent overrated? What does it take to become good at something? In Talent Is Overrated, Geoff Colvin explains why practice has a much bigger impact on performance than talent. Evidence suggests that time spent practicing is the number one indicator of excellence. Learn what it takes to get better at something and meet your goals.
How does your brain health impact your overall health? What are the best ways to take care of your brain? In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Daniel G. Amen asserts that, even if your brain’s health has been compromised, it has the potential for recovery and rejuvenation. Alongside insights gained from cutting-edge brain scans, he provides practical strategies for optimizing your brain’s health. Continue reading for an overview of Dr. Amen’s book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.
How will new technologies change our lives for the better? How will money and finance how we know it change? The world is always evolving, and now it’s changing much faster than ever before. In The Future Is Faster Than You Think, Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler discuss why change and technological progress are occurring at breakneck speed. Read below for a brief overview of The Future Is Faster Than You Think.
How effectively does science predict human behavior? Does reason or irrationality account for the decisions people make? What’s the true secret of persuasion? Rory Sutherland’s Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life argues that contemporary economic and political theories are flawed. They hinge on reason as a predictor of human behavior, so any attempts to persuade people using reason are doomed to fail. Continue reading for an overview of this thought-provoking book that could cause you to change the way you and your business operate.
How much do our circumstances influence our happiness? How is happiness like a muscle? How important are gratitude and forgiveness? Psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky says that happiness is more than just a positive state of mind. It’s a state of being that enhances your health, strengthens your relationships, and fuels both your creativity and productivity. Keep reading for several Sonja Lyubomirsky quotes from The How of Happiness.
What’s Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown about? What does it mean to truly belong in society? It’s natural to want to fit in and be a part of a social group, but sometimes people lose who they truly are to do so. In Braving the Wilderness, Brené Brown says that people should focus on expressing themselves for who they are, rather than giving themselves up for social acceptance. Read below for a brief overview of Braving the Wilderness.
What can we learn from An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States? What perspectives have been left out of most American history books? An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States tells the story of how Native American nations have struggled to survive throughout the European colonization of America. This history is extremely important to make sense of the current status of indigenous nations. Read on to learn about indigenous American nations and how they have survived and developed since European colonization.
Why was Donald Trump voted into the presidency? Does it have anything to do with a historical shift in Christianity? Following the 2016 US presidential election, pundits argued that the 81% of evangelical Christians who voted for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton viewed him as the lesser of two evils. But, according to historian Kristin Du Mez, this explanation is misguided. Continue reading for our Jesus and John Wayne book overview.
What does it mean to find true belonging? What does Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness say about forcing your opinions on others? Braving the Wilderness claims that finding like-minded people can be damaging to your self-esteem and acceptance. This is because people tend to throw away their own beliefs to fit in with the crowd, losing a sense of self. Learn more about the concept of true belonging with Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness quotes.
What’s the problem with logic? What do people value more than things? Why should businesses ignore what their customers say? In Alchemy, Rory Sutherland suggests that, to solve economic and political problems, we should leverage people’s illogical—and even magical—ways of thinking. If business and political leaders can better understand the human psyche, they can use it to tackle the issues of the modern world. Read more for several Rory Sutherland quotes from Alchemy that will give you a good sense of the book.