Review Archives

Playing to Win: Book Review and Critical Reception

Is Lafley and Martin’s Playing to Win worth reading? Are the tips in the book still relevant today? In their book Playing to Win, former CEO A.G. Lafley and consultant Roger Martin explain the steps for developing a successful business strategy. When the two worked together at Procter & Gamble, they used this approach to double the company’s sales and market capitalization. Here’s our Playing to Win book review, including background and critical reception by the readers.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell: Review & Critical Reception

What is Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In his book Blink, Gladwell questions the widespread assumption that snap judgments are bad, asking: How do our snap judgments compare to our rational, well-thought-out decisions? He argues that our snap judgments are often just as good as our deliberate decisions. Below is our Blink book review, including background and critical reception.

On Writing Well: Review & Critical Reception

Are you thinking of reading On Writing Well by William Zinsser? Can the book help you improve your nonfiction writing skills? No matter your current skill level, William Zinsser believes anyone can practice the craft of writing. On Writing Well offers a back-to-basics approach, focusing on honing essential writing skills rather than trying to employ complex stylistic techniques. Here’s our On Writing Well review, including the book’s approach, critical reception, and impact.

The Art of Learning: Review & Critical Reception

Is Josh Waitzkin’s The Art of Learning worth reading? What is Josh Waitzkin’s philosophy on learning? In The Art of Learning, chess prodigy and tai chi World Champion Josh Waitzkin outlines his philosophy on learning, skill mastery, and competition. Waitzkin builds from basic to advanced strategies for both the psychological and technical sides of skill-building, showing that your growth as a competitor parallels your growth as an individual. Below is our The Art of Learning review, including background, context, and critical reception.

The Book of Five Rings: Review & Historical Context

Are you looking for The Book of Five Rings review? What can you learn from reading Miyamoto Musashi’s book? Two years before his death, the famous Samurai Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) retired from dueling and retreated to a cave to write and reflect upon the true Way of the warrior. The resulting book, The Book of Five Rings, contains the key principles of Musashi’s philosophy. Here’s our review of The Book of Five Rings, including a discussion of its historical context and impact.

A Brief History of Time Review & Critical Reception

Is A Brief History of Time worth reading? Are its concepts easy enough to grasp? A Brief History of Time is Stephen Hawking’s exposition of modern physics. The book answers questions about the nature of reality, predetermination of the future, the universe’s origins, black holes, and time travel. Hawking strives to make the answers to these big questions accessible to a general audience. Keep reading for our A Brief History of Time review.

Games People Play: Review and Critical Reception

What is Eric Berne’s Games People Play about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Games People Play is Berne’s 1964 classic about the many ways that we habitually relate to one another through “games.” These aren’t fun, harmless social games, though—they’re subtle, largely unconscious patterns that harm us and our relationships. Here’s our review of Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships by Eric Berne.

Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers—Book Review

What is Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Outliers is a collection of stories, each exploring a variety of external factors that contribute to success. Malcolm Gladwell argues that extraordinarily successful people—or outliers—reached that point not just because of hard work and determination, but also thanks to luck, timing, and opportunities. He challenges the notion of self-made success through anecdotes and insight from various disciplines, including history, sociology, and psychology. Here’s our book review of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

The Psychology of Money: Review & Critical Reception

Is Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money worth reading? What is the key message to take away from the book? Most of us assume financial success depends on education and intelligence. But in The Psychology of Money, finance expert Morgan Housel presents an alternate hypothesis: The key to financial success lies in understanding human behavior. Here’s our The Psychology of Money review, including background, context, and critical reception by the readers.

The Art of Thinking Clearly: Review & Critical Reception

What is Rolf Dobelli’s The Art of Thinking Clearly about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli breaks down the most common logical fallacies that plague humanity. Logical fallacies affect everyone, are extremely difficult to avoid, and can hinder our decision-making ability. Dobelli encourages readers to improve their decisions by learning how to recognize these fallacies and how to work around them. Here’s our review of The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli.