Summary “It is the thesis of this book that neither mastery nor satisfaction can be found in the playing of any game without giving some attention to the relatively neglected skills of the inner game. This is the game that takes place in the mind of the player, and it is played against such obstacles […]

Summary A fun and honest recounting of the highs and lows of Steve Martin’s early life and comedic career Key Takeaways Spent 18 years in stand up comedy – 10 years learning, 4 years refining and 4 in wild success Gained the ability to have his mouth in the present and his mind on the […]

Summary If you’re purely copying someone, you haven’t truly learned from them. Of course, it’s easier to copy a model than to make something new. Doing what we already know how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. But every time we create something new, we go from […]

Summary Peter Matthiessen recounts his travels to India, Nepal and the Himalayas and his spiritual and transformative journey along the way Key Takeaways In India, human misery seems so pervasive that one can manage to only take in stray details Shakyamuni, The Buddha, never involved himself in efforts for social change for he believed the […]

Summary Paul Graham, founder of Viaweb and Y-Combinator, gives an inside view on the computer world and the motivations behind the people in it. Discussing how we think, how we work, how we develop technology and how we live Key Takeaways Why Nerds are Unpopular – Their minds are not on the game So, if […]

Summary The personal, distilled wisdom and beliefs of Will Durant on life’s important topics. Answered clearly, simply and imperfectly Key Takeaways Man is always steeped in the ways and views of his youth and is almost constantly constitutionally incapable of understanding the changing world that assails him We love children because they are extensions of […]

Summary Choudary explains how technology, democratization of connectivity and rise of data-driven decision making systems are enabling a new type of business model – platforms. Platforms are so powerful because they enable efficient interactions, create excess value and are able to scale rapidly Key Takeaways The Platform Manifesto The ecosystem is the new warehouse The ecosystem […]

Summary Frederick Taylor Gates, the senior business and philanthropic advisor to John D. Rockefeller, recounts his life story and interaction with JDR Key Takeaways Gates grew up in a relatively poor household but his parents were hard working and were never for want. Gates became a Baptist minister after graduating from Rochester and practiced for […]

Summary Gaiman’s recounting of Norse mythology from the genesis story to details around the different deities. Key Takeaways The Norse mythology most likely came from Germany and spread north to Scandinavia and later Ireland and England Odin – the oldest of the gods, sacrificed an eye for wisdom, the father of all gods and all […]

Summary Most of us are taught from a young age that if you work hard you will become successful, and once you become successful, then you’ll be happy. The only problem is that this formula is flawed and we know today that happiness is the precursor to success, not merely the result Key Takeaways The […]

Summary A recount of the wars behind the rise and fall of the 20th century’s great information empires and examines whether this dynamic could repeat itself today, with one giant entity taking control of America’s information Key Takeaways The Cycle – the transformation of industries from open to closed. Has happened with telephones, radio, film […]

Summary A resilient structure or system is one which can bounce back to its original form after some stimulus. This book describes how to make more resilient systems and businesses in order to better deal with our increasingly volatile world. Resilience is a common characteristic of dynamic systems which persist over time which is why […]

Summary Platform companies generate value by using technology to facilitate exchanges between groups which benefits all sides and helps create new markets and expand old ones. Moazed and Johnson walk through how to build, spot and optimize platform companies in this new exciting technological era Key Takeaways Platforms are a business model – a holistic […]

Summary Deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in our universe and that improving them is the basic regulating principle of all successful human endeavor. Through the ever-increasing refinement of our explanations, Deutsch argues that progress is potentially boundless Key Takeaways Infinity in this case refers to the boundless reach of certain ideas There […]

Summary A detailed overview of University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith’s philosophy. One of the best books on leadership I’ve yet come across Key Takeaways Smith gave his players the same 3 goals each year – play hard, play together, play smart as these were the only things each player had in their […]

Summary A written description of the est training program. “Realizing that one creates one’s own experience and coming to take responsibility for one’s own life seem to be two of the most valuable results of the training.” Key Takeaways Once you awaken to negative patterns, you have the ability to change them est seeks to remove […]

Summary This book seeks to describe how and why platforms are coming to dominate the market today ranging from Google, AirBnb, Uber, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, Pinterest, Alibaba, Kayak, Instagram, PayPal and more Key Takeaways The platform business model One which uses technology to connect people, organizations and resources in an interactive ecosystem in which incredible […]

Summary Phil Knight recounts the formation, history, culture and vision of one of the most widely recognized brands in the world Key Takeaways Knight ran track at Oregon and says that runners truly run because what happens when they stop scares them. Knight decided early on that he would never stop, no matter what Nike […]

Summary McCullough’s master story-telling skills are evident through this epic tale of the construction of the Panama Canal Key Takeaways Apart from Great Wars, the building of the Panama Canal was the largest, costliest effort attempted anywhere on Earth A vision of cutting through Central America to connect the Atlantic and Pacific had been around […]

Summary Kelly takes the unusual view of describing technology as a natural system, much like biology. Technology, like living organisms, has “wants” and can transform and evolve in ways to help it achieve its goals. Key Takeaways Kevin Kelly has long lived a very minimal and simplistic lifestyle, choosing to have very few possessions and […]

Summary Matchmakers create and release value by connecting different groups and reducing transactional and other friction costs. Matchmakers are also known as multi-sided platforms and are becoming increasingly popular and profitable due to advances in technology Key Takeaways Matchmakers operate under a different set of economic rules as their raw materials aren’t commodities but the […]

Summary Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Zillow, and Stan Humphries, Chief Economist, detail their findings based on the immense amount of data they have been able to aggregate and analyze through Zillow’s platform. Zillow is aiming to improve and promote transparency to help consumers make choices based on information, not superstitions or hunches Key Takeaways Unlike what most people think, […]

Summary The story of Richard Liu and his founding of one of the world’s largest ecommerce sites, JD.com Key Takeaways Richard Liu Qiangdong is a “philosopher CEO” and has instilled many of his values and beliefs into the core of JD. He has been extremely transparent and high-integrity in all business dealings from day one, […]

Summary Duncan Clark describes the history of Jack Ma, his personality, how and why he founded Alibaba (after a couple failed start-up attempts), his vision for the future and more Key Takeaways Jack founded Aibaba in Hangzhou in 1999 Alibaba looks to exploit the inefficiencies created by a government who exerts as much control as China does without pissing […]

Summary “An organic collection of writings that are meant to convey the essence of Bruce Lee’s art of jeet kune do…To understand JKD, one ought to throw away all ideals, patterns, styles; in fact, he should throw away even the concepts of what is or isn’t ideal in JKD.” Key Takeaways Personal evolution is the ultimate message of the […]

Summary Transcript of Bruce Lee interview with Pierre Berton, Ted Thomas and Alex Ben Block as well as the interviewers reflections Key Takeaways Berton mentions that out of the 2,000+ people he interviewed in his life, Bruce was the most intense, like a coiled spring Ted Thomas thought that Bruce Lee personified a tough self-sufficiency […]

Summary “Productivity is about recognizing choices that other people often overlook. It’s about making certain decisions in certain ways. The way we choose to see our own lives; the stories we tell ourselves, and the goals we push ourselves to spell out in detail; the ways we frame our choices and manage the information in […]

Summary The story of Sam “The Banana Man” Zemurray who created Cuyamel Fruit from the ground up. He began as a poor Russian immigrant but would soon become one of the wealthiest men in America and come to lead United Fruit, Cuyamel’s much larger competitor. Zemurray can be seen as that era’s quintessential model of American success, […]

Summary A compilation of DFW’s writings on tennis Key Takeaways It can be amazing how early in life some writers figure out what they are and start to see their lives as stories that can be controlled. Tennis may be the most isolating of games. It may be as close as we come to physical chess, or […]

Summary A compilation of Alan Watts’ speeches on a broad number of topics Key Takeaways On spiritual gurus – Watts says he is more like a physician than a clergyman since he wants to get rid of people and not keep them On mysticism and morality. A feeling of total harmoniousness and oneness with the […]

Summary A thought experiment via dialogue on some of life’s big questions Key Takeaways We are the building blocks of God, in early stages of reassembly. Eventually we will get to the point, beyond quarks and whatever else there is, where all matter is similar and this matter is God Building the Internet is not rational, it […]

Summary A collection of Bruce Lee’s thoughts and aphorisms broken out into eight different sections, helping you prepare your own way through challenges and difficulties. The aphorisms are presented in such a way to force the reader to think for themselves about the issue they’re having and come up with their own answer Key Takeaways […]

Summary Compilation of Bruce Lee’s quotes, teachings and philosophy Key Takeaways Remember, success is a journey, not a destination. Have faith in your ability. You will do just fine You have to create your own luck. You have to be aware of the opportunities around you to take advantage of them Learning is definitely not […]

Summary A compilation of some of Bruce Lee’s most famous quotes Key Takeaways Be happy, but never satisfied The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering Empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality Now I see that I will never find the light unless, like […]

Summary “Basically, I have always been a martial artist by choice and actor by profession. But, above all, I am hoping to actualize myself to be an artist of life by daily actualizing my potentiality through soulful discoveries and daily exercising.” By artist of life he refers to the process of being an individual who, […]

Summary A broad view of Bruce Lee’s life and personality through personal correspondence with friends and family. Key Takeaways “Patterns. This is the most important thing to look for as you read Bruce’s letters.” Gung fu forming his character and ideas – practice as a physical culture, a form of mental training, a method of […]

Summary This book describes in meticulous detail Lee’s ever-evolving workout regimens and favorite exercises Key Takeaways The greatest talents that Bruce brought to realizing his dreams were intelligence and curiosity, dedication and perseverance and focus Jeet Kune Do, which is an all-encompassing approach to living life at the pinnacle of developed potential, naturally includes training […]

Chip Conley, founder of a boutique hotel chain called Joie de Vivre, describes his business principles and how they can help you reach your full potential and self-actualize

A dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on how to turn ephemeral joy into an enduring trait

Bruce Lee’s commentaries on the martial way

A beautiful book based on the award-winning documentary, Bruce Lee: In His Own Words

This book is meant to serve as an introduction to Bruce Lee as a student of life, a designer of his own destiny. It goes into detail about Bruce’s development as a martial artist as well as his intellectual growth

A compilation of Bruce Lee’s interviews from 1958-1973

Studying some of the most prolific people in history to glean some of their patterns and daily routines to perhaps adopt into your own life

Goethe is one of Germany’s most famous writers but also specialized in anatomy, geology and botany. This book is a collection of his thoughts and maxims, all of which are meant to provoke reflection

Examines Pixar’s storytelling techniques to uncover the techniques and mechanisms which make them so successful

A comprehensive overview of Pixar’s history, it’s storytelling process, its relationship with Disney and more

Jewel’s background, obstacles overcome, beliefs and values all laid bare for the world to see. She hides nothing in this open account of her life

Quick book describing some of the attitudes, beliefs, practices and more that set Pixar apart and give it the best shot to keep innovating and producing the highest quality movies

Through a fictional narrative, Connellan describes what makes Disney great and how some of those learnings can be implemented into a variety of different businesses

Disney was able to entertain billions of people the world over. His background doesn’t point the way to how he achieved this, His parents were plain people, young Walt showed no brilliance as a student, and his drawings were often uninspired but in the end he is one of the most successful entertainers in businessmen in history

Disney’s influence is hard to overstate. He completely changed American culture and its consciousness by bringing in a lighter, more fun world during tough times. He completely changed animation and helped invent graphic design. His concept of a theme park was completely novel too as it was a totally immersive, imaginative experience

Michael Barrier gives a detailed account of Walt Disney’s background, personality, accomplishments, flaws and impact on the world

The incredible story of the Eisner era – it’s successes and debacles

Natural selection is important, but it has not labored alone to craft the fine architectures of the biosphere. Self-organization is the root source of order and is not merely tinkered, but arises naturally and spontaneously because of the principles of self-organization. Self-organization works together with natural selection to help shape and drive evolution in species

Consumers have become more thoughtful and hyperbolic marketing is more likely to backfire today. More refined advertising and better knowledge of what customers truly want is necessary. This book explores the companies that are different by taking this more refined path

Holland walks us through how coherence emerges from unstructured agents in environments of continuous flux; coherence under change and complex adaptive systems (CAS)

A primer on problem solving on scales from local to global, how systems exist and react in the real world while acknowledging that all models are false although they help us simplify and at times make better predictions

Hagstrom walks the reader through why and how to incorporate fundamental principles from multiple fields to become a better thinker, decision maker, investor, etc.

The Fifth Discipline describes what a learning organization is and why it is vital in today’s world. It combines 5 core disciplines to help any organization gain a competitive advantage

Explanations of complexity, self-organization, emergence, order and chaos and some of the pioneers behind this work. It also details the history of the Santa Fe Institute

Joe Kane describes his adventure trekking through the Amazon from its source in the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean

Describes some of the world’s most respected investors’ proven, proprietary frameworks for finding, researching, analyzing, and implementing the best value investing opportunities

Katherine Graham, long time CEO of The Washington Post, recounts her story, her struggles and her rise to running this acclaimed newspaper

The autobiography of Les Schwab, founder of the Les Schwab supermarket tire store – his background, philosophy and views on life and business

Summary Self-organized criticality (SOC) is a new way of viewing nature – perpetually out of balance but in a poised state, a critical state, where anything can happen within well-defined statistical laws. The aim of the science of SOC is to yield insight into the fundamental question of why nature is complex, not simple, as […]

A primer on problem solving on scales from local to global, how systems exist and react in the real world while acknowledging that all models are false although they help us simplify and at times make better predictions

Seeks to explain how large scale, complex, organized and adaptive behavior can follow from simple rules among many individuals

Strogatz describes the universality of sync in nature, human biology, social networks, etc. and how it might come to be. “For reasons I wish I understood, the spectacle of sync strikes a chord in us, somewhere deep in our souls. It’s a wonderful and terrifying thing. Unlike many other phenomena, the witnessing of it touches people at a primal level. Maybe we instinctively realize that if we ever find the source of spontaneous order, we will have discovered the secret of the universe.”

Summary A beautiful question is an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change Key Takeaways Process: slowing down, stepping back, noticing what others miss, challenging assumptions (including your own), gaining a deeper understanding of […]

LaBerge is the father of lucid dreaming and in this book he describes why lucid dreaming is beneficial, how to enter the state consistently and what to do once you’re in the state.

A good summary of some of history’s most influential intellectuals, how they were influential and some of the darker sides of their personalities

Story told of Ashe vs. Graebner during their US Open semi-final with some of their background and thoughts intertwined

Summary Man thinks he lives by virtue of the forces he can control, but in fact, he’s governed by power from unrevealed sources, power over which he has no control Key Takeaways Behavioral kinesiology, first discovered by Dr. John Diamond, deals with a person’s muscular microresponses to stimuli. All things, people, symbols, food, thoughts, etc. have either a […]

Summary Chernow’s goal is to make Washington as close to the living, breathing figure he was to his contemporaries, rather than the lifeless role model he is today to most people. He was only able to achieve so much because he could bottle and funnel his intense emotion to his noble cause Key Takeaways Washington always sought […]

Will and Ariel Durant provide an unparalleled multi-disciplinary recount of history, covering major themes, events and people. This 100 page book is an incredible summary of their 10,000+ page series, The Story of Civilization.

Summary Deep work – professional activities performed in a state free of distractions which push your cognitive abilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill and are hard to replicate. This state is totally necessary to maximize your potential  Key Takeaways A commitment to deep work usually entails short term sacrifice […]

Summary Stone attempts to describe the Amazon story, its founder and how Wall St. and the world’s perception has changed these 20+ years Key Takeaways Bezos is a visionary who has redefined customer service and runs his company like a chess grandmaster. He is extremely difficult to work for, intense and micromanaged but casts a […]

Summary Dobelli lays out some of the most common and disastrous mental biases we are susceptible to. The cognitive biases and errors we make have been made by every generation for hundreds of years. Learning how to spot and eventually mitigate these risks can have great benefits for our lives, relationships and decision making Key Takeaways […]

Through real life examples, many of them centered around Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, Peter Bevelin helps the reader learn how to think better, make fewer poor decisions understand ourselves and others better. Discusses mental models, human fallibilities, heuristics, instincts, human psychology, biology and more.

A very interesting dialogue between Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, the “librarian” and the “seeker” of knowledge. The dialogue discusses how to live a successful, happy and fulfilling life, what to avoid in life and in business and how to improve mental biases and heuristics in order to make better decisions

Summary Bevelin compiles Buffett’s investor letters as well as other good sources of value investing into a quick and easy-to-read investing manual Key Takeaways What investing in financial assets is all about – laying out cash today in order to get more cash back in the future Valuation – follow the cash as it’s the […]

Summary Interesting biography on the philosopher/politician who was responsible for writing the Declaration of Independence, the Louisiana Purchase, instilling a belief in America of continuous improvement and more Key Takeaways Can be considered one of the most successful political figures of The first 50 years of the American republic (1743-1826). His dynasty of similar thinking […]

Summary Good biography on John Adams, his contributions, life, personality Key Takeaways Adams was a lawyer and a farmer, was brilliant, extremely hard working, self absorbed, prone to depression, proud, quick to anger, stubborn, ambitious, an early revolutionary and supporter of American rights and liberties who would become one of the most powerful and influential […]

Summary Strauss details his life and how he dealt with his desires for others while also wanting a meaningful relationship Key Takeaways What you don’t know controls you Strauss walks us through the lessons he has learned about commitments and relationships and how to best form and cultivate them Anything emotionally traumatizing is with us […]

Summary Relates the story of the 2001 TMT bubble from the perspective of Marathon Asset Management Key Takeaways Capital cycle theory – when companies trade at a premium in the stock market to their replacement cost, new investment is stimulated; that demand forecasts are inherently unreliable; that when competition is increasing, there is a great danger of […]

Harvey Firestone discusses some of his background, philosophy and business practices which helped him build one of the most successful companies of the early 20th century

Summary Bevelin takes quotes and examples from Sherlock Holmes as examples of several tools and techniques to improve thinking and decision making Key Takeaways Observation and inference See things for what they are and report them truthfully Beware of first impressions – appearances can be deceiving More is missed by not looking than not knowing […]

Summary The life and work of Alexander Hamilton told in a way that only the masterful Chernow can do. An incredible, multidimensional view on the influential and controversial Founding Father Key Takeaways Hamilton’s influence is hard to understate. He took over a bankrupt country and turned it into a country with a credit rating as high […]

Summary No matter the domain, the highly successful have a kind of ferocious determination that plays out in two ways. First, these exemplars were unusually resilient and hardworking. Second, they knew in a very, very deep way what it was they wanted. They not only had determination, they had direction. It is a combination of […]

Summary “I believe there are some basic truths, discernible by philosophical reflection, which undergird any sort of human excellence in flourishing, whether in a company like GM or in the country at large. In our families, friendships, neighborhoods, communities, civic organizations and business relationships, four profound but simple foundations – universally accessible, pervasively applicable and incredibly effective […]

Summary An exciting and inspiring book which lays out a detailed process for how you can effectively improve and push past your potential in anything you want to undertake Key Takeaways Mozart had something called perfect pitch but it is not some magical gift, rather he acquired it through extensive training and a very flexible […]

Summary Really engaging book on the importance of mindfulness and meditation and the principal tenets and practices of Buddhism. About letting go of fixed persona and becoming awake, liberated, aware Key Takeaways Enlightenment not about becoming divine, about becoming more fully human Eliminate ignorance, to be one with all things, to be present in the […]

Summary A rally good overview of Brazil’s history and founding, it’s political background, agricultural prowess, social life, economy and more. A great start to any research project on Brazil Key Takeaways Lula did a great job of publicizing the amazing growth happening in Brazil in the mid 2000s and how effectively it was able to shake off […]

Summary Logic of failure – certain tendencies in our patterns of thought that, while appropriate to an older, simpler world, prove disastrous for the complex and interdependent world we live in now Key Takeaways 4 habits of mind and characteristics of thought that account for the frequency of our failures The slowness of our thinking […]

Summary General Stanley McChrystal was in command of the Joint Special Operations and director of operations in the Iraq War. He took on the very difficult challenge of changing long-held military beliefs about organization, communication, efficiency and more in order to be able to defeat Al Qaeda in Iraq who were using new technology to create a different combat […]

Summary Great compilation of some of the world’s most influential, powerful, innovative people of all time Key Takeaways History is philosophy teaching by example Best way to prepare for present problems is to study the past for that is where you learn the true nature of humankind  Due to our hunter gatherer past, humans are […]

Summary Miguel Ruiz Jr follows in his fathers footsteps with the Toltec way of life and explains that total and unconditional self love and other love, complete acceptance and awareness lead to a happy life as it helps us realize we are simply perfect just the way we are Key Takeaways Unconditional love for others […]

Summary Describes SEAL combat operations and training through Jocko’s and Leif’s eyes and applies this experience to leadership and management practices in the business world. Extreme Ownership describes the mindset that top leaders have – they “own” everything in their world and would never even think of blaming anyone but themselves when they experience failure […]

Summary Dr. Hyman details very convincing evidence on why eating the right types of fats is the healthiest, most satisfying and most sustainable way to live a long and healthy life. Provides a great 21 day program to jump start your metabolism, lose weight, reverse chronic health problems, improve sleep and clarity of mind (recipes, […]

Summary 101 tips and learnings the author got out of culinary school Key Takeaways A good resource for any cook but more so for people looking to run a professional kitchen What I got out of it Great tips for anybody who is looking to open and run a kitchen some day. For the every […]

Summary Beautifully written book which strongly advocates for mindfulness in everything we do – from washing our hands to how we interact with others. Thich Nhat Hanh uses beautiful examples from both Jesus’ and Buddha’s lives to reinforce his points. Key Takeaways Reality is free from all notions and it is our duty to transcend words and concepts and […]

Summary First book written by an insider that looks under the hood of the industry and offers thoughtful views on key success drivers and pitfalls – for asset allocators and managers alike Key Takeaways Ted Seides is the guru of starting hedge funds and decided to write the book now as competition between hedge funds is at […]

Summary Great resource on what foods to eat more of and avoid and how to minimize risks of certain diseases. Key Takeaways First part is about how to minimize risks of most common diseases like heart failure, cancer, etc. Great resource if any of these illnesses are relevant to you Beans Black beans, black-eyed peas, cannellini, […]

Summary The incredible, multi-dimensional story of Robert Moses who helped shape New York through its parks, highways and more by wielding untold of power for an unelected official. Robert Moses build more parks than any man alive, shaped the political structure of NY in his day and achieved so much but he also caused many […]

Summary Dreaming Yourself Awake describes the two most effective forms to control dreams though lucid dreaming and Tibetan Dream yoga. These two practices will help bring you a lucid and spiritual awakening – great tips, habits and daily practices on how to improve your chances of entering this awesome state of consciousness Key Takeaways Lucid […]

Summary A good introduction into tai chi and why/how it is practiced Key Takeaways Practicing tai chi helps create a sense of happiness and peacefulness Tai chi stems from wuji (non-being, formlessness, one, Tao) Must realize interdependence of yin (open/gentle) and yang (close/rigid) The balance between motion and stillness Spirits – virtue, courage, wisdom (deal with change), […]

Ken Iverson took over Nucor when he was 39 and compounded the business at incredible rates for decades. On top of it, he did it in the steel industry which is not known for its attractive returns. Iverson lays out his management principles which center around employee trust and loyalty, decentralization, honesty, limited hierarchy and bureaucracy and aligning the employees and manager’s interest through partnership.

Summary The Battle of Thermopylae told from the point of view one of the Spartan soldiers. This battle and story was popularized by the movie 300 Key Takeaways At the time of death, many fear separation from loved ones more than death itself Tells in vivid detail the brutal conquering of his town by Argos […]

Summary Paul Kalanithi describes his journey of becoming a neuroscientist and when he is finally within reach of finishing residency, he finds out he has late stage lung cancer. He walks us through the stages he dealt with, his thoughts on career and family and how everything else was affected Key Takeaways Relationships under pin […]

Summary People tend to operate as either givers, matchers or takers. In today’s increasingly connected and competitive world, it is in fact the givers who tend to come out on top (but also the bottom). Highlights what effective networking, negotiation, influence and leadership skills have in common Key Takeaways Successful people tend to have motivation, […]

Summary Mukunda experiences a miraculous recovery at a young age and after that is set on pursuing a spiritual life. This book walks us through that journey, what he learned from his master Sri Yukteswar, the benefits of meditation/yoga and striving to attain enlightenment. Beautifully written and inspiring book Key Takeaways Born in 1893 near […]

Summary Dhando investing is all about value investing – maximum rewards with minimal risk. Dhando = endeavors that create wealth. “Heads I win, tails I don’t lose much” Key Takeaways Life is a journey and the journey is the destination Uses the Patel family from India as a case study. They first immigrated to the […]

Summary Provides a brief summary of 50 decision models, or mental frameworks, on how to best attack a particular problem or situation. Focuses on better understanding ourselves, others, making the right choices with the information you have, creating effective teams and more. Key Takeaways This book is a treasure for those who are looking for […]

Reichheld lays out a very convincing argument for why creating an ecosystem which attracts and rewards loyal customers, employees and investors is the ultimate moat for any organization

Summary The Biocybernaut institute helps you increase your alpha waves through highly specialized neurofeedback training. Raising alpha waves and suppressing beta waves (the rational, thinking mind) helps increase creativity, IQ, meditation, helps emotional healing and a lot more Key Takeaways Most people not accessing their alpha/theta waves which are associated with creativity, joy and higher […]

Summary Lowe details Charlie’s life through his early career as a lawyer, later partnership with Buffett to form Berkshire Hathaway, his family, his hobbies and outlook on life Key Takeaways Warren, Charlie are very similar and make an amazing team. They are both from Omaha but didn’t meet until 1959 Very eclectic reader – hundreds […]

Summary Wulf describes Humboldt’s amazing ability to see the big picture of nature and how this allowed him to piece together that all of nature is interconnected. Through his extensive travels, Humboldt was the first to truly to describe the “web of nature” Key Takeaways Born to a wealthy Prussian family in 1769, Humboldt spent […]

Summary Leslie outlines why curiosity is core to what it means to be human, how to foster it in children and how to help yourself remain curious throughout your life Key Takeaways Curiosity, asking the question of “why” is uniquely human. Curiosity is unruly and the trait of misfits and rebels but is the only […]

Summary Nasaw sheds a different light on Carnegie than what we get through Carnegie’s autobiography. Nasaw reveals Carnegie’s more egotistical and bullheaded side but balances it by showing the good Carnegie he done for the world through the accumulation and dispersion of his wealth. Key Takeaways Carnegie’s autobiography is good but lacks certain events, chronology […]

Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 in Scotland but immigrated to America when he was 13 and was able to rise to the highest echelons of society through his steel empire. He is one of the world’s great philanthropists and gave away the majority of his wealth before his death to several causes such as public libraries, world peace, improving the human condition and strengthening democracy.

Summary Fascinating account of an amazing man whose vision helped him transform Singapore from a war torn colony into a prosperous, independent nation. Key Takeaways Singapore gained independence on August 9, 1965 from Malaysia due to strife between the Malays and Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore Had to deceive Australia, New Zealand and UK before […]

Summary One Spirit Medicine helps restore mental, physics, emotional and spiritual well being through vision quest, diet, nutrition and stress management Key Takeaways Spirit is the invisible world where we are all one and interconnected Disease comes from imbalance between spirit and harmony LEF – Luminous Energy Field, an aura that we all give us […]

Summary People naturally build silos in order to deal with the world’s ever-growing complexity. However, both individuals and businesses need to be wary about silos as they limit creativity and effective communication. Remove silos by interacting both socially and professionally with a vast array of people and organizations Key Takeaways Silos can be helpful in […]

Summary Moore, Johnson and Kippola outline what the gorilla game entails and how to go about being a successful investor in the high-tech space Key Takeaways The basic framework of the gorilla game includes Find a hypergrowth market (~100% revenue growth year over year). Hypergrowth begins after the ‘herd’ (general consumers) adopt the tech Buy […]

Summary We live in a society which idealizes extroverts but many of us are true introverts and many innovations and much progress is due to introverts. This personality trait is one of the most influential in your life, influencing your friend group, spouse, career, hobbies and more. Key Takeaways Introverts – need less external stimulation […]

Summary An updated version of Phelps’ 100 Baggers, this book takes you through examples of stocks that have turned $1 into $100 since 1962 and how to go about finding the next 100 baggers. Key Takeaways 100 baggers are stocks which turn a $1 investment into $100 over a certain period of time. The average […]

Summary This book is about attitude. How people through the centuries have cultivated character. In the process of failing and getting to know our weaknesses we begin the groundwork for building character Key Takeaways Resume v eulogy virtues. Adam 1 vs Adam 2. External vs internal success. Society rewards resume virtues over eulogy virtues Must […]

Summary Wim “the Iceman” Hof describes his background, training regiment, beliefs and world records. He has trained his body to such a degree that he can withstand incredible cold and there has even been scientific backing that he can control his autonomous nervous system and better fight infectious diseases. Key Takeaways Fear and trust are the […]

Summary An inspiring book about Chuck Feeney, one of the founders of Duty Free Shoppers who gave away his fortune during his lifetime and was able to help millions of people. He lived simply and frugally in his personal life in order to best serve those who most needed help Key Takeaways Feeney gave away […]

Summary Follows the story of Nobody Owens who is adopted and raised by the supernatural beings in a graveyard after his family is murdered Key Takeaways Gaiman does a great job of drawing you in through his storytelling into a different and fantastic world filled with ghouls, ghosts and other supernatural creatures What I got […]

Summary Bill Bryson gives a very good overview of a natural history and describes how the Earth went from nothing to something, eventually to where we are today Key Takeaways Main topics – molecules, atoms, physics, magnetism, volcanoes, age and size of Earth, solar system, elements, oceans, bacteria, fossils, taxonomy, cells, DNA, ice ages, early humans At […]

Summary A tale of an uncle and his nephew who are journeying across the desert and through dialogue and events, the uncle passes down timeless wisdom on how to approach and handle life successfuly. Key Takeaways Life is meant to be a series of adventures. Enjoy the good along with the bad The real secret […]

Captain Abrashoff recounts his story and the leadership principles he used to turn around the USS Benfold, one of the worst performing ships in the navy. Believes these leadership principles to be universal and in today’s age, getting the most out of your people and helping them grow is more important than ever

Summary Pressfield tells his story of how in writing he encounters his most extreme resistance and this is part of why he does it. Key Takeaways It’s not the writing part that’s hard, it’s the sitting down to write. Overcoming this resistance is absolutely vital to growth and happiness Defining the enemy, this resistance, is […]

Summary Power, wealth and health are not exclusive harbingers of success. Beyond a certain point, many assumed advantages, like increased wealth and education, start to become disadvantages. On the other hand, assumed disadvantages, such as learning difficulties or childhood trauma, can spur people to great achievement. Underdogs often overcome their vastly favored opponents through indirect, unusual or […]

Summary Paul Ryan lays out his background, beliefs, motivations and goals and how he plans to achieve them Key Takeaways Main goals – economic growth, saving Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, fixing the broken healthcare system, setting up a prosperous America for the next generation which is secure and debt-free, make government smaller, simpler and […]

Summary Greenfield lays out a detailed training regiment section, recovery section, nutrition section, lifestyle section, brain section, and conclusion which ties it all together Key Takeaways Provides extremely detailed diets, supplement recommendations, workout regiments, etc for vegans, plant based, old, young, female, male. (I cannot include all the detail in these regiments so if these […]

Summary Jim Loehr lays out a framework for how to live a more aligned life by realizing what your inner voice is really saying and how to change your story so that it helps you achieve your goals Key Takeaways First step is to become aware and accept your flawed story  In this context, story […]

Summary Macaskill lays out some questions and reasoning for how to figure out how to best do effective altruism Key Takeaways Play pump got a lot of hype and funding but backfired since it was less effective and didn’t take into accounts the native’s needs and wants Deworming kids in Kenya one of the most […]

Summary A fun recounting of Feynman’s life, time on NASA exploring the Challenger disaster and his genuine curiosity of all things Key Takeaways Father and first love had the biggest influence on him Father turned science and teaching into reality when he was a boy by making analogies or comparing to immediate surroundings Huge difference […]

Summary Jim Hill was one of the great railroad tycoons, founding and expanding what eventually became the Great Northern, today the Burlington Northern. His incredible persistence, competitiveness and focus on quality infrastructure and lowest cost per ton helped him dominate his competitors and amass one of the great fortunes in American history. Key Takeaways Hill […]

Summary A fascinating account of the unique culture of the Scandinavian countries – Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland and Denmark. Michael does an excellent job of portraying these countries and their quirks from an outside perspective while still being able to dive into the nuances which make them unique. Key Takeaways Gallup asked other questions about […]

Summary Ultimate guide to Bill Walsh’s leadership principles. Told by his son through the perspective of 5 key pillars – Joe Montana, John McVay (director of football operations), Mike White (assistant at UC Berkeley and briefly at SF), Bill McPherson, Randy Cross (SF defensive lineman) Key Takeaways Do all the right things and the score […]

Summary Arana describes in detail Bolivar the man and how he was able to liberate a humongous area of land with a lot of racial tension, different religions and other headwinds to help found Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and free from Spanish rule Key Takeaways Bolivar’s liberation began in Bogota, Colombia. He had to […]

Summary A good biography on a great man. Basil Moreau founded and lead the congregation of the Holy Cross for nearly 30 years   Key Takeaways Above everything else, Father Moreau believed that the imitation of Christ is the key to success and happiness in life. Central to this was love of the cross – […]

Summary Brown tells the story of the Washington crew team who overcame great odds in order to win gold at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin Key Takeaways Joe Rantz had a rough childhood outside Seattle with an unhappy mother who accidentally dropped scalding bacon grease on her other son and disliked farm life. Soon after […]

Summary Rich Roll tells his inspiring story of lazy, overweight, addicted into an all vegan and ultra marathon lifestyle Key Takeaways Rich Roll was a very overweight 40 year old who transformed himself with marathon training and a vegan diet 7 day juice cleanse that Rich used to start his transformation found here Rich became a […]

Summary “How do successful thinkers think? And how is it that their ways of thinking make it more likely that they will succeed than fail in the cauldron of business and life…? In this book we set out to isolate a few of the key mechanisms in the minds of successful thinkers – mechanisms that […]

Alex Ferguson managed Manchester United for 26 years and helped them achieve incredible success. This book is about what he has learned throughout his life about leadership

Summary Good memory training system and operates in three ways. (1) It increases the general Impressionability, so that all First Impressions must be more vivid than they have ever been before. (2) It increases the general Revivability, so that First Impressions are more under the control of the will, and can be afterward recalled when […]

Summary Quick anecdotes which rival anything found in Stoicism. This book should be much more widely read than it is Key Takeaways It is indeed because of the unpractical nature of practical maxims that they have been so much neglected. You must act in the concrete, you can only maximise in general terms. Then, again, […]

Summary Michael Lewis again manages to draw you in on what are typically pretty boring topics, in this case the aftermath of the 2008/2009 financial crisis Key Takeaways In Kyle Bass’s opinion, the financial crisis wasn’t over. It was simply being smothered by the full faith and credit of rich Western governments. They were no […]

Summary Lewis does a great job of making what could be a very dull and complex topic into a compelling read. If you are interested in learning about the reasons for the 2008/09 financial crisis, this is a great first step Key Takeaways Not for a moment did I suspect that the financial 1980s would […]

Great read on how to apply universal learning techniques to any endeavor. You must learn the fundamentals so thoroughly that they become ingrained, allowing the brain to fully focus on minute details which help separate you from the rest of the competition

Summary The two reasons so few people profit from 100 to 1 stocks is that we first do not try to do so and second that even when we are wise or lucky enough to buy one we do not hold on Key Takeaways Few ask too much from their investing – have high goals […]

Summary Good and short book on how little bets allow you to take small risks with the possibility of finding big, unmet opportunities Key Takeaways Chris Rock has become insanely successful by not being afraid to take thousands of little bets with little to no consequence and learning from them. Slowly but surely refining his […]

Summary Story of Robert Jordan who is in Spain during the Spanish Civil War helping the republic guerrilla unit’s efforts Key Takeaways Good insight into war, interesting dialogue What I got out of it Not much, don’t think it compares to The Old Man and the Sea or The Sun Also Rises but gives a great feel […]

Summary One of the early Teledyne employees and eventual President, George Roberts, tells of the rise of Teledyne and the leadership of Henry Singleton Key Takeaways Singleton had no business plan because he wanted to be flexible and knew that you cannot predict the future Teledyne was innovative in that it was one of the […]

Summary Sowell argues that knowledge is man’s most severe restraint but knowing the power of incentives, who the decision maker is, and a couple other key elements helps making decisions at least a little easier Key Takeaways Humans’ most severe restraint is knowledge but still must make important decisions Examine and judge companies, people, etc. based […]

Summary Good biography on Reagan, his childhood, acting career, presidency and post-presidency. Impressive man who was in office during some of the most volatile times in America’s history Key Takeaways Reagan’s father was an alcoholic but his mother was a saint Reagan gave one speech on behalf of US Senator Barry Goldwater which propelled him […]

Summary The Prophet must leave a city he has been in for 12 years but speaks to a crowd before he leaves on certain important topics. He explains what is important in many different areas of life Key Takeaways He was above all else, ‘a powerful advocate of the unity of being’. ‘All things in […]