Author: Jonah Berger ISBN: 978-1471111709 Why do some products, services or ideas get viral, while the others fall into oblivion? EXCERPTS [The author initially explains that all viral products, services or ideas had at least one attribute set forth by this book. BUT, there are many more that had one or more of such attributes but nevertheless failed to go viral. That means that there is still a lot unknown as [...]
Author: Esther Perel ASIN: B000UODXP0 The book tackles the challenges of modern romances, especially the love/ lust split. EXCERPTS We all share a fundamental need for security, which propels us toward committed relationships in the first place; but we have an equally strong need for adventure and excitement. Modern romance promises that it’s possible to meet these two distinct sets of needs in one place. For some of us, love [...]
Author: Jocko Willink and Leif Babin ISBN: 978-1760558208 The book on leadership, written by Jocko Willing - the commander of most highly decorated US special-operations unit of the Iraq War (SEAL Team 3, Task Unit Bruiser). The content of the book tends to repeat itself and I think that you get the gist of the book by reading below excerpts. EXCERPTS These leaders cast no blame. They made no excuses. [...]
Author: Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga ISBN: 978-1501197277 For many years the Freudian psychology reasonated really well with me. One of it's core premises is that our behavior is in large part determined by the past events. It was easy for me to adopt such perspective. It placed responsibility for my behavior on people around me (usually the parents). Alfred Adler - a rival of Freud, believed that past events do [...]
Author: Ryan Holiday ISBN: 978-1781257029 In general I like Ryan's ideas, but I just can't get behind his writing style (in this or any other of his books). EXCERPTS Where Isocrates and Shakespeare wished us to be self-contained, self-motivated, and ruled by principle, most of us have been trained to do the opposite. Our cultural values almost try to make us dependent on validation, entitled, and ruled by our emotions. [...]
Author: Christopher Ryan ISBN: 978-0061707803 We, humans are biologically wired to live in monogamous relationships. After we find the "one" a true love emerges and we enjoy an intimate, sexual and deeply fulfilling relationship till death do us part, right? This theory often stemming from romantic definiton of love is certainly predominant in Judeo-Christian worldwiev. What if it's the other way around? EXCERPTS [The book's main premise is that the [...]
Author: Viktor E. Frankl ISBN: 978-1846041242 You think a poor internet connection sucks? Then this is a must read book to change your reference frame of mind. EXCERPTS Nietzsche: “He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How.” Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning. The great task [...]
Author: Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras ISBN: 978-0060516406 One of the most talked about business books. I was deeply disappointed; I didn't find any original ideas and the book was much too lenghty. So many better books on creating lasting companies. In my opinion; reading the below excerpts more than suffices. EXCERPTS A visionary company exports its core values and purpose to all of its operations in every country, [...]
Author: Noam Wasserman ISBN:978-0691158303 You've decided to incorporate a company with a partner. Have you already decided how to split shares? EXCERPTS [Seth Godin's Shotgun Clause: Any party can at any time offer to buy the other out. The other has only two options; it can either accept the offer or buy the other out for the same offered price per share.] I felt very disassociated [working for IBM], like [...]
Author: Daron Acemoglu ISBN: 978-1846684302 An interesting theory as to why some nations fail and the others prosper. A very interesting read! EXCERPTS Repression + absence of social justice + denial of channels for peaceful change = a ticking bomb. To Egyptians, the things that have held them back include an ineffective and corrupt state and a society where they cannot use their talent, ambition, ingenuity, and what education they [...]