Book Club Reviews

A long read but worth every word. Ray Dalio provides a lifetime of insights that helped him shape his life and his company. We especially love his commitment to constantly pursue the life he wants to live. A worthy read for anyone looking to discover what type of life they want to live.

If you're a worrier than this book may be for you. Stanford professor (and one of our favorite intellectuals) Robert Sapolsky unpacks some of the things that contribute to stress in modern day society and what we might be able to do to combat them.

This book may be most beneficial if the reader doesn't use it as a manual to quiet the tireless demands of one's ego, but instead as a place to begin questioning why those demands exist. It's full of interesting stories and insights that may help you examine how you see yourself in the world. It may also serve to help one see just how insignifact we are in the grand scheme of the universe.

The book is nearing 100 years old and is still one of the most popular self improvement books. If you are in a leadership role, want to strengthen your relationships, or if struggle to connect with other people, then this book can provide some real value for you.

One of the most popular books in leadership and management. We chose not to put it in the business category here because the insights are valuable no matter who you are and what roles you take on. Whether you're a parent, teacher, student, friend, or someone just looking to improve their life, this book can be very helpful.

A quick read of less than 100 pages that leaves you with a broader sense of the world and your place in it. The Durants call on History and Philosophy to explore the ideas of how and why humans got where we are today, and where we may hope to go. Highly recommended for anyone looking to dip their toe into existentialism.

A brilliant written book about the history of our species. The book will fill you with a sense of wonder and amazement for just how far we've come and just how much farther we have to go as a species. There is a lot of deep thinking, but the ideas remain very accessible to the reader.

We don't have to look much further than this classic to see how easy it is for good intentions to lead to bad outcomes. Orwell beautiful paints a picture of the roles that power, trust, and lies play in society. If you haven't read it since high school it's worth picking up again for another look.

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The bed of Procrustes is filled with nuggets of wisdom that are designed to be expounded on and reflected on. It's a small book with a vast amount of topics covered. I believe this book is perfect for somebody looking to practice thinking and exercise their creativity. Taleb's commentary on society is witty and intelligent, but it forces you to think critically. Excellent book that I found my self picking up again and again and constantly recalling its wisdom in everyday life.

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We all have a certain idea of what we think might happen after we die. But this book reminds us that there are infinite possibilites for what might happen after we take our last breath. David Eagleman reminds us that we shouldn't live our lives with so many certainties and that if we open our minds and become curious, the world, and the afterlife has limitless possibilites.

How would you live your life if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness? Would you live the same way if you knew you only had 6 years to live? What if you only had 6 months? In this book, neurosurgeon and philosopher Paul Kalanithi shares his hopes, dreams, fears, and insights while fighting terminal lung cancer. His quest to live life to the fullest is inspiring. His story will help anyone asking themselves, what makes a life worth living?

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Easily mistaken as a simple children's book, it has the strong possibility to make any adult reexamine what they know about life. It's eloquent and profound. It's easy to read, yet hard not be overcome with feelings after one finished it. The Little Prince reminds us that we are indeed all just children in adult bodies. It reminds us that inside each of us is a well of bravery, innocence and imagination.

It's a tale about success, failure, nature, life, purpose, and perseverance. It's reminds us that life doesn't always deliver what we want, but sometimes what we need. It's a great story of the realities and joys of life.

This book will make you more intelligent. Life consists of the tens of thousands of decisions you make every single day. The Art of Thinking Clearly explores common errors in thinking. I read this book multiple times to remind myself of the hundreds of illogical and erroneous decisions that I make on the daily. Being aware of these illogical thoughts can improve your decision making by 1%. A 1% improvement will compound into a huge difference in the outcome of your life. If you are looking to improve your efficiency this is a perfect book for you.

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If you're struggling to make a decision or to take action than this book is a must read. It's a beautifully written novel, but be warned that it may not resonate with you if you're not in the right place in time for it. However, if you're in a period of indecision and uncertainty, then this book might just change the way you look at the world and inspire you to pursue your personal legend.

Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl spent years of his life in Nazi Death Camps. This book takes on and attempts to answer the question of "How do we find meaning in our lives?" Frankl outlines his search for ways to bring meaning, hope, and joy to his life and the lives of those around him. This book is perfect for someone who is on a course to create meaning in their life, as well as someone looking to embrace a more determined mindset.

"According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai - a reason for living."

This book explores the secrets to what makes some parts of the world live the longest, happiest lives. It incorporates practical tools to help you find happiness and joy in your every day life. A quick read that delivers a lot of value for anyone looking to connect to a better version of themselves.

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A book about how external influence impacts our day to day experiences in life. After reading this book you may be amazed at how many forces outside of your awareness are driving the decisions you make. Another great read for someone looking to explore how much free will they actually have.

This book has a lot of interesting ideas and concepts to consider. The Winner Effect will be most helpful and enjoyable if you look to it for questions about how the world works rather than answers about how the world works.

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We've been told that emotions are hard wired and housed in specific parts of the brain. But Lisa Feldman Barrett challenges the traditional thoughts on how our brains work and where our emotions come from. In this book she explores how new research is changing how we should look at our emotions.

Why do we suffer? Why are humans so difficult to satisfy? Why do we chase and cling to pleasure? Why do we like things that are bad for us? Why are habits so hard to change? Daniel Lieberman answers all these questions and explains why our brains are programed the way they are.

One of the most insightful books on this list. Sharon Salzberg reminds us that much of our happiness in life comes down to the strength of our connections with others and ourself. "Real Love" is a blend of sage wisdom and mindfulness practices. One of the best quotes from this book reminds us that, "Maybe when people are acting unskillfully we can look beyond their actions and recognize that they're suffering, and too want to be happy". A transformative read for anyone at a difficult place in life.

A down to earth meditation book. In 10% happier Dan Harris details how his panic attack on live television lead him to meditation. The book integrates compelling stories and practical meditation making it accessible for the skeptic. The perfect starting point for anyone looking to explore meditation.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is widely regarded as one of the people most influential in bringing mindfulness and meditation to western culture. This book brings together elements of meditation theory and poetic imagery. A delightful read for anyone looking to find respite from a fast paced world or looking to explore their mind.

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A very practical guide to building wealth. The author makes the very simple point that building wealth or financial security really comes down to acquiring assets and limiting liabilities. It's a theme that runs through the entire book and for good reason. It may be a good read if you lack a personal financial framework.

Chronicling the life of Nobel Prize winning Physicist Richard Feynman, this book is teeming with stories that will inspire you to explore the world. This book is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to rekindle wonder and curiosity in life.

It's always amazing to see the journey of others, especially when it involves 90 years of making music, changing the music industry, fighting the IRS, and multiple marriages and children. An honest and insightful look into the life of an interesting person. For any music fan or anyone looking to take a step back and appreciate the beauty and mysteries of life.

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A book of highlights and gems from the Tim Ferriss show podcast. The book is filled with wisdom divided into sections based on the Benjamin Franklin quote, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

It's an easy book to pick up for 10 minutes at a time and find a lot of value.

A masterpiece that examines the principles and strategies that allow some companies to flourish well above their contemporaries. The concepts in this book are not limited to corporations and can be applied across all aspects of life to bring the reader tremendous value. This book could easily be considered required reading for anyone occupying or drawn to leadership roles.

On the surface it would be easy to mistake this book as a manual to better help you get what you want. It's written by a former FBI hostage negotiator and lays out a lot of tips and tricks to could help you do just that. However, the real magic of this book is how it can help not only you, but the people you interact with on a daily basis to achieve productive outcomes. It can help you resolve conflicts and bridge divides just as easily as help you negotiate on your own behalf.

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This parable tells the story of a leader who takes the helm of a struggling company and turns it around. The book takes us on a journey and shows us how to overcome the five common disruptors of a successful team which are: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results. If you're a leader at any level, this book provides tremendous insight you'll find useful.

Althought this book might be written for the world of IT and DevOps, there is a lot to learn here about workflows and process and project management. The book is written as a fable about an IT manager's quest to fix his failing deparment or watch it be dismantled. A great book for those who manage teams. The only major asterisk for this book is it doesn't demonstrate a good formula for work life balance.

If you run or are considering starting a small business this book cannot be strongly recommended enough. It serves to examine what role the small business owner/entrepreneur serves within their business. It will help you answer an important question... Are you someone who works in your business, or on your business? If you don't know the answer, or why the question is so important, than it might be very helpful to read it soon.

An interesting read for anyone looking to better understand how we love. It's most helpful when used to expand one's understanding of how we feel appreciated, cared for, and how we appreciate and care for others.

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