Rating: 4.3/5 A timely book about why we need to work deeply in a world wired for distraction. Premise of the book: world-class performers work intensely and for longer periods of time than those engaged in shallow work. In a word, our lifestyle can be summarized by what we decide to focus on. Newport offers some …
Rating: 4.5/5 This one hit close to home for two reasons 1) post-apocalyptic vibes are similar to COVID-19, except way 100x worse (no internet, electrical grid, religious cults threatening to make young underage girls their wives…eek) 2) one of the main locations is literally near my home, in the city of Toronto (Ayee). The book skillfully …
Rating: 4.1/5 The bad press around the portrayal of Mexican migrants lowered my score HOWEVER the storytelling is off the c(h)arts (referencing the drug cartels…ha ha…will stop joking about drugs now), especially the beginning of the book. I still remember the scene down to the blood on the bathroom wall tile. The book slowed in pace …
Rating: 4.9/5 WELL, SHIT! Bowing down to this philosopher king! The text is divided into three sections. First, Seneca addresses the shortness of life. Second, he provides guidance to his mother on how to grieve his death (only Seneca would do this!!). Last, he provides counsel on the tranquility of the mind. Seneca’s teachings are timeless …
Rating: 3.5/5 A dystopian tale of three friends that grow up in the obscure town of Hailsham where children are predestined to become donors and carers. Donor = organ donor; carer = carer for the organ donors :s It gets WEIRD. The book felt like one giant hushed secret that gradually unfurled to the end. It …
Rating: 2.3/5 Quite disappointed because Ariely was a recommended author but this book fell flat in scope, insight, and research. Most of the social experiments in the book are performed in academic settings with students. Ariely does not venture further with his research to extrapolate his findings to real life scenarios and I found this quite …
Read more “The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty – Dan Ariely”
Rating: 4.2/5 A bitter tale trailing the lives of female protagonists through four generations in 20th century Korea and Japan. The author weaves the complex intersections of culture, family, class, and desire against the backdrop of colonial wars and political unrest. The narrative is beautifully written although the chapter endings were occasionally too abrupt. Like a melancholic …
Rating: 2.5/5 Randolph retells the origin story of Netflix from fledgling mail-in DVD business to what is now one of the largest online streaming services in the world. The book was lacking in the development of how the company was built. Instead, Randolph spent too much time on irrelevant personal details that detracted from the storyline …
Rating: 4.8/5 Wow! This was borderline textbook but the care and in-depth research from van der Kolk made it intriguing, nonetheless. As the founder and medical director of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts, the author meticulously selects pertinent case studies that help the reader understand the neurological, spiritual, developmental, psychological underpinnings of trauma and offers …
Read more “The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel A. van der Kolk”
Rating: 4.2/5 Obama’s humour and detailed life sketch transports readers from humble beginnings in Hawaii with his single mom and grandparents, to raising his own family and becoming the first black president of the United States. The 44th president, often characterized by his cheeky smile, charm and good looks, exhibited tremendous composure, wisdom and knowledge in tackling …