All book notes
Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Rating:
10
/10
Part autobiography, part philosophy, part psychology, part prayer - this book is an incredibly human exploration of an inhumane and brutal time about how, even within the cruellest of suffering, can meaning and salvation be found. Its message today is just and relevant as when it was first published in the years following the second world war.
Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
Rating:
10
/10
Eye opening exploration of ideas and (believe it or not) how they are formed and come to be. Fascinating perspective on how innovation truly works and it busts a lot of myths and misconceptions along the way. Strong recommend.
How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens
Rating:
10
/10
This is the number one book I wished I had read ten years ago, ideally before I started university. Describes a system for the managing of ones own thoughts and ideas, and does it in plain English. Turned me onto the importance of understanding metalearning/metacognition.
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
Rating:
9
/10
I had tentatively started to read the Tao Te Ching before realising that I needed something to warm me up beforehand. This book was that warm up, and more. It explains Taoism through the lens of Winnie the Pooh who is, according to Hoff, a Taoist. I think he's right. Just a wonderful read, I finished it in a single day.
The Lessons of History by Will & Ariel Durant
Rating:
9
/10
Extraordinarily enlightening for such a compact volume. A broad survey of history through the lenses of government, war, religion, economics and more. Astonishing for its breadth and depth as it is its brevity.
Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
Rating:
9
/10
A short, powerful read from one of the world wide web's original entrepreneurs about, quite simply, how to do business. Provides an enormous amount of insight and common sense in a very short volume. Has the most value per page of any book I think I've ever read. I listened to the audiobook version, which the author also recommends.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Rating:
9
/10
A resounding rallying cry of a book. Gives a name to the enemy of our creative work, 'The Resistance'. Defines what it is, how we must defeat and how to move past it. Pick it up in the morning and you'll be done by the afternoon.
Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon
Rating:
8
/10
This is a powerfully good read for anyone who has any interest in doing anything creative, especially if it's on the internet. An instruction manual of sorts, but presented in ang approachable and relatable way to make the most of what you have to give to the world. If you have even the hint of a creative bone in your body, you're going to want to read this book immediately.
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
Rating:
8
/10
Zinsser lays down the law. Although I'm sure there is some debate on the finer points in more academically-minded circles, this was a reassuring starting point for understanding the fundamental elements of writing quality non-fiction prose.
Many of the anecdotes are dated, he was perhaps something of a misogynistic playboy, and it's obvious that he was a pain in the ass to many people. Yet here is the most brilliant collection of anecdotes that show you the mind of an extraordinary man, unafraid of what people thought of him and utterly obsessed with scientific truth and curious to the end. Funny, irreverent, well-observed and honest.
This is Water by David Foster Wallace
Rating:
8
/10
Uncommonly unusual and remarkable. Talks largely about the ethics of how we decide to think and what must mean for us as we go through our lives. Originally written as a commencement address at Kenyon College. More of an essay than a book, but a book it is nonetheless.
All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin
Rating:
8
/10
A really interesting book from one of my favourite authors and marketers. Successfully explains the realities of brand-driven marketing in the 21st century. Repetitive at times, could be shorter but luckily it's not too long either way.
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
Rating:
8
/10
An incredibly interesting insight into Martin's early career, one I was not familiar with until reading this book (I had only known of him from a handful of movies). Interesting insights into the creative process, originality and consistently working at your craft. Enjoyable to read, too - I read it in a single day.
Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse
Rating:
7
/10
A philosophical out-of-body experience that will subvert the way you understand the world. A short book, but not one that you will want to try and read quickly - it is remarkably dense and highly abstract, so go slow. Brilliant at the beginning and in the middle, but tapers off into obscurity and convolution towards the end.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Rating:
7
/10
An exhaustively detailed and thoroughly researched handbook for improving yourself, one step at a time, through the introduction, optimisation or removal of the many habits that riddle our lives. While a little dry and repetitive at times, it's still incredibly practical and useful.
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Rating:
7
/10
An exploration of the meaning of life as told through the story of a boy, who becomes a man, who grows old and, finally, reaches the wisdom of enlightenment in his old age. Told as a series of dialogues between Siddhartha and the people who pass through his life.
Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace
Rating:
7
/10
A collection of articles, essays, speeches, book reviews and other miscellanea by the singular David Foster Wallace. A book suffused with deep sadness and humour at the same time. Regarding any of his pieces that touch on politics, he was either prescient or writing about timeless truths. In any event, the work of an astonishingly sharp and interested mind.
There is a process for coming up with ideas that any of us are able to replicate. It takes work but can be depended upon if the process itself is trusted. A brief, 80 year old volume that enjoys a special place in the history of writing about ideas.
The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
Rating:
7
/10
Although it shows its age - with executives only ever being referred to as men, and dated references to the industries of old (and all the old men that ran them...) - it contains some of the best writing on personal productivity, time management and decision making I've yet come across. Everything else now feels derivative, in retrospect. Unfortunately, it can also be incredibly dry and staid in places and became an uphill push to finish for this reason.
Obliquity by John Kay
Rating:
6
/10
Originally an article in the FT, it probably had more value as a single short essay than an entire book; it felt like I was reading the same point over and over again. I quit this book with about 25% left to go. Worth a good read of the first few chapters, but only a skim from there.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Rating:
6
/10
A portrait of a fascinating life well-lived, and it's comforting to know that 'life hacks' are not just the preserve of the internet age. Reasonably troubling and/or dull when writing about building forts and displacing indigenous peoples, but still perhaps worth a look regardless.