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andbenn

andbenn@bookwyrm.social

Joined 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Trying to read more, and more, and more I have too many articles in Pocket, which also get read but not tracked here.

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"It's not that you read, it's what you read." Epictetus.

Is what you read making you a better person?

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andbenn's books

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reviewed Same as Ever by Morgan Housel

Same as Ever (Hardcover, 2023, Portfolio, Penguin Publishing Group) 4 stars

From the author of the international blockbuster, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MONEY, a powerful new tool …

Loved it. Pages of notes. Will re-read

4 stars

Relatively new book from the library. I really liked this, and same writing style as his previous book Psychology of Money - almost 2 dozen chapters/topics, with a few true stories and quotes that support the topic. It's about 200 pages, and I read it in a few hours. It was hard to put down.

I ended up taking about 4 types pages of notes - which is a lot for my reading style. I will revisit this in a year or three and re-read. I liked it that much and I'm sure I'll pick up more ideas.

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism (2019, Public Affairs) 5 stars

"Shoshana Zuboff, named "the true prophet of the information age" by the Financial Times, has …

I knew it was bad, but ... wow

5 stars

I had no idea this book was this large when I borrowed it from a library. It somehow hit my list and came up in rotation. It's 700 pages, but just over 500 pages of content. The rest is reference material, notes and bibliography.

The author does a fantastic way of describing the recent history of data surveillance and how it's been monetized. We aren't really the product, but are the objects where raw material is mined for prediction engines that attempt to figure out how we will act or nudge us to act.

The first part deals with big tech. There's a part about totalitarianism, then moving into recent psychology and how all these are tied together.

Expect 10-15+ hours of reading with this. Value!

This made me and keeps me thinking. Wonderful book, but probably not for all.

Execution (2002, Crown Business) 3 stars

Solid book, easy to read. Business, and slightly dated

3 stars

The two authors do an excellent job of presenting major aspects of what they think leaders should do in employment situations. Released in 2002, it doesn't touch on tech at all, and mentions some of the larger US companies that they worked with, observed, or consulted for. Their advice and thinking is solid, but like I said, dated for the time and meant for companies that make things, not so much as IP/software/art.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree (2017, HarperOne) 4 stars

Packed with solid information and stories on success

4 stars

It's a book about success. All about success. The author is a serious researcher and pulls together a lot of data to show how we often think of success as being wrong. He's a (former?) screenwriter, and it's a pretty dense read. I'd recommend reading it in chunks and not big sittings. I enjoyed it.

Goodbye, things (2017) 5 stars

"Fumio Sasaki is not an enlightened minimalism expert or organizing guru like Marie Kondo--he's just …

Loved it! Simplify your life and unload

5 stars

I really liked this book! Read it in 3 sittings. Author takes on a journey and his philosophy in simplifying his life by getting rid of many of his extra belongings and improving other areas (healthy eating, etc).

Includes 55 Tips to say goodbye to your things, and 15 tips for the next phase of one's minimalistic/simple journey.

Does not encourage straight out trash, but does recommend auctions and donations.

This had been on my list for a while and I'm really glad I read it. Encourages me to get rid of some stuff.

I'd love to see a followup or yearly update of how he's doing. He does run a blog but it's in Japanese.

Lives of the Stoics (Deutsch English language, 2020, Penguin Publishing Group) 4 stars

Das Buch ist von Powereader R. Holiday, einem glühenden Stoik-Fan herausgebracht worden. Marc Aurel-Fan vor …

Intro to many ancient stoics

4 stars

The authors have about 15 or so chapters in this book, each covering what is known about the person. Some are writers, some are business people or politicians, and some teachers that others have noted their lectures.

This is a great intro book to finding other stoics that one may want to investigate and research.

Building a Second Brain (AudiobookFormat, 2022, Simon and Schuster Audio) 4 stars

A revolutionary approach to enhancing productivity, creating flow, and vastly increasing your ability to capture, …

Productivity - how to organize and take notes

4 stars

The author is a productivity guru/expert. This is his first book that essentially walks you through why it's important to keep electronic notes, as well as how to organize electronic notes to essentially become your second brain.

He recommends proceses to review and plan that should help an open reader to align and improve their day/week.

The concepts are rather simple and easy to grasp. I don't doubt that his premise of information overlode isn't incorrect. I read this as I wanted to organize my notes better, and it really helped me think and plot that out.

Manage your day-to-day (2013) 4 stars

Wish I had this book decades ago

4 stars

This is a very nicely done compendium of productivity tips, which has a short chapter from a relative expert in the field that summarizes the tip. Many of these experts have written one or more books on their topic - so this is a nice concise summary and introduction if you want to research them further.

The 48 Laws of Power (EBook, 2009, Penguin USA, Inc.) 4 stars

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distills three thousand years of the history …

Deep, rich, historical.

4 stars

Reportedly banned in some schools and prisons, so it goes.

This book has a chapter for each of the rules. Most of the rules you've likely heard before. Each presents with historical references to ancient Asian or European stories about then famous or important people and how they used or abused each rule. The author adds his interpretations and thoughts on each.

It's a pretty deep read, and has a ton of historical references to second/third level of people then.

Meditations (Paperback, 2003, Modern Library) 4 stars

Amazing 2000 year old journal

4 stars

This is pretty amazing, and one of the easier to read translations of the journal(s) of Marcus Aurelius, one of the Roman Emperors. This is disjoint chunks of information and ideas, some repeated, some with references long lost.

It serves as his journal during his leadership time, and probably served as his outlet for things he could not say given his position.

I would not recommend powering through this. Read it in bits, ponder, and then come back to it.

para Method (2023, Atria Books) 3 stars

Rehash and focus of Building a Second Brain

3 stars

This is a short read and a physically small book. If you read his previous Building a Second Brain, this breaks out the PARA section and goes deep into it.

If one did read that book and understands it, this book gives little value. Perhaps reinforcement.

Overall, sets up and gets you to use PARA (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives) type of sections in all your digital assets.

168 Hours (Hardcover, 2010, Portfolio) 3 stars

There are 168 hours in a week. This is your guide to getting the most …

Organize and Structure your Week

4 stars

Not meant for all. For the person who can take their week on a grid and schedule it, this book sets up a process to do just that. Touches a bit on flow. This is essentially time block planning.

Does dive into some anonymous calendars and shows how the person used her method, saying no to useless things, focusign on what's important, and how it moved their life.