This was extremely useful - highly recommended for parents of small kids.
I found a lot of tips which seemed useful, and was often surprised by how smoThis was extremely useful - highly recommended for parents of small kids.
I found a lot of tips which seemed useful, and was often surprised by how smoothly they worked in real life. A few times after defusing annoying situations surprisingly easily, I turned around to my wife and pointed at myself with a smug look, like "check out the skills on this guy"!
Each section of the book tackles a different problem area, e.g. "food" (when kids refuse to eat etc) or "mornings" (how to get kids out of the house in a somewhat reasonable timeframe - God knows I needed this one). The sections each have their own individual lessons, but there is useful repetition of basic concepts across sections, e.g. acknowledging your child's feelings ("You really wanted to keep watching TV, didn't you?"). This repetition of the basic concepts helps cement the lessons.
The book is full of descriptions of real situations, complete with dialogue - this is very helpful in figuring out how the lessons apply concretely in real life....more
Stunning. The scale of the intrigue, the cast of famous names caught up in the reality distortion field, the ruthlessness, the fact that it's a true sStunning. The scale of the intrigue, the cast of famous names caught up in the reality distortion field, the ruthlessness, the fact that it's a true story.... the pacing though, was the icing on the cake for me. I was enjoying the book massively already when the story really kicked into high gear in the final third, and from that point on stopping was not an option. Truth is stranger than fiction, and in this case, more gripping too....more
I loved this book - so packed with wisdom that I moved through it slowly, filing away many quotes for reference.
There are two main thoughts which mighI loved this book - so packed with wisdom that I moved through it slowly, filing away many quotes for reference.
There are two main thoughts which might dissuade you from reading this. I don’t want you to miss out, so I’d like to address both:
“Effective Executive? This sounds like it's only for people who wear suits and spend their days in board meetings..."
The author defines executive broadly as someone who "is responsible for a contribution that materially affects the capacity of the organization to perform and to obtain results”. I think that description can apply to most people I know, and certainly as a software engineer I found the advice in the book relevant.
“This sounds like cold, boring, business talk, about how to make you a more efficient cog in the machine..."
The author actually comes across as incredibly caring and insightful about people - their motivation, their happiness, their self-development etc. Some quotes which I loved, and which show what I mean: The motivation of the knowledge worker depends on his being effective, on his being able to achieve. If effectiveness is lacking in his work, his commitment to work and to contribution will soon wither, and he will become a time-server going through the motions from 9 to 5.
I have never seen anyone in a job for which he was inadequate who was not slowly being destroyed by the pressure and the strains, and who did not secretly pray for deliverance.
The knowledge worker is not poverty-prone. He is in danger of alienation to use the fashionable word for boredom, frustration, and silent despair. ...more
What I liked This gave me a new lens for seeing interactions between people as having "patterns", with surface-level intent and ulterior intent. One gaWhat I liked This gave me a new lens for seeing interactions between people as having "patterns", with surface-level intent and ulterior intent. One game I recognized clearly was "Why don't you.. yes but", where a person asks for advice, then rejects every piece of advice given.
Another nice observation was that we don't like people who don't play our games. So if a group of people usually plays a complaining game (e.g. "Ain't it Awful"), then someone who joins the group and doesn't play along will be quickly ejected.
For the games that I recognized, I found the "antithesis" of each game - how to deflate and break the game - very insightful and believable .
Lastly, I liked the idea that games get in the way of true intimacy and connection between people, and that dropping them is the way to get to that kind of connection.
What I didn't like The key to this book is putting names on patterns of interactions, but the author seems to put names on a distractingly large number of games - some games get named but not explained.
I also didn't recognize many of the games he described, and as some other commenters have pointed out, some of the descriptions were (to put it generously) disrespectful to women and the LGBT community. More generally, the author came off as a pretty smarmy, unlikable person....more
Describes four "laws" for building habit, and goes into detail on how to use them to create good habits and breaA solid book about how to form habits.
Describes four "laws" for building habit, and goes into detail on how to use them to create good habits and break bad ones:
The 1st law (Cue): Make it obvious.
The 2nd law (Craving): Make it attractive.
The 3rd law (Response): Make it easy.
The 4th law (Reward): Make it satisfying.
If you're aware of BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits method (see https://www.tinyhabits.com/join), there might not be so much new in the above.
What was fresh here for me was the discussion of the link between identity (how you see yourself) and habit formation. This quote from the author's blog is one of the reasons I picked up the book in the first place, and the book expands on it nicely:
In my experience, when you want to become better at something, proving your identity to yourself is far more important than getting amazing results. This is especially true at first. - James Clear
Some interesting material, but overall more suited to people at the start of their careers, and very focused on low-level concerns that are relevant fSome interesting material, but overall more suited to people at the start of their careers, and very focused on low-level concerns that are relevant for C and C++. Actually, my overriding impression during the book was "look at all this effort to avoid dumb errors in low-level programming languages; I need to never use C again."...more
I really liked this. The concepts were clearly articulated, seem useful, and had "substance" - based on data rather than simply the author's opinions.I really liked this. The concepts were clearly articulated, seem useful, and had "substance" - based on data rather than simply the author's opinions.
Also worth noting: I think this is the first time I've seen a real, special effort put into the audiobook version. When a diagram was involved, the author (who also narrates) would say, for example: "Wherever you are, in your car or walking, imagine a triangle...". When he got to the end, he described briefly the appendixes which were available and pointed the listener to the accompanying PDF. Those examples might seem trivial, but I've listened to a lot of audiobooks, and there was a strong overall sense that the audiobook version of Good to Great was given individual attention....more
Some very interesting stories of surviving through tough times as CEO of a tech company.
I think I came in expecting something more generic about businSome very interesting stories of surviving through tough times as CEO of a tech company.
I think I came in expecting something more generic about business and startups; this book is very much aimed at CEOs, and at that, CEOs of quite large companies - hence the (very subjective) 3 stars. If you are a CEO or looking to become one, I think you'll love this.
As a side note, the rap quotes which begin most chapters are pretty hilarious when read as part of an audiobook - how do you go about picking a narrator who can do serious business and profane rap at the same time? Now *that* is a Hard Thing....more
Cartoonish at times, but always entertaining and thought provoking.
As machine learning starts to replace some "smart" human jobs, this book seems moreCartoonish at times, but always entertaining and thought provoking.
As machine learning starts to replace some "smart" human jobs, this book seems more relevant now than when it was written. What happens when most people aren't really needed by the world? Even if they are technically well provided for and have enough to eat and a place to live, how do they feel about themselves when they're basically just taking up space?
Going any further than that would start to spoil the book, and it's one which I think is very much worth reading if you're interested in thinking about where we're headed....more
There's definitely a big chunk of this which is dated, but I really liked the core time management part ("The Cycle").
The dated part includes such nugThere's definitely a big chunk of this which is dated, but I really liked the core time management part ("The Cycle").
The dated part includes such nuggets as the fact that there is a service called "Netflix" which can send me DVDs by post, and an introduction to the strange and foreign concept of the "wiki". :)
The real core of the book is up to chapter 8, with the first 4 acting as a kind of gentle intro. 9-13 I mostly skipped, finding them pretty outdated or basic.
Lastly, I'm a programmer rather than a sysadmin, but I found this very relevant....more
One of my favorite books last year was “In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts” by Gabor Mate, about his experiences dealing with the most extreme drug addictsOne of my favorite books last year was “In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts” by Gabor Mate, about his experiences dealing with the most extreme drug addicts in Vancouver. Recently, I listened to a podcast conversation between Gabor Mate and Russell Brand, which led me to this book.
I’ve always found Russell Brand funny and eloquent, but his description here of how he got clear of several extreme addictions showed a very insightful and spiritual side too.
The book is structured as a kind of translation of the 12 steps which many addiction recovery programs use into down to earth language, with reference to Russell’s personal story.
One of his points is that the “program” of 12 steps has lessons for almost everyone, and that rang true for me. Even if it’s something mild like scrolling mindlessly through Facebook, we all do things to distract us from discomfort, and we can gain by understanding more about that discomfort-distraction mechanism....more
I'd recommend this to anyone. It's aimed at people who want to be screenwriters, but the way it pulls films apart and shows the pieces they consist ofI'd recommend this to anyone. It's aimed at people who want to be screenwriters, but the way it pulls films apart and shows the pieces they consist of, what makes them work well etc, is relevant to anyone who loves movies, or even just stories....more
So goddamn fun. It's been a while since a novel made me laugh this much, thoroughly enjoyed it.So goddamn fun. It's been a while since a novel made me laugh this much, thoroughly enjoyed it....more
If you weren't already terrified of Amazon and Jeff Bezos, you will be after reading this. I knew Amazon had used tough negotiating tactics with publiIf you weren't already terrified of Amazon and Jeff Bezos, you will be after reading this. I knew Amazon had used tough negotiating tactics with publishers / suppliers / competitors, but hadn't quite realized the extent.
One other pattern I noticed was just how completely insane a good idea can look when it is first stated. For example, Kindle's Whispernet (the free 3G connection which lets you download books anywhere) is great, but even now it seems a ridiculously ambitious idea - I can only imagine what it was like to be the engineer on the receiving end of that spec in the mid-2000s. I think I'll be a lot slower to rule out crazy ideas now, having read this.
Read as audiobook (yes, I prefer the word read to listened and I'm sticking with it!). Different from other audiobooks I've tried so far because it haRead as audiobook (yes, I prefer the word read to listened and I'm sticking with it!). Different from other audiobooks I've tried so far because it had a full cast, making it more like a radio drama - I thought I wouldn't like that, but it was well done.
The story reminded me of Harry Potter, even though it pre-dates Potter, and had interesting background themes about the Church. Aimed for a younger audience than I expected initially - still good, but slightly childish for my current tastes. Somehow I didn't feel that way about Potter, but I can't quite put my finger on why that is....more
More military detail than I was looking for, including usage (without explanation) of many navy terms. Some interesting leadership ideas, but few thatMore military detail than I was looking for, including usage (without explanation) of many navy terms. Some interesting leadership ideas, but few that weren't covered better in Good to Great, which this book refers to....more
Big egos, rags to riches drama, all-nighters with pizza and diet coke, and business intrigue mixed in.
That, plus based around DoomReally enjoyed this.
Big egos, rags to riches drama, all-nighters with pizza and diet coke, and business intrigue mixed in.
That, plus based around Doom and Quake, both of which I played plenty growing up. Masters of Doom was just a straight-up fun read, and gave me a totally new perspective on the evolution of games. And maybe it made me want, just a little bit, to hide away in a dark corner with coke and pizza deliveries and hack all night like Carmack. ;)...more
Hard to review this! There were some really interesting insights about what a business is and why so many small businesses fail which would merit a 5 Hard to review this! There were some really interesting insights about what a business is and why so many small businesses fail which would merit a 5 star rating, but some over-the-top promises and weird philosophical ramblings which would merit zero stars. Overall, I found it really worth reading if you can ignore the babbling parts, so going with 4 stars....more
A friend of mine once said that you should never let people know all of your good points when you first meet them; always hold something back. The ideA friend of mine once said that you should never let people know all of your good points when you first meet them; always hold something back. The idea was that if they find out over time, they'll be much more impressed.
That's how this trilogy acts. The first volume (The Golden Compass) was enjoyable and had some edge, even if it was aimed at a younger audience - but I didn't love it. This second volume expanded the world hugely and went much deeper - much of this expansion could have been hinted at or used in the first volume, but it wasn't. And this volume is all the more enjoyable for the fact that these unexpected depths were never hinted at.
So far, I'd say the series is something like Harry Potter - I don't think I'm as addicted as I was to the Potter series, but this has more profound themes, and is bigger and more freewheeling by not being stuck in any single location for any length of time. ...more
More or less, book 1 wasn't quite interesting enough, book 2 was about right, and book 3 was too interestNot sure overall if this series was worth it.
More or less, book 1 wasn't quite interesting enough, book 2 was about right, and book 3 was too interesting (!) - phrased more clearly, it had too much going on, went in lots of strange directions, and wasn't all that satisfying....more
It seems wrong to call it “business.” It seems wrong to throw all those hectic days and Inspiring, and reads like a good thriller.
My favorite passage:
It seems wrong to call it “business.” It seems wrong to throw all those hectic days and sleepless nights, all those magnificent triumphs and desperate struggles, under that bland, generic banner: business. What we were doing felt like so much more.
[...]
When you make something, when you improve something, when you deliver something, when you add some new thing or service to the lives of strangers, making them happier, or healthier, or safer, or better, and when you do it all crisply and efficiently, smartly, the way everything should be done but so seldom is - you’re participating more fully in the whole grand human drama. More than simply alive, you’re helping others to live more fully, and if that’s business, all right, call me a businessman. Maybe it will grow on me. ...more
Short (especially since I was reading straight after reading the Game of Thrones series), and full of interesting ideas. Given the length of the book,Short (especially since I was reading straight after reading the Game of Thrones series), and full of interesting ideas. Given the length of the book, some of those ideas were only sketched where I would have liked to understand them in detail....more
I'm as much of a sucker for time travel stories as anyone else, but of all the movies and books I've seen or read, this one sI enjoyed this massively.
I'm as much of a sucker for time travel stories as anyone else, but of all the movies and books I've seen or read, this one seemed to roam more freely around the possibilities and explore them more fully than anything I've read before.
The premise (on the back cover, so I'm not giving anything away) is that Jeff dies around age 40 and wakes up back in college, ready to live life however he wants. Thinking about the endless possibilities of his life and how he might use his "replay" forces us to think about how every one of us has an expanse of life ahead of us, ready to live as we see fit.
This was a real pleasure to read, and made me really think about life and how we choose to live it. If that doesn't deserve 5 stars, I'm not sure what does. :)
Disturbing, brilliant, poignant - just thinking about it evokes a visceral reaction in me, and I don't think I'll forget it any time soon. Highly recoDisturbing, brilliant, poignant - just thinking about it evokes a visceral reaction in me, and I don't think I'll forget it any time soon. Highly recommended....more
Funny, fascinating, and full of thought-provoking ideas. I'm not certain how much I'll retain, but I really enjoyed the ride.Funny, fascinating, and full of thought-provoking ideas. I'm not certain how much I'll retain, but I really enjoyed the ride....more
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