The World's Best Book Summaries
How many times has Elon Musk been married? With whom has he fathered children? In business, Elon Musk seeks out intensity and chaos. Biographer Walter Isaacson says that the same is true in his personal life. In his book Elon Musk, Isaacson discusses Musk’s family life and its messy atmosphere. Keep reading to learn about Elon Musk’s personal life, according to Isaacson.
What’s “strong AI”? How close are we getting to that capability? What’s the danger associated with it? According to computer scientist Ray Kurzweil, AI capabilities at the human level are just a matter of time. He says that the potentially most transformative technological development, toward which we are already well underway, will be when we create “strong artificial intelligence” in particular. Read more to learn about Kurzweil’s AI predictions and how close they are to becoming realities.
Why don’t adults ask as many questions as kids do? How is our schooling to blame? Inquiry is an incredibly important skill, but we tend to stop asking questions as we get older. Warren Berger points the finger at schools—the exact place where curiosity should be most encouraged—and says that formal education too often trains people out of asking questions. Read more to learn about the woeful neglect of inquiry in education and the difference it makes.
Do you ignore emotional pain? Do you wallow in it? Susan David explains that we all have narratives in our minds that make us feel certain ways. Sometimes, they cause pain. She discusses two unhealthy responses to these controlling narratives: bottling emotions and brooding over emotions. Keep reading to understand these two ways of dealing with emotional pain and why they only cause more trouble.
Why did Elon Musk purchase Twitter? Why wasn’t he content to just serve on the board? What made him almost pull out of the deal? Elon Musk believed he could accomplish a virtuous mission by owning Twitter, and there’s something about the platform’s dramatic, chaotic atmosphere that attracted him. The process to purchase Twitter became its own wild saga. Walter Isaacson tells the turbulent tale in his biography Elon Musk. Continue reading to learn the details of Elon Musk’s Twitter purchase.
What does the founder of eBay have in common with Isaac Newton? When are questions even more powerful than answers? Author and journalist Warren Berger says that questions are the basis of both learning and creativity. He contends that the ability to ask important questions can change our lives. It can even change the world. Keep reading to learn about the power of questions.
What’s your attachment style? How do you help your child process their emotions? Does your childhood past seep into your parenting present? In The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read, Philippa Perry offers guidance for strengthening your bonds with your child and raising an emotionally secure individual. She shares several practical actions you can take to move in this direction. Read more for seven Philippa Perry parenting practices that can bring about positive changes in your family.
How do you want to spend the last decade of your life? Do you want to be weak, bedridden, and mentally foggy? Or do you want to be busy doing whatever brings you joy? According to Peter Attia’s Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, you can extend the active and fulfilling part of your life by building the right healthy habits. And, the earlier you start building these habits, the better chance you have of circumventing mental and physical decline. Continue reading for an overview of this book that just might lengthen your life.
What do heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and type 2 diabetes have in common? What should we look out for if we want to prevent them? According to Peter Attia, insulin resistance is to blame for many lives being cut short. In his book Outlive, he argues that the key to avoiding physical and mental decline in old age is preventing four specific chronic diseases. Insulin resistance, he says, is a direct cause of these conditions. Read more to learn how insulin resistance takes a toll on our long-term health.
What’s Elon Musk doing in the field of artificial intelligence? What’s next for SpaceX? Biographer Walter Isaacson details the companies under Elon Musk that are working hard to constantly push technology forward. Isaacson contends that Musk still views bringing about a positive future for humanity as his primary mission in life. Read on to learn about Elon Musk’s AI projects—specifically Neuralink and Optimus—as well as SpaceX’s Starship rocket.