The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you need to memorize information in a sequence for school or work? Do you always forget which US president came after James Buchanan? Your brain has a natural affinity for associations. The Memory Book shows you how to use this skill to connect sequential pieces of information. This enables you to remember a full list of words in their original order. Read more to learn how to memorize lists and use this skill in real life.
Where does life’s meaning come from? What does your conscience tell you to do? Do you listen? In Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, Jordan B. Peterson lays out his philosophy and rules for living a life of excellence in a world of hardship and chaos. Beyond Order Rule 4 is this: Notice that opportunity lurks where responsibility has been abdicated. Read more to learn why assuming personal responsibility for your life will bring you meaning and fulfillment.
What’s postmodernism? What’s deconstruction? What’s the difference between cultural hierarchy and class hierarchy? In Cynical Theories, Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay show how, over time, social justice went from a positive force to its current form. The first phase featured liberals and Marxists taking a material approach. In the second phase, postmodernism, the focus shifted to culture. Read more to learn about the tenets of postmodernism and how it shaped social justice.
How does Xi Jinping use China’s economy to achieve his aims? How does the Chinese economy impact the US? According to diplomat Kevin Rudd, China changed course when Xi Jinping came to power. Rudd believes that the core of President Xi’s vision is retaining control over the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), keeping the CCP in power, and using Marxist-Leninist ideology to guide the country’s economic policies. Keep reading to learn why Rudd thinks that China’s economic reforms are really about keeping Xi and the CCP in power.
Why did Charles Darwin believe all organisms share a family tree? How does natural selection work? What criticism did Darwin’s ideas receive during his lifetime? On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection revolutionized the way people look at life on Earth. In the book, Charles Darwin explains his theory of evolution and the genealogy of species as he understood it. He also responds to a few contemporary arguments against his ideas. Continue reading for an overview of this groundbreaking book.
How well do you know what Confucius taught? What did he actually say? Confucius is one of the most famous philosophers in history. The Analects is a collection of his teachings compiled by his most devoted students, and it’s one of the foundational books of Confucianism. In it, you’ll find lessons about how to be a good learner, person, and leader. Keep reading for several The Analects quotes that shine a light on Confucianism.
How did Jimmy Carter’s political career start? What are some of the defining moments that shaped his career and formed his legacy? Biographer Jonathan Alter takes us on a journey through Jimmy Carter’s political career that starts well before his presidency. Alter discusses what drew Carter to politics in the first place, and he describes the various stops on the winding road that ended at the White House. Read more to learn about Carter’s career from the Georgia State Senate to the US presidency.
Why is China attempting to rebuild its historic trade relationships? Why is it establishing businesses in various parts of the world? China isn’t content with the “world power” status it’s enjoyed for decades. They want even more. That’s the view of diplomat Kevin Rudd, who writes that President Xi Jinping aims to challenge the “global rules-based order” and wield more and more influence all over the world. Read more to learn about China’s global influence and how it’s growing.
Do you ever deliver presentations that you don’t really believe in? Do you practice what you preach? According to John C. Maxwell, effective communication starts with the speaker: Your identity, actions, and values affect the way you speak and how others view you. Before you can sway your audience with your words, you must first win them over with your character. Keep reading to learn three ways your speaker credibility can be strengthened.
Do you have trouble remembering people’s names? How might you make abstract information easier to recall? We always use association, often subconsciously, to commit things to memory. In other words, we remember things in relation to each other. So, we can recall anything if we link it to another piece of information we already know. This is particularly helpful for abstract information, which is harder to remember. Read on to learn how to use memory association techniques to memorize abstract data.