The World's Best Book Summaries
How do children acquire language? At what point do our language acquisition skills diminish? Steven Pinker believes that human language is biologically innate. His theory provides a key insight into the field of linguistics. It explains why children have the ability to rapidly acquire language. Keep reading to discover why children are linguistic geniuses.
How permanent are the changes we’ve made to our planet? Have we left scars that will never heal, or is nature resilient enough to erase any damage we’ve done? The World Without Us by Alan Weisman is a thought experiment that’s designed to answer those questions. He contemplates the world before people and speculates what the world would be like if the human race disappeared. Keep reading for an overview of this book, and discover Weisman’s conclusions for his thought experiment.
Where do people often go wrong in sales conversations? When is the right time to have them? A sales conversation is easy once you’ve created demand and primed the market. Do the groundwork—and the conversation with your prospective buyers is a cinch. In Oversubscribed, Daniel Priestley walks you through the prep work and then discusses how to have a sales conversation when the time is right. Read on to learn how to have a sales conversation that ultimately leads to sales conversion.
How committed are you to your neighbors? Your work? How can commitments see us through tough times? In The Second Mountain, David Brooks endorses the relationalist worldview, arguing that it’s more satisfying that its counterpart (individualism). He outlines the four commitments in life that he believes are crucial to relationalism—your vocation, marriage, community, and belief system. Read on to learn about the four commitments that constitute relationalist living.
Are you afraid to ask for a raise or fire one of your employees? Do you avoid talking about certain things? Difficult conversations are a constant throughout life—at work, at home, and in the world. We never outgrow them, get a promotion that saves us from them, or meet a person who’s so perfect for us that we never have to have them. See how the following Difficult Conversations exercises can help you successfully navigate the tough talks you need to have.
Do you want to grow personally? How committed are you? If you want to live meaningfully and realize your potential, you have to pursue personal growth. One of the first steps is to commit to growth. John C. Maxwell explains why commitment is necessary and why you shouldn’t put commitment off. He offers a few ways you can embark on intentional growth today. Continue reading to learn the importance of commitment and three ways you can move in that direction.
What’s the relationship between the population and the environment? Is it straightforward or nuanced and complex? In The World Without Us, science journalist Alan Weisman outlines the ways the human race has left a mark on our planet. He asserts that the Earth’s environment would benefit if the human population declined or even vanished, and he conducts a thought experiment to explore the implications. Keep reading to learn about the interplay between the population and the environment from the perspective of this thought experiment.
What’s pidgin? Why and how does it come about? What’s a creole? Steven Pinker contends that language is biologically innate. The innatist theory provides a key insight into the field of linguistics: It explains the ability of people to spontaneously create new languages. Pinker uses pidgin as an example to illustrate this ability. Keep reading to learn the origin of pidgin and what it tells us about human abilities.
How is personal character formed? Why should we look back into history? What are the pros and cons of intellectual pursuits? In his book The Second Mountain, cultural commentator David Brooks contrasts the individualist approach to life with the relationalist approach. He argues that you should embrace relationalism—the worldview that prioritizes selflessness and service to others—to lead a deeply fulfilling life. Keep reading for The Second Mountain quotes that provide insight into the book’s themes.
How effective is word-of-mouth marketing? How do you get people talking about your company? Word-of-mouth advertising is as old as time, and it’s still hugely effective. In Oversubscribed, Daniel Priestley explains how you can take advantage of this method before the sale to build demand—and after the sale to keep customers excited about your product. Keep reading to learn an effective word-of-mouth marketing strategy you can use to get people talking and keep people talking.