The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you actively look for ways to help other people? Do you act compulsively or deliberately? According to John C. Maxwell, building character should be your primary goal in life. He suggests two mindsets that will help you do this. First, continually seek opportunities to serve others. Second, consciously act in alignment with your values. Keep reading to learn more about Maxwell’s advice on how to develop character.
How does an entire culture maintain a false idea about the nature of existence? How is that illusion hurting us? Many people in the West internalize the idea that each of us is an individual—an entity separate from others and our surroundings. Philosopher Alan Watts claims that this “ego illusion” manifests in Western society through paradoxical cultural expectations for each person to be an individual. Keep reading to understand Watts’s take on Western individualism and to learn three ways it harms people and the environment.
Do you sometimes feel like you’d like to get away from it all? Do you then realize that you can’t actually do that? Former Vedic monk and award-winning content creator Jay Shetty claims that the route to happiness and fulfillment is to Think Like a Monk. According to him, monks are the calmest and happiest people in the world because they live with a sense of purpose that aligns with their true, inner selves. Continue reading for two Think Like a Monk exercises that will help you apply the principles in the book.
Who has more power in America—elected or unelected officials? Are civil service jobs provided based on merit? Sociologist C. Wright Mills claims that the power elites are in charge in America. He explains that these “influencers” are unaccountable to the people, can exercise their power broadly, and have exploited many national institutions for their own benefit. Many of these elites are in civilian government. Keep reading for Mills’s exposé of America’s government elite.
What does it mean to have good character? What difference does character make when it comes to success or failure? According to John C. Maxwell, everyone should prioritize building character over all other goals. That’s because it’s an essential part of personal growth. On the road to true success in life, there are no substitutes for—or shortcuts around—character-building. Continue reading to learn about the importance of character-building when it comes to reaching your potential.
Are you trapped by religious dogma? Do you think more in terms of “I” than “we”? How often do you do things just for fun? Philosopher Alan Watts argues that the ego illusion—the false sense of being an individual separate from everyone and everything else—causes destruction and hardship in Western society. He provides recommendations for how people can escape from the ego illusion and achieve cosmic unity. Continue reading to learn how to become one with the universe, according to Watts.
How did Richard Feynman feel when Einstein attended one of his lectures? Why did an army general recruit Feynman when he was working on his doctorate? In his memoir Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!, Richard Feynman recounts his years in school at MIT and Princeton, comparing and contrasting the two environments. He also explains how WWII shaped the start of his career. Keep reading to learn about Richard Feynman’s education.
What’s your self-image? What’s slowing you down in life? Do you have a clear picture of success? Thinking of your mind as a machine can improve your self-image and dramatically increase your ability to feel successful and happy. Maxwell Maltz explores this idea in his book Psycho-Cybernetics. Continue reading for five Psycho-Cybernetics exercises you can use to program your mind and take your life to the next level.
How do you handle stress? Do you stick to your principles when the going gets tough? What effect do stories have on you? The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien tells the stories of a small company of American soldiers serving in the Vietnam War. Through the narrative, the book blurs the line between autobiography and fiction, leaving the reader unsure as to what is fact and what is myth. Continue reading to see several The Things They Carried questions that you can use to get more out of your reading.
How does the language people use reflect and impact the way they see themselves? Is there an inherent flaw in Western science? According to Alan Watts, the ego is the culprit behind the ills of Western society. In The Book, he argues that Western society perpetuates “the ego illusion” through the language people use, the expectations they place on each other, and even the way they approach science. Continue reading to understand Watts’s argument regarding ego in the West.