Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

Same as Ever: Morgan Housel’s Guide to What Never Changes

Is it possible to prepare for an unpredictable future? What if the key to navigating uncertainty isn’t trying to forecast what’s coming next? In Same as Ever, Morgan Housel offers a fresh perspective on planning ahead. Instead of attempting to predict specific events, he focuses on timeless patterns of human behavior that remain constant across history. Continue reading for our overview of Morgan Housel’s Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes.

Stick With It by Sean Young: Book Overview & Takeaways

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Do your New Year’s resolutions fall apart by February? What if the problem isn’t your willpower, but your approach to change itself? In Stick With It, Sean Young offers a refreshing perspective. The UCLA psychologist’s research-backed method focuses on working with your brain’s natural tendencies rather than fighting against them. Young’s “SCIENCE framework” provides seven tools that make lasting transformation possible. Read on to discover how matching the right strategies to your specific type of behavior can finally help you create changes that actually stick.

Foolproof by Sander van der Linden: Book Overview

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Why does false information spread so quickly online? What if you could protect your mind from manipulation before you even encounter it? In Foolproof, Sander van der Linden offers a groundbreaking solution. The social psychologist’s research reveals how to build mental immunity against deception using techniques borrowed from medical science. Read more for our overview of the book Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity.

Gad Saad’s The Parasitic Mind: Book Overview & Takeaways

Gad Saad speaking at the 2023 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 18, 2023

Are dangerous ideologies spreading through our universities and institutions like infections? What happens when emotion overtakes logic in academic and public discourse? Gad Saad’s The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense presents a provocative diagnosis of society. Saad warns that certain progressive movements are undermining the core values that built Western civilization. His book examines how these ideas spread and what they mean for the future. Read more to discover Saad’s framework for understanding modern intellectual conflicts and his prescription for defending reasoned debate.

Ros Atkins’s The Art of Explanation: Book Overview & Takeaways

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Do you struggle to get your point across clearly when explaining complex ideas? Are your presentations and conversations leaving people more confused than clear? Ros Atkins’s The Art of Explanation: How to Communicate With Clarity and Confidence reveals the code to effective communication. The BBC journalist’s seven-step method transforms muddy messages into crystal-clear insights that actually stick with your audience. Continue reading to discover how to master the skill that separates great communicators from the rest.

Daniel Lieberman’s Exercised: Book Overview & Takeaways

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Does going for a run feel like you’re fighting against your deepest instincts? What if the natural resistance to exercise isn’t a character flaw but an evolutionary feature? Daniel Lieberman’s Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding tackles these puzzles. The Harvard evolutionary biologist reveals how our ancestors conserved energy for survival while explaining why modern humans must actively pursue fitness to stay healthy. Keep reading to discover how understanding humans’ evolutionary past can transform your approach to staying active and well.

Lovely One: A Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson (Overview)

How did a young girl from Miami become the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court? What personal experiences shaped Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s approach to interpreting the law? Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Lovely One: A Memoir traces her remarkable path from childhood to the nation’s highest court. The book reveals how family values, educational experiences, and professional challenges molded her judicial philosophy. Read on to discover the key themes that defined Jackson’s extraordinary journey and continue to influence her work today.

Shari Franke’s The House of My Mother: Book Overview

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What happens when a family’s pursuit of online fame spirals into abuse and manipulation? How did a seemingly perfect Mormon family go from YouTube stardom to criminal charges? Shari Franke’s The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom reveals the dark reality behind her family’s polished social media image. She exposes how her mother Ruby’s involvement with a cult-like coaching program twisted strict parenting into psychological torture. Continue reading for an overview of this compelling book.

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry: Book Overview

Are there any economic systems that prioritize generosity over greed? What if nature itself offers a blueprint for creating more sustainable and equitable communities? Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry presents a compelling vision. She explores how natural systems such as the serviceberry tree demonstrate gift-based exchanges that could transform our relationship with resources and each other. Continue reading for an overview of the book The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World.

No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life (Thich Nhat Hanh)

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What happens when we die, and why do we fear death so deeply? Can understanding our true nature beyond birth and death transform how we live each day? Thich Nhat Hanh’s No Death, No Fear offers insights into mortality. The Zen master’s teachings claim that Buddhist wisdom can dissolve our deepest fears and help us embrace life’s impermanence with peace and joy. Continue reading for an overview of the book No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life.