The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you use storytelling in advertising? Why is this technique so effective? Good storytelling is the key to good marketing, according to author Seth Godin. In All Marketers Are Liars, he discusses the power of storytelling and discusses six elements that make a story good. Keep reading to learn how to use storytelling in advertising.
How has marketing changed over time? What accounts for these changes? Seth Godin argues that traditional advertising doesn’t work anymore. He gives three reasons for this and goes on to describe the new age of marketing that we’ve entered. Keep reading to learn more about the end of traditional advertising.
Have you read A Mind for Numbers? What do you know about the book’s author and publication? Because the world is increasingly dependent on technology, being competent in technical subjects such as math and science is beneficial both for your career and life in general. A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley aims to help you learn math and science well enough that they become intuitive. Keep reading to learn about the book’s author, publication, context, and more.
How does your brain work? What’s the difference between focused thinking and diffuse thinking? A key theme of the book A Mind for Numbers is that alternating between modes of thinking (focused thinking and diffuse thinking) can help you learn new things and problem-solve effectively. To understand how to do this and why it works, you first need to understand a few things about how your brain works. Keep reading to learn about the two modes of thinking.
What are the two modes of thinking? Can you deliberately alternate between them? Your brain naturally alternates between two modes of thinking: focused thinking and diffuse thinking. You can learn to switch between these two modes in order to solve problems. Read more to learn when and how to alternate between modes of thinking.
What do the Toltec believe about reality and your perception of it? How does it relate to your suffering and happiness? In The Fifth Agreement, don Miguel Ruiz and don Jose Ruiz (also known as the naguals) assert that we believe we perceive reality, but the “real world” we think we live in is only a mirage. The Toltec teach that our belief in the mirage contains two primary self-limiting beliefs: that we must always be improving ourselves and that we are individual, physical beings, rather than part of a greater system. These beliefs, they argue, cause us to suffer.
What are the historical and intellectual contexts of The Fifth Agreement? What impact has the book had? What do the critics say? In The Fifth Agreement, don Miguel Ruiz and don Jose Ruiz describe five “agreements” to make with yourself that adjust the way you see the world and your place in it. According to the authors, these agreements speak to the hearts of all people—everyone who’s learned a language, participated in a culture, and grown up around other people. They’re a series of intuitively common-sense principles we are all aware of—but which few of us actually practice. Those who
What are the five agreements? How do they change the way you see everything? Where do they lead? In The Fifth Agreement, authors don Miguel Ruiz and don Jose Ruiz outline the five agreements that you can make with yourself. These agreements transform how you perceive the world and your place in it. The authors believe that, if you practice these principles, you’ll rediscover your true self and reclaim the wholehearted love, joy, and freedom that you enjoyed as a child. Keep reading for details about the five agreements.
What do we communicate when we use subjective words? Are we conveying reality or merely our perception of it? Subjective words do not convey objective reality. Like everyone else, you use subjective words to convey what you believe to be true. However, your beliefs—just like your perceptions—are subjective. These are the assertions of authors don Miguel Ruiz and don Jose Ruiz, who further argue that linguistic subjectivity—and our blind acceptance of subjective beliefs as concrete facts—are at the root of our unhappiness. Read more to learn how we communicate with subjective words and what impact that has.
What are some of the best quotes from the book Outliers? What are their meaning and context? In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell shows us that where you’re from and the opportunities you’re given matter as much as personal advantages such as talent and intelligence. He pokes holes in the myth that successful people are “self-made.” Continue reading for a few thought-provoking quotes from Outliers and their context.