The World's Best Book Summaries
What are the best Amusing Ourselves to Death quotes by Neil Postman? Do Postman’s observations from 1985 still hold true today? Although Postman’s book Amusing Ourselves to Death was published over thirty years ago, the messages still hold true today, if not more than ever. Postman warns us of a world that is more focused on entertainment than truth and value. Continue reading for some of Neil Postman’s quotes from Amusing Ourselves to Death.
Are you looking for Common Sense quotes by Thomas Paine? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? Thomas Paine’s Common Sense provides both an intellectual backing and a roadmap for full American independence from England. While it is often read as a book that’s only concerned with questions related to America and England, Paine also lays out a comprehensive political philosophy. The following Common Sense quotes encapsulate the essense of his argument.
Is Tim Ferriss’s book Tools of Titans about? What do you think highly successful people—those who are at the top of their game—do differently? In Tools of Titans, Tim Ferriss shares the habits and beliefs of 101 high-performing people, including tech investors, entrepreneurs, athletes, and entertainers. The premise of the book is that if you emulate the habits and beliefs of people who succeed the way you want to succeed, you too can be successful. In this brief overview of Tools of Titans, we’ve pulled out the main themes across all the people Ferriss interviewed.
What is the first level of reading from How to Read a Book? Why do many adults still read at an elementary reading level? In How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler describes elementary reading as the most basic form of reading. Unfortunately, once you’re taught how to read as a child, you are rarely taught how to read better. This leaves many adults in the elementary reading stage. Here’s what it means to read at the elementary reading level.
What is Robert C. Martin’s The Clean Coder about? What qualities, according to the author, distinguish a professional developer? In his book, The Clean Coder, expert developer Robert C. Martin explains how to be a programming professional—an honorable, reliable employee who produces quality work (or takes responsibility for the rare times she doesn’t). A professional’s most important responsibility is to meet their employer’s needs. Below is a brief overview of The Clean Coder: A Code of Conduct for Professional Programmers by Robert C. Martin.
What is in the Amusing Ourselves to Death introduction? How does the 2005 introduction put the book into perspective? Amusing Ourselves to Death was written in 1985 by Neil Postman. In the 2005 version of the book, Postman’s son included an introduction that makes the book more relevant now than it was thirty-six years ago. Here is an overview of the 2005 Amusing Ourselves to Death introduction and foreword to the book.
Why did Thomas Paine write the 1776 pamphlet Common Sense? What were its purpose and historical significance? Common Sense was written by English-borne philosopher Thomas Paine to provide intellectual backing for American independence from England. While Paine’s ultimate goal certainly included convincing Americans of the righteousness of separation from England, the pamphlet itself is actually more directly concerned with larger questions of political philosophy. In this article, we’ll take a look at the main principles of Paine’s Common Sense argument.
Why should you examine a book’s structure? How can x-raying and categorizing a book help you level up your reading skills? According to Mortimer Adler in How to Read a Book, examining a book’s structure is part of inspectional reading. Adler says that if you can’t articulate the book in one sentence and make an outline of the major points, then you can determine that a book is poorly written. Continue reading for more of Adler’s tips on how to examine a book.
What is The Willpower Instinct about? What can you learn from Kelly McGonigal’s research? The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal explains how our natural willpower gets compromised by stress, distraction, lack of sleep, not enough exercise, and other external factors. She gives advice on how to improve your self-control and take your willpower back. Continue reading for a brief overview of The Willpower Instinct.
Are you trying to improve your self-control? Does your willpower seem to vanish at crucial moments? The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal is all about why humans struggle with willpower and how to strengthen it. Willpower is like a muscle and it can be improved if you’re willing to put in some work. Here are some willpower challenges to help increase your self-control.