Shortform Books

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.

John Green’s Everything is Tuberculosis: Book Overview

How has tuberculosis shaped human history? Why is tuberculosis—a completely curable disease—still killing over 1.6 million people annually? Best-selling novelist and YouTube educator John Green’s Everything Is Tuberculosis confronts this troubling paradox, revealing how social inequality, stigma, and systemic failures allow a preventable tragedy to continue. After meeting a teenage TB patient in Sierra Leone, Green embarked on a mission to understand and combat humanity’s deadliest infectious disease. Read more in our overview of Everything Is Tuberculosis.

Stop Self-Sabotage by Judy Ho: Book Overview & Lessons

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Do you have a tendency to undermine your own success? How can you overcome your self-sabotaging tendencies? In her book Stop Self-Sabotage, Judy Ho explores the root cause of self-sabotaging behavior: the conflict between the desire to get what you want and the desire to avoid what your mind perceives as danger. Then she explains how to replace your self-destructive habits with better ones. Keep reading for an overview of Stop Self-Sabotage.

The ChatGPT Millionaire by Neil Dagger: Book Overview

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How can you use an AI chatbot to generate a steady income? What will happen to those who refuse to use AI? In The ChatGPT Millionaire, Neil Dagger explores how to leverage ChatGPT and similar AI tools to generate income by creating content, building passive revenue streams, and enhancing your freelance work. Dagger presents practical strategies for using AI to develop ebooks, online courses, affiliate marketing content, and more—with an emphasis on maximizing productivity while maintaining quality. Read more in our brief overview of The ChatGPT Millionaire.

Wild Courage by Jenny Wood—Book Overview & Takeaways

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Are you letting fear hold you back from your goals? How can you muster the courage it takes to go after what you want? In Wild Courage, Jenny Wood explains that many people struggle in their lives and careers because they’re afraid of taking the bold actions necessary to succeed. To become a success, Wood says to be courageous and act boldly—be authentic, driven, curious, persuasive, and don’t be afraid to lead others. Continue reading for an overview of Wild Courage.

Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (Overview)

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Do you cringe when things don’t go according to plan? Is your fear of failure holding you back from success? Amy Edmondson’s book Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well can help you turn your defeats into stepping stones for growth. Edmondson’s process involves learning from past failures to achieve better outcomes in the future, putting a positive spin on mistakes and setbacks. Read more in our book overview of Right Kind of Wrong.

Collaborating with the Enemy by Adam Kahane: Book Overview

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Have you ever found yourself stuck in a project with people you don’t agree with, like, or trust? How does stretch collaboration differ from traditional collaboration? In Collaborating with the Enemy, conflict resolution expert Adam Kahane offers an unconventional approach to working with difficult people. Kahane’s “stretch collaboration” framework shows how to embrace both conflict and connection, experiment with different solutions when the path ahead isn’t clear, and focus on changing your contribution rather than trying to change others. Keep reading to learn strategies for transforming seemingly impossible collaborations into productive partnerships.

Ikigai & Kaizen by Anthony Raymond—Book Overview

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Do you struggle to take action and make progress toward your goals? How can you overcome the three most common obstacles to reaching your goals? In Ikigai & Kaizen, Anthony Raymond suggests that three obstacles contribute to this struggle—insufficient motivation, unawareness of self-sabotaging behaviors, and fear of taking action. He argues that you can overcome these obstacles by integrating three Japanese strategies: ikigai, hansei, and kaizen. Continue reading for an overview of Ikigai & Kaizen and learn how to reach your goals.

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.