The World's Best Book Summaries
Are you anxious when the situation doesn’t call for it? Do you always expect the worst to happen? Is your stress level high? According to Dr. Amen, anxiety doesn’t have to be part of your life. In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, he shares several recommendations. Some of these require professional intervention, but you can do a few on your own. Read more to learn how to heal the parts of your brain that generate anxiety.
How does perfectionism go against our unconscious mind? How do we innately seek safety and minimize failure? In Alchemy, Rory Sutherland suggests that to solve economic and political problems, we should leverage people’s illogical—and even magical—ways of thinking. One of these is our unconscious desire to go with whatever works rather than the best possible solution. Keep reading to learn about the satisficing model of decision-making and how to make it work for you.
Why was Donald Trump voted into the presidency? Does it have anything to do with a historical shift in Christianity? Following the 2016 US presidential election, pundits argued that the 81% of evangelical Christians who voted for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton viewed him as the lesser of two evils. But, according to historian Kristin Du Mez, this explanation is misguided. Continue reading for our Jesus and John Wayne book overview.
Do you make a deliberate effort to improve as a leader, or do you just expect it to happen over time? Do you have moral authority in the eyes of your team? John Maxwell’s leadership principles have inspired and equipped thousands of leaders over the years. In his book Leadershift, he shares wisdom designed to help leaders break free from outdated notions and methods of leadership and thrive in today’s world. Read more to learn five principles that John Maxwell lays out in Leadershift.
What do the basal ganglia do? What roles do they play when it comes to your emotions, decisions, and learning? Whether you’ve ever heard of them or not, your basal ganglia make a big difference in your life. In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen explains how important this system in your brain is. Read more to learn what the basal ganglia do.
What’s wrong with the math and statistics that go into economic and business models? How effective are market questionnaires? Rory Sutherland insists that, for the most part, the study of economics is completely detached from the realities of human behavior. In his book Alchemy, he provides advice on how economists and business leaders should go about truly understanding what drives consumer choices. Continue reading to learn why Sutherland believes that significant assumptions in economics and business are faulty.
How have Christians perceived masculinity over time? What influences have shaped these views? In Jesus and John Wayne, Kristin Du Mez argues that evangelicals endorsed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election because he was the paradigm of militant masculinity that became orthodox among evangelicals in the last century. She traces the history of Christian masculinity from the Victorian era on. Read more for Du Mez’s historical assessment of American Christian masculinity.
Do you experience unwarranted or excessive nervousness? Do you bite your nails or have other compulsive habits? Psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen argues that basal ganglia dysfunction might be to blame if you’re nervous or worried much of the time. He discusses the symptoms and shares several treatments that could calm your nerves. Keep reading to learn how to stop feeling nervous by addressing basal ganglia dysfunction.
How important is it to understand how people see things? How might you shape the way people see things? In Alchemy, Rory Sutherland discusses the importance of understanding human perception and the functions that psychological biases serve. He also explains how meaning and language are vital tools for influencing perception to a positive advantage. Read more to learn why you should stop trying to change reality and instead seek to influence others’ perceptions of reality.
Do you feel more guilty than you probably should? Do you have trouble sleeping? Is it hard for you to concentrate? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you might suffer from limbic system dysfunction. In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen lays out the common symptoms and provides several recommendations to restore your system to health. Continue reading to learn about symptoms of—and repairs for—limbic system dysfunction.