The World's Best Book Summaries
How often do your emotions get the best of you? Are you in control of them, or are they in control of you? Emotions are strong. But, Dr. Julie Smith says that you can be stronger. Take control, and don’t let your emotions control you. You can take the reins by practicing mindfulness, naming your emotions, and noticing and shifting your thought patterns. Keep reading for Smith’s practical advice on harnessing your emotions.
How should we address social harms such as war and poverty? Do you sense a call to take on such issues in your community or the world? The 2023 book Life Worth Living urges you to adopt a philosophy of life. Oftentimes, such personal life philosophies entail an obligation to minimize social harms such as crime and bigotry. The authors share approaches from Mary Wollstonecraft, James Baldwin, and Confucius. Read more to draw inspiration from these thought leaders.
What are emotions? When is it healthy to have challenging emotions? How aware of your own feelings are you? According to Dr. Julie Smith, the most important thing to know about emotions is that they are a normal part of the human experience. That goes for the highs and the lows. What matters most is that they match the situation. Read more to learn how to understand emotions and work with them in a healthy way.
How do you deal with hardship? Do you respond in a way that inspires others? Every year, Yale professors Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz teach a course on living well. Their book Life Worth Living captures the course’s concepts. One of the matters they discuss is how to deal with hardship in the context of a life well lived. Keep reading for their advice based on insights from philosophers, religious traditions, and literary greats.
What exactly are moods? Are you frequently stuck in a low mood, even when the situation doesn’t call for it? Is there a way to shift out of a low mood without going to therapy? Dr. Julie Smith writes that you can understand your moods and assert control over them to a large degree. Depression and sadness don’t necessarily warrant formal therapy. She offers several insights and tips for elevating your outlook in her book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Read more to get some self-help for low mood conditions.
Do you feel helpless or angry when confronted with mean people? Do you wish you had better strategies for dealing with them? The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert Sutton offers wisdom for dealing with jerks—rude and tyrannical people of all kinds. Focusing primarily on bad behavior in the workplace, he argues that, with the right tools, you can take away a jerk’s power, lessen their effect on you, and keep them from harming others. Continue reading for an overview of this practical book.
Do you have a colleague who’s difficult to work with? Is there a professional and wise way to deal with them? In The Asshole Survival Guide, Robert I. Sutton offers wisdom for dealing with jerks—rude and tyrannical people of all kinds—especially in the workplace. He discusses considerations you should address before deciding if and how to go on the offensive and shares direct and subtle methods of confrontation. Keep reading for Sutton’s advice on how to confront a coworker professionally that can help you keep your sanity and your job.
Are you always “in a mood,” causing those around you to walk on eggshells? Do you depend on circumstances, medication, or therapy to bring you out of it? Dr. Julie Smith says that it’s likely that you can change your mood yourself by monitoring and adjusting four things. If you attend to your physical state, your thought patterns, your actions, and your connections with others, you can elevate your frame of mind. Read more to learn how to change your mood with Smith’s recommendations.
Would you like to have your own life philosophy? Where should you start? What should you consider? In Life Worth Living, authors Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz discuss the value of having a philosophy of life. They offer bite-sized chunks of various life philosophies to use as a springboard for building your own. Continue reading to learn how to make your own philosophy in life with inspiration from Nietzsche, Aristotle, Oscar Wilde, and others.
How often do you feel anxious? Are you able to calm yourself effectively, or are you afraid you must resort to medication or therapy? Psychologist Julie Smith writes that people often mistakenly believe that they need to commit to long-term, in-depth therapy. If they have some basic education about how their minds and bodies work, they’ll be able to take control of their mental health themselves, without intensive help from a professional. Keep reading for Dr. Julie Smith’s anxiety self-care insights and techniques.