Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Mental Health Struggles in Early Life

How did J. Robert Oppenheimer struggle with mental health? Was he ever diagnosed with specific conditions? In American Prometheus, biographers Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin provide an in-depth look into the life of the man best known for his work on developing the atomic bomb. The authors discuss how J. Robert Oppenheimer’s adolescent years were marked by emotional instability. Read more to learn about Oppenheimer’s mental health struggles in his youth.

Why Is Faith Important? How Belief Helps You Truly Succeed

Why is faith important? What can spirituality do that nothing else can? Chasing career achievements, wealth, and prestige isn’t completely satisfying. The older you get, the more that’s true. Arthur Brooks advises that, as you age, you should dedicate yourself to life success—in other words, living a well-rounded life full of contentment and love. Faith, he says, is a major part of this. Keep reading to discover the difference that a belief in something greater can make in your life.

33 Brené Brown Vulnerability Quotes (+ Context)

How important is vulnerability? Why is it vital for healthy relationships, effective leadership, and a fulfilled life? Brené Brown studies, promotes, and lives vulnerability. In her bestselling books, if vulnerability isn’t the main theme, it still features prominently. We’ve put together a collection of quotes from her books that will help you know why it’s a quality worth understanding and practicing. Continue reading for 33 Brené Brown vulnerability quotes that will give you a glimpse into her insights.

How to Improve Your Reading Speed: 5 Strategies for Efficiency

What if you could read faster and increase your comprehension at the same time? How would that propel your learning and productivity? In 10 Days to Faster Reading, Abby Marks Beale and the Princeton Language Institute say that speed-reading isn’t just a nifty ability. They argue that the skills entailed in speed-reading are important for focus, comprehension, productivity, expertise, and even reading enjoyment. Let’s take a look at how to improve your reading speed with their strategies.

How to Redefine Success in Later Life: 3 Strategies for Fulfillment

Are you in (or approaching) the second half of your life? What deliberate mindset change should you make in order to continue thriving? In From Strength to Strength, Arthur Brooks says that, as you get older, your professional skills could start to decline and you might no longer be able to succeed in your current job. Despite this, with the right mindset, the second half of your life can be even happier and more meaningful than the first. Keep reading to learn how to redefine success in later life and find fulfillment in new ways.

Before the Manhattan Project: J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Early Life

Why did J. Robert Oppenheimer almost get kicked out of Cambridge? Was he a communist? How did the attack on Pearl Harbor change his focus and, ultimately, his life? Biographers Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin aren’t content to talk only about J. Robert Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project. They also discuss his struggles with mental illness in his youth, his education and career launch, and his political activism that led to allegations of Communist Party membership. Keep reading to learn about Oppenheimer’s early life, including the preface to his involvement in the development of the atom bomb.

The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything

Is there a theory of everything? How close are we to finding it? For centuries, scientists have sought a single theory that would provide one equation from which we can derive a complete understanding of the universe. In The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything, Michio Kaku suggests an approach that might be the path to uniting all the laws of nature. Continue reading for an overview of this mind-bending book.

The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus: Book Overview

What’s Albert Camus’s philosophy? Why does he think that life is worth living—despite its absurdity? In his 1942 essay The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus describes his philosophy of the absurd. In spite of life’s absurdity, he believes that we should continue to live and try to derive as much fulfillment as we can from our brief existence. Continue reading for an overview of this classic work.

The History of Electromagnetic Theory: A Step Toward Unification

How did James Clerk Maxwell build upon the work of Michael Faraday? How do astronomers today benefit from scientific work done in the middle of the 19th century? Since the birth of classical physics, the greatest advancements in knowledge have come from bringing together different fields of study. Even the early steps in physics—such as an unexpected unity among electricity, magnetism, and light—united what were thought at the time to be wildly different areas of study. Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku discusses the history of electromagnetic theory in his book The God Equation. Take a look.

The Second Half of Life: 2 Ways to Keep Thriving as You Age

Are you over 35? Have you successfully transitioned into the last half of your life, or are you prepared to do so? In From Strength to Strength, management expert Arthur Brooks explains how and why you lose your job skills as you get older. Then, he provides solutions. He shows how you can find a job that suits your changing brain and achieve a meaningful life instead of fruitlessly chasing success in your former field. Keep reading for Brooks’s strategies as well as an exercise that will help you prepare now for the transition to the second half of life.