The World's Best Book Summaries
What is workplace culture? How does it affect a company’s success? In Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh explains that fostering a healthy workplace culture is essential in developing a successful business. Culture is not something that can be concretely defined, but the two most important aspects of a company’s culture are employee behavior and belief, which Hsieh explains more in-depth. Learn more about what workplace culture is and its importance.
What did Stephen Hawking say about aliens in his book Brief Answers to the Big Questions? Did Hawking believe in the existence of extraterrestrials? According to famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, aliens most likely exist, but there’s a good chance humanity will never encounter them. This is because Hawking believed that extraterrestrial life is likely unintelligent and lacks the technology to communicate with others. Here’s an in-depth look at Stephen Hawking’s theories about aliens.
What book totally changed how E handles their personal finances? How does a book help them settle into a new place after they move? E can tell you all about it. Based in Colorado, they’re a peer editor on the writing team at Shortform. We interviewed them recently to learn a bit about their relationship with books.
Do you write creative nonfiction? What can you do to spice your nonfiction piece up? In his book On Writing Well, William Zinsser explains that nonfiction writing doesn’t have to be flat and bland. You can write nonfiction in ways that will grip readers as much as fiction writing. From interviews to memoirs to sports writing, here’s how to add some flare to your nonfiction.
Are you beating the competition in business? Are you winning at life? Best-selling author Robert Greene (The 48 Laws of Power, The Laws of Human Nature) asserts that life is a daily struggle—a war between you and the people, organizations, or other forces that work against you. To be successful in life you need to win the war, and to win the war you need a winning strategy. Read more to learn the basics of The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene.
What are Sun Tzu’s teachings about attaining victory? Can you really win a war without fighting? Much of Tzu’s teachings revolve around the concept that victory without direct fighting is the most advantageous way to win. Part of attaining this type of battle-free victory involves five factors of successful military operations: the Way, the weather, the terrain, the leadership, and discipline. Sun Tzu’s five factors can help you assess the likelihood of victory in any circumstance. Let’s consider each in turn.
Do you struggle to meet the needs of all your students? How can individualized instruction provide a better learning experience for students? In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina recommends individualized instruction methods to accommodate each student’s unique way of learning. Two of these methods include smaller class sizes and flipped classrooms, which suit individual students. Learn more on the benefits of individualized instruction, and why it may be necessary for teaching.
Are you a sportswriter or want to be one? Are you looking for sports writing tips? Sports writing is a form of nonfiction that reports on topics involving sports, such as athletes, games, and competitions. Zinsser notes two problems sportswriters face: making the story about them and flaunting their knowledge. Here’s why you should avoid both.
What is Zappos’s company culture? How is it effective in creating a friendly environment for Zappos’s employees? According to Tony Hsieh, the founder and former CEO of the online retail store Zappos, a strong and healthy culture is what makes a company successful. In Delivering Happiness, Zappos’s culture can be defined in three major categories: friendship, support, and innovation. Read on to learn more about Zappos’s culture and its principles.
When resources run out on Earth, will humans move to another planet? Should they? What did famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking think? In his final book Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking discusses space colonization. His conclusion was that humans need to colonize outer space because humans are running out of space on Earth, and because humans are at risk for extinction otherwise. Here’s why Hawking said humans should colonize space.