Shortform Books

How to Be a CEO During the Bad Times: The Struggle

When your company isn’t doing well, how can you be a good CEO? How do you get through the hard times without giving up? What is The Struggle? In his book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz talks about the hard parts of starting a business and being a CEO. He discuses The Struggle that almost every CEO will go through and gives advice on how to get through it. Keep reading for advice on how to be a good CEO and get through The Struggle.

What Colton Told Pastor Todd Burpo About Angels

What does Colton tell his father, Pastor Todd Burpo, about his trip to Heaven? Who did Colton meet while in Heaven? Why doesn’t Pastor Todd think his son is making it all up? In Heaven Is for Real, young Colton tells his father, Pastor Todd Burpo, about his experiences in Heaven. Colton claims to have met his grandfather, “Pop” and his unborn sister who had passed away in the womb. Todd hadn’t told Colton about either of these relatives. Continue on to learn what Colton told Pastor Todd Burpo about his meetings in Heaven.

The Upstarts Book: The Rise of Uber and Airbnb

What is The Upstarts book about? How did Uber and Airbnb grow from seedlings to internet juggernauts? The Upstarts is a 2017 book by Brad Stone, a New York Times best-selling author and a senior executive editor for global technology at Bloomberg News. It chronicles the history of Uber and Airbnb, from their founding in 2008 to present day 2016. Keep reading for more about The Upstarts book by Brad Stone.

Is Global Justice a Realistic Goal or a Pipe Dream?

Is global justice a feasible political goal? How can justice be realized on a global scale in such a complex and intricately connected world? Most of the injustices in the world are embedded in systems and structures which makes it almost impossible to know all of the effects of individuals’ actions. Further, humans’ brains haven’t evolved to grasp justice on a global scale because our sense of justice developed during the times of ancient hunter-gatherer societies who lived in small communities. Keep reading to learn about the dilemma of global justice.

Deep Work vs. Shallow Work: Reduce Shallow Work

What is deep work vs. shallow work? How can you reduce shallow work time from your schedule? “Deep work” is focused, uninterrupted, undistracted work on a task that pushes your cognitive abilities to their limit. In contrast, “shallow work” describes tasks that aren’t cognitively demanding – like answering email, filling out paperwork, and attending unproductive meetings. Keep reading to learn how you can take steps to reduce your time spent on shallow work.

Michael Oher: High School Football Offers Opportunity

Who was Michael Oher, high school athlete, before he was an NFL player? How did sports help shape his future? For Michael Oher, high school at Briarcrest started out with difficult, like the rest of his academic career. But Michael Oher’s life changed when he got involved in school sports and met the Tuohy family. Read more about Michael Oher, high school, and how his luck changed.

Guide to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

What is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance about? What lessons does author Robert Pirsig discuss? Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a discussion of life lessons framed around a father-son motorcycle trip. Through the book, Pirsig touches on many themes, such as the uses of technology, forming strong relationships, and how to find meaning in the journey. Read more about Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance below.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp: Lale’s Secret

In The Tattooist of Auschwitz, how did Lale set up an outside connection from Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp? How did his smuggling service come in handy? Although Lale was afraid of getting caught, he found an outside connection and set up a small smuggling service inside Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. It was thanks to this connection that he was able to procure Penicillin and save Gita’s life Keep reading to learn about Lale’s secret, smuggling enterprise in Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

The Rise of the Global Civilization: Towards Unity

Can it be argued that we are all part of one global civilization? What are the common themes that are shared by all nations of the world? As globalization has connected the world economically, socially, and technologically, all of humankind has merged into one global civilization. And although nations differ in terms of cultures and religions, they all follow virtually the same economic, medical, and scientific paradigms. Read about the rise of global civilization.

Lale’s Concentration Camp Escape Meant More Danger

How did Lale make his concentration camp escape? How did he jump out of the pot and into the fire? In Heather Morris’ historical fiction novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Lale escapes a concentration camp in Vienna. He ran into Russian soldiers who he thought might help him, but quickly realized he was forced into another dangerous situation. Continue reading about Lale’s concentration camp escape.