The World's Best Book Summaries
What is dopamine in the brain? How does it work? Dopamine in the brain is responsible for motivation and happiness, and is known as the “what if” chemical. Learning what this means and how this works can help you understand your own behaviors better. Here is why dopamine is known as the “what if” chemical.
Was President Trump impeached? If so, when and why did it happen? President Trump was impeached twice, once while he was president in 2019 and once after he left office in 2020. In her book The Confidence Man, Maggie Haberman discusses both of Trump’s impeachments. Read on for more details about Trump’s impeachments.
How powerful is math? What’s the difference between benign math models and dangerous math models? In Weapons of Math Destruction, Cathy O’Neil notes that not all mathematical models are dangerous. When implemented responsibly, mathematical models can be powerful tools that enable organizations to make effective decisions that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Below we’ll define mathematical models to show the power of math.
Do you experience anxiety or low moods? Are you dealing with the pain of a loss? Emotions are great when they’re joy, contentment, or excitement. But, difficult emotions are a lot less fun. In Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, Dr. Julie Smith discusses how to understand and relate to your emotions and reduce the power they have over you—without reliance on medication or therapy. Keep reading to learn how to deal with difficult emotions such as low mood, anxiety, and grief.
Are toxic people making your workplace intolerable? Are you afraid that confronting them will make things worse? Just as there’s no one definition of what makes someone toxic, there’s no one way to deal with a toxic person. You must judge for yourself what strategies will be best depending on the situation and the people involved. Keep reading for some practical advice on how to deal with toxic people at work from organizational psychologist Robert I. Sutton.
What do Barbra Streisand and Joan Collins have in common? What actor and singer wrote a song about Streisand more than 20 years after they broke up? Although she’s played countless romantic leads on stage and screen, Barbra Streisand’s relationships in real life have been difficult, at least until her current marriage. She writes about her two marriages and a few other love interests in her memoir My Name Is Barbra. Read more to learn about husbands Elliott Gould and James Brolin and a couple of relationships in between these marriages.
What were Barbra Streisand’s first words to James Brolin when they met? What’s her favorite thing about him? Barbra Streisand and James Brolin are one of those “happily ever after” stories that can be rare among the rich and famous. They met in 1996 (one of them considers it love at first sight), and they’re still going strong after 27 years. Streisand writes about their relationship in her memoir My Name Is Barbra. Continue reading to learn about Barbra Streisand and James Brolin’s love story.
How comfortable are you with writing imperfectly—even journaling a “brain dump”? How in touch are you with your inner artist? Many people feel it’s impossible to reach their creative potential—often because they struggle to find inspiration or experience creative blocks. Luckily, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron says that overcoming these obstacles and maximizing your creative potential is possible, and anyone can do it. Continue reading for an overview of The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.
Why are many Americans working multiple jobs at once? How does overemployment impact workers and employers? What’s the future of overworking in the US? Overemployment—working multiple jobs simultaneously—is a growing trend that’s enabling some Americans to significantly increase their incomes. While providing clear financial upsides, prolonged overemployment can negatively impact professionals’ mental health, job security, and relationships with employers. Here’s a look at the upsides and downsides of overemployment.
How can we understand how dopamine affects behavior? Can the amount of dopamine you have influence your relationships and beliefs? Dopamine affects behavior by making us look forward to the future and anticipate future happiness. A look at how this works can tell you a lot about where certain behaviors come from. Read here to see how dopamine levels can affect everything from romantic relationships to political beliefs.