Shortform Books

Arthur Brooks’s From Strength to Strength: Book Overview

Are you in the second half of your life? Have you thought about how your career might better reflect the stage of life you’re in? As you get older, certain skills and abilities decline. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t thrive professionally. Arthur Brooks’s From Strength to Strength is a practical how-to book that can help you think about success differently and find work that suits your changing brain. Continue reading for an overview of this encouraging and equipping book.

How to Choose a Book to Read: Start With a Clear “Why”

Have you ever read a book you wish you hadn’t? How can choosing the right reading material help you get more out of what you read? What’s the difference between efferent reading and aesthetic reading? In 10 Days to Faster Reading, Abby Marks Beale and the Princeton Language Institute share several speed-reading strategies. It might seem surprising, but one strategy is to be selective when choosing your reading material. Continue reading to learn how to choose a book to read and why selecting well can help you read faster and understand more.

What Does the Labor Union Boom Mean for the Future?

Is there about to be a labor union boom? Will the current resurgence lose steam? Despite decades of declining membership, labor unions are staging a resurgence. Some experts say that unions are well-positioned to grow their influence, with broad public support and businesses suffering labor shortages. Others contend that unions face a bumpy road ahead with fewer members and strong resistance from companies. Here’s a look at the history of labor unions, and whether or not a union boom is on the horizon.

How to Enjoy Your Own Company as an Extrovert

Do you depend on other people to have a good time? Do you struggle to enjoy your own company? Extroverts thrive off social interactions and collaboration. But you aren’t going to be around people all the time, so it’s pivotal that you find ways to appreciate your own company. Discover how to enjoy your own company as an extrovert, and why everyone needs moments of solitude.

Malcolm X: Mecca Opened His Eyes to Racial Harmony

Why did Malcolm X go to Mecca? What did he learn during his time in the Middle East? Why did he change his name a second time? In his autobiography, Malcolm X explains that he’d heard criticism that the Nation of Islam wasn’t truly Islamic. And, because he was still a firm believer in Islam, he decided he needed to learn more about the religion. What he found put him on a new path both religiously and politically. Keep reading to learn about Malcolm X’s Mecca experience.

Managing Emotions in Communication: 4 Ways to Keep Your Cool

Do you tend to raise your voice or stop listening when you get frustrated? When you’re angry, do all of the right words come out in the right order? Emotions are a huge part of life. So is communication. When emotions and communication come together, the message often gets lost. That’s why James Williams identifies emotional control as a core communication skill. Continue reading to learn how to effectively handle emotions in communication.

What Love Isn’t: How Families Create Unhealthy Love

Do you have a good idea of what love is? What’s considered unhealthy love? Unhealthy interactions between family members can distort people’s version of love. bell hooks’s book All About Love says these interactions can also create a cycle of unhealthy love. Below we’ll discuss what love isn’t so you can have a better understanding of what love truly means.

Career Decline: Are You Professionally “Losing It” as You Age?

At what stage are you in your career? Does it feel like you’re slowing down while the work—and your colleagues—are racing ahead? Supermodels and professional athletes aren’t the only ones whose professional attributes carry an expiration date. That’s the view of management expert Arthur Brooks, the author of From Strength to Strength. He presents the problem of professional decline and shares strategies to pivot and flourish as you get older. Read more to gain an understanding of career decline as it very well could relate to your life.

The Game to Achieve Higher Status in Society: Explained

How important is status in society? What is a status game? You might not think of yourself as a person who cares about status. Yet in The Status Game, Will Storr writes that not only are you constantly competing for status, but the need for status is wired into your brain. Below we’ll discuss why people compete for status in society, and how it becomes a game in the first place.

Dandapani’s The Power of Unwavering Focus: Overview

Is focus an innate ability or something you need to learn? What are the benefits of living a more focused life? The Power of Unwavering Focus explores Dandapani’s advice for better focus and the many benefits of a focused life. He also explains how living a focused life brings you a greater sense of purpose and improved work performance. Read below for a brief overview of Dandapani’s The Power of Unwavering Focus.