The World's Best Book Summaries
What is the subversion of expectation? How does it keep a story going? How does it impact the audience? One of the main ingredients in a story is the subversion of expectation. This element is extremely important. Robert McKee maintains that it’s the source of all energy in a story. Read more to understand what subverting expectations means and how to do it in a story.
How are wages set? Why does geography affect the cost of labor more than the cost of goods? The natural price of a good changes in accordance with changes in any of the costs of production. In The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith identifies labor as one of these costs. He discusses how supply and demand, as well as the living conditions of workers, influence the cost of labor. Continue reading to understand how the cost of labor operates in an economy.
Why did Nelson Mandela join the African National Congress? Why did he later help create the ANC Youth League? Nelson Mandela’s struggle against a culture of oppression and apartheid wasn’t just about securing legal rights for Blacks but also about fostering national and racial pride. That led him to join the ranks of the African National Congress (ANC) in the early 1940s. Continue reading to learn his motivations to join the ANC and his early efforts within the party.
What’s the importance of trust in relationships? How does trust encourage honesty and motivation? If your relationships at work or in your personal life need a little improvement, you likely need to build some trust. Trust goes a long way for someone, and it’s the key to keeping a relationship standing when something wants to tear it down. Below we’ll explore why trust is important in relationships, both in a professional and personal sense.
What is good versus evil? Is morality relative or fixed? Good and evil are common topics found in religion, ethics, psychology, philosophy, and more. To many, good and evil define what is right and wrong in the world. But it can be hard to determine what exactly tips the scale of morality. We’ll explore the good versus evil debate below by examining their definitions and how someone becomes good or evil.
What’s the relationship between a flow state and brain waves? How do your brain waves change when you enter a flow state? According to Steven Kotler’s book The Rise of Superman, in a flow state, the brain waves you produce temporarily change, allowing you to perform at your best. He specifically describes five of the brain waves that are positively affected by entering a flow state. Read on to learn more about how achieving a flow state affects brain waves, according to Kotler.
Looking to learn some healthy relationship habits? How can you improve your emotional intimacy with your partner? The authors of The School of Life argue that most healthy relationship habits have a foundation in emotional intelligence, which means your ability to understand how your and others’ emotions work. In the book, they explain four habits to learn for a healthy relationship, based on this principle. Read on to discover these four habits for a healthy relationship, according to the advice in The School of Life.
Why does the criminal justice system put children in prison? Does imprisoning children violate the Eighth Amendment? The Eighth Amendment protects prisoners from excessive punishment. But Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy says that this amendment is violated when children are imprisoned with life-without-parole sentences. Decide if children in prison need to be protected by the Eighth Amendment below.
What book literally changed the course of Kristi’s life? Why did she take a several-year hiatus from reading altogether? Kristi is a Shortform guide writer with truly eclectic taste. She loves magical realism and wishes she could share her love of Richard Brautigan with more people.
Are you looking for Inner Engineering quotes by Sadhguru? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In his book Inner Engineering, yoga master Sadhguru explains that we create our own suffering and we’ll remain trapped in it until we learn to seek answers from the right place—inside ourselves. He says we can only transform the world by transforming ourselves from within, using yoga. Below is a selection of quotes from Sadhguru’s book Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy.