The World's Best Book Summaries
What can sweetgrass teach us? What do the strands of sweetgrass mean? Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a collection of essays that integrate plant relationships, Anishinaabe Indigenous worldviews, and scientific knowledge. These three components represent the strands of a braid of sweetgrass, a sacred plant in the Indigenous Potawatomi culture. Keep reading to learn about sweetgrass teachings from Braiding Sweetgrass.
Should we go vegetarian and drive electric cars? Should we stop having children and flying in airplanes? Climate activists exhort us to make individual sacrifices—like eating less meat, flying less often, and turning off unused lights. Bjorn Lomborg argues that these exhortations are flawed: Individual actions on climate change do nearly nothing. Keep reading to see how Lomborg makes this assessment.
What is IFS therapy? What psychological wounds is IFS used to treat? Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an integrative and evidence-based method of psychotherapy developed by Richard Schwartz. IFS-trained therapists use questions, suggestions, and active listening to guide clients through the process of getting to know their inner family system and healing their wounded parts. To understand IFS therapy, it’s important to first understand the two foundational concepts on which it’s built: multiplicity and systems thinking.
Why did Jeff Bezos ban PowerPoint presentations at Amazon? Was that a good idea? Jeff Bezos famously booted PowerPoint out of the presentation room at Amazon. In The Bezos Blueprint, Carmine Gallo explains why. Keep reading to learn about Jeff Bezos, PowerPoint, and the beauty of stories in communication.
What is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer about? What are the main takeaways of the book? In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer explains how three sources of knowledge show us how to flourish through a practice of mutual care. She dives deep into the three sources of knowledge, which are plants, Anishinaabe Indigenous worldviews, and science. Read below for a brief overview of Braiding Sweetgrass.
How can we adapt to climate change? Can we do something practical about rising sea levels and extreme heat? In False Alarm, Bjorn Lomborg discusses several ways to combat climate change head-on. He realizes, though, that some things are beyond our control. To some extent, we just have to adapt to the realities. Continue reading to learn about some practical adaptations that could help us continue to flourish.
What is Internal Family Systems? What are the different parts of the IFS model of psychotherapy? Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a model of psychotherapy developed by psychiatrist Richard Schwartz. In a nutshell, IFS is a form of talk therapy aimed at helping people heal wounded parts of their psyche and end negative patterns within the internal family system. Keep reading for an overview of the Internal Family Systems model, key terms, and a look into what IFS therapy looks like in practice.
Do you keep falling off track with your goals? How do you keep pushing when the going gets tough? The key to achieving any goal in life is to intentionally choose behaviors that contribute to your desired outcome. This means doing things that feel hard and uncomfortable in the short term but that pay off in the long term. With this in mind, here are a few tips for achieving goals.
How do Amazon employees pitch product ideas? Should you use slides when you present? How can you respect your audience’s precious time? In The Bezos Blueprint, business communication expert Carmine Gallo explains how to improve your communication by internalizing the principles that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos uses in his writing and speaking. We’ve organized these principles into four practical tips for effective communication. Keep reading if you’re ready to become a better communicator in both writing and speech.
What exactly is “unblending” in the IFS? What is the purpose of the unblending technique? Unblending is a key concept in Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. The purpose of unblending is to unblend (that is, unfuse) your core Self from the parts that have taken over and reclaim control. Keep reading to learn about IFS unblending and how to practice it.