The World's Best Book Summaries
What is Carl Sagan’s book Cosmos about? What’s out there in the vast reaches of space? Are we alone in the universe? Renowned astronomer Carl Sagan offers some insight into these questions and many more in his widely acclaimed book, Cosmos. In this book, he provides a comprehensive description of the science, philosophy, and history of astronomical discovery, from ancient Ionia to the time of the book’s publication in 1980. Here’s a brief overview of Cosmos.
What are the effects of childhood trauma on your adult life? How does childhood trauma affect romantic relationships? In Getting the Love You Want, therapists Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest that your unconscious mind chooses a mate who will help you resolve the wounded parts of your childhood. When your partner fails to meet your unconscious expectations, your relationship falls apart. Check out how your childhood affects your adult relationships below.
What are the most important benefits of finding a sense of purpose? How will life improve once you find your unique purpose? In Find Your Why, Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker lay out the steps individuals and organizations can take to discover their purpose and strengths and share them with the world. Discovering your unique purpose—your Why—and strengths helps you find fulfillment at work and in life. Keep reading to discover the three benefits you will enjoy by finding a sense of purpose, according to Simon Sinek.
How did Ernest Shackleton step up as a leader when the Endurance sank? What are lessons on leadership to take away from Shackleton’s experience? In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 other men set out on the Endurance ship to Antarctica, but the ship became trapped in ice. Shackleton effectively led his team through a time of crisis, and all the men survived because of his leadership skills. Learn more about Ernest Shackleton’s leadership skills from Alfred Lansing’s book Endurance.
What’s the problem with people-pleasing? How does trying to make others happy sabotage your own happiness? People-pleasers go to great lengths to make other people happy and to avoid conflict and confrontation. If you make other people’s happiness your main priority, it’s very hard to be comfortable and happy with yourself because it compels you to second-guess everything you do and to negatively judge yourself whenever you get unwanted feedback. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of people-pleasing.
What is the capital-to-income ratio? How does it help us understand wealth inequality? According to Thomas Piketty, the capital-to-income ratio is the total stock (meaning the total inventory) of all the assets owned by residents of a country divided by total national income. Piketty further stresses that national capital and national income aren’t the same things. Keep reading for an in-depth look at the capital-to-income ratio.
What is the “Ladder of Love” in Plato’s Symposium? What are the six steps of Diotima’s Ladder? What kind of love does each step represent? Diotima’s Ladder of Love is a metaphor for different types of love that originated in Plato’s Symposium. It conceptualizes love in terms of progressive stages or steps: The higher the steps, the higher and the more sophisticated one’s love is. Keep reading to learn about Diotima’s Ladder of Love.
Do you struggle to express your emotions? How can expressing yourself better improve your life? Author Glennon Doyle asserts that you are taught by society not to feel anything, to avoid emotion and pain at all costs. Numbing yourself keeps you in captivity, but you can evolve and challenge the status quo when you break free of this conditioning. Read on to learn more about society’s impact on emotions and how to express yourself better in daily life.
What is human nature in philosophy? Are humans benevolent or evil by their nature? In philosophy, human nature has been debated extensively. Some philosophers argue that humans are naturally deceitful and cruel, seemingly with a lot of evidence to back us up: Throughout history, groups of humans have gone to war, committed genocide, and owned slaves. But despite our history of evil, humans are fundamentally good. Here’s why the basic nature of humankind is inherently good, according to historian Rutger Bregman.
What if the general public were more scientifically aware? What’s the path to get there? In The Demon-Haunted World, Carl Sagan shares his concern about science illiteracy, especially in America. He believes that a general public that’s equipped with more knowledge about scientific principles and methods would be a positive force in the world. He outlines two ways to increase science literacy: improving science education (including instilling more enthusiasm for science) and increasing funding for scientific research. Let’s take a close look at this advice from Sagan.