Shortform Books

U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Gen. McMaster Weighs In

What caused the Islamist movement and sectarian conflict in the Middle East? How has U.S. policy failed in the region? In his book Battlegrounds, General H. R. McMaster explains the Middle East’s tangled history and the motivations of Iran, in particular, to disrupt its Arab neighbors. He provides his analysis of the U.S.’s bungled approach to diplomacy and military action in the region. Keep reading for McMaster’s take on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

Making Bad Decisions: When Your Logic Turns Against You

Why do we make bad decisions? More importantly, how can we learn from our mistakes to make better decisions in the future? Our lives are full of big decisions, yet our minds are wired to make bad ones. Sometimes our decisions turn against us because of bad luck. Most of the time, however, our biases and illogical ways of thinking steer us toward making bad decisions. Here’s a look at the most common logical fallacies that affect our ability to make good decisions.

The Koch Brothers & Trump: Did They Help Elect Him?

How did the Koch brothers impact the 2016 presidential election? Did they explicitly back Trump? In Dark Money, award-winning journalist Jane Mayer explores the influence that the Koch brothers have had on American politics for decades. She includes a discussion of the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Keep reading for a quick overview of the direct and indirect connections between the Koch Brothers and Trump.

The 2 Ways to Develop an Empathetic Perspective

What’s the key to effective communication? Why is empathy so important? In 4 Essential Keys to Effective Communication, Bento C. Leal claims that the first ability of a good communicator is having an empathetic perspective. This will allow you to understand someone’s feelings and experiences better. Let’s look at how an empathetic perspective will boost your conversations.

Lack of Ownership at Work: Encouraging Employee Growth

Do your employees lack ownership at work? Why is employee ownership important? In The Great Game of Business, Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham propose that the best and most efficient way to create a successful business is by encouraging employees to take ownership. If an employee sees the company as theirs, they’ll feel a sense of freedom at work. Let’s look at how to overcome a lack of ownership at work so your employees can thrive.

How to Be a Better Spouse: Keep an Open Mind

Do you want to be a better husband or wife? What’s the key to being a more loving, more attentive, and overall better spouse? Being a good spouse is a matter of keeping an open mind. When you keep an open mind, you stay receptive to your partner’s requests and concerns instead of making decisions unilaterally. With this in mind, here are some tips on how to be a better spouse.

Louise Hay: Positive Affirmations Can Change Your Life

Positive Thinking: How to Have a Positive Mindset

What’s the purpose of affirmations? How can reciting affirmations help you reprogram your mind for more positivity? Positive affirmations are statements that you make to yourself, either out loud, in your head, or in writing, to counteract your negative thinking. According to Louise Hay, positive affirmations can help you imprint positive thoughts on your subconscious mind. Here’s how you can harness the power of positive affirmations to reprogram your mind.

John Rawls’s Definition of Justice From A Theory of Justice

What is John Rawls’s definition of justice? How does Rawls’s conceptualization of justice differ from other theorists’? According to John Rawls, justice is a generally held idea of the most moral way of organizing society. Thus, Rawls doesn’t focus on justice on an individual level, which separates him from many other theorists of justice, who view social justice as an extension of individual justice. Keep reading to learn about Rawls’s concept of justice.

Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke & Recovery: Her Inspiring Story

What’s it like to have a stroke? What happens afterward? How can you best recover from a stroke? When neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor suffered a stroke on the left side of her brain, she was uniquely qualified to observe and report on the experience of losing her cognitive functions. However, she was surprised by what she learned—and gained. Keep reading to discover the amazing story of Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke and recovery.

The Disadvantages of Standardization: 2 Key Examples

What are the disadvantages of standardization? What are some examples of the negative effects of standardization? According to Matthew Syed, the disadvantages of standardization are best understood in the context of homogeneity versus diversity. In Rebel Ideas, he argues that standardization forces us to conform to an average while diversity fosters collective intelligence. Read on to learn about the disadvantages of standardization, according to two examples from Syed.