The World's Best Book Summaries
What did Suzanne Simard’s forest research find? Why is it important to research forests? In her book Finding the Mother Tree, Suzanne Simard explains how she had a hunch that trees in a forest don’t grow in a monoculture (a single species growing alone). This prompted Simard’s thought that the forests might be more cooperative than competitive. Check out the results of Simard’s forest research.
What genre gets Isabel’s noggin-a-joggin? What books does she believe can help us understand the world we live in today? Isabel is happy to tell you all about it. Based in New York City, she’s a content writer at Shortform. We interviewed her recently to learn a bit about her relationship with books.
What does Machiavelli recommend regarding an armed populace? Where does he advise princes to live once they’ve conquered new territory? Niccolò Machiavelli sees a loyal populace as one of the most valuable tools a prince can have. In turn, he warns that a prince who is hated by the people can never hold on to power for long. Continue reading to learn Machiavelli’s philosophy about winning over the people.
Is an obsession with true crime a bad thing? Does true crime exploit tragedies for profit and entertainment purposes? Stories about true crime are everywhere—from television series to documentaries to podcasts. But the consumption of tragedy as entertainment might be crossing some ethical boundaries and affecting audiences psychologically. Let’s look at how true crime is presented in entertainment and social media, and discover the issues that may arise from society’s true crime obsession.
How well do customers understand how to use your product? Are they clear on why they need it? In Obviously Awesome, positioning consultant and speaker April Dunford explains why positioning is critical to successfully selling your product. Dunford argues that positioning isn’t merely helpful; it’s the bedrock of successful selling and marketing. Read more to understand the importance of positioning in selling your product.
Does your business have a Plan B? Do you have a healthy “give-and-take” dynamic between upper and middle management? Adaptability is a competitive advantage. Intel CEO Andy Grove offers advice on how to build a flexible organization so that you stay ahead of the game. The keys, he says, are proactively investing in alternatives and cultivating a flexible business culture. Keep reading for Grove’s wisdom about adapting to change in the business environment.
What does frugal living mean? What are the best frugal blogs and websites to follow currently? How can you begin living more frugally today? Many people are feeling the effects of rising inflation, especially within the last year, and this has caused more interest in wise spending habits to make your money go further. Living a frugal lifestyle simply means saving more than you spend, and when you do spend money, spending carefully by researching the most affordable options before making a purchase. If you want to learn more about frugal living, read on for Shortform’s selection of the best
How are feelings and emotions psychologically different? How do experts explain this difference? Neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett wrote the book How Emotions Are Made after years of psychological research. Feelings and emotions are two distinct concepts, according to Barrett, and understanding the difference could help you feel better, mentally and physically. Keep reading for Barrett’s explanation of why feelings and emotions are psychologically different.
Why is promoting independence in early childhood important? What are some effective ways to promote independence? Author Alfie Kohn created his unconditional parenting technique to teach parents how unconditional acceptance leads to more emotionally stable children. While this technique is more demanding than traditional parenting, Kohn says your investment will promote independence in early childhood. Read on to learn Kohn’s two ways to promote independence in early childhood.
What is the timeline of Apple products during Steve Jobs’s time at the company? When was the iMac released? When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he made plans to release the iMac. It became the fastest-selling Apple product yet, but Jobs wasn’t going to stop there. Here’s the timeline of apple products after the iMac.