Book Reviews – Page 32 – Marlo Yonocruz

Book notes: The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman

The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman book summary.

Synopsis:

“Getting an MBA is an expensive choice – one almost impossible to justify regardless of the state of the economy. Even the elite schools like Harvard and Wharton offer outdated, assembly-line programs that teach you more about PowerPoint presentations and unnecessary financial models than what it takes to run a real business. You can get better results (and save hundreds of thousands of dollars) by skipping business school altogether….

The Personal MBA distills the most valuable business lessons into simple, memorable mental models that can be applied to real-world challenges.

Book notes: All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin

All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin book summary

All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin

Synopsis:

“Every marketer tells a story. And if they do it right, we believe them. We believe that wine tastes better in a $20 glass than a $1 glass. We believe that an $80,000 Porsche Cayenne is vastly superior to a $36,000 VW Touareg, which is virtually the same car. We believe that $225 Pumas will make our feet feel better, and look cooler, than $20 no-names…and believing it makes it true.

Book notes: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl book summary.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Synopsis: “Internationally renowned psychiatrist, Viktor E. Frankl, endured years of unspeakable horror in Nazi death camps. During, and partly because of, his suffering, Dr. Frankl developed a revolutionary approach to psychotherapy known as logotherapy. At the core of his theory is the belief that man’s primary motivational force is his search for meaning.

Man’s Search for Meaning is more than a story of Viktor E. Frankl’s triumph: it is a remarkable blend of science and humanism and an introduction to the most significant psychological movement of our day.” -Audible

Book notes: The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal

The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal book summary.

The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.

Synopsis:

“Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal’s wildly popular course The Science of Willpower, The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. Informed by the latest research and combining cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, The Willpower Instinct explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters.

Book notes: The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama book summary.

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

Synopsis: “In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics: a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in Congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy”. He also speaks, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

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Book notes: The Game by Neil Strauss

The Game by Neil Strauss book summary.

The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss

Synopsis:

“Hidden somewhere, in nearly every major city in the world, is an underground seduction lair. And in these lairs, men trade the most devastatingly effective techniques ever invented to charm women. This is not fiction. These men really exist. They live together in houses known as Projects. And Neil Strauss, the best-selling author, spent two years living among them, using the pseudonym Style to protect his real-life identity.

The result is one of the most explosive and controversial books of the year — guaranteed to change the lives of men and transform the way women understand the opposite sex forever.

The Game is the story of one man’s transformation from frog to prince to prisoner in the most unforgettable book of the year.” -Audible

Book notes: Tribes by Seth Godin

Tribes by Seth Godin book summary

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin

Synopsis: “A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea.

If you think leadership is for other people, think again – leaders come in surprising packages. Consider Joel Spolsky and his international tribe of scary-smart software engineers. Or Gary Vaynerhuck, a wine expert with a devoted following of enthusiasts. Chris Sharma leads a tribe of rock climbers up impossible cliff faces, while Mich Mathews, a VP at Microsoft, runs her internal tribe of marketers from her cube in Seattle. All they have in common is the desire to change things, the ability to connect a tribe, and the willingness to lead.

Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities in leading your fellow employees, customers, investors, believers, hobbyists, or readers….It’s not easy, but it’s easier than you think.” -Audible

Opening thoughts:

I read Seth Godin’s other book Linchpin last month, which was my first time reading one of his works. I thought the book was phenomenal so I decided to pick up another book of his for this month. I remember hearing about this book in particular from other mentors of mine, so I finally chose to read it for this month.

Book notes: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse book summary

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Synopsis:

“Siddhartha is Nobel Prize-winning author Hermann Hesse’s most famous and influential work, a novel of self-exploration that will linger in your mind and spirit for a lifetime.

A young man, blessed with loving parents and a safe home in a world where want and neglect abound, leaves this haven in search of himself. He joins the Samanas, a band of wandering ascetics without possessions or earthly ties. His quest unfulfilled, he descends into a life of unbounded luxury and indulgence. Where is truth? Where will his soul find true ease? In denial? In decadence? Or in some truth far greater than himself, so simple, so close to him, yet so obvious that only clear eyes may see it?” -Audible