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.
“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
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.
“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
Synopsis: “From a former FBI Special Agent specializing in behavior analysis and recruiting spies comes a handbook filled with his proven strategies on how to instantly read people and influence how they perceive you, so you can easily turn on the like switch.
Dr. Schafer cracks the code on making great first impressions, building lasting relationships, and understanding others’ behavior to learn what they really think about you. With tips and techniques that hold the key to taking control of your communications, interactions, and relationships, The Like Switch shows you how to read others and get people to like you for a moment or a lifetime.” -Audible
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Opening thoughts:
Another book I came across because it was in my recommended reads in Audible. It had a lot of good reviews and a compelling synopsis, so why not? I also wanted to read something less business-y and more on interpersonal skills. Lastly, I wanted to keep with this month’s theme of red-colored book covers so all of the books would match when I collage it for Instagram, lol.
Synopsis: “YouTube has now become so popular that millions of visitors come and go every day and it’s widely used by normal people like you and me. A few years back, YouTube wasn’t as popular of a way to make money, but today there is an incredible opportunity to make money on YouTube.
In this book, you’ll get a step-by-step roadmap to setting up your YouTube channel, building your audience, monetizing your channel, and making a lot of money in the process. You will be walked through all the way to your success as a YouTube marketer.” -Audible
Opening thoughts:
Recently, I’ve been thinking more about seriously starting a YouTube channel to create content consistently and build a following. There wasn’t much in terms of audiobooks on the subject, but this seemed to be the most promising relative to the other handful of books. I wasn’t really expecting much from this aside from a simple starting point.
Trevor Noah, one of the comedy world’s fastest-rising stars and host of The Daily Show, tells his wild coming-of-age story during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed. In this Audible Studios production, Noah provides something deeper than traditional memoirists: powerfully funny observations about how farcical political and social systems play out in our lives.
The stories Noah tells are by turns hilarious, bizarre, tender, dark, and poignant – subsisting on caterpillars during months of extreme poverty, making comically pitiful attempts at teenage romance in a color-obsessed world, thrown into jail as the hapless fall guy for a crime he didn’t commit, thrown by his mother from a speeding car driven by murderous gangsters, and more.” -Amazon
~If you enjoy my summary, please consider buying me a coffee via my Ko-Fi link (click the button below) or become a recurring donor as a YBC Scholar! 📖 🎓
I appreciate every donation as it goes directly to the maintenance costs of my blog and creation of new content. 😊
Opening Thoughts:
All I know about Trevor Noah was that he took over as host for The Daily Show on Comedy Central after John Stewart left, that he’s hilarious, and he’s South African. Other than that, I knew nothing about Trevor. I saw the ratings and reviews and was instantly sold. I’ve been looking for a good autobiography to pick up, but thought this would be a separation from the typical books I read about business moguls, high performers, and wealthy people. The last book I read about a comedian was Steve Martin’s book, which was a good time as well.
Synopsis: “The Startup Checklist is the entrepreneur’s essential companion. While most entrepreneurship books focus on strategy, this invaluable guide provides the concrete steps that will get your new business off to a strong start. You’ll learn the ins and outs of startup execution, management, legal issues, and practical processes throughout the launch and growth phases and how to avoid the critical missteps that threaten the foundation of your business. If you’re ready to do big things, this book has you covered from the first business card to the eventual exit.
The typical American startup costs over $30,000 and requires working with over two dozen professionals and service providers before it even opens for business – and the process is so complex that few founders do it correctly. Their startups’ errors often go unnoticed until the founder tries to seek outside capital, at which point they can cost thousands of dollars to fix…or even completely derail an investment. The Startup Checklist helps you avoid these problems and lay a strong foundation, so you can focus on building your business.” -Amazon
Opening Thoughts:
I picked up this book mostly to help give me an idea of how to start my own startup, which is currently in the works. I was looking to have this book balance out the others I had selected for the month because it seemed more tactical and step-by-step compared to Born a Crime and Linchpin.
