Books

So awesome! Bourdain has incredible voice.

Eye opening and humbling

Compound is key

Chapter 5 worth a re-read.

An impressive collection of information in a very readable form

Personally I thought the book was so-so as I found it quite repetitive, but I understand that this was just the nature of the story. However, this book did make me appreciate the importance of investigative journalism in maintaining the balance in power and protecting "the people".

Malcolm X was an extremely empowering individual. I respect his willingness to commit so passionately to what he believes in. Malcolm X lived a very different life to the one I am leading, and I enjoyed reading his zealous story. From the streets to the prisons to the temples, every situation he found himself in seemed to an extreme one.

What connected with me most strongly was the final chapter of the book, titled 1965, when Malcolm X describes that he lives each day as if he is already dead, not believing he will live long enough to see the book published. He was right. Malcolm X was assassinated later that year. It was eerie to read but gave me a true sense of the Passion he had.

I quite enjoyed this book actually, it was an easy read. I have always been of the mindset that "less is more" so I wasn't a hard sell.

A popular expression is to just "go with the flow", which may be fine when deciding what bar you and your friends want to attend tonight but isn't a good approach to life. With the interconnectedness of today's society, Greg argues most of us aren't really in control of how we choose to spend our time and exert or energy. Essentialism is about taking control of your time and energy to pursue only what is essential. This means saying no more but saying HELL YES to the essential things. I believe every so often it's important to step back, take inventory and prioritize.

I have always heard people talk about how much they love this book, and I agree; The book is a fun and easy read. I wouldn't say it is one of my favourite fiction novels, but if ya got time go for it.

A lot of what is in this book is common sense, but I think it is valuable to have it written down. I would say that it is a good intro to real estate but would be better suited when one is in the process of acquiring property rather than as a casual read. Disclaimer: I have no real estate experience.

This is my Dune Review.

A very unique read. Marcus Aurelius had a very clear cut image on how a life should be lived. I found it interesting to imagine him practicing many of these “techniques” at an party or bar in Ancient Greece and how it may be similar to an experience one may have today. Much of what was said by Marcus still accurately describe behaviors common today, all these centuries later. It makes me wonder even though we have completely changed our surroundings and manipulated nature to do our bidding, how much have we changed?

Favourite Quote: At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?” So you were born to feel “nice”? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands?

This has been my favourite book of the year thus far! A truly impactful read. The brutality described by Viktor Frankl during his time in the concentration camps is incomprehensible. However, I feel this opens the reader up to truly appreciate Frankl's message and his belief in a meaning based life. I folded the corner of nearly every page over as there was always a thought or idea I wanted to come back to and reflect on. This is a book I would recommend should be on the top of everyone's must read.

Favourite Quote: “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.”

I found this to be an extremely thought provoking read. I often had to stop and contemplate the deeply philosophical ideas being discussed and relate them to ideas I was more familiar with. This was sometimes difficult as Jordan Peterson would go on extensive tangents. However, these philosophical discussions are used to emphasis ways in which Jordan Peterson feels everyone could improve their lives. I felt that many of the twelve rules revolved around the notion ‘You are solely responsible for everything in your life and are the only one who can do something about making it better’. I believe this is the most important takeaway as it is all too easy to blame unfortunate circumstances on an external force, and accepting responsibility is an important step to improving one's quality of life.

Favourite Quote: "The successful among us delay gratification. The successful among us bargain with the future."

This was an excellent read and one that I would highly recommend!

Noah Yuval Harari provides a unique perspective on almost all areas of modern-day life in a very matter-of-fact way. I was particularly interested in his discussion on human consciousness and how this is the only aspect of us that computers cannot replicate. He wrapped up the book with his take on the infamous question, ‘What is the meaning of life?’. Overall this book opened me up to a new way of thinking and prompted many new thoughts of my own.

Favourite Quote: “ If by ‘free will’ you mean the freedom to do what you desire – then yes, humans have free will. But if by ‘free will’ you mean the freedom to choose what to desire – then no, humans have no free will.”

A fantastic read! This book reminded me the enjoyment a good fiction novel brings. I found this book was a very fast paced. While well written, the author did not dwell on the minutiae of unimportant details and instead continued to move the story along, always peaking the readers interest. I will definitely be reading the other Dune novels.

Not your average financial book... Bill details his life as one of the first investors in Russia. An exiting read which highlights how dangerous it can be to step on the wrong toes.

I don’t know how these people are still alive...

Ernest Hemingway is a truly exceptional writer! While reading this book I found myself admiring the craftsmanship of his unique writing style. Hemingway writes in a manner that allows him to provide extensive detail while using very few words. I appreciate the simple manner in which he writes as well as the often simplistic story lines. Yet the plot and themes of his novels are highly complex and have much deeper underlying meaning. Hemingway is a true master of his craft.

Chris Hadfield provides insight into what it takes to become an astronaut and what life in space is like. I found it very interesting to read about the sacrifices Chris had to make in order to achieve what he did. Becoming an astronaut looks glamorous on the surface, but takes immense sacrifice and dedication. However, the stories Chris told of life in space made it all seem worth it. Again, it was interesting to hear about how mundane tasks on earth, such as brushing your teeth, are a big deal in space and must be well thought out. My only complaint about this book is Chris attempted to mix in some self-improvement advice and it felt forced. I would have preferred if he focused more on his journey as an astronaut.

Favourite Quote: “When you’re the author of your own fate, you don’t want to write a tragedy.”

After reading ‘Unshakeable’ I decided to read Tony Robbins extensive financial guide. This much longer (~600 pages) book goes into detail about many of the principles discussed in ‘Unshakeable’. I felt that this was a valuable read for someone such as myself just starting their financial journey. It provided a good starting point on many of the key steps for developing financial success. The path to financial success is not a get rich quick scheme, but instead a lifetime of smart financial decisions However, I did have a few contentions with the book. First I felt that the book was much too long and many parts could be skimmed over. Additionally, unrealistic numbers were often used, glorifying the amount of money people could make following these strategies (not that they are poor strategies but the numbers get peoples hopes up). And while I was able to take away many of the key overarching principles, one cannot obviously not expect to come away as an expert, or anything close to one.

Favourite Quote: “Remember: we’re drowning in information, but we’re starving for wisdom.”

A book that delivers sound and practical advice. The methods James describes such as “habitat stacking” and “make it easy” are ones that I have found helpful in the past. I would recommend selecting a few new habits to implement while reading this book in order for the concepts to stick. James also touches on the role habits have in defining who you are. He emphasized that you should first decide who you want to and then define the habits necessary to get you there. I felt that this was the most compelling message of the book.

Favourite Quote: “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”

A easy and refreshing read reminding one to focus on the important things in life. Your hours are limited and sometimes, well you just have to not give a F*** about what's not important. Mark emphasis that to lead an intentional life you have to be able to say no to make time for what you value. A key takeaway for me is that what you find the most important is what you are willingly to struggle for.

Favourite quote: “Who you are is defined by what you are willingly to struggle for”

An easy to read book on personal finance. This book doesn't dive into the weeds and just gives the reader some easy to follow tips to improve personal finances. I appreciated that Tony also discussed the role money plays in overall wealth and happiness.

Favourite Quote: “People love to say that knowledge is power. But the truth is that knowledge is only potential power”

A year after reading this book I travelled to Sarajevo. It was extremely impactful to talk with survivors from this time and to see the damaged remains withing the city.