Published in 2024, “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection” by Charles Duhigg examines the elements that make conversations effective and how individuals can enhance their communication skills in both professional and personal contexts. Duhigg identifies three types of conversations—practical, emotional, and social—and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and aligning with each to foster meaningful connections. Through a blend of research and storytelling, he provides insights into understanding the underlying layers of dialogue, enabling readers to become more effective communicators.
Supercommunicators
My Thoughts
I heard about this book on a podcast and it seemed interesting. It started out very strong and was doing a great job outlining why and how being a “super communicator” is both beneficial and possible. This is the reason I wanted to read the book, yet toward the end was unfortunate. Duhigg delved into the world of DEI, which seemed like overreach. Still, it was a good read.
Published in 2011, “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson is a comprehensive biography of the co-founder of Apple Inc., chronicling his life from childhood to his death in 2011. Based on extensive interviews with Jobs, his family, colleagues, and rivals, the book explores his early fascination with technology, his role in founding Apple, his departure and return to the company, and his impact on multiple industries, including personal computing, music, film, and mobile technology. It presents his leadership style, creative vision, and often intense personality, offering insight into his drive for perfection and innovation. The biography also delves into his personal relationships, struggles, and philosophy on life and business, painting a portrait of a man who reshaped modern technology and design.
Steve Jobs
My Thoughts
I was never really a fan of Steve Jobs, but I have to admit that he made quite the impact. I have worked extensively with Apple computers having been introduced to them in the late 90’s and owning several at a time ever since. They simply last forever. In fact, the iMac we bought for the family in 2015 is still being used today as the family computer. (Not too shabby.)
I saw Apple just about die in 1995 and jump back to life with the first G3s, iMacs, G4s, iPods, iPhones, iPads, and so on. I’ve owned at least one of each and then some. I didn’t know that Steve Jobs was behind them all and how they all came together. I have often wondered why so many people are such avid fans and the book helped to clarify some of that zeal for the product.
As I was reading the book, I thought there have been a lot of products Apple released that definitely didn’t have same commitment to end to end styling. The packaging went from simple and beautiful to just ridiculous. For example, the Apple Vision Pro is an amazing piece of hardware. It has the ugliest carrying case known to man. It is so front heavy that it is a pain to wear and you have to buy accessories with it to; hold the battery, support the headband, and prescription inserts just to be able to see. That seems to be the trend with the iPhones now as well. You need a 3rd party case or the camera will bang down on whatever surface you put it on. I just don’t see that kind of thing happening if Jobs were still in charge and screaming at people.
It’s sad, but Apple isn’t the same company without him. That said, he was an egotistical, troubled, drug addled, jerk who I would never want to work around. Regardless, he knew want he wanted and had style.
Published in June 2023, “How to Flourish: An Ancient Guide to Living Well” is an abridged translation of Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics” by Susan Sauvé Meyer. This work distills Aristotle’s exploration of human flourishing, emphasizing the cultivation of virtue through habitual practice and intellectual engagement. Aristotle provides practical guidance on various aspects of daily life, including managing emotions, financial prudence, and social interactions, while also distinguishing different forms of wisdom essential for a fulfilling life. Meyer’s translation aims to make these classical insights more accessible to contemporary readers, offering connecting commentary and presenting the original Greek text alongside the English translation.
How to Flourish
My Thoughts
Honestly, I read this nearly 3 week ago and I don’t remember any takeaways from the book. It gave a lot of generalizations but nothing worth remembering.
Recommendation
Just read the Nicomachean Ethics straight from the source.
Published in 2008, “Masters of Greek Thought: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle” is a 36-lecture course by Professor Robert C. Bartlett that delves into the philosophies of these three seminal figures. The course examines Socrates’ method of inquiry and his focus on ethical questions, Plato’s development of the theory of forms and his vision of an ideal state, and Aristotle’s extensive contributions across various fields, including logic, metaphysics, and ethics. Through these lectures, the course explores how each philosopher built upon the ideas of his predecessor, shaping the foundation of Western philosophical thought.
Masters of Greek Thought: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle
My Thoughts
My head hurts… Honestly, this lecture series really slowed my intake of information as I was grappling with the concepts and implications of these differing perspectives. Layer on a few thousand years of criticism and experience and it is surprising how well the ideas have held up.
It is very hard to identify a takeaway from this experience as I’m not through processing all of it. Professor Bartlett does an admirable job of pointing these roots of Western thought, but having grown up in the West, very little was new or surprising.
Recommendation
This series requires time to derive the value. However, it was worth it.
Published in around 335 BCE (as a treatise, not a book in the modern sense) “How to Tell a Story” by Aristotle is not a book Aristotle himself wrote, but rather a modern work summarizing and interpreting his ideas from Poetics, Aristotle’s influential treatise on storytelling and drama.
How to Tell a Story
My Thoughts
Interesting notes able were the interesting stories are those that can be related to but not too predicable. Don’t have too much plot or you risk losing your audience. Use plot points that are possible and believable. Keep the voice of the author to a minimum and allow the characters to tell the story. There was a large amount of time spent on the formation of words and their placement in the work. This isn’t too much of a surprise as the ancient writers were poets. For example, Aristotle says the iambic is the closest meter to common speech and therefore should be used if the author seeks for clarity. This type of thought seems foreign to my modern sense of writing which is more focused on meaning than meter. It’s a pity I don’t speak Greek so I could see the applications of the works.
Recommendation
Very interesting read. I think this could stand reasonably well today.
Published in 2021 “How to Innovate: An Ancient Guide to Creative Thinking”, edited by Armand D’Angour, draws on Aristotle’s philosophical concepts to explore the nature of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. This is a modern work interpreting Aristotle’s methods and ideas. The book delves into how Aristotle’s views on rhetoric, ethics, and practical reasoning can inspire fresh thinking in contemporary challenges. By examining ancient wisdom, the text provides insights into fostering ingenuity, addressing obstacles, and applying logical yet imaginative approaches to innovation in various fields.
How to Innovate
My Thoughts
I don’t know that I came away with anything practical in this work. There seemed to be a number of anecdotes and various ideas spread throughout the book but there wasn’t much of a takeaway. For example, the image on the cover was Aristotle’s famed “Eureka” moment of figuring out how to discover the volume of a complex object. The story was told but there wasn’t much in the way of how to apply the principles to everyday life. Perhaps I’ve read too much on the subject of creative thinking to notice the point the author was trying to make.
Published in 2022, “Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy” by Whitney Goodman examines the societal pressure to maintain constant positivity, even during challenging times. The book delves into how dismissing negative emotions in favor of a perpetually cheerful outlook can hinder genuine emotional processing and personal growth. Goodman provides insights into recognizing and addressing toxic positivity, advocating for a more balanced approach to emotional well-being that acknowledges the full spectrum of human experiences.
Toxic Positivity
My Thoughts
For the most part, Goodman’s book was in line with my preconceived notions of a healthy individual. Putting a happy face on everything is not the answer. You can’t “manifest” good health, money, skill, or a better partner with positive affirmations. I also appreciated Goodman’s seemingly heretical idea that you don’t need to live in a state of pure bliss all the time (perhaps skipping through fields while holding hands and singing isn’t sustainable in the long term). I really enjoyed her grounded approach to life and her attempt to manage expectations. I feel many people are chasing the wrong ideal and that leads to disappointment if not outright tragedy.
However, I struggled with the author’s need to fully distance herself from the experiences of people with different perspectives. While validating another person’s unique experiences is essential to their acceptance of your validation, the principle cuts both ways. If no one can fully understand another person’s experience, then they can’t claim to understand the experience of any other person. Thus, when Goodman says she can’t understand the experience of a Black person or struggling with gender issues, she is inconsistent to assume understanding of groups she belongs to, such as all women, mothers, or wives. As a practicing counselor, she likely has valuable insights into the diverse groups she works with daily, regardless of her inclusion into their groups. Of course, I can certainly understand the practical challenges of writing books that address sensitive diverse audiences (myself included).
Published in 1978, “Aristotle for Everybody” by Mortimer J. Adler serves as an accessible introduction to Aristotle’s philosophy. Adler simplifies complex ideas, covering topics such as logic, ethics, and metaphysics, to make them understandable for general readers. The book outlines Aristotle’s theories on human nature, reasoning, happiness, and practical wisdom, illustrating how these concepts are relevant to everyday life. Adler aims to present Aristotle’s work as a guide for achieving intellectual growth and ethical living.
Aristotle for Everybody
My Thoughts
This book was written as an application of the principles of Aristotle rather than expounding on the teachings directly. As such, it would be useful for someone who is struggling to understand how Aristotle would see our world today and how his system of reasoning would be applicable to everyone. I found it useful.
Recommendation
A bit stuffy, but a great primer into basic philosophy.
Published in 2008, “Aristotle: An Introduction” by Hugh Griffith offers an accessible overview of Aristotle’s philosophy, emphasizing his belief in underlying systems and order governing all aspects of life, including human conduct. The work includes introductions and excerpts from Aristotle’s treatises, notably “The History of Animals” and “Nicomachean Ethics,” exploring topics such as the best kind of life and the ideal society to facilitate it.
Aristotle: An Introduction
My Thoughts
This work centered much more on the content of the collective works of Aristotle including several lengthy readings directly from the originals. Aristotle tried to put the entire world in order and was interested in just about everything. Most of his work would even stand up to our modern definitions despite the lack of our instruments and technology.
There were many interesting observations on several subjects like the sheep as not particularly intelligent and the hind (deer) as much more so among non-non-predatory animals. Praising bees for working together and lions for the same. His thoughts about when to marry (18 years for women and 37 years for men) were interesting as well. (As noted from a previous book, this was when he himself was married so it was fun to see it in his own text). His reasoning was a woman needs to be old enough to have children but not too old to be at risk. Whereas a man should be past the action part of his life and gaining wisdom. Unlike Plato, Aristotle did not see the sexes as equal. He also saw manual labor to be the dominion of slaves (servile) and the labor of thinking to be the dominion of the free peoples (liberal). Of course, this was as much a reflection of the ancient world as it was of Aristotle himself.
Recommendation
The book was easily approached and understood. A good read.
Published in 1996, “Aristotle in 90 Minutes” by Paul Strathern provides a concise overview of Aristotle’s life and philosophical contributions. The book explores Aristotle’s extensive work across various fields, including logic, ethics, politics, and natural sciences, highlighting his methodical approach to categorizing human knowledge. Strathern presents Aristotle’s ideas in an accessible manner, offering insights into his influence on Western thought. The text includes selections from Aristotle’s writings, chronologies to contextualize his era, and suggestions for further reading, serving as an introductory guide for those interested in understanding Aristotle’s impact on philosophy.
Aristotle in 90 Minutes
My Thoughts
As I approached the writings of “The Great Philosopher”, I thought it might be a good idea to get some supporting texts under my belt before I start on his writings. This may turn out to be a terrible idea as I am already influenced by what I’ve read. (I’m reading three other books on the subject.) However, I believe I will get more out of Aristotle’s thoughts if I come at it with some familiarity.
This was a good bird’s eye view of the life and teachings of Aristotle. As I have studied his life before, very little was a surprise other than some of his personal life. (E.g. Falling in love.) However, it was a great reminder and has been useful in tying everything together.
Recommendation
This would be a great book to start off studying the work of Aristotle and understanding the major events in his life.
