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.
Published in Japan in 2007 and in English in 2013, “The Reason I Jump” was written by Naoki Higashida, who is described as a severely autistic teenager. This book offers insight to the personal mind of someone living with autism. Structured as a series of questions and answers, the book addresses common misconceptions about autism and provides explanations for behaviors that might seem puzzling to neurotypical individuals. Higashida conveys his thoughts and feelings with clarity and emotion, aiming to foster understanding and empathy. The book was translated into English by David Mitchell and Keiko Yoshida, with Mitchell, a parent of an autistic child, contributing an introduction.
The Reason I Jump
My Thoughts
This was one of those rare works where with the introduction and the afterward were of more value to me than the actual narrative. The text itself made some definitive statements about how people living with autism perceive the world. While the author is certainly able to describe his experience, blanket statements about everyone along the spectrum of autism felt arrogant and inappropriate. A fundamental misunderstanding of what a spectrum implies seems to be sadly lacking in the general population and the narrative seemed to feed this misunderstanding. That said, I was pleased to hear Higashida is now a public speaker who actively engages with people and tries to help them understand autism. This condition certainly warrants more study and understanding.
I found the book by the author or more precisely, the author’s name. I have a friend named David Mitchell and wanted to see what the author wrote. I didn’t know this was a translation until I had already ordered it and started the book. However, I’m currently about a third through another David Mitchell book, “Cloud Atlas” which I’m really not enjoying so it may not make this blog. I really try to finish books, even when they are difficult yet I’m not sure about this one. Please forgive my occasional selection bias.
Recommendation
I’m on the fence here. It wasn’t great but it did give me some things to think about.
Published in 2020, “How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered” was co-authored by Mark Bittman and Dr. David L. Katz, How to Eat addresses common questions about food, health, and diet in a straightforward Q&A format. The book covers topics such as optimal dietary patterns, the role of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and the impact of specific foods like grains, meat, and dairy on health. Bittman and Katz aim to dispel myths and clarify misconceptions surrounding nutrition, providing readers with practical advice for making informed dietary choices. The content is inspired by their popular article on Grub Street, where they shared their perspectives on food and diet.
How to Eat
My Thoughts
This is my wife’s favorite book on dieting or to be more specific, it is on a how best to make a permanent change. Again and again, Bittman and Katz make the point that we know a great deal about what people should eat. What we should eat shouldn’t be in excess or based on one food or even macro nutrient. Our food should be minimally processed and we likely don’t need to eat meat in our food rich country. They also dive into sustainability and ethical considerations.
I liked the book in that the recommendations were based on robust studies and declared biases. A common refrain in the text was, “compared to what” when asked if something is bad. (E.g. Is bread bad? Compared to what? If donuts, yes. If whole grain, no.) The book was easy to read as it is largely in-line with my existing thoughts about food. I don’t know I agree about their position on meat and protein, but I do agree with the rest. The book was a success in that it served to motivate me to eat better.
Published in 1993, “Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship” is a non-fiction book by Tom Clancy. The book offers an in-depth exploration of the inner workings of both attack and nuclear submarines, with tours of the USS Miami (SSN-755), an improved Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine, and the British submarine HMS Triumph. Clancy provides detailed insights into submarine design, construction, and operations, supplemented by diagrams, photographs, and previously classified information. The book also delves into the history and evolution of submarines, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of these complex vessels.
Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship
My Thoughts
This book was much more of a reference than a story so it was a little hard to push through it. Clancy does give some scenarios and speculations of how a submersible ship could be used in war and politics, but most of it read more like a text book. It truly is amazing what marvels of engineering these vessels are and how much they can do! It’s important to keep in mind this was written 30 years ago. I can only imagine what the new Columbia class boats are able to achieve.
Clancy reinforced my desire to never step on one of these boats. My hat is off to all the intrepid submariners who have endeavored to keep us safe. I sincerely hope they found joy in their service, but I would politely decline the opportunity if it ever presented itself. Seriously, I thought it was extreme to be shipped off to Mars and yet every habitation scenario I saw was better than life on a submarine.
Published in September of 2024, “Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes” is a humorous essay collection by Laci Mosley, host of the award-winning “Scam Goddess” podcast. The book delves into various frauds, cons, and schemes, examining how the scammer mindset has influenced Mosley’s upbringing, career, relationships, and more. Through personal anecdotes and true-crime scam stories, Mosley offers insights into navigating a complex and often unjust world.
Scam Goddess
My Thoughts
I had never heard of Laci Mosley before reading this book. I had to Google “Florida Girls” and realized there really wasn’t any way I would stumble across her work thus far. (Till now!) I enjoy reading a random new book release in a failing attempt to diversify my interests and keep me current. I say failing because I seem to slide further into my “get off the lawn” phase in life. I love the quote from the Simpsons (Abe Simpson Season 7, Episode 24), “I used to be with it, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it,’ and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary to me. It’ll happen to you!”
Anyway, I enjoyed the book. I certainly don’t agree with the main premise that everyone is a scammer and trying to get one over on everyone. In fact, it saddens me to think there are so many people out there with the same perspective. Mosley mentions in the book how she stole food from a hotel because she didn’t want to wait in line. No apology, no shame, just a passing mention that it was their fault for not having enough attendants. That is full on self centered entitlement. She not only doesn’t see that behavior as wrong, she honestly believes she was being the moral actor as she was engaged in what she deemed as a good cause at the time. Plus, and as a bonus, it is the fault of institution that allowed it to happen. To use the classic phrase, “This is why we can’t have nice things.”
Oh yeah, back on track. I enjoyed the book. Mosley is very open with her thoughts and feelings has she shares her story. Her words are alive with energy and enthusiasm and she almost made me forget that most of what she shared was morally reprehensible. I have almost nothing in common with an attention seeking, actress, female, black, millennial and even less with a self described “Scam Goddess”, but I appreciate the window into her story.
Recommendation
I’m on the fence here. I’d imagine if you know and love Laci Mosley, you would likely love this book. However, even though I enjoyed the read and specifically enjoyed the alternate perspective, reading it hurt my heart and may have dimmed my perspective on humanity. The reader will have make up their own mind on this one.
Published in September of 2024, “The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War” by historian Tim Cook examines the evolving relationship between Canada and the United States during World War II. Initially wary neighbors, the two nations transformed into steadfast allies, collaborating closely to combat the Axis powers. Cook delves into diplomatic communications among leaders such as Churchill, Roosevelt, and King, highlighting how their interactions shaped wartime strategies and the post-war order. The book explores joint military operations, economic partnerships, and the cultural shifts that solidified the North American alliance, offering insights into how Canada navigated its role alongside a burgeoning global superpower.
The Good Allies
My Thoughts
This was an interesting read as, like others, I wasn’t very aware of Canada’s contribution to World War II. Cook owns that stating, “It is up to Canadians to tell their story” which was a stated part of why this book was written.
In high school, I struggled to remember and meaningfully acknowledge the contributions of people outside my immediate friend group. Reading this book felt a lot like revisiting that dynamic. Canada played a significant role, making notable contributions, but their story often goes untold or forgotten. It’s no wonder Canada’s leadership worried about this exact issue. Caught between being perceived as English colonials or “upper Americans,” Canada has long been treated like the annoying younger sibling no one wants to include. Yet, during the war, they gave their time, talent, and resources—and continued to persevere despite it all. My hat’s off to you Canada!
Recommendation
This was a detailed read and I had to plow through some of it. However, I enjoyed the fresh perspective.
