Tag: book report

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Books Insights Personal Development

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday | Book Report

READ THIS BOOK IF…

  • You’re someone who half-ass a lot of things
  • You dwell too much on the negative side
  • You are overly emotional

DO NOT READ IF…

  • You have more time at your disposal. I suggest you read A Guide to the Good Life instead.
  • You’re already objective and calm and collected when facing stressful situations.

The title of the book is a bit of an oxymoron. Kasi nga pano sya magiging “way” kung may obstacle nga. So title pa lang, it’s clear na ang gustong iparating ng book ay yung mga challenges daw, mga setbacks, mga “obstacles”, yun yung makakatulong satin para mag-improve at mas maging resilient. Yung mga problema, hindi natin dapat syang iwasan. Dapat natin syang daanan.

The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

Marcus Aurelius

He says the best way out is always through
And I agree to that, or in so far
As I can see no way out but through.

Robert Frost
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Categories
Books Non-Fiction Wellness

Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have To by David Sinclair | Book Report

READ THIS BOOK IF…

  • Interesado kang pahabain ang buhay mo
  • Ang concepts na “aging is a disease” at “we have the right to choose how we die” ay controversial sayo at gusto mong malaman bakit nasabi yun nung author
  • You don’t mind learning a few scientific terms (like methionine and epigenome) and some scientific explanations (the longer your telomeres are, the better)

May shinare yung author about sa lola nya:

She told me to enjoy my youth, to savor the feeling of being young. Adults, she said, always ruined things. Don’t grow up, she said. Never grow up.

Lola nung author

Wala naman ako masyadong realization about dun sa sinabi ng lola nya. Shinare ko lang kasi interesting and I kind of agree. Wag maging laging seryoso sa buhay. Minsan kelangan natin maging playful at mag-try ng mga bagay bagay. Kasi ang mga bata diba laging curious.

Continue reading “Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have To by David Sinclair | Book Report”
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Books Insights Non-Fiction

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • Curious ka kung bakit sikat ‘tong book na ‘to sa mga productivity gurus sa YouTube
  • You appreciate endless explanations detailing countless studies and experiments from decades of research by a Nobel Prize winner author

Sa personal reading journey ko, yung non-fiction book na pinaka nag-cause ng mental strain sakin ay yung book ni Neil Postman na Amusing Ourselves to Death. Pero grabe ‘tong book na ‘to. Sobrang dense. Hindi ko kinakaya. Ang daming studies, experiments, statistics at word problems. Grabe talaga.

Nevertheless, eto yung mga natutunan ko sa librong ‘to:

Continue reading “Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman | Book Report”
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Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Essentialism by Greg McKeown | Book Review

READ THIS IF…

  • If you’re a very busy leader or a person who’s really in demand
  • You want to learn to say “No.” without feeling guilty (but also, if you’re someone who won’t get fired if you say no to a task/meeting)
  • You want to value simplicity more (although I’m sure there’s a better book about simplicity out there somewhere)

Already convinced? Click to buy on Amazon.

Ang subtitle nya ay The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. I had high hopes dito sa book na ‘to. Kala ko more on about minimalism and simplicity sya. Well, tungkol naman sya dun pero akala ko holistic yung approach. Pero hindi pala.

📷: sloww.co
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Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to learn how to craft and tell better stories
  • You want to read a super entertaining book filled with the author’s own stories
  • You want to know how storytelling can be a superpower

Naka-discover nanaman ako ng hidden gem sa book na ‘to. Lately, madami akong pinapanood na YouTubers na ang niche is self improvement. So na-recommend ‘tong book na ‘to. Ang subtitle nya is Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling. Lately ulit, mas trip kong magbasa ng mga non-fiction books. Halos hindi ako makausad sa mga binabasa kong fiction.

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Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to build better connections with other people
  • You want to be more courageous
  • You read Brené Brown’s Ted Talk and you can’t get enough of her

DON’T READ THIS IF…

  • You’re perfect

Eto ulit yung book of the month ng book club namin at kakatapos ko lang syang basahin kahapon. Nakakaasar pa kasi nabura yung highlights ko dito sa Kindle. Nagspend pa siguro ko ng another 1-2 hours para i-scan yung buong book para hanapin yung mga hinighlight ko. Grr.

Eto yung backbone ng libro na ‘to. It’s a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

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Categories
Books Non-Fiction

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You’d like to learn (or relearn) how everything began
  • You’re interested in learning about history, science and technology
  • Gusto mong magalit (?) sa sarili nating species

Reading about how humans and animals came about and how numerous species are now extinct because of humans, naisip ko sana hindi na lang naging super evolved ang humans. Para hindi tayo nag-cause ng major damage sa nature. Sana tulad na lang noong primitive times na nag co-exist na lang lahat ng creatures. Eh kasi nga since nagkaron tayo ng unique ability to be reasonable and logical, naging ang thinking ng humans noon ay “It’s us or them.” Kaso diba normal naman yung may predator and prey. So kung nagiging prey ang humans minsan, eh wala, yun talaga yung cycle of life eh. Natural naman na ipagtanggol ng humans ang mga sarili nila pero sana nagkaron ng control. Hindi sana naging greedy. Para hindi nagkaganito.

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Books Insights Non-Fiction

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to be enlightened on the amount of unnecessary information you consume
  • You’re bothered with your short attention span
  • You want to appreciate reading more

This non-fiction book about the negative effects of television was published in 1985. It may seem irrelevant nowadays but not really. The reason why this book is still being read today is because it couldn’t be more relevant.

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Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine | Book Report

This book was recommended by one of our book club members (Thanks Pearl!). She learned that I have some interest in Stoicism and suggested this book to me. I had a hard time finding a simple definition of what Stoicism is but I think this one is helpful:

STOICISM • a philosophy that helps us direct our thoughts and actions in an unpredictable world. We don’t control and cannot rely on external events, but we can (to a certain extent) control our mind and choose our behavior.

http://www.njlifehacks.com

Basically, the book is encouraging us to have some kind of philosophy when dealing with life. And since I don’t have any religion, I think it’s a good plan. Although I’ve always thought that I turned out pretty well without being religious. That I don’t need to have a religion to be a decent person. But having a philosophy, as the book suggested, seemed appealing to me; and personally, a better alternative than religion. And this specific philosophy that the author is advocating for is Stoicism.

The primary concern of philosophy should be the art of living: Just as wood is the medium of the carpenter and bronze is the medium of the sculptor, your life is the medium on which you practice the art of living.

Epictetus
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Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz | Book Report

In the beginning part of the book, the author discussed how our society, our culture, our families and relationships shape our beliefs and identities. That we didn’t have a choice when we were little. And now that we’re older, he is challenging us to question these beliefs/practices or these “agreements”.

Another thing he talked about is how sometimes people just go with the flow to gain approval in order to have a sense of belongingness. Which is a natural thing for humans. Sabi nga ni Aristotle, we are social animals. But he also challenges that. Like saying no if we want to say no. Or attempting to ask even if it meant rejection.

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