Book Reviews
Books are one of the sacred tomes where we can journey through the life of another person from the past. You obtain a glimpse of what they learned to build this creation. Join Kevin on his own path of reading these books as we discuss some of the highlights and lessons from the teachings of others.
New book reviews come out every other Monday.
The book that fell flat
A triggering book that gaslights you. This is one of the books I would not reread. Although hinted with some beautiful themes and messages, this book screams self-help with someone telling you who you are.
Beyond Individual Dreams
Imagine returning from a long workday to your dream home. The things you have strived for have all come true. Yet, there’s a sense of going through the motions. What’s next? Enter – the second mountain.
Relationship is the driver of change — Community is woven through love-drenched accountability.
Finding Freedom from Alcohol
When was the last time you picked up a drink and thought, “Why am I drinking this?”
This is the exact question Annie Grace explores in her book, “The Naked Mind.” Grace unpacks the role of alcohol in our lives and why she labels it the “enemy.”
Rich AF
This book is FILLED with rich information that makes it an amazing toolkit for navigating finances. Some parts were a bore whereas other sections had snippets of new information to better understand the financial landscape! Vivian’s writing style truly lives up to a BFF hyping you up with finances and was overall a delightful experience.
Retire By 30
Frank breaks down the F.I.R.E. concept deeply and also keeps it high-level for the reader to implement in their own day to day. This book encapsulates the full journey of not only strategies to pivot into, but also different areas and methods to consider. He discusses common pitfalls and overall makes it F.I.R.E. an easily digestible concept for someone new to the space. Overall, a book that is filled with tons of knowledge extracted to produce a high quality masterpiece.
What Makes Love Last
Decent book filled with tests to check in through your relationship. The mathematical theory was backed-up well, but the book itself had a much more research-paperesque vibe to it. Overall, a good read with tidbits of supportive material for building relationships that can be revisited on a case-by-case basis.
The Book of Boundaries
This book is a boatload of different scenarios for you to set boundaries in your life. This led to it feeling a bit redundant while going through it. Some chapters may resonate, whereas others are less so due to the circumstances we’re all in. Overall, a good guidebook, but not something that stands out too much.
Bird by Bird
A quick read with insightful notes throughout for any writer or creative. There are aspects of the deeper meaning of writing that resonate well wherever you are in life. It covers all the dimensions from writer’s block to the first draft to fully encapsulate the writing process.
Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance
Fascinating book that explains grit in 3 important scopes: what it is, how to cultivate it internally, and how to grow it externally. It’s one of those books that are good for a pick me up after hardship and pushes you to continue to persevere through a busy season in life. What fascinated me most was the last section of growing grit externally. The book transitioned into more of a parenting book and is a great read for all ages.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being
A tome providing a vastly different perspective into art & creativity. Rick Rubin’s writing is concise and to the point with chapters of less than 10 pages. This book is one where you would want to return to a chapter every so often through a creative project. Rubin tells concepts very well including real-life examples consistently, but some chapters lacked this imagery. Nevertheless, a transformative read overall.
Who Moved My Cheese
Fast read that describes life in a fun way with moral lessons. The story surrounds a high school reunion and has characters from all walks of life from business professionals to C-level executives. Would recommend reading this book with others to hear their interpretations.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
Concise and rich book of wisdom for wealth, happiness, and values. A little bit of insight for everyone no matter what age or area of life you are at. My favorite part was learning about happiness because of how Naval translates this emotion into tangible actions for us to control.
Diary of a CEO
Great read on the fundamentals of life. Chapters are short and precise with notable quotes from inspirational figures. Some laws were questionable such as “Create a Cult Mentality”, whereas others like “Never compromise your story,” were pivotal. Contains snippets of wisdom for anyone navigating business and relationships, especially people in their 20s. Would re-read some laws again.
Permission to Come Home
Immersive book to dive deeper into many different pieces of what Asian Americans struggle with such as navigating two cultures and choosing to make your own decisions. This book opens up sides like grieving and failure to evolve the narratives. That being said, I did not find the rest stops containing reflective questions as useful. Extremely deep book overall and would reread it.
Work Clean
One of the best productivity books I’ve read. The breakdown of the kitchen landscape with the hands-on exercises provides a systematic view to translate into other areas of life.
Think Again
Good book on conflict management, rethinking thoughts, and curating environments of growth mindset. Visuals included throughout were a major plus. Would re-read it in the future.
Running Smart
A good book outlining the scientific background of the sport of running. Covers everything from mentality, gear, training, etc. with useful tidbits here and there. Explanations of studies tended to drag on.
Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
A good book on all parts of public speaking: foundations, tools, on stage, and performance. The chapters are ~10 pages long and easy to get through. Well-worth the read.
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence
In "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence" by Anna Lemke, MD, the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the balance of pleasure and pain, and discussions about electrical stimulation masturbation are all explored. Lemke delves into the subject of dopamine in a three-part book centered around the pursuit of pleasure, self-binding practices, and concluding with the pursuit of pain. This eye-opening book was a delight to read and enhanced my understanding of the brain's management of dopamine.
The beginning is riveting, with a rush of unique stories that introduce the concept of the balance between pleasure and pain in how the brain regulates dopamine. This concept sets the tone for the entire book. When one side of the pleasure-pain spectrum increases, the other eventually increases to maintain equilibrium. Using this as a foundational concept, Lemke explores the pleasure side, the pain side, and how individuals can take control of this delicate balance.
As the book progresses, the latter section's pacing slows down a bit but still highlights key concepts, such as the role of radical honesty in reinforcing neural circuits and various systems to facilitate habit change. However, it's worth noting that the book lacks sufficient counter-arguments to provide a balanced perspective. The narrative feels somewhat one-sided, with minimal obstacles presented to challenge the concepts discussed.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars. It effectively employs visuals, captivating stories, and anecdotes to engage the reader. However, it falls short in presenting contradictory perspectives, which could have enriched the book's content.
The Compounding Effect
In Darren Hardy's 'The Compound Effect,' discover the power of small actions for big results. This insightful book emphasizes the importance of mentors, momentum, and self-improvement. While it offers no groundbreaking revelations, it's a valuable reminder on building lasting habits. Read this review for key takeaways.