Sarah Schumacher
One chapter in, and the writing is redundant and… irritating, like the author is trying really, really hard to convince me this is the most brilliant guy/concept/book ever written. It’s really weird to start a book by saying (and I paraphrase) “the name on the cover isn’t the guy that actually wrote this - it’s me! And he thinks it’s better than if he’d written it!” I get what he’s going for, but also… weird.
One chapter in, and the writing is redundant and… irritating, like the author is trying really, really hard to convince me this is the most brilliant guy/concept/book ever written. It’s really weird to start a book by saying (and I paraphrase) “the name on the cover isn’t the guy that actually wrote this - it’s me! And he thinks it’s better than if he’d written it!” I get what he’s going for, but also… weird.
One chapter in, and the writing is redundant and… irritating, like the author is trying really, really hard to convince me this is the most brilliant guy/concept/book ever written. It’s really weird to start a book by saying (and I paraphrase) “the name on the cover isn’t the guy that actually wrote this - it’s me! And he thinks it’s better than if he’d written it!” I get what he’s going for, but also… weird.
One chapter in, and the writing is redundant and… irritating, like the author is trying really, really hard to convince me this is the most brilliant guy/concept/book ever written. It’s really weird to start a book by saying (and I paraphrase) “the name on the cover isn’t the guy that actually wrote this - it’s me! And he thinks it’s better than if he’d written it!” I get what he’s going for, but also… weird.
Julie Zhuo begins by saying that she felt too early in the managerial journey to be writing a book about it, and a colleague said that’s exactly why she needed to. It’s approachable, practical, and genuinely helpful to people newer to management. This book is particularly useful for people moving from an IC (Individual Contributor) role like being a designer, to managing teams of designers, which is a very different set of skills. Highly recommended for anyone who finds themselves in that position.
Julie Zhuo begins by saying that she felt too early in the managerial journey to be writing a book about it, and a colleague said that’s exactly why she needed to. It’s approachable, practical, and genuinely helpful to people newer to management. This book is particularly useful for people moving from an IC (Individual Contributor) role like being a designer, to managing teams of designers, which is a very different set of skills. Highly recommended for anyone who finds themselves in that position.
This is probably the longest list of notes I've ever taken from a book. There's a reason Peter Drucker is so often quoted; he knows what he's talking about. Highly recommend this (I read the 50th Anniversary edition).
This is probably the longest list of notes I've ever taken from a book. There's a reason Peter Drucker is so often quoted; he knows what he's talking about. Highly recommend this (I read the 50th Anniversary edition).
A must read for anyone who manages people.
A must read for anyone who manages people.
We did not enjoy this book as much as the first one, mostly due to one of the stories displaying excess stupidity/gullibility (which both my kid and I find highly irritating). Still worth the read, but not as good as book 1.
We did not enjoy this book as much as the first one, mostly due to one of the stories displaying excess stupidity/gullibility (which both my kid and I find highly irritating). Still worth the read, but not as good as book 1.
Great art, hilarious dialogue and thoroughly enjoyable plot. The kid could not put this down/did not want to share.
Great art, hilarious dialogue and thoroughly enjoyable plot. The kid could not put this down/did not want to share.
Added to listKid Bookswith 69 books.
Added to listGraphic Novelswith 37 books.
My 9yo insisted this book was hilarious and I should read it with him. He was correct. The concept is a blast and we thoroughly enjoyed the multiple mini adventures of this happy-go-lucky character that inadvertently teaches basic cooking techniques. I’d also recommend the Chronicles of Claudette by Jorge Aguirre.
My 9yo insisted this book was hilarious and I should read it with him. He was correct. The concept is a blast and we thoroughly enjoyed the multiple mini adventures of this happy-go-lucky character that inadvertently teaches basic cooking techniques. I’d also recommend the Chronicles of Claudette by Jorge Aguirre.
This is a must-read for anyone who even slightly identifies as being a perfectionist. The author is a therapist with the ability to encapsulate deep truths in simple statements; this is currently the all-time most highlighted book in my library (414 highlights).
While she presents 5 types of perfectionists as personalities she’s noticed in her practice, this isn’t a huge talking point in the book and I love her caveat at the end that, like many other frameworks presented by other authors, her labels are just additional lenses that might be helpful.
The entire book is uplifting, encouraging, discusses trusting yourself, self-compassion, self-forgiveness, self-worth, types of perfectionism, being present, making meaning, and so much more. There are patient stories/breakthroughs as examples of concepts she’s presenting.
If you’re even slightly interested in this book - just read it. I’d also recommend On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen.
"When you’re in an adaptive space, you allow what’s perfect for you to change because you know that the perfection is coming from inside of you. When you’re in a maladaptive space, you’re not connected to your wholeness (perfection), so you try to outsource perfection. Your world becomes superficially perfect while you’re miserable on the inside." (Katherine Morgan Schafler, The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control)
This is a must-read for anyone who even slightly identifies as being a perfectionist. The author is a therapist with the ability to encapsulate deep truths in simple statements; this is currently the all-time most highlighted book in my library (414 highlights).
While she presents 5 types of perfectionists as personalities she’s noticed in her practice, this isn’t a huge talking point in the book and I love her caveat at the end that, like many other frameworks presented by other authors, her labels are just additional lenses that might be helpful.
The entire book is uplifting, encouraging, discusses trusting yourself, self-compassion, self-forgiveness, self-worth, types of perfectionism, being present, making meaning, and so much more. There are patient stories/breakthroughs as examples of concepts she’s presenting.
If you’re even slightly interested in this book - just read it. I’d also recommend On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen.
"When you’re in an adaptive space, you allow what’s perfect for you to change because you know that the perfection is coming from inside of you. When you’re in a maladaptive space, you’re not connected to your wholeness (perfection), so you try to outsource perfection. Your world becomes superficially perfect while you’re miserable on the inside." (Katherine Morgan Schafler, The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control)
Added to listFavoriteswith 34 books.
Added to listBusinesswith 26 books.
This book is essentially an argument for niching down (grow one prize-winning “pumpkin”), with a focus on streamlining your processes and delivering great customer experience. It’s a high level approach with very doable action steps at the end of each chapter, written in the author’s colorful, I’ve-been-there, slightly zany way.
Read this if you’re an established business/stuck in the grind/trying to get past that initial plateau of growth. I agree with his assessment of stages; that not every business owner is ready to make the hard choice to niche down, or the scary choice to fire the bad clients. If you’re ready to do what it takes and you like informal, actionable writing, pick this one up.
If you want to dive more into the process side of things, pick up his book Clockwork. I feel like that is a natural follow-up to The Pumpkin Plan.
"I tried to become Frank's definition of an entrepreneur, which, I later learned, is the only definition of an entrepreneur: "You're not an entrepreneur yet, Mike. Entrepreneurs don't do most of the work. Entrepreneurs identify the problems, discover the opportunities and then build processes to allow other people and other things to do the work."" (Mike Michalowicz, The Pumpkin Plan)
This book is essentially an argument for niching down (grow one prize-winning “pumpkin”), with a focus on streamlining your processes and delivering great customer experience. It’s a high level approach with very doable action steps at the end of each chapter, written in the author’s colorful, I’ve-been-there, slightly zany way.
Read this if you’re an established business/stuck in the grind/trying to get past that initial plateau of growth. I agree with his assessment of stages; that not every business owner is ready to make the hard choice to niche down, or the scary choice to fire the bad clients. If you’re ready to do what it takes and you like informal, actionable writing, pick this one up.
If you want to dive more into the process side of things, pick up his book Clockwork. I feel like that is a natural follow-up to The Pumpkin Plan.
"I tried to become Frank's definition of an entrepreneur, which, I later learned, is the only definition of an entrepreneur: "You're not an entrepreneur yet, Mike. Entrepreneurs don't do most of the work. Entrepreneurs identify the problems, discover the opportunities and then build processes to allow other people and other things to do the work."" (Mike Michalowicz, The Pumpkin Plan)