TJ

Interesting book, not the best that I have read but I did enjoy the authors personal insights. The biggest problem was the foul language throughout the book. I understand this is how some people choose to speak but it really should not be apart of polite society. Our founders would not have likes it and it didn’t add anything to the book (so why use it).

Other missed opportunities are to maybe give a strict or modern interpretation of the constitution; or maybe a liberal or conservative view. This could have been very useful to help bridge the differences in our society.

Otherwise, good book but fell short in a few areas.

There is a lot going on in this book with several different plot lines and surprises all along the way. I enjoyed the plot and character development but could have used a little more around the antagonist. I would also like to see more flaws in the main character to give more interesting, rounded person.

Looking forward to the next book.

Probably one of the best books in the series so far. The expansion of the world, character, and plot have added a lot of action without all the “fluff” that was in the earlier books. You can also feel the MC growing up more in the little things she thinks and does. I do feel the antagonist needs a lot more depth and contrast as I do not think the author has put enough words into their characters.

Interesting read for me as I have little interest in management but it helped me understand business from a manager's perspective. I was a manager early in my career but the first time I was told to lay someone off, I decided right then I was not meant to be a business manager.

For anyone who can make these decisions, this book is a great read and valuable in how to do it best. For me, my values are in conflict with the ideals of capitalism.

For the record, I was only able to make it 1/2 way through it and one of the only books I decided was not worth my time to finish.

This book is providing very common western self-help philosophies in an eastern wrapper, and it just doesn't work. Robin clearly has no idea what eastern philosophies are and what it means to be enlightened.

I felt it was fair to give 2 stars because the common western philosophies are valid but very disorganized in this wrapper. There are way better books on this topic.

Side note, I did really enjoy the narrator.

Let's be real. This is a 44 page book and a 90 minute audiobook. There is very little you are going to learn. The audiobook version seems to have been narrated by a computer too and extremely annoying. It feels like you are reading through a students notebook studying for a test.

Spend your time and money elsewhere.

This was a tough book to review (easy to read) but I am tourn about the review. Overall, it is a great summary of technology today and how we got here as a society. It fills its purpose well, which is to guide business leaders into a digital transformation, and the author's new company is well positioned to help, but there are very few plugs in the book for his company.

Overall, as a technology expert and cloud engineer, I cannot disagree with any if his ideas and the book is very well written. I reserve my 5 ratings for legendary books, this topic can never reach this level and even though the author calls himself “legendary Silicon Valley entrepreneur”, I have my doubts. Still, a fantastic book and likely deserves 4.5 stars.

I very much do recommend this book for all company workers and leaders alike. We do need to embrace AI as it is coming whether we like it or not, and companies and people who are able to harness this technologies will be the survivors in the future.

This will definitely be a second read for me as the information will be critical for anyone looking to improve their health using common sense and a solid basis in science.

So what is it about? The book explains how energy levels are more related to gut health and less to lifestyle choices, sharing tips to improve gut microbiome to boost energy and manage stress. There are several core ideas in the book that also correlate with the book chapters.

1. Love your “gut buddies”
2. Eating windows (Intermitted Fasting)
3. Prebiotics/Postbiotics
4. Junk light
5. Stress Response

Good news for me, I've been living this lifestyle for almost 10 years and I can say with little doubt this is true and it works. Some things I would add.

Exercise is key to a healthy body . You need to move throughout your day.
Don't drink your calories . Most of the time these are junk calories and its better to replace it with tea and water.
Create healthy habits and it will feel more natural and be more successful.

I have a new favorite finance book. The Psychology of Money, beating my 10 year favorite “The Richest Man in Babylon”. This one I plan to read at least 2 more times as every chapter is completely filled with great advice and actionable plans.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to make smarter financial decisions and have a better relationship with money. The psychology of money is the study of our behavior with money.

According to the author, the key to managing your relationship with money and having a happy and fulfilling life is twofold -
a. Get clear on your financial goals
b. Design your own game plan that achieves those goals and stick with it. Don't try to impress others, it's not worth it.

The book's advice is based on financial common sense that most people get wrong. We all need a little kick in the rear sometimes and this book is the best way to get yourself back on track to meeting your financial goals.

I love the “Dummies” and “Idiot's Guide” books do much I don't think I have not found one I dislike. This one is a excellent book on what it's like to live Zen. If you are looking for a simpler way to live and want to bring meaning into everything you do, I do recommend the Zen path and this book is just the way to get started.

Never before was I so conflicted in writing a review because in my heart I am not finding any ground breaking research but I liked the book and respect the author. Key take-a-ways for me were to make habits smaller to start and tie to your emotions to get motivated.

If I just bring these 2 ideas to my everyday life, I know I will be able to establish great habits to build a fantastic life. The ball is now in my court to put action into knowledge.

I do recommend everyone read this book and especially if you are new to habits and self-help in general. This book will transform your life if you let it!

Animal Farm:
Who doesn't love a good George Orwell book? His irony is off the charts and makes you think about society and core morality of a society's leaders. None the less, this is a great story and extremely well written, and a classic in every sense of the word.

As always, I love to place connections from a book like this, written about 75 years ago, with society today. It's amazing how connections can be made no matter what political environment you happen to be living in, and the lessons are not only valuable but entertaining.

Overall, a great book and very much recommended.

1984:
Fantastic book and one I will likely read again. I am sure I did read this in HS but who truly remembers the books you have to read in school.

Disturbing on so many levels and drawing parallels between today really makes you think about society and those in power. On a small level, I can see a future like this as changes like this tend to sneak up to you slowly. As I scan the news articles, I can see so many connections to what is happening today in 2025 and what happened in the book.

I am a sucker for a true love story, and I thought I was into one here, but Mr. Orwell has different plans. Instead of a love story, it is a battle of wills between good and evil, and a battle of control of the mind and more importantly the spirit of more than a man. A classic in every sense of the word and a must read for everyone.

I loved the book and agree with it on so many levels. After getting about 1/2 way through it I decided to follow my standard advice and research the author a bit. This is something I told myself I will always do before reading or buying any book but I sometimes skip this step.

Knowing the author is a Christian priest teaching eastern philosophy ideals (mixed with his Christians views) was a bit of a shock that I found very refreshing and inspiring. He merged the 2 ideals perfectly and I respect him and his positions. It actually enhanced his message because I knew he was not pulling any punches and was teaching what he truly believed (and not something that is unoriginal in anyway).

As a Buddhist and former Christian, I feel there is a place for me in this world and I am not alone. But you do not need to be either to learn from these teachings. Spend time and learn who you are, what your place is in this wonderful world, and be who you were meant to be (and this book will help you discover all that).

Overall, I was not a fan of the book, mostly because I felt it was too wordy and used a paragraph where a sentence would have done. I am happy to know there is a defined personality I fit into but also know I really don't fit into anything really well.

Maybe for most people, combining a self-help topic on how to be a better multipotentialite person might be preferred, but not something I was interested in. I know what works for me and didn't want a how to get things done, or how to live my life. I've been this way for half a century, I know how to be me.

This is the second book I've read by Professor Finke on finance and this class should be required for anyone graduating high school. Understanding the basics of money could go a long way to solving the huge income gap we have in America and honestly in the rest of the world.

Not only can it solve our growing income gap between societies classes, but it can also solve the retirement problems we have too. Getting people to understand saving for future me is way more important then spending on today me.

Some could argue that some topics are not deep enough but that is not the purpose. I think each chapter goes in depth enough to drive action. The class is not designed to help you pass your CFP exam, but you help you make smarter choices with your money. Well done professor.

Very useful information but rather shallow in depth, but none the less I am very happy I read it and will likely reread several areas again before digging deeper (like trusts). My biggest issue was in the narration as it was read way too slow and had annoying pauses after every grouping of words. I suspect this was done by design to make understanding easier for older people but annoying none the less.

The one item missing is a checklist to provide a summary of all the steps needed. This list need not be 100% complete as in most cases, doing something is a lot better than doing nothing. This alone seems to me a huge gap in what the author is trying to prevent.

Also, there are other areas I would consider “fluff” to fill up pages. Most I suspect would skip any area that will not relate to their needs, but I did read it all. For the most part, I am happy it was included for the benefit of others who may find the information valuable.

Overall, a recommended book, especially for older people wanting to get their legal house in order.

Good Book, glad I went out of my comfort zone to read it. I do have major issues with reading books in series as in most cases, it feels too much like a daytime drama with cliff hangers at every chapter and between books. This one was no exception.

Overall, the characters were well written and the story was action packed. I did start book 2 the same day as finishing this one (cliff hanger) and I expect the follow-up books will not be as good and a bit drawn out. I can give this a solid 4 stars.

Great book, learned a lot, and very actionable. Plus it was rather funny in its presentation which makes it more rememberable. We all know stress is bad for your health, but this book explains the why and how, so you are better armed to prevent it.

Please remember this is not a typical self-help book but rather a college level lecture series. I loved all the Great Courses because I know I can trust the source (the professors), and can easily recommend the book to others.

I honestly enjoyed reading this and even though some of it felt like fluff and didn't add anything to the overall plot, it was engaging. As a guy who typically reads non-fiction, it is a good change-up to my TBR. Even though book 3 is on my shelf ready to be read, I think I will put this series down for a bit and return to my regular non-fiction books and come back to this series later.

I wish I could give this very long, but really good book 10 stars. If you can only every read one book on improving your overall health, let it be this one. Over 18 hours of studies and advice on how to live a longer, healthier, and happier life.

I have always known that the mind and body work together but now I know about countless studies that prove the relationship and benefits of the mind in health. This is a definitely a reread for me as there was just too much information in the first read to really be able to take it away and apply it to my life.