Blog

2011-10-08

New Books in Thinking Skills, October 2011

Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. Some people have a mindset in which they believe that change, growth, learning, and improvement are both possible and normal. These people learn from experience, deal with setbacks more resiliently, and gain in skill and power over time. But other people look upon talent as a fixed attribute, impervious to change. These people are threatened by challenges and setbacks. They, even if of great initial ability, do not grow. Carol Dweck believes that all people have the potential to grow and change, provided they adopt the right method and put in the work. This book describes the research behind her thesis and a program that anyone can use to enter the growth mindset.

New Books in Investing, October 2011

Probable Outcomes by Ed Easterling. Investment climates are not uniform but nor are they random. Financial history contains periods, from a few years in duration to decades, of marketdly different character. During periods of one character, most stocks perform well above their long term average; during the opposite type of periods stocks perform poorly or even lose substantially. Easterling identifies the principal causes of the differences, describes how to recognize current conditions, and identifies what investment returns are likely over the next decades. Easterling primarily identifies causes as financial, such as interest rates and divident yields. He would have a richer analysis if he expanded it to recognize other political factors such as the degree and trend of government regulation and respect for (or lack of) property rights generally.

Sustainable Wealth by Axel Merk. Financial planning requires recognizing which factors we have more control over (e.g. our spending rate) versus less (e.g. the amount and pattern of our income) and adjusting both our plans and our investments to bring more under our control.

New Books in Business, October 2011

The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns. Aimed at creative professionals in advertising and design, the ideas in this book are actually relevant to all creative people, all those whose income derives from their ability to comprehend a problem and invent a solution. All such need a strategy to demonstrate their exceptional, preferably unique, value, avoiding being substitutable commodities.

Win Without Pitching site

Lead, Sell, or Get Out of the Way, The 7 Traits of Great Sellers by Ron Karr. Effective selling is not a matter of manipulating or overwhelming a prospective buyer. Rather, it is a rational process of specializing in a domain, differentiating onesself from competitors, communicating the fact of one's expertise, learning the needs of potential customers, and, if there is a match, helping customers make and sustain the decision that is in their best interest.

2011-05-08

Manhatta

An art film by Strand and Charles Sheeler, Manhatta shows the beauty and vitality of New York in 1920, the dynamic energy and freedom of the world's greatest city. (read more)

2010-12-30

New Books, December 2010

I've added some more brief reviews. See

Certain to Win by Chet Richards. John Boyd proposed a theory of military strategy that has revolutionized warfare by placing an emphasis on the cognitive aspects of conflict, especially on the roles of values and epistemology (though he uses an odd vocabulary of his own, and can be maddingly unclear). This theory is for the first time applied to winning and losing more broadly, outside the specifically military.
Neoconservatism, An Obituary for an Idea by C. Bradley Thompson, with Yaron Brook.
An obituary so soon! Surely the reports of neoconservatism's death are greatly exaggerated. C. Bradley Thompson has written (with Yaron Brook) the most comprehensive and original analysis of neoconservatism yet published and in the process has dealt it a mortal blow. Neoconservatism: An Obituary for an Idea reveals publicly for the first time what the neocons call their philosophy of governance--their plan for governing America. This book explicates the deepest philosophic principles of neoconservatism, traces the intellectual relationship between the political philosopher Leo Strauss and contemporary neoconservative political actors, and provides a trenchant critique of neoconservatism from the perspective of America's founding principles. The theme of this timely book--neoconservatism as a species of anti-Americanism--will shake up the intellectual salons of both the Left and Right. What makes this book so compelling is that Thompson actually lived for many years in the Straussian/neoconservative intellectual world. Neoconservatism therefore fits into the "breaking ranks" tradition of scholarly criticism and breaks the mold when it comes to informed, incisive, nonpartisan critique of neoconservative thought and action. (publisher's description)

This book is a must-read for all Americans interested in defending the founding fathers vision of a free and just society. --Glenn Beck

A novel and riveting account. . .that traces a tight arc from Leo Strauss through Irving Kristol to the daily travails of Washington politics. --Richard Epstein, University of Chicago

C. Bradley Thompson and Yaron Brook delve deeply into the origin, arc, and current nature of the neoconservative movement in the United States. Brilliant, deep, and told with authority. --Thom Hartmann, Air America Radio Network host
How Not to Die, Surprising Lessons on Living Longer, Safer, and Healthier from America's Favorite Medical Examiner by Jan Garavaglia, M.D.. Stories and explanations of the main causes of accidental death, with a simple list of the top ten precautions. Follow the advice, and you will likely avoid most accidental early exits.
How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes by Peter Schiff and Andrew Schiff. An easy-to-follow explanation of production, trade, prosperity, and its ruin through government financial interference.
Newton and the Counterfeiter, The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist by Thomas Levenson. Newton's character shows clearly in this history of his management of the British royal mint. Newton was not a man of aloof theory, but passionately committed to using theory as man's method of understanding and controlling nature, combining intense focus on fundamentals with a deep pursuit of practical details.
A Gift to My Children, A Father's Lessons for Life and Investing by Jim Rogers. The famed investor Jim Rogers concisely gives his advice for growing and living well.