Somewhere in here is a book that could change your life…
Category: 2 – BUY it! (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)
Comments: Very interesting book – this is Jared Diamond’s reasoning and analysis on why the world is the way it is.
I did feel the ending was abrupt for some reason. The book had me asking for/wanting more!
Category: 1 – Read ASAP! (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)
Comments: There are many different kinds of books. Some, like the ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective people’, can change the way you think about life and yourself. Those are very impactful, of course. But, if you are looking for a book that would change the way you looked at the world, it’s history and how it ended up in it’s current state, there are probably few books that can match ‘The Splendid Exchange’. This is a classic!
The book is a story of the world from the eyes of trade, and traders. In essence, it is a history of the world presented from a different (and you might argue, more balanced) lens.
If I had to mentally think of a list of the best books I’ve read, this book would be right up there – regardless of genre or type.
Add on Mar 16, 2016: Thoughts of reading this book still gives me goosebumps. I feel like I should go back and re-read this at some point.
Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)
Comments: I think it’s a book to read just to broaden horizons and understand how some of the things we tend to take for granted first came into being. It has lots of short bios of many great inventors like Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Alva Edison, The Wright brothers etc and takes us through their struggles as inventors and their eventual success.
Interesting read. There are better biographies out there though.
Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)
Comments: Good book. I learnt a lot from a tale of the Roman empire! A few of the things I remember are why humans began wearing clothes (it was a sign of position in society – i.e. the kind of clothes), how empires ran into ruins the moment appointing heirs was only restricted within the family among many others.
What to expect: A nice lecture series from a good history professor. Fun facts and a good learning experience..
Category: 1 – Read ASAP! (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)
Comments: There’s only 1 word for this audio book – ‘Riveting’! While the narrator definitely plays a huge part in making this book such a fascinating read, let’s give due credit to Steven Pressfield for an inspirational take on Alexander’s life.
What to expect: A detailed story of the life of the all-conquering Macedonian monarch, Alexander the Great, with lots of excerpts and stories which you are sure to remember for a long time. The book gives us an in-depth understanding of the personality of the great conqueror and is a definite lesson in leadership!
Add on Mar 16, 2016: 9 years after reading the audio book, I’d still recommend the audio book thanks to fantastic narration. I remember the experience of listening to this book well and it still gives me goosebumps.
Marler's Observatory 