Faust

Faust by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (translated by Walter Kaufmann) KNOPF US (31 March 1999) Amazon page What's it about?: Goethe's tragic play, Faust, in a volume providing the original German text, with philosopher Walter Kaufmann's English translation on the facing pages. Based on a traditional theme of making a deal with the devil, Mephistopheles, … Continue reading Faust →

The 33 Strategies of War

The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene Penguin (1 January 2008) Amazon link What's it about?: The third book in Robert Greene's series on power, seduction, and war, The 33 Strategies of War draws upon thousands of years of conflict to deliver a modern treatise on war and strategic thinking. Political, philosophical and religious … Continue reading The 33 Strategies of War →

We Are Not Alone

"It's okay to be discouraged. It's not okay to quit. To know you want to quit but to plant your feet and keep inching closer until you take the impenetrable fortress you’ve decided to lay siege to in your own life—that's persistence." -Ryan Holiday Breaking Benjamin released their second album, We Are Not Alone, on … Continue reading We Are Not Alone →

No

Writing this piece was not what I imagined myself doing today, but here we are: No, I am not related to Catherine Deveny. You can stop asking about that. Thank you.

The 48 Laws of Power

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene Penguin (1 September 2000) Amazon link What's it about?: Reportedly one of the most requested and banned books in American prison libraries, and cited by many in the entertainment industry. The 48 Laws of Power is presented as a how-to guide on the acquisition of power, drawing … Continue reading The 48 Laws of Power →

Breaking the Habit

"Before the invention of steam power, boat captains had an ingenious way of defeating the wickedly strong current of the Mississippi River. A boat going upriver would pull alongside a boat about to head downriver, and after wrapping a rope around a tree or a rock, the boats would tie themselves to each other. The … Continue reading Breaking the Habit →

The Hidden-Hand Presidency

The Hidden-Hand Presidency: Eisenhower as Leader by Fred I. Greenstein John Hopkins University Press (1 May 1994) Amazon link What's it about?: The life and times of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, with a focus on analysing his style of leadership, and the significance of his legacy in modern America. Author Fred Greenstein draws on … Continue reading The Hidden-Hand Presidency →

Strategy

Strategy: The Indirect Approach by B. H. Liddell Hart Pentagon Press (1 March 2012) Amazon link What's it about?: British soldier and military historian B. H. Liddell Hart's advocation of military strategy and tactics of disorienting an opponent psychologically and physically. For Hart, victory came from "the line of least resistance and the line of … Continue reading Strategy →

The Histories

The Histories by Herodotus Penguin (6 March 2003) Amazon page What's it about?: Greek historian Herodotus' account of how the Greek states struggled to fight the Persian Empire in the fifth century BC. It is a first-hand source, recounting the Greco-Persian Wars, through its various stages. My opinion: I loved History of the Peloponnesian War … Continue reading The Histories →

My Life Outside the Ring

My Life Outside the Ring: A Memoir by Hulk Hogan (with Mark Dagostino) St. Martin's Press (26 October 2010) Amazon page What's it about?: The life and times of former professional wrestler and reality television star Terry Bollea, known to the world as Hulk Hogan. It goes beyond his career as a wrestler and looks … Continue reading My Life Outside the Ring →