The PayPal Wars: Battles with eBay, the Media, the Mafia, and the Rest of Planet Earth by Eric M. Jackson WND Books (31 May 2012) Amazon page What's it about?: An insider's perspective on the rise of PayPal. The text details Peter Thiel, Max Levchin, and the other founders' struggles and perseverance in launching their … Continue reading The PayPal Wars →

The Letters of William James: Two Volumes Combined by William James and Henry James Cosimo Classics (31 October 2008) Amazon page What's it about?: The correspondence of American psychologist and philosopher William James, who offered the first psychology course in the United States. He published many works, most notably The Principles of Psychology and The … Continue reading The Letters of William James →

Don't Hurt People and Don't Take Their Stuff: A Libertarian Manifesto by Matt Kibbe Harper Collins (24 March 2014) Publisher's page What's it about?: The unofficial official manifesto of the new libertarian movement, by American community organiser Matt Kibbe. It makes the case for small government, freer individuals, voluntary cooperation, and solving problems from the … Continue reading Don’t Hurt People and Don’t Take Their Stuff →

The Present Age and the Difference Between a Genius and an Apostle by Søren Kierkegaard (translated by Alexander Dru) Harper & Row (1 January 1962) Stanford library page What's it about?: Two essays by the existentialist philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. "The Present Age" is a scathing piece on the rise of the mass media in the … Continue reading The Present Age and the Difference Between a Genius and an Apostle →

Genghis Khan: Emperor of All Men by Harold Lamb Amereon Press (12 October 1927) National Library of Australia page What's it about?: Harold Lamb's biography of Genghis Khan, founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire. It details the leader's life and conquests, and analyses his legacy. My opinion: A strange text. It excels in … Continue reading Genghis Khan →

Sweet Smell of Success: The Short Fiction of Ernest Lehman by Ernest Lehman Overlook Press (1 May 2000) Goodreads page What's it about?: Two novellas and thirteen short stories by Ernest Lehman, screenwriter of films including North by Northwest, Sabrina, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? These works speak of pure ambition, and what goes … Continue reading Sweet Smell of Success →

The Discourses by Niccolo Machiavelli Penguin (31 December 2000) Publisher's page What's it about?: Niccolo Machiavelli on Livy's history of the Roman Republic. From the Florentine diplomat's analysis comes this proposal: a system of government that would uphold civic freedom and security by instilling the virtues of active citizenship, and that would also encourage citizens … Continue reading The Discourses →

The Portable Machiavelli by Niccolo Machiavelli (edited and translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa) Penguin (31 May 1979) Publisher's page What's it about?: A collection of personal and professional writings by Florentine diplomat and philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli. It includes complete texts of The Prince, Belfagor, and Castruccio Castracani. An abridged version of The Discourses … Continue reading The Portable Machiavelli →