Four Tragedies

Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth by William Shakespeare Penguin (27 October 1994) Publisher's link What's it about?: Four of Shakespeare's tragedies, with notes, introductions, background and sources, and other additional materials to accompany each text. My opinion: It's Shakespeare. How can one go wrong? Let's just leave it at that. Kidding... sort of. … Continue reading Four Tragedies →

Zero to One

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel (with Blake Masters) Virgin (1 June 2015) Publisher's Link What's It About?: Startups, at least as the word is currently defined in the Silicon Valley sense, and how to test ideas and get your company moving. It challenges readers to … Continue reading Zero to One →

History of the Peloponnesian War

History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides (translated by Rex Warner) Penguin (31 December 1963) Publisher's link What It's About?: Thucydides' historical account of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE), fought between the Peloponnesian League (led by Sparta) and the Delian League (led by Athens). The author served as an Athenian general during the war, a … Continue reading History of the Peloponnesian War →

My Pilgrim’s Progress

My Pilgrim's Progress: Media Studies, 1950-1998 by George W. S. Trow Vintage (2 May 2000) Publisher's link What It's About?: A study of the media culture of the United States, how television came to dominate media consumption in the 1950s, and how things continued to evolve towards the end of the twentieth-century. George W. S. … Continue reading My Pilgrim’s Progress →

Take a Look in the Mirror

"Someone asked the novelist how he was able to write so consistently and remain inspired and motivated. He replied, 'Two hundred crappy words per day, that's it.' The idea was that if he forced himself to write two hundred crappy words, more often than not the act of writing would inspire him; and before he … Continue reading Take a Look in the Mirror →

The Art of War

The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life by Sun-Tzu (translated by John Minford) Penguin Classics (14 July 2009) Publisher's link What's It About?: Sun-Tzu's classic treatise on military strategy, studied and widely applied by military, financial, business, and political leaders around the world. My opinion: This book is a … Continue reading The Art of War →

Winchell Exclusive

Winchell Exclusive: Things That Happened to Me - and Me to Them by Walter Winchell Prentice Hall (1975) National Library of Australia What's It About?: The autobiography of Walter Winchell (1897-1972), American tabloid journalist and radio news commentator, and unquestionably the most (in)famous media figure of the twentieth-century. This book was written and completed prior … Continue reading Winchell Exclusive →

Payable on Death

"Who pours himself forth as a fountain-head is known by the Knower,Who leads him, enchanted and serene, through the emergence of creation, Which so often closes where it ends and ends where it begins." Rainer Maria Rilke Satellite may be P.O.D.'s best-known work, but every time I listen to their self-titled fifth album, I wonder why … Continue reading Payable on Death →

The State of Things

"Progress is almost never linear. Ups and downs and bursts." Nassim Taleb Thursday, 6th of April marked a turning point in my life: Quitting my job working as a full-time teacher. After leaving my position for personal, professional, and situational reasons, I entered a period of scrutinising and re-evaluating my career. During this time, I … Continue reading The State of Things →

Valley of the Gods

Valley of the Gods: A Silicon Valley Story by Alexandra Wolfe Simon & Schuster (10 January 2017) Publisher's link What's it about?: A history of the youth who come to Silicon Valley in Northern California to change the world and make billions of dollars. An expository work of sorts, on the men and women - … Continue reading Valley of the Gods →