The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (translated by Robin Buss) Penguin (21 July 2003) Amazon What's it about?: A revenge novel, originally serialised between 1844 and 1846. Set during the Bourbon Restoration in France, it tells the story of Edmond Dantès, a Byronic hero of sorts, who seeks revenge after he is unjustly … Continue reading The Count of Monte Cristo →

Hedda and Louella: A Dual Biography of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons George Eells Virgin (4 December 1972) Amazon What's it about?: A dual biography of the most powerful and influential gossip queens in the history of the media. Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons originally enjoyed a symbiotic relationship of sorts, but later became bitter … Continue reading Hedda and Louella →

At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends by Dwight D. Eisenhower American Anthropological Association (1 June 1981) Amazon What's it about?: Dwight Eisenhower's first-hand account of his life, from growing up in Kansas, his time at West Point, to his years in the military during times of war and peace. He discusses the people he … Continue reading At Ease →

Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines and Habits of Billionaires, Icons and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss Vermilion (7 December 2016) Amazon What's it about?: A series of interviews with more than a hundred "world-class performers." Most, if not all, have appeared on his podcast. Tim Ferriss sits down with famous actors, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, … Continue reading Tools of Titans →

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Scribner (30 September 2004) Amazon What's it about?: Jay Gatsby is a man who falls in love with a woman, Daisy. He cannot have her, so he becomes rich and powerful in an attempt to win her affection. He puts everything into his love for this woman, and … Continue reading The Great Gatsby →

Strategy: A History by Lawrence Freedman Oxford University Press (1 November 2013) Amazon page What's it about?: The history of the concept of strategic thinking, ranging from primate warfare, to classical myths and legends of Greece and Rome, to the works of Sun-Tzu, Machiavelli, and Clausewitz, to Marx and Che Guevara, to big names in … Continue reading Strategy →

Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria by Sigmund Freud Touchstone Books (1 November 1997) Amazon page What's it about?: Sigmund Freud's case study of a teenaged girl diagnosed with "hysteria." Her real name was Ida Bauer, but she was referred to as "Dora" throughout the text. This study is (in)famous for Freud's exploration … Continue reading Dora →

Frontinus: Stratagems, Aqueducts of Rome by Frontinus (translated by Charles E. Bennett) (1 January 1925) Amazon link What's it about?: Two books: a treatise on warfare, and an official report on the state of the aqueducts of Rome, by Sextus Julius Frontinus, civil engineer, author, soldier, and senator of the Roman Empire in the first … Continue reading Stratagems, Aqueducts of Rome →

Winchell: Gossip, Power, and the Culture of Celebrity by Neal Gabler Vintage (26 September 1995) Amazon link What's it about?: Neal Gabler's biography of tabloid columnist and broadcaster Walter Winchell. Written in the context of celebrity culture, and how this developed over time with Winchell as the celebrity columnist. My opinion: Probably the most readable … Continue reading Winchell →