Category Archives: Books

Excerpts from books, both fiction and nonfiction, that I find interesting.

“All Minus One: John Stuart Mill’s Ideas on Free Speech” by Richard Reeves, Jonathan Haidt, and Dave Circirelli

Posted on December 16, 2019 by

Mill’s main concern was not government censorship. It was the stultifying consequences of social conformity, of a culture where deviation from a prescribed set of opinions is punished through peer pressure and the fear of ostracism. In Mill’s view most … Continue reading →

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“The Millionaire Next Door” by William Danko and Thomas Stanley

Posted on December 9, 2019 by

Wealth is more often the result of a lifestyle of hard work, perseverance, planning, and, most of all, self-discipline. Seven common denominators among those who successfully build wealth. They live well below their means. They allocate their time, energy, and … Continue reading →

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“Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual” by Jocko Willink

Posted on November 22, 2018 by

What better time to remind ourselves of the importance of discipline than as the holidays come to full swing. The distractions and off-ramps that take us farther from our goals are abundant. I’m not saying that these distractions are bad. … Continue reading →

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“Battle Leadership” by Adolf von Schell

Posted on November 20, 2018 by

Pulled a few lessons from “Battle Leadership” by Adolf von Schell. Interesting perspective considering von Schell was an active German Army Infantry officer. This book is a collection of lectures given by von Schell to the U.S. Army Infantry School … Continue reading →

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“Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain

Posted on November 19, 2018 by

When my wife and I heard about Anthony Bourdain’s death, we were both shocked and saddened. To learn that he had taken his own life was even more shocking. Sadly, the impetus for reading “Kitchen Confidential” was his death, although … Continue reading →

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“The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield

Posted on November 15, 2018 by

Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art” was an interesting look into the creative mindset. The decision to follow a calling is undoubtedly difficult. The safety, security, and stability of most jobs is one of the sources of resistance most people … Continue reading →

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“The Dichotomy Of Leadership” by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

Posted on October 29, 2018 by

“The Dichotomy of Leadership” is the follow-on publication to Willink and Babin’s first venture, “Extreme Ownership.” Many of the lessons from the first book are repeated in this book but the authors take a closer look at the dichotomies that … Continue reading →

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