It seems that there is no such person who would not be disappointed in life. At such moments, all things around us are seen exclusively in gray tones, all bright colors and emotions dim and fade. Some are saved by friends, some by family, and some by their favorite job.
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We present to you books, after reading which you want to live , after which life will certainly return to its former colors. Read with pleasure!
Abdel Cellu "You changed my life"
It was this book that formed the basis of the famous French film “1+1” or “The Intouchables”. It tells the story of the fate of two people who managed to change each other: a rich aristocrat who, by the will of fate, became wheelchair-bound, and an emigrant who did not have a job.
This book is about an incredible friendship that can bring back zest for life and turn it upside down.
State. Plato
To better understand philosophical principles, it is always useful to start with the basics and look to the classics. It is impossible to imagine philosophy without such great Greek thinkers as Socrates and Plato. Using rhetorical methods, they tried to convey to people their ideas that explained the structure of the world around them. These attempts to find the truth became the basis of all modern philosophy.
The Republic was written by Plato in the form of discussions between Socrates and the Athenians. The dialogues cover a wide range of philosophical ideas, but the central theme is the concept of justice. Although some passages will be understandable only in the context of the historical period described, the underlying principles remain relevant several thousand years after Plato's lifetime.
Fannie Flagg "Standing Under the Rainbow"
This is a work about a small town where all the residents know everything about each other. Moreover, this city is known throughout the country, because the woman who runs the city radio talks about it and its amazing life every day in her wonderful, seemingly smiling voice.
Through a whole cascade of human characters and their difficult destinies, the author shows that even in everyday life and routine you can find reasons for joy and happiness.
Psychology and motivation
No. 1. “The subconscious can do anything!” – Kehoe John
About the author: John Kehoe is a Canadian writer, teacher, self-development coach and author of books on personal growth. Interesting fact: at one time John left the civilized world and went into the forests, where he lived for 3 years.
Description:
In short, “The Subconscious Can Do Anything” is a verbal motivator that, over the course of one and a half hundred pages, encourages the reader to make positive changes within himself. Something like: “You can do anything!”, “You will succeed!”, “You will definitely succeed, do you hear?!” And so on.
The author, in a methodical and consistent manner, talks about methods for developing the subconscious, the nature of dreams, intuition and a host of other interesting things.
The text is full of kindness, condescension and faith in success. Unlike many other books on similar topics, there is almost no “water” here.
Quote:
“Perhaps we would pay more attention to our mental processes if for each thought, depending on its nature, we had to receive or give a dollar.”
Buy on Litres for 299 rubles
No. 2. “NO SY” – Jen Sincero
About the Author: Jen Sincero is a #1 New York Times bestselling motivational author, speaker, and successful business coach.
Description:
"NI SY" is a cult bestseller with daring and incredibly sincere content. The book makes you wake up, shove all your fears far away and start acting.
Jen Sincero offers the reader 27 short chapters that are filled with inspiring stories, humor, motivational tips, and simple exercises to help people break free of their self-sabotaging thoughts and habits.
Jen Sincero seems to be having a conversation with you “about life”, talking about herself, asking about you and giving useful advice.
Quote:
“We are not to blame for the fact that from childhood we were taught beliefs that prevent us from living, but we will be guilty if we agree with them.”
Buy at Litres for 399 rubles
No. 3. “Try it - it will work!” – Godin Seth
About the author: Seth Godin is an American entrepreneur and economist, writer, former vice president of marketing at Yahoo!
Description:
“Try and it will work” is a simple and specific “advice” for those who want to implement their plan, but are afraid of the unknown.
The book will help you overcome your own fear of failure and give you motivation to decide to do something new and unusual.
Mini-chapters act as mini-answers to all your questions, queries, fears, limitations and doubts.
If you want to start a new project, but the fear of failure is holding you back, or if you don't know where to start, then Godin Seth's book is for you.
Quote:
“If your project is not moving forward, then relative to the rest of the world it is actually moving backward.”
Buy on book 24 for RUR 379
No. 4. "Go where it's scary" - Jim Lawless
About the author: Jim Lawless is a business coach and one of Europe's most popular motivational speakers.
Description:
The idea of the book is based on a strategy of ten rules that will help you achieve any goal, even the most realistic one at first glance.
The author shows by his own example how he achieved the almost impossible. Jim Lawless does not promise miracles, but encourages action and writing his true picture of life
“Go where it’s scary” frankly reveals all our “tigers” (fears) that prevent us from achieving our goals. If you feel like a tiger is roaring inside you, then you should go there.
I recommend reading it to people who want or dream of achieving something, but cannot overcome their inner feelings.
Quote:
“The tiger is the invisible force within us that prevents change. The tiger roars when we are about to do or say something unusual, take a risk, or get involved in an adventure.”
Buy at Litres for 349 rubles
Ken Kesey "Sailor's Song"
Prepare to be immersed in the chilling world of Alaska. It is filled with gloominess, cold severity, the sea and human destinies that are unlikely to leave you indifferent.
You will certainly rise to a vibrant life and dazzling light, but first you will have to go through a grotesque world full of bilious sarcasm and angry humor.
Elinor Porter "Pollyanna"
Completely immersed in routine life, it is very difficult to see at least some joy in life. However, it is possible. This is exactly what the main character of the book, Pollyanna, shows. This girl lives by “playing for joy,” which turns the lives of many people in her town upside down. She opens their hearts to happiness and joy.
This book teaches that we all need to use the “game of joy” as often as possible in our lives and then we will not need any antidepressants.
Essays on Montaigne
Montaigne was heavily influenced by some of the philosophical books mentioned above. He was the embodiment of Heraclitus' line about "torture from within." So much so that he spent basically the entire latter part of his life asking himself (and other people) all sorts of interesting questions and then exploring the answers in the form of short, provocative essays.
These essays are always good for a useful thought or two - be it about death, about people, about animals, about sex or anything else.
Ray Bradbury "A Cure for Melancholy"
The young girl Camilla slowly loses all her vitality and fades away right before her eyes. Not a single doctor can give her an accurate diagnosis and finally explain how to help the poor girl. A desperate family decides to place a bed with a sick woman on the street and ask all passers-by for advice. One mysterious gypsy finds the name of Camilla's illness - melancholy.
This book is about how the best cure for any illness is, of course, love...
Fragments of Heraclitus
While most other practical advice in philosophy is aimed at practical advice, Heraclitus can seem a little poetic. But these beautiful lines are actually the same straightforward advice and timeless, perspective-changing observations as the others.
“Aspirants to wisdom / do as I have done: / ask within.”
"Character is destiny." "That the eyes of the witness/ears believe the rumors."
“Cereals are sold / for money spent on food.”
Joanne Harris "Five Quarters of an Orange"
What should you do if you only inherited from your mother an album in which her culinary recipes were recorded? Despite the fact that much greater wealth passed into the hands of the remaining children. Of course, study it, and in great detail!
After all, a seemingly simple trinket can open the door to the past, can give the key to its mysteries and secrets.
Sofia's world. Justein Gorder
If you're looking for a good introduction to philosophy and find Bertrand Russell's work too complex and lengthy for you, the fiction book Sophia's World may be a fascinating alternative. This work has sold more than 20 million copies, introducing philosophy to an entire generation of readers and introducing them to a gripping story that will not let you go until the very last page.
The reader follows the adventures of teenager Sophia Amundsen as she tries to unravel the mystery using philosophical principles taught to her by the enigmatic philosopher Alberto Knox. The book delves into the history of Western philosophy, starting with Socrates, through the Renaissance, Romanticism, Darwinism, and many other ideas.
David Mitchell "Cloud Atlas"
Six different people, six different stories, only one common feature - the same birthmark. In the novel there is a place for fatal accidents, connecting destinies, good and evil, heroism and betrayal, and much more.
And as a result, the author’s reflection on humanity and its future comes out. And also about what the essence of people themselves is.
Help you become a good leader
"It Won't Be Easy" by Ben Horowitz
“It won’t be easy” is a huge set of information that will be useful to any business owner, and especially to those who are starting their own business for the first time. The tips from this book will help you find solutions in difficult situations, and the ironic and moderately humorous presentation will make “It Won’t Be Easy” not only useful, but also entertaining reading.
"Zero to One" by Peter Thiel
“From Zero to One” was included in his must-read list by Elon Musk himself, who was once a competitor of Peter Thiel, the creator of PayPal and the author of this book. When it comes to running your own business, it is best to turn to someone who has achieved success in this. Entrepreneur and billionaire Peter Thiel talks about how to choose a strategy at the beginning of your business journey and shares some simple but working business secrets.
Buy a book
"Your Own MBA" by Josh Kaufman
“Your Own MBA” is a practical guide and a powerful motivator for those who want to open their own business without having a serious business education behind them. The author of the book, Josh Kaufman, himself went through the self-taught path and realized that crusts are, of course, good, but a significant part of the information about how a business works can be obtained on your own.
Buy a book
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey
The 7 Habits are seven key principles that every business owner or team member should learn. Each chapter covers a key skill, such as proactivity or synergy. Although the book was first published in 1989, the information contained in it is still relevant.
Buy a book
"Leave Your Mark" by Blake Mycoskie
Many entrepreneurs believe that success in business is the result of an endless desire to do good and help people. One of the popularizers of this idea is the founder of Toms Shoes, Blake Mycoskie. Toms Shoes is a shoe manufacturer famous not only for its espadrilles, but also for the fact that when you buy one pair, the second one is sent to poor children with foot diseases. In his autobiographical book, Make Your Mark, Blake Mycoskie talks about how to start a profitable business that makes a difference.
Jenny Downham "While I Live"
The main character is a sixteen-year-old girl who wants to live here and now, who wants to try so much in this life. That’s why she writes a whole list of wishes, which she immediately undertakes to fulfill. Some of the items on her list are dubious and not entirely innocent. But in general she is not like others.
She strives to complete everything as quickly as possible, because it is possible that she will not have time later...
Key books
Ray Dalio: “Principles. Life and work"
Practice, motivation, knowledge.
The book begins with the autobiography of the author, who is #67 on the Forbes global list and the founder of the most successful hedge fund in history. Ray Dalio's path has not been easy. At some point, he lost all his clients and colleagues and started building his company Bridgewater Associates from scratch, which currently manages more than $150 billion in assets.
Throughout his life, Ray Dalio analyzed the results of decisions made (his own and others) and, based on this data, formulated principles that help him achieve more in his personal and professional life. The principles are very specific, which gives the feeling that the author managed to understand many of the fundamental laws of our world.
Nassim Taleb: "Black Swan", "Antifragile", "Fooled by Chance", "Risking Your Own Skin"
Knowledge.
Nassim Taleb is my favorite author. Firstly, his books helped me get rid of many stereotypes and make healthier decisions in my career (time will tell, of course, but for now, the results are encouraging). Secondly, I like his style.
Each book by Nassim Taleb contains a key idea, which over the course of ≈400 pages is fascinatingly examined from different angles, in the process of which the author manages to reasonably ridicule several authorities and express a number of deep thoughts.
While reading, I alternate between laughing and thinking deeply. But the main thing is that the described philosophy helped the author earn good money. In other words, it has passed the reality check.
Daniel Kahneman: “Think slow...decide fast”
Knowledge.
Daniel Kahneman is one of the most famous psychologists in the world, whose book shows how often people make stupid mistakes in everyday situations. “Think Slowly... Decide Fast” is one of the few books that teaches you how to think rationally.
Yuval Noah Harari: “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind”, “Homo Deus. A Brief History of the Future"
Knowledge.
In the first book, the author tells how we got to where we are now. After reading it, the absurdity of many modern traditions and institutions is revealed. Since by understanding their origins, we can determine the cause-and-effect relationship of many modern things and, if necessary, free ourselves from their influence.
In the second, he reflects on the topic of where we can go (and who we can become). The author talks about modern research in the field of medicine, psychology, artificial intelligence and suggests where these discoveries can lead humanity. Some of the assumptions are very strong and thought-provoking.
Richard Dawkins: "The Selfish Gene"
Knowledge.
Dawkins is not easy to read and you shouldn’t expect to fully understand the material, but the main ideas about evolution are clear from the first chapters and are a good way to sober up the brain. Almost everyone knows about the theory of evolution, but thanks to this book, understanding becomes deeper and is immediately reflected in the perception of the world.
Tim Ferriss: "Tools of Titans", "Tribe of Mentors", "How to Work Four Hours a Week"
Practice, motivation.
Tim Ferriss is known to most readers thanks to the book “How to Work Four Hours a Week.” I even know people who were forced by this book to quit their jobs and start a personal project. Several years ago, this book also influenced me, telling me a lot about effective work (I didn’t work full time then, so I didn’t have much to give up).
Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors are completely different books. In them, the author collected answers from dozens of successful people from various fields to very thoughtful questions. For me, these books have become reference books, and I often return to them.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Total Recall. My incredibly true story"
Motivation.
I remember the first time I saw this book in the list of recommendations of the designer Tobias van Schneider and thought that the story of a bodybuilder would teach me little. But over the course of several months, I regularly heard mentions of it from other successful people and decided to take a closer look at Arnold's story. Of course, I knew that in addition to bodybuilding, Arnold became a successful actor and governor of California, but I didn’t know how.
What is most impressive while reading is the author's dedication. At every stage of his life, he knew his goals, always thought ahead and tried to increase the likelihood of success in any of his endeavors.
His entrepreneurial approach and intelligence (Arnold was good at mathematics) are a great example of how people achieve meaningful results, despite the difficulties that stand in the way. Arnold is most associated with the word “success”, as he was able to achieve decent results in four different areas: sports, business, cinema and politics.
Kelly McGonigal: “Willpower. How to develop and strengthen"
Knowledge.
The author states that willpower is a muscle that can be trained and used correctly. And it is used not only during work, but also in everyday things, so its rational use is very important for a full life. The book helped me understand the causes of emotions and explained it from a scientific point of view.
Maxim Dorofeev: “Jedi techniques. How to raise your monkey, empty your inbox and save your mental fuel"
Practice.
I read a lot of books on productivity and at some point I started to dislike them all. But after numerous recommendations, I decided to read it and it turned out that Maxim managed to collect key knowledge on productivity under one cover, avoiding trivial thoughts.
The book discusses the planning of personal projects, the correct formulation of tasks and methods for their implementation. Maxim introduces the concept of “thought fuel,” which represents a person’s intellectual capabilities and teaches how to use it competently.
Brent Schlender, Rick Tetsley: "The Making of Steve Jobs"
Motivation.
I liked this book much more than the official biography of Isaacson (they say that Steve’s loved ones did too). It does not contain well-known stories about the development of Apple, but instead, the authors tell how the personality of Steve Jobs changed throughout his career.
Brent Schlender and Rick Tetsley show Steve Jobs in a much broader way than other book and film authors have done. It tells about the numerous mistakes in the development of the company that the Apple founder made and how he behaved in different situations.
Phil Knight: “Shoe salesman. The story of Nike as told by its founder"
Motivation.
In addition to the fact that it is always interesting to learn more about the history of the development of successful companies, there is something else in this book. Few people know that during the first years of his career, Phil Knight only resold Asian sneakers in the USA and, only after receiving a refusal to cooperate further, he decided on a new initiative, which many years later made him the founder of one of the most famous brands in the world. This is a very instructive and fascinating story.
Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson: “Rework. Business without prejudice", "It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work"
Practice.
Last week, I read the new book by the founders of Basecamp, It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work. It, like the previous ones, offers an alternative view on business development.
Instead of scaling up and changing the world, the authors suggest staying at a comfortable level that allows the business to gradually improve and the company's employees to live their lives outside the office (although most Basecamp employees work remotely).
The authors provide a lot of advice on organizing corporate culture, product management, effective work, communication with clients and company employees.
Joanne Harris "Blackberry Wine"
Did you know that wine can change your life? We don’t know how it is in life, but in Joanne Harris’ novel it is so. Jay McIntosh discovers six bottles of blackberry wine. Somehow they had survived from his childhood. The creator of this wine is a strange old man who once dramatically changed Jay’s life.
It is with this discovery of this unusual wine that changes begin in the life of the protagonist: the search for his place in the sun, the search for his talent, and, ultimately, the search for himself.
Moral letters to Lucilius, Seneca
Seneca, like Marcus Aurelius, was also an influential man in Rome.
He was a great writer and, by all accounts, a trusted friend who gave great advice to his friends. Much of this advice is preserved in the form of letters. Now we can read these letters and they can help us solve problems, cope with grief, wealth, poverty, success, failure, education and many other things. Seneca was also a Stoic, but like Marcus Aurelius, he was a practitioner and freely borrowed from other schools. As he told friends, “I don’t care whether the line is good or not.” This is the ideal of practical philosophy - it doesn't matter who or when it was written, what matters is whether it helps you in your life even for a second. Reading Seneca will do this.
Dmitry Khara "P.Sh."
At the center of the story is Oleg, who has his own business, for which he works tirelessly. However, his long-awaited vacation is coming soon. He finds a strange travel agency that offers travel, but only for people prepared for it. Oleg agrees, but preparations for the trip leave him in a state of shock. He is forced to do something he has never done and take on roles he has never played before. And all this in reality.
All the preparation generally benefits Oleg, but unexpectedly he puts his life in great danger...
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