Book Summaries 2024

In this guide, we’ll outline Thompson’s advice for putting yourself in the state of mind to empathize and listen, determine what’s happening, and persuade even the angriest person to cooperate. We’ll also compare the principles of his method to other experts’ recommendations for navigating tough conversations.

Throughout this guide, we’ll supplement Haberman’s account with commentary from outside sources to both support her critical portrayal of Trump’s life and career, as well as to bring in perspectives that offer a more favorable view of the 45th president.

In this guide, we explore Levitsky and Ziblatt’s thesis that norms are the bedrock of democracy—and assess their argument that Donald Trump’s presidency posed a unique threat to their survival in the United States. We also include commentary and additional insights from the last three-fourths of Trump’s term, as well as the period after his presidency—events that Levitsky and Ziblatt could not have commented on in 2018.

Win Bigly describes the persuasion strategies Trump used throughout the campaign, how Hillary’s campaign fell short in comparison, and how you can apply these strategies to be more persuasive yourself. Learn the ranking of the most effective persuasion methods, why visual imagery is so powerful, and how to come up with killer slogans.

"Anonymous" describes the increasingly futile efforts of a handful of principled White House officials (referred to as the Steady State) to stave off disastrous, often illegal actions. The author warns that the "guard rails" have come off—the principled staffers have mostly been driven away and Trump is uncontrollable. If he wins another four years, he may sink the ship of democracy.

In this autobiography, Trump recounts his early life and career—from building low- and middle-income housing with his father in NYC’s outer boroughs to erecting luxury apartments in Manhattan. Trump outlines the eleven principles that guide his business decisions, and how they played out in the deals that defined his early career, including projects such as Trump Tower in New York, his first casino ventures in Atlantic City, and his gamble on the United States Football League.

This guide explores how brain scans revealed the flaws of traditional treatment and informed Amen’s approach and offers practical advice for anyone to enhance their brain health. Additionally, our commentary will expand on Amen’s ideas with research and advice from other health experts.

In this guide, we’ll examine what ADHD looks like in the brain and how it contributes to difficulties with executive functioning (a set of skills that helps with the sorts of complex cognitive tasks listed above). We’ll also debunk some common misconceptions about ADHD. Finally, we’ll explore the main five challenges of ADHD—such as emotion regulation and impulse control—and discuss strategies for managing each one. In our commentary, we’ll further explore tools for managing ADHD and look at different perspectives on treating the condition.

Our commentary will provide additional information about the history of poverty in the US and how it’s impacting people today. We’ll also examine the pros and cons of some potential solutions. Finally, we’ll present counterpoints to Desmond’s ideas from more fiscally conservative schools of thought, focusing on personal responsibility instead of systemic problems.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to select a product to sell that’ll make you money and how to write the most persuasive marketing copy possible. More generally, you’ll learn how to take advantage of clear-headed moments to do your best work and recover when you’re feeling mentally drained. In our commentary, we’ll supplement the authors’ advice with perspectives from marketing as well as general self-help. We’ll also update information that’s out of date or incomplete with new knowledge about marketing practices in the digital age.