One Minute Book Review

The 80/20 principle centres on Alfredo Pareto's theory that 80% of wealth is in the hands of 20% of people. Koch explains that this percentage applies to multiple industries, markets and interests. The book gives detailed advice about the ways we can implement the 80/20 principle to achieve more by doing less. For instance, when analyzing individual happiness, it is common to find that 80% of happiness derives from only 20% of one's activities. Koch encourages readers to see that 20% across all areas of their life and implement them. I found this book incredibly informative and practical. It breaks down why you should be living the 80/20 principle day by day and the benefits to individual happiness of doing so. This book is a must-read in today's hectic environment when finding what is important personally and professionally can be hard. However, by adopting the 80/20 mentality, it can make it easier. There is no doubt this book is five stars.

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In this weeks episode I will be discussing the 5 reasons why you should should Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman.

A Birmingham Story is a short narrative about some of the emotions that we face as humans at specific points in our lives. The feelings explored include trust, jealousy, anger and depression. It follows three characters, with differing circumstances, yet they have more in common than they initially thought. An argument eventually ceases their disagreement to shed light on how differing perspectives on the same situation causes misunderstandings more often than not. I have not read anything similar to this before. But, that does not take away from how much I connected with it. The themes addressed in the story do not get discussed openly enough, but the author does an excellent job telling his story while also explaining how these emotions have affected the characters. I can see the benefit of stories such as this as a medium for more discussion on mental health. This was a good read; I rate it three stars.

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Today I will be reviewing Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. An autobiography of the man behind the establishment and growth of Nike, 'Shoe Dog' gives a first-hand look at its trials and tribulations from day one. I was impressed by the detail provided by the author. As such a large brand Nike seems so significant that one person cannot tell a story to define it. However, it is what Knight does exceptionally well in the book. At times it felt like reading fiction. The characterisation of the people that helped bring Nike to its current position, alongside the sadness surrounding Knight's personal life makes the reader emotionally invested in the story. As a fan of stories, sports and business separately, I have never read a book that intertwines all three so brilliantly. If you're a business owner, this book has countless pieces of wisdom. This book is for anyone who is a fan of great stories, sport and business, or all three! There is no doubt that this book is a five-star read.

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In today's episode of "5 Reason Friday", I will be discussing why you SHOULD read 'Astrophysics for People in a Hurry', by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Reason 1: Introductory

Reason 2: Informative

Reason 3: Thought-provoking

Reason 4: Historical

Reason 5: Progressive

Zero To One describes how to build efficient start-ups from scratch to build a better future. The future as depicted by Thiel is one which we are in control. The book looks in depth at how to properly plan and execute a start-up that can be as impactful as it is successful. Thiel explains the importance of preparing for the market while making sure the foundations of the start-up are solid before securing constant funding. Knowing little about start-up culture, I enjoyed Thiel's candidness when describing the harsh realities of establishing a start-up. I particularly enjoyed the parts where Thiel emphasises that we are in control of the start-up. Regardless of the market conditions, competitors or funding, if the business has the right balance between intellectual capacity and purpose, it will succeed in the long-term. This book is for anyone wanting to know the ways we can contribute to making the future better. I rate this book four stars.

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Hello, I am your host Aun Abdi and welcome to the monthly One Minute Book Review podcast, where I break down in more detail the books that I have read and reviewed in the previous month.

In this months episode, I will be discussing Supermind: How To Boost Performance and Live A Richer and Happier Life Through Transcendental Meditation by Norman E. Rosenthal, The TB12 Method by Tom Brady, 12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B.Peterson, Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuck, The Martian by Andy Weir and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari.

Purchase book on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2HRn7rC

Today I will be reviewing Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. A follow up to Yuval's previous bestseller 'Sapiens', Homo Deus seeks to theorise how humans will evolve in the 21st century surrounded by new technologies. The book describes how humans who had once conquered and were in control of the world, are reaching a point in our evolution where machines and more specifically algorithms run our lives. The agricultural and industrial revolution has now become the humanist revolution where humans facilitate and dictate their divine nature. The book also explores new concepts in algorithmic mathematics where computers and smart devices will know us better than ourselves as they start to become more integrated in our way of living. Personally, I preferred this book to Sapiens for two reasons. Firstly, it was forward-looking and not directed at blaming a specific race or religion. Secondly, it was exciting to hear theories to our future exist

The Martian follows the main character Mark Watney, as a space accident leaves him stranded on Mars, while his crew members escape. The book details his impending doom as Mark tries to find the best method for his survival, with the story, following his trials and tribulations along the way. What I liked about this book was the author's use of Mark's first-person perspective. Chapters in the book were broken down into log's which followed Mark's journey and survival efforts during his time on Mars. The humour that the author puts into the characterisation of Mark makes the story compelling as the reader is surprised by the optimism that he shows in the face of adversity. The author's use of technical knowledge regarding equipment used in space travel elevates the narrative as well as the storyline. I enjoyed reading this book as it had a right mix of humour, optimism and hope. I rate this book four stars.

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This book is a follow up to Gary's bestseller 'Crush It' released in 2009, which defined how everyone can cash in on their passion. 'Crushing It' is an update to that book including testimonials from people who had successfully implemented principles in 'Crush It', to build successful businesses. Gary includes what he believes to be the eight essentials in developing a company that can influence. Examples of the eight include intent, attention and the most important... content. Like 'Crush It' this book looks forward to the future and the tools businesses can use to grow and gain attention. The most significant device being voice recognition using Alexa voice. This book brings a lot of practical value for anyone wanting to build a sustainable business by leveraging social media to their advantage. I would suggest readers begin with his previous book 'Crush It' before moving onto this book. That being said, it's still a great read on its own. Five stars.

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