One Minute Book Review

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, the month of September I reviewed, A Little History of Economics’ by Niall Kishtainy (4*) and 'Mastery' by Robert Greene (5*)

If you would like to hear reviews of each, please listen to the separate One Minute Book Reviews as I will be expanding on my initial comments made in the One Minute Reviews so this podcast may contain some spoilers, to give you a heads up.

Stoic philosophy is one in which logic and reason are greater than emotion. The letters of Seneca to his student Lucillius speak of the reasons why this is the case. The topics of the letters range from friendship, wealth, the world and eventually to death. The topics discussed are broad and filled with complexity to show the reader the depth of reasoning that the stoic philosophy has. I will admit that this is one of most mentally exhaustive books I have read. It requires the full attention of the reader to extract the relevant information. Being a profoundly philosophical book, it must be read in contemplation to try and understand its contents. I recommend taking notes and highlighting where appropriate. I wouldn't say this book is for everyone. The depth can be overwhelming at times. However, I do encourage those who are interested in stoic philosophy to read this book. I rate this book four stars.

Writing a book can be daunting whether it is your first or your tenth. The steps are unclear without proper guidance from professionals. This is where this book fills that role. It gives prospective writers the knowledge necessary to plan, prepare, write and publish their book. Using the A.U.T.H.O.R and W.R.I.T.E.R model, prospective authors have the framework to write a book that delivers the maximum amount of value to the reader. As someone who predominantly reads, it is nice to find out about the process behind creating a book that fits a specific purpose. The steps laid out in this book are specific to individuals wanting to create business or self-help books, but it seems the process would be similar for fiction with a few changes. Reading a book like this gives anyone the confidence to know that they have the tools necessary for writing a book. I rate this book four stars.

Becoming the best is difficult, and rightly so, but how can you do so? This is the questions this book seeks to answer. In this book, Greene expresses the areas that ‘true’ masters focus on to become the best. A rigorous development in the apprenticeship phase, followed by years of intensive output, capped off with concentrated dedication is the formula laid out in this book. As easy as it may sound the historical references to Einstein, Mozart and De Vinci show the process is far from easy. What remains consistent is the formula that Greene presents. As an entry into the writing of Greene, I have found this book helpful in describing what made ordinary people become masters. The reason why this book is worth reading is Green focusses on delivering hard facts backed up by historical references rather than clichés. It transforms this book from an informative book, to a book that will remain seminal like the pieces of work discussed inside. I rate this book five stars.

Understanding the origins of economics can be a critical tool in laying the foundations for international business, trade and socio-economic development. Kishtainy in this book aims to give an insight into the fundamental milestones that formed what we now term economics. The impact of economists such as Smith and Keynes is explained in this book, alongside many others. What I learnt from this book is that the economics that we know today didn't come into existence with ease. The trials and tribulations of past empires caused this definition to change shape and character over time. What remained was a system that best represents the state of global trade at that time. It is interesting to see whether this will change as we change our definition of how business to conducted into the future. A book that must be read to know the origins of economics and the effect it has. I rate this book four stars.

In this months episode, the month of August, I will be discussing. '12 Rules for Life: An Antidote To Chaos' by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (5*), 'Entrepreneur Revolution' by Daniel Priestley (3*) and 'Perennial Seller' by Ryan Holiday (4*).

This book seeks to shed some light on the elements that go into creating works that last the test of time. From the inception of the idea to its completion and marketing, this book covers all angles if you want to put yourself into a position to create a perennial seller. As a person you loves to create, I found this book valuable as a way manual to create long-lasting products. The appealing factor was as much as you believe that luck plays a factor, as it should, to create a perennial seller the creator must have a detailed approach from the beginning if they want to be successful. Luck seldom plays a significant role as many continue to believe. This book is for those wishing to create works that will last far beyond when they continue to live. If you fit into that category, then I highly suggest you read this book. I rate this book four stars.

Dr Peterson presents 12 principles that we should all be aware of in this book. The rules vary widely. However, the complexity and depth of his arguments remain constant throughout the book. From developing on the thoughts of famous psychologists such as Freud and Jung, to explaining the moral virtues within a myriad of different religions. This book prepares the reader for the challenges that will inevitably come during this life. The impact of this book comes from its directness towards the reader. We are left exhausted but enlightened after reading it. Why I think this book is so impactful is because of the demographic it targets. Peterson makes sure to leave this book available for anyone willing to read it regardless of their background. It's a book that I will continue to revisit as the years go by and in my mind is a modern-day classic. I rate this book five stars.

An in depth discussion of Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss

This book is a brief history into our development as humans from the plains of Africa to our current place in the animal kingdom. It analyses what steps we took to get there as a species and the challenges we faced along the way. The book highlights the impact that the Agricultural revolution and the Industrial revolution had on technology, business and population growth. It gives the reader an indication of our past whilst also briefly telling what the future may hold for us. I enjoyed reading this book as it gave context for how we have developed exponentially as humans over the last couple hundred of years, and given the current trend how we will continue to do so. The disclaimer in this book is that it refutes the idea of creationism, not really analysing its impact, but on the merits on the book alone I still rate it four stars.