Book Lessons

Each year I try to read at least 15 books. My goal is to also expand the diversity of the books I read. I naturally gravitate toward non-fiction, psychology and sociology, but I want to read a little more fiction, economics, and history. For fun, I am redesigning the cover of each book I read and sharing something I learned from it.

UPDATE: I am no longer continuing with the design aspect of this project due to the time intense nature of redesigning book covers. But I’m still reading and updating this with comprehensive book notes. You can also follow my library at Are.na

Lesson: Don’t let social norms or the status quo guide you in life. You ultimately have to do what makes you happy. Also be accepting of others that are weird or don’t follow the norm.

Lesson: 80% of our thinking is repetitive and dysfunctional. We are always in the past or future, but rarely in the present moment. When we think of the future and potential problems that could arise, it does not help us because we cannot cope with the future. We can only cope with what is going on in the present.

Lesson: Trust children, for they have a natural love and ability for learning. Encourage their learning without pressure, quizzing, inducing fear, shaming, or correcting. Reform traditional school teaching by treating learning as territory to explore and not information to memorize.

Read the rest of my book notes here.