June 2010 was a great book month. Everything gets an A-. Book grade inflation or just great book options - you be the judge?
Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error by Kathryn Schulz
My mantra since reading Being Wrong is "I may be wrong about this". Schulz is helping me embrace my inner mistake maker. Who knew that I'd learn more and be more effective if I simply said "I was wrong" - without trying to come up with reasons or explanations. This is a book with good ideas and a wonderful writer. The writing may be more revelatory than the ideas (and the narration of the audiobook is simply divine), but the ideas are pretty good. Making mistakes defines our humanity, and a tolerance for mistakes (in ourselves and others) is synonymous with maturity.
Grade: A-
Click: The Magic of Instant Connections by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman
I clicked with this book. The Brafman brothers bring the story of the power of instant connections home with a mix of great stories and a synthesis of the academic literature.
Grade: A-
Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age by Clay Shirky
Thinking back on the hours of I invested watching Hogan's Heroes, Hawaii Five-O, Cheers, Magnum PI etc. etc. is always depressing. Shirky calls TV watching our unpaid second-job. According to Nielsen, the average American spends 34.5 hours a week watching TV. That is about 1,800 a year. Among young people, however, the time spent watching TV is going down - replaced by time spent creating and interacting on the Web. The best decision my family ever made was to decide not to have cable, satellite or broadcast TV in our home. TV is simply too tempting. If I had TV I'd probably be watching now instead of writing this book review. My brain loves to relax into TV - so does yours. Shirky argues that by allowing us all to create, to push the "publish" button, the Web is making us smarter and more connected. My hope is that Shirky turns his attention next to the implications of the cognitive surplus on higher education.
Grade: A-
The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely
Great book. Much more personal than his first book, Predictably Irrational, the Upside of Irrationality helps us understand the benefits of our screwed up brains and illogical behaviors. Ariely is one of those truly inspiring people. His story of overcoming pain, of using pain to understand and explain the world, is an amazing motivator to all of us to stop whining about our own obstacles. I think Ariely is a genius in a very particular way - a genius in the construction of experiments to test ideas. A craftsperson of experimentation.
Grade: A-
The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong by David Shenk
Sort of a companion piece to Gladwell's Outliers. The two books go together well as Shenk is taking on an orthodoxy of thought around the gifted few - the geniuses. Important for parents and educators to understand the potential in our kids and students to achieve if given means and motivation to practice.
Grade: A-
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) by Stieg Larsson
I finally got on the Larsson bandwagon. Now reading book number 2. Fun to participate in this weird reading cultural event.
Grade: A-
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