Jer
Man, this took me FOREVER to get through. Guess that's what I get for not liking to read digital books. That said, the author presents some interesting arguments for a shift in Israeli and American politics to favor engagement with Iran. Similar to “Reset”, which addresses Turkey and Iran. Lots of detailed diplomatic skulduggery and intrigue - worthwhile for those who are interested in either nation or geopolitics. Not unbiased, but not over the top.
You get the idea of the book pretty quickly, but despite the great detail the author goes into, the human stories and personalities are tremendous. Captured entirely from documents declassified 50+ years after the events in question and told in a masterful patchwork quilt of overheard conversations and ruses, it really gives one an appreciation for the type of work carried out in secret by governments around the world under the auspices of national security (though, in this case, largely above board, by current standards, and with much more consideration given to those under interrogation).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the idea... but only ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the book itself. Patronizing, redundant, bereft of almost any stories or vignettes, the content could easily be summed-up in a mid-length article (which would have taken less time). Although some useful nuggets are there, the authors seem to fall (ironically) prey to their stated need for women's perspectives and leadership in the workplace, as this book offers very few of the stories and personal experiences that I would have hoped to hear in pursuing greater knowledge of effective cross-gender mentoring relationships.
I enjoyed this — need to go back through and read it again, but there were certainly elements I found apropos to working with the target audience (leaders and innovators).
Great stories, a fun perspective on food, and a chance to reflect on time spent with people and it's impact on them. Plus great recipes and questions to make the most of the next meal!
I thought this was a really fun framework, and one worth returning to over and over, even if it wasn't maybe surprising? But useful and memorable. Still trying to be purposeful about it, but would recommend to others.
Fantastic little compilation spanning many areas of interest under the eponymous “hybrid” and “information warfare” topics. Really can't say enough good things about it, assuming you're in for the academic style - only one chapter struck me as off-key, but that's forgivable given the utility of all the others. Highly recommended if this kind of thing interests you.
New Book Club Add!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was not sure what to expect with this book... being somewhat skeptical by nature (working on it!), the concern that this book would somehow fall short of my hopes (as an Airman and proponent of innovation) was at top of mind.
Having not really interacted with Beam (the author), but been around the periphery of AFWERX (the Air Force's innovation-focused team), it was clearly a must-read... but then what?
Thankfully, it did not disappoint, and actually serves as a wonderful resource for others across government who have seen or heard of AFWERX and are interested in what was underneath the hood when it all got moving.
Without spoiling anything, I'll just finish by saying that it is very balanced / circumspect, does not feel overly ego-driven (another concern I had), and is full of enough humor and fantastic Gaping Void illustrations to warrant purchase on those merits alone.
I'll undoubtedly reflect more upon re-reading, but share these thoughts now so that those who are on the edge (or maybe not tracking it yet) can pick it up and add the lessons and ideas to their kit.
This book deserves all the hype and myriad accolades touted in the press - it's a GREAT READ.
Accessible, clear, simple and compelling, “The Innovators” is a great historical survey of the names and personalities behind many of the big technological advances of our time, particularly in computer science.
Ever wonder why it's called Silicon Valley? Curious if Al Gore really DID invent the Internet? Want to know who made the first computer? It's all in there, along with some interesting insights for managers and leaders (if on the lookout). Highly recommended!
I really don't even know where to start with this one, so we'll default to the beginning. Most people, despite the old adage, DO judge a book by its cover: I thought this would be a raucous, but interesting look at Iraq through the eyes of two “interesting” characters. The best review would probably be the book's sub-title, whose “Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure” vibe is carried on throughout. Also carried throughout the book are copious amounts of drugs, which are frivolously intermixed with cheap alcohol and wanton self-endangerment. These two are QUITE the pair. At the end, though, despite all the crude and unsavory paths taken, I did actually feel like I learned something. Not your typical war memorial, this will resonate with those who have gotten off into the streets and seen life in Iraq and the Middle East. Lots of people, lots of problems, lots of opportunities to do and be better - I guess maybe more of us could take a cue from these self-admitted stoners. At least they (purportedly) took time to help, when others simply stood by looking out for number one. The ending is also a poignant reminder of, well, I won't spoil it... but hopelessness and chaos are definitely themes that leave space for reflection. I recommend it for people who don't mind vulgarity (in all possible forms) and are interested in life in Iraq right after the 2003 invasion.
A bit dated, the majority of concepts in this book still hold up, albeit largely geared towards industry-minded business leveraging clear worker / manager separations (which may not hold up the same way with knowledge workers). Still, well worth the read, and pairs well with other change-related books like “Switch” and “Made to Stick” (Heath brothers) or “The Goal” / “The Phoenix Project”, depending on your context and intent.
Although dated at this point, this book still is valuable to anyone interested in decentralized operations: teams, Wikipedia, or terrorism. Filled with fascinating facts and interesting perspectives, I actually just re-read it to try and remember more of why I liked it so much the first time. It reads like a mix between Malcolm Gladwell and Freakonomics, so it's easily to digest. Even if you're not interested in decentralization and networks, you may be surprised at what you learn!
I'm sure a lot of Maxwell's material is recycled from book-to-book and year-to-year, but I still found this to be an inspiring and challenging read. Maybe it's the simplicity of the questions approach, or just the very blunt approach that he sometimes takes, but I liked it quite a bit, and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in leadership.
This one was right in the edge of 3-4 stars... some really good snippets, but also lots of pretty common stuff. Would be a compelling long-read or blog series, but just had a bit too much fluff for a book, at least compared to other books with a similar focus. Also, some of the content didn't age well in terms of specifics (apps, etc.), which probably added to the lower ranking.
So... there's some good stuff in this book. But it's a little “Meh” overall. Great stories, solid detail, compelling logic, but doesn't quite sew it all together in a satisfying way. There's no one specifically called-on to act, I didn't feel particularly empowered to do something in my own span of control... I dunno.
Still a decent read, maybe 3.5 stars instead of 3, but, yeah, not earth shattering either.
This book is incredible, combining the best parts of “Turn the Ship Around” with ideas from self-determination theory and agile project management in a powerful, story-driven lesson valuable for anyone who cares about leadership. Highly recommend.
Really enjoyed this — a respectable man who went through way more than I realized in his career and has proven capable of continuing to face challenges of leadership, I got a much better sense of him and the climate in organizations he led as a result of this book. Definitely recommended to any who look at it and think, “This might be interesting.”
About 15% recycled content from “Deep Work”, this piece enjoys may have benefitted from greater feedback loops or criticism that book received, as it struck me as somewhat smoother and less of a polemic. The suggestions start out sounding intense, but more quickly move into recognition of the need for options. Great advice and perspectives for recognizing and taking control of one's attention and time. Definitely worth the read.
Fantastically good. Lots of useful reference to other work, a simple foundation in her approach and so many great tools. Likely a function of when I'm reading this in my own journey, it definitely lived up to positive reviews I heard from others, and I would highly recommend it as well.
Started out rough, but got better. The title is a bit of a misnomer, it's much more a vignette-driven philosophy read than anything scientific or proven, but still interesting if you're willing to invest the time (long read). I listened to it at 2X speed on Audible, which cut it down from 27+ hours to 14 hours (still a very long time). Still, I make pick up the Kindle version for highlights because some of the stories were good and the example linkages were helpful in several cases.
More polemic than I was expecting with a lot of rehash, there was still some good content about 2/3 of the way through for a chapter or two. Despite a lot of it being generic, those sections were good enough to get it a 4 (but may be easier to just read an article or two).
This was enjoyable, as may be expected of any Heath Brothers work, though I didn't find it as revolutionary as some of the other content. Maybe I need to read it again.
Some useful background information — I can't speak to the level of bias or Orientalist-type perspectives that may be present, but appreciated the extensive use of quotations and excerpts as a way of “letting history speak for itself” instead of just summarizing. As someone generally uninterested in China (sorry? I prefer a dry heat and less jungle) and resultantly less familiar with its developments in foreign policy, this at least provided a helpful backdrop and framework against which to lay current events.