In How the Word Is Passed, Clint Smith embarks on a tour of sites pivotal to the history of slavery and racial injustice in the United States. This timely book provides a compelling confrontation about how America fails to properly memorialize the enslaved people who built the country. The book in three sentences Clint Smith…
Richard Feynman was one of the most brilliant physicists of the 20th century. He helped develop the theory of quantum electrodynamics, won the Nobel Prize, and worked on the Manhattan Project. How did he achieve such groundbreaking insights? Feynman had a simple but effective strategy to spur creative thinking that anyone can try. Feynman advocated…
In Trust the Plan, Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer delves into the origins and evolution of the QAnon conspiracy theory movement. His book provides important context for how QAnon gained traction and influenced American politics. The book in three sentences The book examines the rise of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which baselessly claimed Donald Trump…
Life is a hero’s journey, not a drama triangle. Our lives are filled with ups and downs. Challenges arise, conflicts emerge with others, and sometimes we fall into victimhood stories. It’s easy to get trapped in what’s called the “drama triangle” – bouncing between the roles of victim, villain, and hero in an endless cycle.…
Atomic notes are all the rage in personal knowledge management circles. The idea is that each note should capture one singular thought or concept. While atomic notes have many benefits, putting the method into practice can be tricky. Let’s look at some real-world examples to get a feel for writing effective atomic notes. What is…
In How to Take Smart Notes, author Sönke Ahrens makes the case that note-taking is not just for capturing information but for clarifying and generating thoughts. Ahrens provides insights and techniques to use notes as a tool to truly enhance learning. The book in three sentences The book outlines slip-boxing, a note-taking workflow where you…
Many people have misconceptions about what it means to “do research” and employ the scientific method. Some view researching a topic as simply gathering facts that support their existing beliefs. They don’t want to be proven wrong, so they only look for evidence that confirms what they already think is true. The true essence of…
As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to advance rapidly, we are approaching a point where we may need to reconsider what it means for something to be conscious or have a mind. Recent large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are able to generate remarkably human-like text, respond intelligently to questions, and even reflect on their…
The internet is constantly evolving. As large, centralized social networks like Twitter come under new ownership, many users look for alternatives that align better with their values. This has sparked renewed interest in an approach called the “fediverse”. You may have heard of sites like Mastodon and wondered what exactly they are. The key is…
In his grand-scale book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, historian Yuval Noah Harari provides a sweeping history of humankind that delves into our evolution, impact, and potential future. This uniquely broad perspective makes it a fascinating read for anyone interested in who we are and how we got here. The book in three sentences…