I grew up watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and couldn’t wait to dive into this. But man, I didn’t think I’d be able to get into this at first. TheI grew up watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and couldn’t wait to dive into this. But man, I didn’t think I’d be able to get into this at first. The beginning is a little unbearable with Will Smith’s ego, but once you get past that, this is a great book. He’s a phenomenal storyteller: I laughed and cried and learned a lot about his life and how he approaches the world. He’s flawed but is pretty upfront about the mistakes he’s made, and it made for a compelling autobiography.
Let me also add: There’s one point where he asks us, the readers, to judge whether a “prank” he played on Jada was funny. It was not funny. Breathtakingly not funny. And I can’t believe he included it in this story thinking we all would be on his side. So yeah, definitely flawed, but how boring would this book be if he came across as perfect the whole way through?...more
This is one of the best biographies I’ve ever read, and I’d put it up there with Team of Rivals for leadership lessons. Sandra Day O’Connor is an iconThis is one of the best biographies I’ve ever read, and I’d put it up there with Team of Rivals for leadership lessons. Sandra Day O’Connor is an icon. ...more
I was reading this book for leadership insight, and I just didn't find very much. First, I just don't care for Phil Knight--I've read Elon Musk's and I was reading this book for leadership insight, and I just didn't find very much. First, I just don't care for Phil Knight--I've read Elon Musk's and Steve Jobs's biographies, and while I didn't care much for them as people either, they were still inspiring as innovators. I'm about 20% of the way through this, and I don't feel that way about Knight.
I'm going to put this aside for now, and I may come back to it in the future....more
Elon Musk is a tremendously interesting person, and that is enough for me to recommend this book to anyone. It was inspiring and fun and I learned a tElon Musk is a tremendously interesting person, and that is enough for me to recommend this book to anyone. It was inspiring and fun and I learned a ton.
HOWEVER. I definitely wouldn't call this in the spirit of Steve Jobs. This was not a biography as that was. This was specifically about Elon and his relationship with Tesla and SpaceX (and kind of SolarCity). There is very, very little about his personal life. He has five kids, and none of them even ranked a name in the book. There were mere paragraphs about his relationships. It also doesn't seem very even-handed: Musk is flawed, but Vance focused far more on his strengths than his flaws, despite Musk being a terribly polarizing character (and Vance says that Musk is polarizing but then shows Musk's detractors in a fairly unfavorable light).
This wasn't quite as good as Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, but it was still wonderful. Lincoln is onThis wasn't quite as good as Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, but it was still wonderful. Lincoln is one of my favorite people to read about, and the author did a great job with this book. It was well-researched (he spent seven years writing it!) and entertaining, and really showed what a humble and brilliant man Lincoln was and how he became who he was with his depression.
It made me wonder how a man like Lincoln would have been perceived today. Shenk made it clear that Lincoln wasn't truly appreciated in his time, and it wasn't until those who lived through the Civil War passed on that history acknowledged Lincoln as a great man.
I also enjoyed the afterword in which Shenk talks about how our perception of Lincoln has been shaped by his many biographers and the biographical trends of the times. ...more
Before I get started, I just want to say this: What the Japanese did to POWs and civilians during WWII was absolutely deplorable. It should be widely kBefore I get started, I just want to say this: What the Japanese did to POWs and civilians during WWII was absolutely deplorable. It should be widely known and condemned. THAT SAID, based on some of the reviews and comments on reviews of this book, it seems that some people believe that this makes what the United States did in WWII all right. It does not. You may think that "in comparison, the US treated Japanese in internment camps very well," but it doesn't get around the fact that the US interned its own citizens, confiscated their property, and held them for years. These people were not enemy combatants, and two wrongs don't make a right.
Now that that's out of the way...
Listening to this on audiobook was a tremendous experience. What Zamperini went through was horrific. Yes, there were some parts that I found to be unbelievable (like the constant shark fighting), and I was skeptical in the beginning that this rotten kid was going to be our hero. But the story here is one that needed to be told, and I'm glad that Hillenbrand wrote this book....more
This was my first audiobook, and I can't believe I wasn't into these before. They make long car rides so much more productive.
I pickTotally brilliant.
This was my first audiobook, and I can't believe I wasn't into these before. They make long car rides so much more productive.
I picked this one up because everyone in business constantly references Jobs and his leadership lessons, and I didn't know very much about him besides that he was the genius behind Apple. Honestly, I didn't even realize he had a connection to Pixar. I learned so much about what a brilliant, flawed man he was.
This isn't just about his time at Apple. It covers his childhood, his search for enlightenment, his first loves, and his family life. It explores everything from his odd eating habits to his tempestuous relationship with Bill Gates.
This book was funny, heartbreaking, and inspiring.
But now, in my head, Jobs will always sound just like Dylan Baker....more