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Non-Fiction

Eat That Frog (by Brian Tracy)

Do you want to increase your productivity, achieve your goals, and stop procrastinating? If so, you may be interested in the practical tips offered in this book. First of all, you must realise that it is impossible to complete every task you have to do, as the amount of time is limited, so the key to better managing your time is to prioritize tasks and focus on the most important ones first. This book encourages you to practice “creative procrastination” meaning that by prioritizing the… Read More »Eat That Frog (by Brian Tracy)

1982-2022 Book Challenge: Complete!

As I was turning 40 this year, I decided to mark the occasion with a special reading challenge: to read a book published in each year of my life, between 1982 and 2022. As someone who loves to read and the freedom it provides for my mind to explore new ideas and places, I was super excited to see what this challenge would bring. As I embarked on my reading journey, I discovered a lot about my own tastes and preferences. I read a mix… Read More »1982-2022 Book Challenge: Complete!

Peace Is Every Step (by Thich Nhat Hanh)

I kept having a smile on my face while I was reading this book. It made me feel calm and reminded me of “The wisdom of no escape” by Pema Chödrön. Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist monk and peace activist who had a significant impact on Buddhism around the world and specifically he was one of the first to bring the concept of mindfulness to the West. In the 1960s, he worked to bring an end to the conflict in his native Vietnam through… Read More »Peace Is Every Step (by Thich Nhat Hanh)

Into the Wild (by Jon Krakauer)

A few years ago, I watched the film that was the adaptation of this book. The film was inspiring and emotional – I expected the same from the book. Perhaps, I even expected more given that a book is always richer than a film in details. WARNING – THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE FILM so if you want to watch it, which I’d highly recommend, stop reading here and come back once you’ve watched the film :-). However, the book was only a bit… Read More »Into the Wild (by Jon Krakauer)

Say Good Night to Insomnia

Say Good Night to Insomnia (by Gregg D. Jacobs)

I love to sleep. If I sleep, I can cope with (almost) everything, while if I don’t sleep well enough or for long enough, I can’t function properly. My brain slows down and hurts (I know that technically the brain can’t hurt but you know what I mean). Until about 5 years ago, I had never had any kind of insomnia issues, it was quite the opposite; I was able to sleep very well and for very long. I could even manage to sleep until… Read More »Say Good Night to Insomnia (by Gregg D. Jacobs)

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (by Mark Manson)

The main message delivered by the author of this book, who is a popular blogger, is that we don’t have to be positive at all times and that what we should instead do is choose what deserves our attention. How many times have I been told in difficult situations: “Think positive!”, especially from people who have never been in that situation before and have zero idea what I might be feeling at that moment. Ironically, wanting to be positive implies that you’re not happy. It’s… Read More »The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (by Mark Manson)

Love Letters of the Great War (edited by Mandy Kirkby)

With this book, I took a glimpse at some private correspondence that was exchanged during the WW1. Lots of different strong emotions were given voice by these letters, so sometimes I felt like I was intruding on the privacy of those who wrote and received them. My favourite one was written by the primary school teacher Marin to his wife Marguerite. A few months after Marin had joined the army in 1914, Marguerite gave birth to their first child, a daughter. His letter is just… Read More »Love Letters of the Great War (edited by Mandy Kirkby)

The Universe in a Single Atom (by the Dalai Lama)

I don’t belong to Buddhism, but I have the highest admiration for its maximum authority, Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama XIV and, specifically, for his intelligence and openness towards others, including those who think differently from him. I always love listening to what he has to say, and I truly think his life enriches our world. This book is a confirmation of the consideration I have of him. The Dalai Lama’s genuine interest in science is well known and these pages are an opportunity to… Read More »The Universe in a Single Atom (by the Dalai Lama)

quiet

Quiet (by Susan Cain)

This book is about the power of introverts, a super interesting and important topic. The author, Susan Cain, is the world’s best-known expert on this personality type. Her TED talk has had over 32 million views so far. Culturally, our most important institutions – the schools and the workplaces – encourage us to work in teams and to even join “team building” activities. At school we’re spurred to have our say in class; and in our CVs we feel we must confirm that we’re able… Read More »Quiet (by Susan Cain)

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (by Oliver Sacks)

Being passionate about the brain and how it works, I had heard a lot about the author of this book. Oliver Sacks was a British neurologist who moved to the United States, where he spent most of his career. He was the author of numerous and best-selling books that mainly include the cases of his patients, who were people with neurological disorders. He died in 2015 at the age of 82. Before reading this book, I had watched a film, with Robert De Niro and… Read More »The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (by Oliver Sacks)