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barnysanchez's reviews
35 reviews
The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career by Kathryn Minshew, Alexandra Cavoulacos
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
I recommend this title to managers, employees, leaders, or anyone looking for a job (whether new to the market or not).
My initial aim was to understand better how younger generations view the workplace and assess what finding a new job looks like now. Conversations with mentees fresh out of college who were ready to join the workforce triggered this.
As someone who has spent eight or more years in various companies, I realized the need to upgrade my perspectives. This book provided the perfect opportunity for that.
I appreciated many of its practical tips, which can make you more effective and happier in the workplace. Happier means a better you; those you touch, influence, and collaborate with will win.
My initial aim was to understand better how younger generations view the workplace and assess what finding a new job looks like now. Conversations with mentees fresh out of college who were ready to join the workforce triggered this.
As someone who has spent eight or more years in various companies, I realized the need to upgrade my perspectives. This book provided the perfect opportunity for that.
I appreciated many of its practical tips, which can make you more effective and happier in the workplace. Happier means a better you; those you touch, influence, and collaborate with will win.
Death's End by Cixin Liu
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It's just absolutely dope sci-fi geek stuff. And if you are wondering, my opinion on the Netflix series is that it doesn't even come close to the detail and richness of the books; it felt like a watered-down version. This is a three-book series and is excellent work. I am also sharing an explanation of the 3-body problem for more context: https://youtu.be/D89ngRr4uZg?si=r89SAdhvsGWsVsxZ
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It's just absolutely dope sci-fi geek stuff. And if you are wondering, my opinion on the Netflix series is that it doesn't even come close to the detail and richness of the books; it felt like a watered-down version. This is a three-book series and is excellent work. I am also sharing an explanation of the 3-body problem for more context: https://youtu.be/D89ngRr4uZg?si=r89SAdhvsGWsVsxZ
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
adventurous
hopeful
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It's just absolutely dope sci-fi geek stuff. And if you are wondering, my opinion on the Netflix series is that it doesn't even come close to the detail and richness of the books; it felt like a watered-down version. This is a three-book series and is excellent work. I am also sharing an explanation of the 3-body problem for more context: https://youtu.be/D89ngRr4uZg?si=r89SAdhvsGWsVsxZ
The Teacher by Freida McFadden
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Enjoyed it for what it is, a psychological thriller. This author entertains me and this is the first book from her where I anticipated a lot of it. Maybe I am starting to crack her code. Still made for an engaging reading and a good alternative to time infront of the TV.
Deep Learning by John D. Kelleher
informative
fast-paced
3.75
It's a fast read with a reasonably low entry point to the subject. To fully understand all it covers and its examples, you must understand basic differential calculus, linear algebra, and geometry. If you don't have those foundations or forgot them, you can skim through the sections that get tougher to grasp, and you will still benefit from reading it to the end.
As soon as I finished "Deep Learning" I read "The Little Book of Deep Learning" by Professor François Fleuret. I felt it paired very well. You can read the book by François online for free. Check his site: https://fleuret.org/francois/lbdl.html
As soon as I finished "Deep Learning" I read "The Little Book of Deep Learning" by Professor François Fleuret. I felt it paired very well. You can read the book by François online for free. Check his site: https://fleuret.org/francois/lbdl.html
The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life by Steve Magness, Brad Stulberg
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
How often have we heard countless speakers, during commencements or from coaches, adults, etc., say, "Follow your passion?" Almost everyone seems to have prescribed those words in life with phrases like "be passionate about..." and "do it passionately...". The list goes on.
What's more, when I looked at the lives of many successful people, something often was discrepant. They gave up or compromised other parts of their lives in the pursuit of their passion, from family life to neglecting their health, relationships, sleep, etc.
I am passionately inquisitive (hah!), so "Passion" got me wondering about the most fundamental definition of the word and later thinking about how one achieves passion. How does one find, nurture, and maintain sustainable passion? After all, there is a fine or gray line between when passion can be synonymous with pain and affliction and when it can be the complete opposite. Here lies the paradox.
My quest led me to this book. You don't get the answers from one source, but this book gave me direction and reframed the concept. I learned new things. I will read this book in a few months to re-assess how my upgraded perspective changed my actions. I took notes before for comparison.
I try not to recommend books; I aim to express a few thoughts to engage my peeps and see if any book I read may be for you. But this one is an exception. Give it a try. It is valid regardless of where you are on your journey.
What's more, when I looked at the lives of many successful people, something often was discrepant. They gave up or compromised other parts of their lives in the pursuit of their passion, from family life to neglecting their health, relationships, sleep, etc.
I am passionately inquisitive (hah!), so "Passion" got me wondering about the most fundamental definition of the word and later thinking about how one achieves passion. How does one find, nurture, and maintain sustainable passion? After all, there is a fine or gray line between when passion can be synonymous with pain and affliction and when it can be the complete opposite. Here lies the paradox.
My quest led me to this book. You don't get the answers from one source, but this book gave me direction and reframed the concept. I learned new things. I will read this book in a few months to re-assess how my upgraded perspective changed my actions. I took notes before for comparison.
I try not to recommend books; I aim to express a few thoughts to engage my peeps and see if any book I read may be for you. But this one is an exception. Give it a try. It is valid regardless of where you are on your journey.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
Quick read! And don't be swayed by the title. This book doesn't say, "Be indifferent to everything." If it were the case, it wouldn't be helpful.
Some of the essential takeaways I gathered were the need to constantly evaluate what to give a F*ck about and honestly give two dams about the rest. This practice alone has helped me re-evaluate many things in my life, like where I invest my time, pick my fights better, and be choosier with the people I connect with. This process, I feel, is becoming more natural as I age, but proactively exercising it is a potent anxiety suppressor.
I'm not particularly eager to spoil people's reads. So, I will share another thing I gathered and will be done: the power of saying NO. That shit is liberating. In my personal life and the workplace, I see that often saying no to is just as important, if not more important, than the things that I say yes to. The rationale for this is simple: when you shut down unnecessary, wasteful, dumb crap (the NOs), then you get to live, enjoy and do more of the things you want and genuinely need (the YESs).
Enjoy!
Some of the essential takeaways I gathered were the need to constantly evaluate what to give a F*ck about and honestly give two dams about the rest. This practice alone has helped me re-evaluate many things in my life, like where I invest my time, pick my fights better, and be choosier with the people I connect with. This process, I feel, is becoming more natural as I age, but proactively exercising it is a potent anxiety suppressor.
I'm not particularly eager to spoil people's reads. So, I will share another thing I gathered and will be done: the power of saying NO. That shit is liberating. In my personal life and the workplace, I see that often saying no to is just as important, if not more important, than the things that I say yes to. The rationale for this is simple: when you shut down unnecessary, wasteful, dumb crap (the NOs), then you get to live, enjoy and do more of the things you want and genuinely need (the YESs).
Enjoy!
Living with a Seal: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler
adventurous
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
This was funny AF! all laughs aside, wow! Surviving that for 30 days was no joke!
The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Jason Fung
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This book destroys the conventional “Eat Less, Move More” diet approaches and Atkins, Paleo, Weight Watchers, etc. It presents obesity as a hormonal disorder of fat regulation instead of a calorie imbalance. I learned so much on this one, and I enjoyed the author’s delivery and explanations. Lots of applications and corrections to my life will come out of this one.