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barnysanchez's reviews
35 reviews
Finish What You Start: The Art of Following Through, Taking Action, Executing, & Self-Discipline by Peter Hollins
informative
fast-paced
3.0
The book has many things I could relate to. It’s also full of tips. However, IMHO, the delivery isn’t very engaging at all. Sometimes, it felt like I was reading a prescription, and others a dictionary. I thought it was a little evidence-weak, but its messages correlate well with my readings from other books regarding productivity, procrastination, scheduling, etc. Ultimately, I only stuck with it because it was a speedy read of just a few hrs and served as a reminder.
Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within by David Goggins
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Raw inspiration. Thanks to all who suggested it after “Can’t Hurt.” I applied the same formula of book+audio to benefit from the pictures of the book and “hearing it” in my head with my voice and then a second pass with the audiobook to hear from Googins directly. In this one, he builds up and takes you into his mental lab. Powerful. His mom… OMG! This book is a wake-up call!!
Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within by David Goggins
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Raw inspiration. Thanks to all who suggested it after “Can’t Hurt.” I applied the same formula of book+audio to benefit from the pictures of the book and “hearing it” in my head with my voice and then a second pass with the audiobook to hear from Googins directly. In this one, he builds up and takes you into his mental lab. Powerful. His mom… OMG! This book is a wake-up call!!
Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Leonardo is the most fantastic polymath I have ever read about. I finished this book inspired by his passionate curiosity and unparalleled imagination. I have finished very few books in my life wowed like this.
His capacity to intertwine science and art as one shines even on some of the masterpieces he is most known for, such as the Mona Lisa. I didn’t truly understand it until now.
There was so much more to his life; I don’t think I knew a fraction of what I learned in this incredible book. The author is excellent in his delivery and flow.
If you read this work, I suggest you get the physical book or read in color and a large tablet to appreciate better the nearly 150 illustrations of Leonardo’s paintings and his notebooks.
Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
In observance of Black History Month, I have usually read a historical piece or a novel in the last few years. This February, I went in a different direction and read "Can't Hurt Me" and immediately after listened to the audiobook.
I wanted to honor heroes like David Goggins whose true extent of what they have done for our country is prived to a few. Admittedly, given the nearly impossible feats I have heard, I was also curious about the guy. I thought he was an alien.
I don't like to recount many aspects of the books and spoil them for other readers, but to tempt you to read it, know that David is a world record holder and has undergone some of the most brutal military training on the planet (Navy Seal, Air Force Tactical, US Army Ranger). He has won many athletic competitions or placed at the top with broken feet and legs, sick with pneumonia, etc. Most of it while having a hole in his heart, which would have prevented him from most of his military accomplishments if detected many years earlier.
Pound by pound, this is the most badass human I have ever known. His capacity to overcome physical and mental adversity is unparalleled, and his methods are unfathomable to most human beings.
The book is less about the much-deserved bragging rights and selling you into the "if I could, you can" mentality. For me, it is an incredible history of vulnerability. David puts it all in the open: his life, challenges, uprising, failures, and how, every time, he overcame it. It's a story that teaches us about how any of us has an unbounded amount of potential that most have barely begun to realize.
Once I started reading the book, I learned there was an audiobook with a twist: a book reading (audible)/podcast/interview. I had to listen to it because I wanted to get more insight from David through his spoken words. It was fantastic, and if you ask me which one to tackle, for this once and for the first time, I would 100% suggest doing the audiobook.
Last, don't bother even contemplating this read if you are easily offended by F-bombs, P-words, M-Fkrs, and the like. This book is raw, primal, primitive in a way. But if you are curious and on the fence, all I offer is the advice to learn to extract the message and substance from anyone, regardless of their language. There is always something to learn from the person sitting across the table.
The Locked Door by Freida McFadden
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
3.75
I found myself reading three heavier books this week (content, depth, impactfulness), so I needed lighter reads in between to mix it up and wind down my brain. So, I read this and another by the same author.
I like this author and her thrillers because they are just easy to follow and quick to read; it's like the equivalent of a Netflix one-time show that you sit down and watch almost all at once and get a quick fix. Again, they won't necessarily make you smarter, but they will entertain you. They both are good, kept me guessing, and I still can't crack the author's code of "whodunit"; my earlier guesses were wrong.
Any is good for weekend read if you are looking. Just realize the Housemaid is a series, this is book two. Problem for me is now that I have read 2 of the 3 in the Housemaid series, it sucks to wait until June for the third book to come out.
I like this author and her thrillers because they are just easy to follow and quick to read; it's like the equivalent of a Netflix one-time show that you sit down and watch almost all at once and get a quick fix. Again, they won't necessarily make you smarter, but they will entertain you. They both are good, kept me guessing, and I still can't crack the author's code of "whodunit"; my earlier guesses were wrong.
Any is good for weekend read if you are looking. Just realize the Housemaid is a series, this is book two. Problem for me is now that I have read 2 of the 3 in the Housemaid series, it sucks to wait until June for the third book to come out.
The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
3.5
I found myself reading three heavier books this week (content, depth, impactfulness), so I needed lighter reads in between to mix it up and wind down my brain. So, I read this and another by the same author.
I like this author and her thrillers because they are just easy to follow and quick to read; it's like the equivalent of a Netflix one-time show that you sit down and watch almost all at once and get a quick fix. Again, they won't necessarily make you smarter, but they will entertain you. They both are good, kept me guessing, and I still can't crack the author's code of "whodunit"; my earlier guesses were wrong.
Any is good for weekend read if you are looking. Just realize the Housemaid is a series, this is book two. Problem for me is now that I have read 2 of the 3 in the Housemaid series, it sucks to wait until June for the third book to come out.
I like this author and her thrillers because they are just easy to follow and quick to read; it's like the equivalent of a Netflix one-time show that you sit down and watch almost all at once and get a quick fix. Again, they won't necessarily make you smarter, but they will entertain you. They both are good, kept me guessing, and I still can't crack the author's code of "whodunit"; my earlier guesses were wrong.
Any is good for weekend read if you are looking. Just realize the Housemaid is a series, this is book two. Problem for me is now that I have read 2 of the 3 in the Housemaid series, it sucks to wait until June for the third book to come out.
Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Early in the book, the author wrote "...in this book I have scienced the shit out of anxiety.". And he did.
Whether you experience anxiety (which I think everyone does at different levels and plains in their lives) or for the sake of a person you care about who struggles with anxiety, read this book. Don't just read it; repeat the exercises and practice. Repetition is the mother of mastery. The book has a lot of practical advice, but you have to put in the work. It helped me a lot. It was well balanced with just the right amount of medical and nerdy depth to make the points and keep it interesting without feeling I was reading some cheesy advice.
One metric of how much a book impacts me is the number of highlights and notes I take, and so far this year, this is the book with the most notes. I have made a point of pausing and practicing what I have learned. I could relate to so many examples the author provided.
Whether you experience anxiety (which I think everyone does at different levels and plains in their lives) or for the sake of a person you care about who struggles with anxiety, read this book. Don't just read it; repeat the exercises and practice. Repetition is the mother of mastery. The book has a lot of practical advice, but you have to put in the work. It helped me a lot. It was well balanced with just the right amount of medical and nerdy depth to make the points and keep it interesting without feeling I was reading some cheesy advice.
One metric of how much a book impacts me is the number of highlights and notes I take, and so far this year, this is the book with the most notes. I have made a point of pausing and practicing what I have learned. I could relate to so many examples the author provided.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.75
What if you are told that, unavoidably, you will die in 3-6 months? How would you choose to spend this little time remaining? What will you want your legacy to be?
This book made me pause. Reflect. It made me sad, but it made me hopeful too. If you are an emotional person, this will be a tear-jerker. Hey, big guys, it's ok to cry, too.
This book made me pause. Reflect. It made me sad, but it made me hopeful too. If you are an emotional person, this will be a tear-jerker. Hey, big guys, it's ok to cry, too.
Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey A. Moore
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Regarding high-tech, have you ever wondered why, when there are two competing products, one dominates the market even when it may be technically inferior?
This question and many more are answered in this book, which is all about marketing and selling high-tech products. The book walks you through a deeper understanding of the law of diffusion of innovation. This newer version was updated with recent product examples that most of us can relate to and gives you a framework to set your game plan for success.
This read is not only for senior leadership and C-level folks. As I read this book, I took a beating of sorts as I could relate to the many errors I have made when trying to push new ideas in my company. Suppose you are a technologist like me, working on or considering a project in your organization. In that case, this book will help you push your development forward more appropriately if you think your idea, your project, is at its core “a product” you are trying to sell.
Last, if you are into this kind of reading, I suggest pairing this book with “The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail” by Clayton Christensen. It’s like pairing bread and butter or wine and cheese, whatever strikes your fancy.
This question and many more are answered in this book, which is all about marketing and selling high-tech products. The book walks you through a deeper understanding of the law of diffusion of innovation. This newer version was updated with recent product examples that most of us can relate to and gives you a framework to set your game plan for success.
This read is not only for senior leadership and C-level folks. As I read this book, I took a beating of sorts as I could relate to the many errors I have made when trying to push new ideas in my company. Suppose you are a technologist like me, working on or considering a project in your organization. In that case, this book will help you push your development forward more appropriately if you think your idea, your project, is at its core “a product” you are trying to sell.
Last, if you are into this kind of reading, I suggest pairing this book with “The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail” by Clayton Christensen. It’s like pairing bread and butter or wine and cheese, whatever strikes your fancy.