This is a page to be updated continuously to share my reading progress in science, personal development, investing and business, fitness, psychology and others.
All opinions are certainly personal and biased. I look foward to discussion about these topics.
Science
Personal development
- Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina. Rating: 5 out of 5.
Despite the funny title, this is by far the best personal development book I have read. The author logically proposed a universal framework of personal development, based on several principles, including truth (admit the fact), love (connection) and power (ability to act and change the life). These principles are complimentary to each other and nonredundant. Also, the author delivers the information in a concise and clear way, which makes the book enjoyable to read when many authors nowadays tend to repeat the same contents over and over in writing.
Investing and business
- 我的创业史 by 刘强东, Rating: 5 out of 5
这本口述采访的书应该是讲刘强东创业故事最好的材料，非常真实地讲述了他如何从一个宿迁走出去，读书，艰难创业，取得成功的故事。其中有运气，也有他身上一些宝贵的品质：勤奋，价值观坚定，喜欢公平竞争而不是靠旁门左道，考虑长远（建物流）并坚持，真心服务客户，善用数据和技术提高效率。有几句原文都很让人感动：
- “我不断告诉我们的员工、同事，对于京东来讲，我们要的是——靠正道能赚到钱，可以活得有尊严，不至于为了生存去做那些乌七八糟、损害社会的事。不卖水货、假货，不偷税、漏税，不行贿、受贿。我们可以推动政府降低税率，但是你不能逃税，政府规定的税率不是你逃税的理由。因为逃税是不公平的，你逃税了别人不逃，别人就竞争不过你了。你成本低了，逼着别人也要逃税。结果呢？劣币驱逐良币，变成了为了生存只好去违法。如果是人人都违法的社会，连你自己都蔑视法律，你又怎么可能要求他人去守法？“正”。我们拼的是服务，拼的是用户体验，我也反复呼吁，希望能够在公正公平的市场环境下，大家公平竞争，我崇尚竞争、喜欢竞争。有一天我们都会离开这个世界，但我不希望我们会后悔，我希望我们这个生命历程是充满着骄傲的，而不是充满遗憾、后悔和羞耻”；
- “这个人，他懂得也有能力对自己好，对别人好。他希望财富没有原罪，物质生活有情感，有温度。他祝福他人，喜欢公平竞争，坚持正义。一个生于贫穷肮脏世界的小男孩，当他长大成为有灵魂的企业家，他不仅结束了自我的悲剧，也成为尽可能多的人的福祉”；
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“一个苹果都不能拿”。
- The Millionaire Fastlane by M. J. DeMarco, Rating: 4 out of 5
This book helped me remove some misunderstanding and establish some correct understandings of getting rich. Slowlane is the typical way of many others (school–>job–>earn salary), while the fastlane is to create a business to provide products/services to the world. The traditional way, as suggested by the surrounindg people, will actually sacrifice Time, the most important resource of my life. Give first, gain second. This book also helped me understand that I need to do what most people don’t do, otherwise I will fall into the trap of normalcy (slavery).
- The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean Ammous, Rating: 2.5 out of 5
The Bitcoin Reddit community recommended this book to me. In the first few chapters, the author clearly explains the concept of money as a tool for exchanging value and compares the “hardness” of various forms of money and fiat throughout history. This part is logical. But the middle section about government-issued fiat and its negative impacts on the economy and society feels a bit off-topic. Many of the arguments seem to be based on association rather than causation. The final chapters on the concept and use of Bitcoin are still valid but could be more concise. The whole book could be condensed to half its size.
Fitness
- Why we sleep by Matthew Walker. Rating: 4 out of 5.
This is a fascinating book that educates people about the importance of sleep and the good practice of sleep, which our education system and society have fail to do and even discourage people to do…I had sleep problems in my middle school and I wish I could read this book earlier. But for some health and society problems due to sleep deficiencies claimed by the author, causal relationship is not well established in my opinion. Nevertheless, I highly recommend people to read this illuminating book.
Psychology
- Evolutionary psychology by David Buss. Rating: 4 out of 5.
This is a classic book about how humans developed nature instints during the evolution process and how they impact us today. From the bottom up, it helped me understand people’s subconscious thoughts in many things, such as mating, food. This guides my own action.