My luck with selecting good books has continued. Here's some quick reviews of some great books:
Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
This books is the story of Greg Boyle's work with gangs in LA, including the founding of Homeboy Industries. The book is largely a collection of anecdotes from his 20+ years of work. The stories are moving and inspiring. Grade: B+
The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver
I've been reading Nate's work for over 10 years since he got his start with Baseball Prospectus. I now enjoy reading his 538 blog. Here's what you need to know: it doesn't matter what room Nate is in, he's the smartest guy in the room. This book is extremely interesting and makes a strong case for Bayesian statistics. I found the chapters on global warming, stock market analysis and weather forcasting to be especially interesting. Grade: A-
7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
Maybe the best book I've read in the last few years. Here's the main reason: I know that I'm too focused on stuff and personal comfort. But, most of the books that I read that encourage me to simplify my life are written by people that I cannot relate to. Shane Claiborn is an amazing advocate for homeless people and an amazing individual, but I largely cannot relate to him. Jen Hatmaker, on the other hand, is a lot like me and she demonstrate how small pushes in the right direction can make such a huge difference. Grade: A
Good to Great by Jim Collins
I very interesting book on the factors that separate companies that transition to greatness compared to companies that remain merely good. My take is that everyone could benefit from some of the ideas in this book -- not just business leaders. Grade: B+
