Bookshelf
Reading
The Art of Statistics: Learning from Data - David Spiegelhalter [Link]
The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right - Atul Gawande [Link]
Completed
Poor - Katriona O’Sullivan - [Link]
Bought this on a whim when I saw it as a Kindle special deal, and I’m glad I did. It covers what it means to be poor, and how some of the most vulnerable in society can fall through the cracks, how the system can let them down. The failure of the state, society, and people to help the most vulnerable. Whilst this is a difficult read in parts, it’s also a book about hope, and whilst there were failures in the system, it’s that same system that allowed Katriona to escape that life through the help of people, education, and her determination for something better.
Man’s Search for Meaning - Victor E Frankl - [Link]
This is an amazing book written soon after WW2 and his release from a concentration camp. The book is written in two parts, the first is his account of his time in the concentration camp from the point of view of the mind and how he and others felt hope in the direst of circumstances and what happens when one finally gives up. The second part talks about Logotherapy - logo means ‘meaning’ in Greek. It’s different from psychotherapy and focuses on an individual’s meaning in life. I highly recommend this book.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World - Cal Newport [Link]
Carl lays out what it means to do great work and sets out a number of strategies to get more done of what counts. Carl’s writing is succinct, easy to read and full of great ideas and wisdom. If you are drowning in a sea of email and even after a hard day’s work feel that you haven’t accomplished much of anything, this is the book for you.
On the Shelf
Books I have bought or borrowed and am either reading or on my list.