Main concept is that we should stay within a goldilocks zone.
Don’t use too many resources (going outside the doughnut) as it will strain the ecology.
Don’t let people have so few resources (going inside the doughnut hole) prevent social decline.
Piece is rather idealistic and has no considerations for how the world is set up by incentives and power structures.
Audiobook version, read by author – comes off a bit pretentious but the content is solid and extensive.
India was the world’s knowledge and economical powerhouse until Britain showed up and took control by force.
Britain was essentially a 300 year parasite and left an eviscerated India.
Author breaks down in detail every argument suggesting that Britain did good for India.
I wholly disagree with the author’s claim that it would be impractical for Britain to do reparations and thus they shouldn’t.
Premise is a therapist who herself ends up going to therapy after major life event.
Interesting look at the process of how therapists work and the boundaries they need to create.
The firsthand account of an individual who survived years in Nazi concentration camps.
The real gem is how he managed to survive despite losing everything in his life including his family and life’s work, and while everyone else around him was not making it through.
I read this as mental prep prior to the 24h race, and it proved very helpful.
To be honest, I don’t recall much of this book.
Felt less practical and more theoretical, which might be because this comes from an artist’s perspective.
Audiobook version, read by the author. Sometimes he seemed like a overexcited presenter, almost yelling.
I met the author on a ski lift in Telluride and subsequently found his book.
A bunch of psychotherapeutic principles focusing on a bunch of learned childhood coping mechanism lead to maladaptive adult behaviors.
These past issues need to be resolved, through understanding, separating the child you from the adult you, and forgiving the child you.
My favorite piece of the year.
A look at how India has rebuilt itself from the mess that Britain has left, and is now actually a place worth living (unlike the hellhole it was when my parents lived there from the 50s to the 80s)
Fascinating look at the growing pains involved and the tension between the old ways and the new ways, and how each prevails.
Lots of specific stories from the rise of business to the different family structures within a greater family, and how those operations differ within themselves.
The story, principles, and philosophy of a Japanese farming master.
Main idea is that less is more and that we should let nature run its course with minimal involvement.
Principles apply beyond farming, like more complexity might create more yield but then it begets more cost and then more complexity and so on.
I feel this book is poorly named, as it refers to straw as in farming and not drinking straws.
Basically how we millennials got screwed as a generation with chapters looking at tricking us to go to college at great finacial expense, fooling us into “doing what we love” at our expense, creating tech and culture that expects us to work all the time, and making things even more impossible when one has kids.
My big takeaway from this is that the world is way more complicated than it ever has been and that this feeling of being overwhelmed all the time can be seen as an external force and not a personal failing.
Audiobook version, read by the author and is not for the feint of spirit.
This book is two big things: how the whole concept of wellness has been co-opted by capitalism, and the author’s own story of trying to be well growing up in a household with a mentally ill and abusive mother.
The whole wellness industrial complex primarily benefits the wealthy, the white, and the men.
I really appreciated the author laying out that the USA tried to patent turmeric in the 90s and India actually fought back and won.
Audiobook version, is a long one but covers a lot of ground.
Really interesting look at American history (leading up to current circumstances) of “greater” territories under US control in the past and today.
Chapters based on various territories and the author shows a pattern of the US claiming territories (but not giving rights to its people) as they became politically advantageous, and then “freeing” them when they were no longer useful.
Particularly fascinating explanations for how Japanese came to dominate electronics and cars but caters to the American market, why we have so many Filipino nurses, and how the US’s push to have military bases in the Middle East consequently created Al Qaeda.
Collection of short stories and damn they’re incredibly good.
Every story’s characters are of Asian origin.
Many of the stories are based on untold stories, like of the mass Chinese immigration of the Rockies.
Some are sci-fi.
Some of them will make you cry.
A pushback on the whole highly work oriented culture we’ve found ourselves in.
Looks at the history of capitalism, noting its roots in slavery, and showing how this is not a natural thing but something more recent in human history.
Really stresses the fact that we can exist just to exist, and that this whole notion of purpose and productivity is made to make us work and continue to push the system.
This piece seemed rather disorganized and repetitive but it’s a quick read and the content is well worth it.
Audiobook version.
Main principle is that we’re in a winner-take-all world and that if everyone went for “good enough” instead, then we’d collectively be better off.
While the author acknowledged socioeconomic forces (e.g. race and history of colonialism affecting power structures), they seemed more like an afterthought or cover your ass, and he didn’t go into it further.
Not a particularly memorable piece.
Audiobook version, read by the author.
A look at the various forms of addiction in our society from weed to porn to social media.
Author goes into how addictions work and why they’re so persistent.
Piece felt rather cursory and didn’t go into as much depth of practical solutions or breadth of addiction types as I would have liked. Felt like I was waiting for something that never materialized.
An absolutely masterpiece and systematic understanding of love and what’s improperly categorized as love across many dimensions.
Notable chapters include on how kids incorrectly perceive parental love in what they provide, love to oneself through honesty, love through commitment.
A must read if you’re a human.
Primarily a harrowing account of the author growing up as a high achieving Indian American in a household of pressure and abuse of power.
Much for me to relate to with this, but the author’s story is especially a harrowing one.
Reads very quick as it’s incredibly engaging.
Audiobook version
Basically why America has so much poverty and continues to do so.
Very evidenced focused like an academic piece but well written so it’s easy to understand.
A lot about how the poor get screwed in every way, simply for being poor, from losing money to cash paychecks to having to jump through hoops for social services.
Author does a good job factoring in socioeconomic factors like race.
The principles of All About Love applied to men specifically
Terrific explanations of why it’s so hard for men to love, to express themselves, in any way other than anger.
I found a lot to relate to in this.
Some very interesting takes on how parts of the feminism movement end up exacerbating the very problem they claim to want to solve, by going for perfection over understanding.
Audiobook version, narrated in a highly and appropriately entertaining manner.
A wacky, satirical, and over-the-top perspective poking fun at the LA acting scene as it pertains to Asians and how typecasting really screws them.
Very quick and enjoyable listen.
A look at how the Japanese, specifically those on an particular island, live extremely long lives.
Certain basic principles like fresh food, enmeshment in community, and low-stress purposeful lives are essential.
This piece seemed like it was really stretching to get info and even had some absurd overly detailed meditation segment in the middle that didn’t really fit.
A stunningly helpful guide to someone pursuing their art, and most of the chapters focus on principles, concepts, and actions that can be generalized to things beyond writing.
There were sections where I could literally replace “writing” with “skating” and I found it incredibly relevant for expanding the the artistic process of my skating.
Chapters are based on specific principles like creating a practice, addressing sabotage, dealing with roadblocks and setbacks, and avoiding burnout.
Fun little book with one issue a page and dealing with letting it go.
Seemed more interesting at a glance and less practical in the actual details.
Audiobook version, and the narration is terrific.
A beautiful story spanning about a Dominican family in NYC, spanning multiple generations, with most of the characters being women.
Some of the characters have special powers so it’s kind of feels like Encanto but in a much more nuanced and deeper manner.
The storytelling is good and jumps from character to character, and across time going back and forth.
Audiobook version, narrated by the author.
Very short piece by a Asian trans woman, discussing her emotions and feelings and perspectives, with each chapter being a letter to someone.
The letters are about expressing love, and the recipients range from those special to the author to those that are enemies.
The piece is emotionally read, in some cases a bit too much so for my liking, but overall great.
My favorite piece so far by this Buddhist monk.
This piece recycles what the author often states about mindfulness, specifically towards the emotion of anger, where it’s rather apt.
What’s particularly interesting about this piece is that it had much to say and suggest to the recipient of said anger (usually a partner), as they play an integral role in addressing this emotion.
Audiobook version, entertainingly read by the author.
A memoir of the author’s life growing up in South Africa, during and after apartheid, as a child that didn’t fit in anywhere racially.
His stories are wild, over-the-top, entertaining, grim, full of wisdom, and is very well presented.
Audiobook version, read by the author.
A coming of age story of a Colombian American millennial, focusing primarily on her 20s.
The story involved the calling off of one wedding and career, a theme of travel / exploration, and and the angst of the major life decisions that come with it.
Another piece by this wisdom filled Buddhist monk.
This piece is more about using the “negative” in ones life to fuel to the positive.
A lot about perspective consideration here (others have it worse) and practical ways to deal with negative emotions and thinking (hint: don’t hide them or pretend everything is fine).
Audiobook version, read by the author.
This is basically three books in one, where the author explores the history, legal forces, cultural forces, and his personal experiences with things from three plants that can also be seen as drugs: opium, caffeine, and mescaline.
As with his other books, the storytelling is rich and personal, and the context for history and legality and culture well researched.
I’m a little annoyed for his admitted lack of respect for Indigenous boundaries on the white man on their sacred plants.
Audiobook version, read honestly, emotionally, and entertainingly by the author.
The author’s story is wild, outrageous, and full of emotion, as she dealt with nearly dying at birth, the early death of her father, and a strong willed mother that pushed her into judo.
As a martial artist and professional skater, I really appreciated her discussion of her extensive training and the hard life she had to balance alongside it.
There’s so much in these stories from fun stuff to sadness to real-deal wisdom.
A structure for love that’s centered on romantic but extends to self love and community / world love as well.
The author uses psychotherapeutic principles blended with Vedic concepts to come up with 8 general rules.
The early chapters start with self love, as that’s a foundation needed for other forms. Later chapters go into creating romantic love, addressing relationship conflicts, and even dealing with a breakup.
Overall the concepts are rather practical and straightforward and useful.
