On War


Carl von Clausewitz - 1832
    Its coherence and ambition are unmatched by other military literature. On War is full of sharp observation, biting irony, and memorable phrases, the most famous being, "War is a continuation of politics by other means."About the AuthorExcept for a brief stint in 1812 when he served in the Russian army, Clausewitz spent his whole career, from the age of twelve until his death in 1831, in the Prussian army. He fought in all the major Prussian campaigns against France, and his most fateful experience - the 1806 Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, in which Napoleon destroyed the Prussian army - inspired him to write On War.

Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master's Lessons in Living a Life That Matters


Bernie Glassman - 2002
    That's the premise of this book: how to cook what Zen Buddhists call "the supreme meal"—life. It has to be nourishing, and it has to be shared. And we can use only the ingredients at hand. Inspired by the thirteenth-century manual of the same name by Dogen, the founder of the Japanese Soto Zen tradition, this book teaches us how we can "enlarge the family we're feeding" if we just use some imagination. Bernie Glassman founded Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, New York, in 1982 to employ those whom other companies deem unemployable—the homeless, ex-cons, recovering addicts, low-skill individuals—with the belief that investing in people, and not just products, does pay. He was right. Greyston has evolved into an $8 million-a-year business with clients all over New York City. It is the sole supplier of brownies to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, and has even sold cakes to the White House. But financial profit is only one of two bottom lines that Greyston is committed to. The other one is social impact, and this goal is certainly being met. The bakery enterprise has led to the creation of the Greyston Foundation, an integrated network of organizations that provide affordable housing, child care, counseling services, and health care to families in the community. Using entrepreneurship to solve the problems of the inner city, Greyston has become a national model for comprehensive community development. Its giving back is more than just sloughing off a percentage of its profits and donating it to charity; it's about working with the community's needs right from the beginning—bringing them from the margins to the core. As its company motto goes, "We don't hire people to bake brownies. We bake brownies to hire people." This book is as much a self-manual as a business manual, addressing such concepts as    • Beginner's mind    • The Middle Way of Sustainability    • The "hungry ghosts" of Buddhism as a picture of all humanity    • Working with our faults    • Indra's Net and the interconnectedness of life    • Leaving no trace

The Spartan Way: What Modern Men Can Learn from Ancient Warriors


The Art of Manliness - 2019
    There is something about this ancient polis that calls to the modern man’s heart. But what, exactly? In this short ebook, we dig past the exaggerated portrayals of Sparta in popular culture, lifting the veil on this mysterious city-state to uncover the real details of how its warriors grew up, trained, fought, and lived out lives of friendship, martial glory, and even humor, music, and manners. The nature of the famousagoge, the importance of the men’s nightly dinners, and the secrets to how the Spartans became such effective warriors are all explained, with an eye towards inspiring the men of modernity to live with greater fierceness, fraternity, and honor.

Anxiety: Meditations on the Anxious Mind


The School of Life - 2020
    

Do You QuantumThink?: New Thinking That Will Rock Your World


Dianne Collins - 2011
    We're all looking for new ways of thinking that can bring about real solutions to modern problems, from the pursuit of inner serenity to solving world conflicts. In Do You QuantumThink? author Dianne Collins shares her ingenious discovery that reveals a critical missing link to make sense of our changing times. Her discovery provides us with the understanding and methodology to rise above problems of today by laying the foundation for an entirely new way to think.Part science, part philosophy, part spirituality, Do You QuantumThink? draws on a wide spectrum of sources, from cutting edge innovations in the sciences to the insights of the world's greatest spiritual leaders. This book will make you laugh, free you from limiting ideas, and introduce you to the most advanced principles and practical methods for living. Do You QuantumThink? will rock your world in the best of ways as you experience one revelation after another.

Teachings of the Buddha


Jack Kornfield - 1993
    Among the selections are some of the earliest recorded sayings of the Buddha on the practice of freedom, passages from later Indian scriptures on the perfection of wisdom, verses from Tibetan masters on the enlightened mind, and songs in praise of meditation by Zen teachers. The book also includes traditional instruction on how to practice sitting meditation, cultivate calm awareness, and live with compassion. Jack Kornfield, one of the most respected American Buddhist teachers, has compiled these teachings to impart the essence and inspiration of Buddhism to readers of all spiritual traditions.

A Message to Garcia


Elbert Hubbard - 1899
    This popular work is about a soldier who takes the initiative to accomplish a daunting and difficult task without questions or objections and graciously accomplishes the task. Often used in business and life as a motivational example to readers of applying a positive attitude towards achieving a successful life.

The Path: Find Fulfillment Through Prosperity from Japan's Father of Management


Konosuke Matsushita - 1968
    Nurture your ability to embrace differences. Seek out challenges--scale one mountain after another. Face challenges that matter-- learn to "fight with real swords." These and other lessons were the constants in the life of Konosuke Matsushita, founder of the Panasonic business empire. In this first complete English translation of "The Path," Matsushita's timeless advice will benefit anyone who desires to lead better by living better.For the first time in English, the complete translation of one of the most popular and important management books ever published.In Japan, the name Konosuke Matsushita is spoken with a hushed reverence. Even now, twenty-one years after his death, Matsushita-san is praised by some as "the god of management," and he remains one of the most influential and inspirational business thinkers ever. Founder and father of the global corporation Panasonic, Matsushita saw the creation of wealth not as a goal or destination but as a voyage. And in "The Path," Matsushita shared the wisdom and insights acquired on his journey: how to inspire true innovation at all levels, manage through difficult times, and create lasting value and a great legacy.Written humbly from a platform of accomplishment virtually unparalleled among businesspersons, "The Path" demonstrates to readers today the many ways each of us can find within ourselves the strength and focus to do good by doing well. Brief, beautifully stated chapters offer an unconventional management philosophy that you can apply universally, as well as to specific everyday situations: When You Have to Make Important Decisions To Further Improve Your Work To Cultivate a Spirit of Independence To Further Expand Your Business For the Country to Prosper For more than four decades, "The Path" has been a perennial bestseller, with nearly 4.5 million copies sold worldwide. Presented here in its entirety for the first time in English, this book offers an enlightening and informative spiritual blueprint for entrepreneurs, executives, managers, and anyone who wishes to learn from a great master. Follow "The Path." It may lead you--and help you lead others--to professional success and personal fulfillment.

Buddhism for Beginners


Thubten Chodron - 2001
    It will be of much benefit to its readers." —The Dalai LamaThis user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions—beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?”—and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction—as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life. Buddhism for Beginners is an ideal first book on the subject for anyone, but it’s also a wonderful resource for seasoned students, since the question-and-answer format makes it easy to find just the topic you’re looking for, such as:    • What is the goal of the Buddhist path?    • What is karma?    • If all phenomena are empty, does that mean nothing exists?    • How can we deal with fear?    • How do I establish a regular meditation practice?    • What are the qualities I should look for in a teacher?    • What is Buddha-nature?    • Why can't we remember our past lives?

Psycholinguistics


Thomas Scovel - 1998
    This brief introduction shows how psycholinguistic research can act as a window to the workings of the human mind and the study of consciousness.

The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations


Dietrich Dörner - 1996
    Working with imaginative and often hilarious computer simulations, he analyzes the roots of catastrophe, showing city planners in the very act of creating gridlock and disaster, or public health authorities setting the scene for starvation. The Logic of Failure is a compass for intelligent planning and decision-making that can sharpen the skills of managers, policymakers and everyone involved in the daily challenge of getting from point A to point B.

Small Unit Leadership: A Commonsense Approach


Dandridge M. Malone - 1983
    Required reading for all present and future leaders, this classic is for those who have to "get the job done"--military or not.

Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life


Ming-Dao Deng - 1990
    Deng shows how Taoist philosophy and practice may be integrated into contemporary Western lifestyles for complete physical, mental, and spiritual health. He provides an abundance of philosophical and practical information about hygiene, diet, sexuality, physical exercise, meditation, medicine, finding one's purpose in life, finding the right teacher, death, and transcendence.

The Arthashastra


Chanakya
    It identifies its author by the names 'Kauṭilya' and 'Vishnugupta', both names that are traditionally identified with Chanakya (c. 350–283 BC), who was a scholar at Takshashila and the teacher and guardian of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan Empire. The text was influential until the 12th century, when it disappeared. It was rediscovered in 1904 by R. Shamasastry, who published it in 1909. The first English translation was published in 1915.Roger Boesche describes the Arthaśāstra as "a book of political realism, a book analysing how the political world does work and not very often stating how it ought to work, a book that frequently discloses to a king what calculating and sometimes brutal measures he must carry out to preserve the state and the common good."Centrally, Arthaśāstra argues how in an autocracy an efficient and solid economy can be managed. It discusses the ethics of economics and the duties and obligations of a king. The scope of Arthaśāstra is, however, far wider than statecraft, and it offers an outline of the entire legal and bureaucratic framework for administering a kingdom, with a wealth of descriptive cultural detail on topics such as mineralogy, mining and metals, agriculture, animal husbandry, medicine and the use of wildlife. The Arthaśāstra also focuses on issues of welfare (for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine) and the collective ethics that hold a society together.

Inner Peace: How to Be Calmly Active and Actively Calm


Paramahansa Yogananda - 1999
    This guide demonstrates how readers can become actively calm, centred in the stillness and joy of our own essential nature while living a dynamic, fulfilling and balanced life.