Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning


Peter C. Brown - 2014
    Good teaching, we believe, should be creatively tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, the authors offer concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners.Memory plays a central role in our ability to carry out complex cognitive tasks, such as applying knowledge to problems never before encountered and drawing inferences from facts already known. New insights into how memory is encoded, consolidated, and later retrieved have led to a better understanding of how we learn. Grappling with the impediments that make learning challenging leads both to more complex mastery and better retention of what was learned.Many common study habits and practice routines turn out to be counterproductive. Underlining and highlighting, rereading, cramming, and single-minded repetition of new skills create the illusion of mastery, but gains fade quickly. More complex and durable learning come from self-testing, introducing certain difficulties in practice, waiting to re-study new material until a little forgetting has set in, and interleaving the practice of one skill or topic with another. Speaking most urgently to students, teachers, trainers, and athletes, Make It Stick will appeal to all those interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.

The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us


Paul Tough - 2019
    Drawing on new research, the book reveals how the landscape of higher education has shifted in recent decades and exposes the hidden truths of how the system works and whom it works for. And it introduces us to the people who really make higher education go: admissions directors trying to balance the class and balance the budget, College Board officials scrambling to defend the SAT in the face of mounting evidence that it favors the wealthy, researchers working to unlock the mysteries of the college-student brain, and educators trying to transform potential dropouts into successful graduates. With insight, humor, and passion, Paul Tough takes readers on a journey from Ivy League seminar rooms to community college welding shops, from giant public flagship universities to tiny experimental storefront colleges. Whether you are facing your own decision about college or simply care about the American promise of social mobility, The Years That Matter Most will change the way you think—not just about higher education, but about the nation itself.

The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy


David Graeber - 2013
    He then jets forward to the nineteenth century, where systems we can easily recognize as modern bureaucracies come into being. In some areas of life—like with the modern postal systems of Germany and France—these bureaucracies have brought tremendous efficiencies to modern life. But Graeber argues that there is a much darker side to modern bureaucracy that is rarely ever discussed. Indeed, in our own “utopia of rules,” freedom and technological innovation are often the casualties of systems that we only faintly understand.Provocative and timely, the book is a powerful look and history of bureaucracy over the ages and its power in shaping the world of ideas.

Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don't, and How to Make Any Change Stick


Jeremy Dean - 2012
    How long should it take before you stop having to force it and start doing it automatically?The surprising answers are found in Making Habits, Breaking Habits, a psychologist's popular examination of one of the most powerful and under-appreciated processes in the mind. Although people like to think that they are in control, much of human behavior occurs without any decision-making or conscious thought.Drawing on hundreds of fascinating studies, psychologist Jeremy Dean busts the myths to finally explain why seemingly easy habits, like eating an apple a day, can be surprisingly difficult to form, and how to take charge of your brain's natural “autopilot” to make any change stick.Witty and intriguing, Making Habits, Breaking Habits shows how behavior is more than just a product of what you think. It is possible to bend your habits to your will—and be happier, more creative, and more productive.

Everything You Need to Know About Personal Finance in 1000 Words


C.J. Carlsen - 2014
    Do you know that everything you need to know about personal finance can be summed up in only 1,000 words? What if I told you that you can learn how to handle your money better than a majority of your peers?Now you can.In this book you learn everything you could ever want to know about your money - in less than 10 minutes. That’s all it will take for you to become a master of money.How many articles and books do you see on personal finance? Hundreds? Thousands?Blogs. Books. Podcasts. The resources you have at your disposal are limitless. You know what happens when you have limitless resources? You ignore them. All of them. But that is okay. This will be the only resource you will ever need on personal finance. That is what makes this book so special. In this brief book you will learn: How to control your spending habits Where you should focus your time when making a large purchase How to save thousands doing this one simple thing How tracking every penny does NOT make you financially responsible and what you should do instead What you should spend your money on (hint: it’s not what you think) Why saving for only 10 years is better than saving for 32 years How to make budgeting work for you, even if you hate it! How to make more money Where you should focus your time and effort on to make more money Those habits of the rich How you make money work for you How to avoid taxes legally. The specific investment you should choose The one type of mutual fund you should avoid How you can simplify your finances What you can do to save for retirement every month without lifting a finger If you do not want to learn everything about personal finance in 10 minutes or less, this book is not for you. However, if you want to take control of you money, grab this free eBook today. You’ll be glad you did. Well, what are you waiting for?! Scroll up and download your copy today!

How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less


Milo O. Frank - 1985
    Learn how to get your listener’s attention, keep her interest, and make your point—all in thirty seconds!Milo Frank, America’s foremost business communications consultant, shows you how to focus your objectives, utilize the “hook” technique, use the secrets of TV and advertising writers, tell terrific anecdotes that make your point, shine in meetings and question-and-answer sessions, and more! These proven techniques give you the edge that successful people share—the art of communicating quickly, precisely, and powerfully!

Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers


Timothy Ferriss - 2016
     From the author:   “For the last two years, I’ve interviewed more than 200 world-class performers for my podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. The guests range from super celebs (Jamie Foxx, Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc.) and athletes (icons of powerlifting, gymnastics, surfing, etc.) to legendary Special Operations commanders and black-market biochemists. For most of my guests, it’s the first time they’ve agreed to a two-to-three-hour interview. This unusual depth has helped make The Tim Ferriss Show the first business/interview podcast to pass 100 million downloads.   “This book contains the distilled tools, tactics, and ‘inside baseball’ you won’t find anywhere else. It also includes new tips from past guests, and life lessons from new ‘guests’ you haven’t met.   “What makes the show different is a relentless focus on actionable details. This is reflected in the questions. For example: What do these people do in the first sixty minutes of each morning? What do their workout routines look like, and why? What books have they gifted most to other people? What are the biggest wastes of time for novices in their field? What supplements do they take on a daily basis?   “I don’t view myself as an interviewer. I view myself as an experimenter. If I can’t test something and replicate results in the messy reality of everyday life, I’m not interested.   “Everything within these pages has been vetted, explored, and applied to my own life in some fashion. I’ve used dozens of the tactics and philosophies in high-stakes negotiations, high-risk environments, or large business dealings. The lessons have made me millions of dollars and saved me years of wasted effort and frustration.   “I created this book, my ultimate notebook of high-leverage tools, for myself. It’s changed my life, and I hope the same for you.”

The Ultimate Book of Heroic Failures


Stephen Pile - 2011
    These are the all-time greats, Gods in the field of failure, surreal artists, who spurn mere drab success ('I'm a winner, Lord Sugar') to explore the vast, magical, life-enhancing possibilities of getting it wrong. Any of us could make a mistake, but these great souls can turn the simplest everyday task into a scene of jaw-dropping wonder. These are the immortals.Stephen Pile, President of the Not Terribly Good Club of Great Britain and author of the number-one best-seller The Book of Heroic Failures, takes us on an all-new and mind-bendingly hilarious tour to celebrate the most spectacular and absurd failures of the last twenty-five years.Failure is everywhere. There are 235 stories in total spread from the Outer Hebrides to America, Ireland, Australia, Europe and Africa. The Syrian entry, for example, holds the world all-comers record as the driver who got most lost under satnav direction (5000 miles).From the most driving test failures (959), the most pointless election (in Dakota, in which not even the mayor voted), the worst robbery (when two different sets of bank robbers struck simultaneously) and the worst mugger (who left his victim $250 better off), to the holidaying rugby team of fifty-somethings from Dorchester who, due to a mis-translation, ended up playing the top team from Romania live on state TV, this is the ultimate book to make you feel better about yourself and the world around you. The Ultimate Book of Heroic Failures fails miserably at failing to be a runaway success amongst funny books.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything


Joshua Foer - 2011
    From the United States Memory Championship to deep within the author's own mind, this is an electrifying work of journalism that reminds us that, in every way that matters, we are the sum of our memories.

Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters


Phillip C. McGraw - 1999
    McGraw's 10 Life Laws will empower you to take responsibility for your own actions and break free from self-destructive patterns. Drawing upon more than fifteen years of experience, Dr. McGraw explores each of the 10 Life Laws necessary to succeed:Life Law #1: You either get it, or you don't.Strategy: Become one of those who gets it.Life Law #2: You create your own experience.Strategy: Acknowledge and accept accountability for your life.Life Law #3: People do what works.Strategy: Identify the payoffs that drive your behavior and that of others.Life Law #4: You cannot change what you do not acknowledge.Strategy: Get real with yourself about your life and everybody in it.Life Law #5: Life rewards action.Strategy: Make careful decisions and then pull the trigger.Life Law #6: There is no reality; only perception.Strategy: Identify the filters through which you view the world.Life Law #7: Life is managed; it is not cured.Strategy: Learn to take charge of your life.Life Law #8: We teach people how to treat us.Strategy: Own, rather than complain about, how people treat you.Life Law #9: There is power in forgiveness.Strategy: Open your eyes to what anger and resentment are doing to you.Life Law #10: You have to name it before you can claim it.Strategy: Get clear about what you want and take your turn.

Create: Stop Making Excuses and Start Making Stuff


Stephen Altrogge - 2012
    God has wired creativity into our DNA, and he expects that every man, woman, and child will be creative for His glory. In this book you will learn how to overcome the fear of being creative, how to get moving on any creative project, and how to finally finish your creative work. The book is short, practical, and to the point. It is full of Biblical wisdom and practical application. It will help you to stop making excuses and to start making stuff.Here's what others are saying about it:This piece on creativity is a gem. Conversational, practical, and biblical. As Christians we have the Creator as our Father, and so we should be the ones with the most creativity. Sadly today Christianity is reduced to corny songs and cheesy t-shirts. However, in this short e-book I was greatly encouraged deep in my soul to step out in faith and be creative knowing my Father already loves me and approves of me in Jesus. Stephen winsomely shows how we aren't just supposed to be creative, but its actually what we were created for! - Jefferson Bethke, poet, author of “Why I Love Jesus, But Hate Religion”Create, by my friend Stephen Altrogge, will inspire you to do just that. It's biblical, gospel-driven, practical, insightful, funny, and only 43 pages. Whether you think you're an artist or not, Stephen will inspire you to do what you do better for God's glory. - Bob Kauflin, author of Worship Matters, director of worship for Sovereign Grace MinistriesStephen Altrogge is a creative guy, and this is a short, easily digestible, Biblical book that will encourage you to be creative and won't cut into your time to be creative. It's also full of practical scriptural wisdom on taking criticism and the value of working hard.- Ted Kluck, award-winning author of several books, including Facing Tyson: Fifteen Fighters, Fifteen Stories and Dallas and the SpitfireOut of nothing God created matter, out of the unformed matter he formed the world, and when he was done he stepped back and enjoyed his work. It was Augustine who suggested musicians do the same thing when they embrace the unformed silence and order bits of time into tones and notes. As Stephen so skillfully shows us in his short book, the same principles for musicians and composers equally apply to bankers and bakers, painters and poets, homemakers and handymen. In the ordering of our small portion of the world we image the Creator. I was made to create. You were made to create. And if you’re not sure what that means for you, or if you’re just not convinced it’s true, read this short book to be persuaded and inspired and (maybe most importantly) disciplined for a life of making stuff.- Tony Reinke, creator of the book Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading BooksThis book is short enough for you to read in an hour, although you may want to take it a few pages at a time, marinating in its wisdom. You'll not only learn how Stephen finds the time to create art in multiple formats, but you'll learn from other skilled creatives as well. In Create, you'll learn how to get started and overcome your fears, how to accept and learn from criticism, how to form habits that will strengthen your creativity, and how to persevere. This will be one of those books that I turn to again and again, when I feel like I've gotten stuck on a sandbar.- Bobby Gilles, songwriter, author, Sojourn Church Director of Communications

Wealth Made Easy: Millionaires and Billionaires Help You Crack the Code to Getting Rich


Greg S. Reid - 2019
    You need to win and keep winning. To get there you need great connections and insider advice.But it's not as simple as tracking down the elite few - the wealth hackers of the world - and getting them to spill their secrets. . . Or is it?©2019 Dr. Greg Reid (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Story Engineering: Character Development, Story Concept, Scene Construction


Larry Brooks - 2011
    From story concept to character development to scene construction and beyond, this title helps you learn the big picture of storytelling at a professional level through a fresh approach that shows how to combine six core competencies: the four elemental competencies of concept, character, theme, and story structure (plot).

The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana


Mallanaga Vātsyāyana
    Burton’s translation of The Kama Sutra remains one of the best English interpretations of this early Indian treatise on politics, social customs, love, and intimacy. Its crisp style set a new standard for Sanskrit translation.The Kama Sutra stands uniquely as a work of psychology, sociology, Hindu dogma, and sexology. It has been a celebrated classic of Indian literature for 1,700 years and a window for the West into the culture and mysticism of the East.This Modern Library Paperback Classic reprints the authoritative text of Sir Richard F. Burton’s 1883 translation.

The Money Answer Book: Quick Answers to Your Everyday Financial Questions


Dave Ramsey - 2005
    Questions and answers deal with 100+ of the most-asked questions from "The Dave Ramsey Show"-everything from budget planning to retirement planning or personal buying matters, to saving for college and charitable giving. This is Dave in his most popular format-ask a specific question, get a specific answer.