How much do you know about DNA? If you're like me, you know the basics - it's the building block of life and comes in that cool double helix shape, but not much else. If, however, you're interested in learning more about how DNA works and how it impacts everyday living in incredibly surprising ways, then pick up The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean. When I first started … [Read more...]
From Sewage to Swimwear: How the Modern World Was Made
What does the printing press have to do with germ theory? How did glass give rise to the selfie? And what's the deal with time? If you are wondering about the answers to these questions then you're going to want to pick up How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World. It's a brief but comprehensive book, covering a wide range of topics in just enough depth to … [Read more...]
OCD: My Personal Journey and a Book Review
I have OCD, and I don't mean the neat-freak kind, I mean the real kind. I walk on sidewalks in palindromes, have routines for setting my alarms that I have to start over if anyone talks, snores, or if the minute changes, and had a serious issue with a pull-chain light growing up. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I believe in a left and right sock and must, must, … [Read more...]
10 Reasons to Read 10% Happier by Dan Harris
I could probably write a pretty lengthy review about 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris, but at the end of the day it would be mostly babble. That's because there are very straightforward reasons that anyone with a bit of anxiety in their lives should read it. I started out … [Read more...]
Curious by Ian Leslie (Book Review)
Why is it that some people are more curious than others? Is it because of our parents or our biology? Do we get more or less curious as we get older? Why is this? These are the questions that Ian Leslie seeks to answer in Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It. Some of the book is anecdotal but most of it delves into the science and sociological factors … [Read more...]
Dataclysm by Christian Rudder (Book Review)
Did you know that women judge men more harshly on their looks than they do us? Or that universally attractive people are hit on less? I didn't, either, until I read Dataclysm by Christian Rudder, founder of the dating website OKCupid. Using cold, hard data to identify trends and differentiate between what people say they want versus what they actually want, Rudder has … [Read more...]
Chances Are, You’re Part Sociopath (Book Review)
Have you ever manipulated anyone? Or used your charm to get what you want? Or rationalized bad behavior? Chances are, even if you don't want to admit it, the answer is yes, which means that you, too, exhibit slightly sociopathic tendencies. The idea that everyone can relate to a sociopath is the undercurrent of Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas. Thomas, a … [Read more...]
How to Make Your Product Go Viral
Have you ever wondered why some things go viral? Jonah Berger did and his research culminated in his book, Contagious. If this sounds like a familiar concept then you probably read Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point. In Tipping Point, Gladwell attributes the viral spread of information/products/ideas to three types of people; mavens, connectors, and salespeople. In Contagious, … [Read more...]