I tried to keep my expectations in check on this one, because I had recommendations from everywhere over the past few years. I worried it might not be as applicable since I have a regular job and only do creative work as a hobby. I would say that it met my expectations in many ways. Pressfield does a fantastic job of naming and describing what holds us back and often gets in the way of creating something. What surprised me was how applicable this is even to non-creative endeavors. Resistance is something we deal with daily. The only thing that didn’t resonate with me was near the end of the book when it veered into talk of God. It was just a little too religious for me.

If you’re a baseball fan, and if you’re a baseball fan that loves numbers, this book is a great read. Using statistics, Baseball Prospectus writers present a series of essays or articles to answer various baseball questions. These questions are not just related to player performance (Are teams letting their closers go to waste?), but also off-the-field questions (Are new stadiums a good deal?). The only negative of reading this is that it was written mid-2000s, so many examples aren’t very current. The concepts were still fascinating though.

This didn’t work for me. I’ll start with the positives. The writing was vivid and rich. The world felt real, thanks to the amazing descriptions of each street, person, etc. The story had some good complexity, and it started with an interesting premise. I just kept reading, hoping for something…

This is a must-read and a great introduction to stoicism and stoic ideas. As someone already familiar with stoic philosophy, much of it was review. The chapters are short, and it’s a quick read. Each page is full of something akin to positive affirmations and advice that most could probably benefit from. I also love how many historical examples are used to embody the lessons within. I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.

I’ve read other reviews, and I agree with a lot of what others have said. Here’s my take. I gave this book 150ish pages and almost stopped reading it altogether, which I almost never do. But when the characters plotted out their plan on a chalkboard like a strategic planning…

I’ll start with the good. There is some great advice and step-by-step tips on crafting an offer for people to purchase your service. And I did find it to be focused more on service than it is on physical products. I also have to applaud all of the free extras that are available on the website and linked from the book. The presentation of the book itself didn’t do it for me. Some areas I found to be repetitive. Some felt like there were just surface-level thoughts that could have been fleshed out more. The writing style was a little too conversational, including some grammatical errors here and there. Overall, it felt more like I was reading the first draft than a final, edited book. And I think that detracted from the tools and the message.

Combining Las Vegas history with fantasy/supernatural elements was a great recipe for me. Powers did a wonderful job of incorporating historical elements into this world, and taking the mystical elements of tarot, luck, gambling, cards, etc. and making them real. This novel felt cinematic to me. it seems to be a perfect fit for a movie or TV adaptation. I’ve read that the two other novels in the series aren’t exactly sequels, so I’m not sure I’ll continue, but this was definitely a great introduction to Tim Powers.

Whether you’re trying to improve education and employment outcomes or know men in your life, you probably already know that boys and men are struggling. Reeves not only lays out the case for why, but also offers specific advice on what policy changes can make a difference. I also appreciated that chapters were addressing how the right and the left are contributing to these issues. By addressing partisan talking points, I think Reeves does a good job of diffusing arguments before they begin so that we can focus on the root causes and solutions. Unfortunately, many of the solutions involve difficult policy changes that are likely beyond our local control. But the book does provide a good bold goal and roadmap for what it might take.

I continue to be a big Schulberg fan. This time we’re taken behind the scenes in the corrupt world of boxing in the late 1940s. The protagonist, Eddie Lewis, signs on to be the hype-man/writer for boxers who are basically owned by the mob. The story follows a zero-talent giant’s rise in the boxing ranks thanks to Eddie’s hype and a series of fixed matches leading to the championship. Eddie’s love interest serves as his conscience as he faces the moral dilemma of getting out or accepting a lucrative salary. Despite his missteps, we empathize with Eddie and see how he can justify his decisions. Even though I know little about boxing, Schulberg’s story kept me engaged throughout.