Showing results by author "Swift Reads" in All Categories

The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel set in a version of the US that has been overthrown by religious fundamentalists. In what was once most likely Massachusetts, under the militaristic regime of the Republic of Gilead, women no longer have civil rights or autonomy.... (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

In God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007), journalist Christopher Hitchens argues that religious faith is not necessary for humanity’s progress. In fact, faith in supernatural beings has slowed scientific advancement, led to human rights violations, and facilitated the creation of totalitarian regime.

Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success (2011), by Napoleon Hill, describes the circumstances surrounding the self-help author’s rise to fame and fortune. After overcoming many personal and professional trials, including financial ruin, Hill had the opportunity to question the Devil about the ways in which he ensnares humanity.... (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

This Is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See (2018) teaches people how to promote products that are tailored for specific segments of society. Author and entrepreneur Seth Godin explains that businesses and individual marketers often make the mistake of drumming up sales by hyping plentiful but substandard wares.... Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds (2009) by professional communications expert Carmine Gallo offers essential guidance for delivering an effective, original, and moving presentation. Gallo’s book incorporates discussions of the psychology behind compelling keynote speeches, interviews with TED presenters, and insights gleaned from analyzing more than 150 hours of TED talks, representing approximately 500 speakers.... Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

In The Big Short (2010), journalist Michael Lewis traces the stories of a handful of misfit investors who predicted the 2008 financial crisis. In the parlance of Wall Street, to “short” something is to bet against an investment or company through the purchase of a complex high-finance product.... (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

This is the audio summary of The Little Book of Common Sense Investing which demonstrates why index funds should make up the majority of the average investment portfolio.

This is a summary of Say Good Night to Insomnia (1998) by sleep doctor Gregg D. Jacobs. It is a primer on sleeplessness and how to correct it. Insomnia is a widespread problem that’s often treated with dangerous prescription drugs, if it’s treated at all....

Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion (2014) by neuroscientist and atheist Sam Harris explores how to develop a spiritual practice that is not based on outmoded religious beliefs about how the world works. Harris draws upon personal experience, neuroscience, psychology, and Buddhist conceptions of the mind to explore the nature of consciousness and how it is possible to embrace spirituality and remain secular....

This is a summary of The 33 Strategies of War (2006), which teaches different approaches to conflict. Robert Greene examines ways to defeat an enemy in contexts ranging from violent battlefields to the sets of famous Hollywood films....

One Up on Wall Street: How to Use What You Already Know to Make Money in the Market (1989) guides fledgling investors through the process of how to pick stocks and build a winning investment portfolio. Author and investor Peter Lynch, with the help of author John Rothchild, explains that investors do not have to work at high-profile finance firms to be successful....

The Fifth Risk, by Michael Lewis, is a journalistic account of how broad swaths of the US government are being ignored or dismantled under Donald Trump’s administration. After shunning the conventions of a presidential transition, Trump and his tiny team assumed stewardship of the government without ever bothering to learn how it works. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

This is a summary of Michael E. Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It (2001), which explores the question of why so many small businesses don’t survive. The answer is simple, yet profound: because they don’t understand the work of running a business....

Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence (2018) by psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel is a comprehensive guide to cultivating attention, awareness, and intention through mindfulness. Siegel developed the Wheel of Awareness, a visual metaphor designed to help anyone cultivate heightened awareness and focused attention.... Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.

In Becoming (2018), Michelle Obama recounts the familial, educational, romantic, and political experiences that culminated in her tenure as first lady of the United States. Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future by Martin Ford describes the ways automation and rapid advances in technology are shaping the global economy, as well as the profound consequences these technological changes will have for future workers. The role of technology in production has evolved. No longer a mere means of increasing the productivity of human workers, technology has developed methods for replacing workers entirely. Disclaimer: This isn't the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it's available from Amazon and Audible.

This is a summary of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams (1994) by best-selling author and New Age thought leader Deepak Chopra. It outlines essential spiritual wisdom for how to achieve success. Success is not simply about acquiring prestige and wealth....

Educated (2018) by Tara Westover is a memoir about how an uneducated young woman raised in the remote mountains of Idaho came to earn a doctorate from Cambridge University. Raised outside of society, in a violent household run by Mormon fundamentalists, Tara never saw herself as a person with choices or prospects...

The Law of Success (1928) by Napoleon Hill outlines the principles and values that informed his best-known work, Think and Grow Rich! (1937), which was published almost a decade later. By embracing the boundless power of the human mind, anyone can accomplish their wildest dreams....

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness (2008) by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein explores how "nudges", or subtle prompts, can help people make better decisions about spending and saving. Applying significant findings from the fields of business, psychology, law, and economics to some of the most controversial issues and problems in the United States, they propose strategies that can help anyone make a good choice, whether it’s on a personal or governmental level....