Book Reviews – Noi Doc w/ Nam

05/30/202311/15/2023

“You Are Here” by Thich Nhat Hanh: Summary and Notes

If you want to be more zen, Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, “You Are Here,” is a good start.

I started reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s books and watching his talks in my mid-twenties and was a fan of his.

After his passing in early 2022, You Are Here went on sale on the Kindle and I decided to buy it.

I hadn’t read his books in a while but I had just started reading books on Stoicism and figured Zen and Stoicism -to my knowledge at the time- are close enough. So, I bought it.

What This Book Is About: Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist Zen monk and in You Are Here, he talks about the importance of being present and mindful. He also shares techniques for how to achieve this state of mind. Continue reading ““You Are Here” by Thich Nhat Hanh: Summary and Notes”

12/18/202008/21/2022

‘Stillness is the Key’ by Ryan Holiday Review

“Stillness is the Key” by Ryan Holiday is a great book if you’re looking to find some clarity in your life.

2020 was a rough year for me, as I’m sure it was for many of you.

It was filled with uncertainty and misinformation, which only fueled my anxiety and paranoia. I didn’t know where society was going and where it was going to end up.

I was also isolated a lot too and didn’t have many people to interact with. Luckily for me, however, I’m an introvert and had an outlet. I was able to blog and journal, which helped me cope with my feelings.

Additionally, I’m fortunate enough to own an e-reader. This allowed me to escape reality for a moment each day. It was also a tool that helped me deal (or change my views) with all that was going on in the world.

And a book that helped me do that was Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday.

This book by Holiday talks about how achieving stillness (to be calm, collected, and focused) can help you be content.

He draws on the lessons and experiences of great philosophers, politicians, and athletes to show you how stillness can be achieved and what it can do for you. Continue reading “‘Stillness is the Key’ by Ryan Holiday Review”

10/29/201808/21/2022

‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight Book Review

“Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight is an honest account of the ups and downs of following your dreams.

[Full disclosure: Some of the following links are affiliated links as I participate in the Amazon Associates program. What this means is that if you follow the link and purchase something, I will get a commission, at no extra cost to you.]

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is, by far, my favourite book this year.

It is a captivating story that tells the tale of the juggernaut company Nike.

Knight goes through the entire beginnings of the company, not leaving out any details that would make him look bad.

The story starts off with Knight having a “crazy idea” of wanting to start a sneaker company and going to a foreign land with the sole purpose of making this idea come to fruition. Continue reading “‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight Book Review”

06/06/201808/21/2022

James Baldwin’s ‘The Fire Next Time’ Illustrates the African-American Experience in the 60s

James Baldwin was a gay African-American writer and social critic who lived from 1924-1987.

He witnessed racism when racism was upfront and in-your-face, and he witnessed the growth of the civil rights movement and the change that it created.

(Just to be totally transparent with you, this review includes affiliate links. What this basically means is that if you decided to use the provided links to buy the product, I will get a small commission from your purchase, at no extra cost to you.)

In his memoir, The Fire Next Time, Baldwin talks about what it was like to be a gay black man who was raised in a religious household with a family who disliked white people.

And above all that, he lived during a time when society wanted nothing more than for black people to fail.

Continue reading “James Baldwin’s ‘The Fire Next Time’ Illustrates the African-American Experience in the 60s”

05/16/201808/21/2022

How Bruce Lee’s ‘Striking Thoughts’ Can Inspire You

“Education: to discover but not merely to imitate. Learning techniques without inward experiencing can only lead to superficiality.” – Bruce Lee

Man, Bruce Lee was the shit when I was a kid (actually he still is)!

I don’t remember which movie of his I saw first, but I have watched a bunch of them.

One of the things that I liked most about him when I was younger was just how badass he was.

He didn’t take any shit from anyone and he always stood up for his community. This was really cool to me back then.

And to an extent, it still is.

But Bruce Lee, and this is something that I found out much later in life, is more than a martial artist and ass kicker. “Thanks for that Captain Obvious,” you might be thinking.

And you are right. I was ignorant to all that Bruce Lee is. But I didn’t know, okay?

Anyways, it wasn’t until I was in my maybe late teens or early twenties when I found out that Bruce Lee was also a philosopher; that he was a really big thinker.

I started watching some of his interviews and I was amazed by the stuff that he talked about. Continue reading “How Bruce Lee’s ‘Striking Thoughts’ Can Inspire You”