Some books are really good and I read them slowly.(Yes, I’m not the fastest reader in the world) I process information differently, I like to let the ideas marinate a little in my mind before coming to conclusions.
My journey through history, science, and the lives of remarkable people has led me to a collection of books that I believe are worth revisiting for the rest of my life.
In these reviews, I share some key takeaways and reflections from my reading, inviting you to explore these meaningful works with me. Whether you’re looking for practical knowledge or deeper understanding, there’s something here for everyone.
Books are great! and have been great since the advent of the Gutenberg press in the 15th Century more than 500 years ago, since then, Millions of books have been published, in fact as of a few years ago it was estimated that there were over 150 Million published books!
I have a habit of finding/searching for the most valuable insights in a books that I read, I love to learn and I focus on the lessons that matter, especially to me.
The way I look at it is simple. A book is my opportunity to hold onto the life and experience of another human being that spent a good few months to a good few years, condensing and reducing to words their experiences and lessons they have learnt over the course of their lives. What greater way to grow than to annex into your life, experiences and lessons of people that have lived before you?
Without further rambling, here are my book reviews:
Early white travellers in the Transgariep
Reading Karel Schoeman’s Early White Travellers in the Transgariep has been an eye-opening experience for me. The book came highly…
Where Rainbirds Call
South Africa’s Hidden History: Reading Where Rainbirds Call by Basil Holt felt like embarking on a journey through time, uncovering…
The Lessons of History
There’s a reason why The Lessons of History by Will Durant has been my Number ONE go-to book for the…
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations
Reflecting on “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations” by David Landes as a South African Growing up in South Africa,…
Be Water My friend
My Experience Reading Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee As a lifelong fan of Bruce Lee, reading Be Water,…
The Illiad
I recently finished reading both The Iliad and The Odyssey, and it was quite an experience, especially since I tackled…
The Economics Book
Reading The Economics Book by DK has been an intriguing journey into the world of economics, especially since it features…
The Alchemist
My Experience Reading “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho Reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho was a powerful and meaningful experience…
How to Master the art of Selling
How to Master the Art of Selling by Tom Hopkins Reading How to Master the Art of Selling by Tom…
The Land Wars: The dispossession of the Khoisan and AmaXhosa in the Cape Colony
~John Laband Rediscovering My Roots Through John Laband’s “The Land Wars” Sometimes, a book comes along that not only tells…
Zero To One: Notes on Startups or How to build the future.
Exploring Contrarian Wisdom: My Journey Through Peter Thiel’s Zero to One Growing up in the South Durban Basin in South…
The Wealth of Nations
Exploring the Genius of Adam Smith: My Journey Through The Wealth of Nations Growing up in the South Durban Basin…
The Magic of Thinking Big
The Magic of Thinking Big: My Journey Through David J. Schwartz’s Life-Changing Principles In a world full of noise, doubt,…
The Destruction of the Zulu Kingdom
Exploring Zululand: Reflections on “Destruction of the Zulu Kingdom” by Jeff Guy As a South African traveler keen on uncovering…
Red Notice
I first encountered Red Notice on a long, 16-hour drive to Hogsback in the Eastern Cape, listening to the audiobook…
Never Split the Difference
My Experience Reading “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss Reading Chris Voss’s Never Split the Difference was a transformative…
Bluff Peninsula
Bluff Peninsula: A Random History and Road Name Register by Duncan Du Bois Bluff Peninsula by Duncan Du Bois offers…
How to invest in Commodities, Gold & Currencies
How to Invest in Commodities, Gold & Currencies by Doreen Soh How to Invest in Commodities, Gold & Currencies by…
The Millionaire Next Door
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley Reading The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley has been an eye-opening and,…
The Boer Invasion of the Zulu Kingdom
A Journey Through Time: My Experience Reading “The Boer Invasion of the Zulu Kingdom” by John Laband Reading John Laband’s…
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King
The Unstoppable Samuel Zemurray: How He Built and Defended an Empire in “The Fish That Ate the Whale” In my…
Letters from a Stoic
A Journey Through Time with Seneca: My Experience Reading “Letters from a Stoic” For over a decade, I’ve found solace…
The Selfish Gene
A Thought-Provoking Journey Through “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins Reading “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins has been an…
Cold Steel: Lakshmi Mittal’s Multi-Billion Dollar battle
Unveiling the Genius of Lakshmi Mittal: My Journey Through Cold Steel by Tim Bouquet and Byron Ousey Reading Cold Steel:…
The Millionaire Women Next Door
~Thomas J. Stanley PhD How this book Changed My Perspective on Wealth and Financial Independence Money and finance have always…
A Sprat to catch a Mackerel
A Sprat to catch a Mackerel ~Raymond Ackerman My Experience Reading “A Sprat to Catch a Mackerel” by Raymond Ackerman…
The Art of War
The Art of War: A Personal Reflection on Strategy, Survival, and the Nature of Competition When I first picked up…
No One Understands You and what to do about it.
Navigating Perception: My Journey Through “No One Understands You and What to Do About It” by Heidi Grant Halvorson Perception…
How Emotions are Made
How Emotions are Made: A Simple Conversation About a Complex Topic Let me tell you about this book I’ve been…
A Hustlers Bible
A Hustlers Bible (The New Testament) ~Gayton Mckenzie I delved into “A Hustler’s Bible – The new testament” by Gayton…
Managment Principles
Management: A Contemporary Edition for Africa by Smit, Cronje, and Others Management has always been a topic I’ve wrestled with.…
In My Own Way
Reading “In My Own Way” by Alan Watts was an experience that hit me right in the soul. Watts had…
Who Moved My Cheese?
Embracing Change: My Journey Through “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson Life’s twists and turns can often feel…
How Google Works
Lessons from “How Google Works” by Eric Schmidt: A Blueprint for Innovation and Success Reading “How Google Works” by Eric…
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
Unpacking Warren Buffett’s Life and Lessons: My Experience Reading The Snowball by Alice Schroeder Warren Buffett, a name synonymous with…
From Third World to First World
From Third World to First World: Lessons from Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore In late 2015, I stumbled upon the story…
12 Rules for Life
12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson is a…
The Millionaire Mind
“The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas J. Stanley offers a fascinating exploration into the habits, traits, and mindsets of America’s wealthy…
How to Win Friends and Influence People
My Experience Reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie Reading “How to Win Friends and Influence…
The Self Made Billionaire Effect
Unveiling the Mindset of the Super Successful: My Experience Reading “The Self-Made Billionaire Effect” After diving into Martin Fridson’s How…
The Black Swan
Embracing the Chaos: My Journey Through Nassim Taleb’s “The Black Swan” In 2012, just after finishing high school, I came…
Why Wages Rise?
Why Wages Go Up and What It Means for Us Floyd A. Harper’s book “Why Wages Rise” dives deep into…