entrepreneurship - Book Reviews

The Score Takes Care of Itself

This book exists at the intersection of the two worst genres in all of literature: business and sports, yet manages to transcend the typical drivel and self-glorification of these sorts of books. Walsh's perspective is thoughtful and self-aware.

4-stars

The War on Normal People: The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future

2020 Democratic candidate Andrew Yang lays out his universal basic income plan and an optimistic vision for the future.

4-stars

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Carreyrou goes beyond gossip by making us take a hard look at the "fake it 'til you make it" mentality of the Bay Area. While Holmes may have been at the extreme end of the pathological ambition spectrum, her attitude and tactics were not unusual.

5-stars

Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into A Sales Machine

I've been thinking a lot about how we build out our sales team at SilviaTerra. I asked a friend whose company is a few years ahead of ours if he had any relevant book recs and he immediately suggested Aaron Ross's "Predictable Revenue", calling it "The Bible&

4-stars

Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts

In my 2013 personal annual review, I wrote that I wanted to build something that would last 100 years. I have made no progress over the last four years. It is such a large and intimidating goal that it seems impossible to begin. Where to start? What are the steps

business

The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation

"The Idea Factory" is a fascinating look at the lives of some of the key men who shaped Bell Labs and created its greatest inventions. The scale of Bell Labs’ impact is truly incredible and this book does a good job of explaining the history of the institution

5-stars

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

"The Hard Thing About Hard Things" kicked my ass. Ben Horowitz delivers lots of specifics and not a lot of fluff. He talks about the concrete scenarios that CEOs have to handle and provides detailed frameworks for thinking about them. His "Questions for Head of Enterprise Sales

4-stars

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

"The Obstacle is the Way" is Ryan Holiday’s case for ancient Stoicism as a practical philosophical choice for modern entrepreneurs and do-ers. And I must admit, I’m sold. But I’m conflicted about how to rate this book. On one hand, the message is compelling and

5-stars

Hackers and Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age

I was looking at my highlights for Paul Graham's "Hackers and Painters" and it seems like I basically highlighted the entire book. It's that good. At its core, this is a book about how changes in technology (particularly computer tech) have changed economic and social realities... and the