Definitively a must-read book for any company, manager and self-motivated employees.
The book is a remarkable synthesis on the research analysis of the Forbes's company top in the last 70 years. From all the companies that made it in the top, they especially select and analyze companies that respect one pattern: when they started growing as a business, successfully sustained the growth of the company for several years in a raw.
Incredible or not, from thousands of companies, only 11 were selected!
Even more incredible are their conclusions regarding: motivation, team cohesion, creating a unique-company-concept for income, and keeping to that concept regardless of what it takes.
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Wade Davis
Wade Davis is one of the persons I really admire. He dedicated an important part of his life to anthropology and ethnobotany, so he is one of the persons who tried it all from the herbalist point of view.. :) up-to meeting the most interesting and remote communities of people.
In this book, Davis relates his stay in Haiti, a place and culture that he felt in love with.
His story presents the mind-set of the local people. Through the eyes of the US PhD author, the voodoos are presented, very different from the Hollywood's portrait, with subtle and insight details of the zombies, their herbals, their secrets, and people way of thinking.
In this book, Davis relates his stay in Haiti, a place and culture that he felt in love with.
His story presents the mind-set of the local people. Through the eyes of the US PhD author, the voodoos are presented, very different from the Hollywood's portrait, with subtle and insight details of the zombies, their herbals, their secrets, and people way of thinking.
Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel
I found by mistake "Zen Bow, Zen Arrow - John Stevens" while killing time in Cape Town, looking for presents, and it directed me to "Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel", which I prefer from the two books.
Both of the books are about Awa Kenzo, the Japanese archery master, the big difference is that Herrigel is the one that actually took classes with the master, and recalls his history.
Other than the clear explanation of the sport itself, and the struggles to learn it, I liked a lot the explanation of the meditation while doing archery, or any another Asian art (even gardening). At the end of the day is the story of a westerner, that tries to understand the mindset of orientals through the art of archery; and as I was also arguing in this post, this is not that easy as it seems.. :)
Both of the books are about Awa Kenzo, the Japanese archery master, the big difference is that Herrigel is the one that actually took classes with the master, and recalls his history.
Other than the clear explanation of the sport itself, and the struggles to learn it, I liked a lot the explanation of the meditation while doing archery, or any another Asian art (even gardening). At the end of the day is the story of a westerner, that tries to understand the mindset of orientals through the art of archery; and as I was also arguing in this post, this is not that easy as it seems.. :)
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
A good book, basically it talks about improving one-self up-to the point that one can do a task, perfectly without even thinking of it.
Also I have recently seen an interesting documentary about the savant syndrome, and it seems that the research in this field may one day provide us means to develop our mind in the most unusual ways. Ex: the Chinese scholars that practice long computations with the abac, after several year, they can compute without the abac long computations, without even not thinking about it, by a simple movement of the hand.
Also interesting enough is the other side of the story, the more you develop your inner side, the more it is possible to affect your means of interrelation with other people.
Also I have recently seen an interesting documentary about the savant syndrome, and it seems that the research in this field may one day provide us means to develop our mind in the most unusual ways. Ex: the Chinese scholars that practice long computations with the abac, after several year, they can compute without the abac long computations, without even not thinking about it, by a simple movement of the hand.
Also interesting enough is the other side of the story, the more you develop your inner side, the more it is possible to affect your means of interrelation with other people.
Dalai Lama
"Freedom in Exile" was one of the first books to introduce me to the Buddhist religion, even more the book is the presentation of the Dalai Lama's first years of life, through the eyes of the mature man; still the text is abundant in childish jokes, making this one of the best autobiographies I have read so far.
"Ethics for the New Millennium" is an approach to the tough subject of ethics through the eyes of the Dalai Lama. I would silly-interpret the main idea as follows "an ethic action is an action that makes the vast majority of people happy". Quite difficult I presume to measure the happiness of the people around us, when taking an action; never the less interesting enough, the theories seem quite similar with what I found about Jeremy Bentham's utilitarian writings; I will investigate more on the topics.
"Ethics for the New Millennium" is an approach to the tough subject of ethics through the eyes of the Dalai Lama. I would silly-interpret the main idea as follows "an ethic action is an action that makes the vast majority of people happy". Quite difficult I presume to measure the happiness of the people around us, when taking an action; never the less interesting enough, the theories seem quite similar with what I found about Jeremy Bentham's utilitarian writings; I will investigate more on the topics.
Letters of Recommendation
I had the pleasure to receive some thoughts from people I worked with,
here are some of them:
- Cristian Caciuloiu
Software Development Manager
Freescale Semiconductor Romania
(Cristian.Caciuloiu at freescale.com)
.JPG)
- Nicolae Tapus
Head of Computer Science and Engineering Dept
Vice Rector Politehnica University of Bucharest
(ntapus at cs.pub.ro)
-1.JPG)
-2.JPG)
- Weng-Fai Wong (Dr.Eng.Sc.)
Associate Professor - Dept of Computer Science
National University of Singapore
(wongwf at comp.nus.edu.sg)
here are some of them:
- Cristian Caciuloiu
Software Development Manager
Freescale Semiconductor Romania
(Cristian.Caciuloiu at freescale.com)
.JPG)
- Nicolae Tapus
Head of Computer Science and Engineering Dept
Vice Rector Politehnica University of Bucharest
(ntapus at cs.pub.ro)
-1.JPG)
-2.JPG)
- Weng-Fai Wong (Dr.Eng.Sc.)
Associate Professor - Dept of Computer Science
National University of Singapore
(wongwf at comp.nus.edu.sg)
The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
In the book, Friedman analysis the new world, and the means of collaboration in between companies. One can ignore this book, as one can ignore his company.. :)
Ex, I found great the means of using other channels for fast deployment and support in the large world-market.
I especially enjoyed his African proverb quote, and use it as my motto:
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running. (Africa proverb)"
Ex, I found great the means of using other channels for fast deployment and support in the large world-market.
I especially enjoyed his African proverb quote, and use it as my motto:
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running. (Africa proverb)"
Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner
A charming book, because each idea, as crazy as it might seem, is backed-up by numbers and facts. One can find out:
- who cheats? Bagel Man: "mankind may be more honest than we think"
- understanding KKK and why a new car is suddenly worth so much less the moment it leaves the lot
- why drug dealers still live with their moms.
Regardless of the question, the way each theory is proven is great! Take nothing for granted.. :)
- who cheats? Bagel Man: "mankind may be more honest than we think"
- understanding KKK and why a new car is suddenly worth so much less the moment it leaves the lot
- why drug dealers still live with their moms.
Regardless of the question, the way each theory is proven is great! Take nothing for granted.. :)
The Magus by John Fowles
Somebody younger asked me for a good book recommendation.. and I guess, one of my favorite is "The Magus".
It is one 5-600 pages book I remember I read in 2 days (day and night), almost no sleep.. :)
I read it in the first University years, and I still remember the tale and of most important the end.. a passionated slap..
It is one 5-600 pages book I remember I read in 2 days (day and night), almost no sleep.. :)
I read it in the first University years, and I still remember the tale and of most important the end.. a passionated slap..
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