Gene Kim et. al. – The DevOps Handbook
Surprisingly valuable, considering the conceptual natureof the material covered.
Back in the day, the Mayas may have captured some Vikings
The year 1000 – Valerie Hansen
Most intriguing where the described ‘globalization’ takes the for of trade – rather than old-fashioned conquest
Considering the extent of travel and trade by sea, Medieval Europe was not so dark at all
Michael Pye – the edge of the world
A collection of juicy stories backed by interesting historical facts grounded in documented history and archeological finds.
The connection between East and West has shaped the world to a larger extent than generally acknowledged
Peter Frankopan – The Silk Roads
Due to the breadth of the topic, the compelling perspective disintegrates and it ends up as a long parade of interesting facts.
Over the past 170 years Japan’s perception of itself has changed radically – multiple times
Christopher Harding – Japan Story
The author provides a richness of perspectives that guide the reader beyond clichés.
To unlock creativity, make sure you get the culture right
The best quote is not from the author: “Quality is the best business plan” (John Lasseter, director of Toy Story).
Run your IT department like it is a factory
Gene Kim et. al. – The Phoenix project
The well-established template of ‘The Goal‘ applied to IT.
It requires concentration to complete complex, intelligent tasks
The need for concentration for though-intensive tasks is not disputed, but somehow the author (a university professor himself) structurally over-values academic work versus non-academic endeavours.
Even at tech companies where intentions are good, women fight an uphill battle
The book fits neatly in the trend to call out gender inequality, but unfortunately it has limited practical solutions to offer.
Attract the right team, set a market-driven strategy, prioritize wisely in execution and… don’t run out of cash
Densely written ‘how-to guide’ for executives who want to build a sustainable growth company.
High-ranked mafia killer flips, citing his uncle’s ruthlessness as justification
Philip Leonetti – Mafia prince
At some point, The Godfather has evolved from a document of the mafia life style to a style guide for mob leaders.
Take full responsibility, keep it simple, ensure the team believes in the mission, and act decisively
Extreme ownership – Leif Babin and Jocko Willink
A no-nonsense approach to leadership, accompanied by an overdose of war stories.
You have to work hard before good stuff manifests itself
Mike Dooley – Playing the matrix
Feel-good take on: ‘there is no such thing as a free lunch’ from the guy who (somewhat pretentiously) signs his daily newsletters with: “The Universe.”
Build safety, share vulnerability, and establish purpose
Daniel Coyle – The culture code
Rich collection of cases that jointly convey an important message – even if the individual annecdotes may be somewhat over the top.
Exposure therapy is highly effective to overcome fear of rejection
Contageous enthusiasm of authentic curiosity comes across best in his Jia Jiang’s youtube videos (cf. Olympic rings).
The applied science of addictive behaviour drives how we interact with technology
Please note the irony in the fact that Amazon does not offer this book as ebook.
J.D. Vance – Hilbilly elegy
Compassionately written, but downplaying that uneducated, scared anti-intellectuals are often ruthlessly mean towards anyone who is not part of their clan.
Naomi Klein – No is not enough
Solid analysis of politics and mass communication ends in a disappointingly polarized plea for “us v. them”-thinking.
Philip Fernbach and Steven Sloman – The Knowledge Illusion
In a world that is both complex and polarized, progress (which is fueled by sharing knowledge) is in serious danger of reversal.
The concept is almost trivial (which makes for a boring 1st half of the book), but the examples (partizan politics, fake news, pseudo science, etc.) are convincing and entertaining.
Clayton M. Christensen – Competing against luck
Good thought starter and a great tool to point out failures afterwards, but usually hard to get “the job” right before launch