Books are probably one of the things which expands mind horizon. There are so many things to learn from books. One can learn, motivate, explore & do what not by reading the books.
“The Midnight Library” is a novel written by Matt Haig. The book is about a woman named Nora Seed who is struggling to find meaning and purpose in her life. After a failed suicide attempt, she discovers a library that exists between life and death, where books contain different versions of her life. Each book represents a different decision she could have made, and she is able to explore these different lives and the consequences that come with them.
As Nora explores the library, she realizes that there is no perfect life and that every decision she makes leads to both joy and pain. She also comes to understand that every life is valuable and that the people she loves are just as important as her own happiness.
Throughout her journey, Nora meets a number of people who have also been to the library, each with their own unique story and perspective. She learns from them and their experiences, and they help her to see that her life is worth living.
One of the major themes in the book is the concept of regrets and how they shape our lives. Nora has many regrets and wishes she could go back and make different choices. However, she comes to realize that regrets are a natural part of life and that we can’t change the past. Instead, we must learn to accept and move on from our regrets.
The Midnight Library is a reminder that life is a journey full of ups and downs, and that we must learn to appreciate the good times and find meaning in the bad.
In conclusion, “The Midnight Library” is a thought-provoking novel that explores the human condition and the choices we make in life. It is a reminder that every decision we make has consequences, that regrets are a natural part of life, and that the world needs more kindness. It’s a story that will resonate with readers of all ages and leave them contemplating the choices they have made in their own lives.
The year 2020 has not been a great year for the world. With the coronavirus outbreak, things are in the standstill. Many people are fed up with the lockdown & finding it tough to deal with constraints. However, reading can be a wonderful gateway to some different planes. I read often & in the first 6 months of 2020, I have read following books. All these books have something good to offer & can shape your future. So, here is the list of books I read till date in the year 2020.
Hard Thing About Hard Things is a book by Ben Horowitz. He started his company during dot com boom & manages to stay afloat when the market crashed. How he manages to do stay alive during the bloodbath? This is the core of the book; he explains all the tips & tricks that he used to survive & thrive. Although everyone has his/her way of solving a thing; he has his. This book will teach you about the different aspects of management & how you can behave in each situation. This should not be treated as a playbook but as a guide book that will help you maneuver through rough terrains. This book has a special mention of legends like Andy Grove & Ben Campbell, both of which have books on their style of management.
How often one has heard the phrase believing is becoming. This book is one such book that doubles down on the concept. A self-help book will pour positivity inside you & will plead you to think big. A book which will help you to cover all the aspects of life & how to deal with each situation. There are so many magical lessons to be learned from this book, not only learn but also to implement it. If one can read this book with concentration, they will surely be able to differentiate between the person who achieves his/her goals & a person who doesn’t.
Blockchain revolution talks about blockchain technology which is shaping many other industries. Some predict that it is the most important innovation after the internet & everyone knows how the internet has flared up the world. Till few decades back, communicating with a person living on the other end of the world was impossible. But, the internet vanished that boundary. Blockchain’s primary example is Bitcoin, a peer to peer currency that allows you to transact without any third party overlooking it. A trustless system that is pretty much required at this time when top people don’t behave the way they meant to. Read this book to learn about fascinating things this technology can do.
Bitcoin billionaires is a book on Winkelvoss twins, who sued Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. Everyone knows how Facebook started, there were some controversial points & one of those controversial points is, the role of twins on Facebook. After settling with Mark, they moved ahead. Bitcoin was still in its earlier phases when twins dived deep down in the topic. After a bold prediction that it will change the financial sector for good, they went all in. So, read in this book about how they become first-ever Bitcoin Billionaires.
Anything you want is a book about a journey of a start-up, without any heavy words. By heavy words, I mean ROI, IRR, valuation, etc. The book is written in simple words & with this simple language tries to explain the process of a startup. What all thoughts occur during a different time of the journey. How the decisions should be made & what all parameters govern. It is a very short book with lots of valuable lessons. This book doesn’t showcase any tips & tricks to start a company, but an overview of different conditions & what pushes one to pursue this difficult journey.
The flying drones, AI, nanorobots, the stuff which seemed to be of future are about to enter our’s world. The technology is growing faster than anyone can anticipate & in the next decade the geography is going to change drastically. This book about the window to the future & how every industry that you can possibly think of will change for the good. Anyone who is looking to learn about something that science has to offer. So fasten your seatbelt while technologies take you to the next decade.
There is one thing that is common across all the industries & that is improving efficiency. But, how to improve it is the most concerning question & with this book, the author wants to provide an answer to that constant question. As per the author, there is a way to improve the efficiency of any industry & that is through making a checklist. A checklist will help you to complete the work & also help you how to solve the unexpected problem in case it arises. The steps you can take to mitigate the problems. A book will teach you how the checklist should be & why is it required.
Fountainhead is the story of an architect who is too bored to design regular buildings. He wants to build something which has soul, attitude, the impression of its owner. But, this world is too cruel for his imaginations. Many people are jealous of his guts, thinking & lack of facade. Yet, few of the lot help him in bits to give wind to his wings & he somehow manages to fly. Read about the story of a boy who broke every rule & still flew high. How some people want him to fail & quit. Yet, a small warrior inside him gives him the strength to fight it out. Many philosophical lessons to be learned from this book & one of the classics to read.
The E Myth is a book about small businesses that vanishes within 5 years after the start of the operation & this figure is more than 80% which is astonishing. A person starts a company being a technician(a person who is good at building things) but this is not enough. To start a successful business, the person should be an entrepreneur (vision for the company) & manager (how to interconnect different stages of the business efficiently). Once a person can figure out the difference & work on it. He or she can move to the next step which is setting up of different processes that can help you to operate it without flaws & also replicate it anywhere. I think most of the lessons will be available online. However, if you want to get to specific examples can read this book.
Wars are fought on many fronts & with everyone capable of one nuclear bomb, bombing & vanishing in the thin air of hydrogen is not a solution. However, another front is an economic one. The battle of economies & taking steps to win over other powerful nations. Whomsoever is having healthy currency will rule the world’s economy. US dollar is in the front since world war II. However, countries like China, Russia are planning something big. US dollar condition is on a ventilator & the world is thinking to go back to Gold standards. It is interesting to read about the current scenario of various currencies. A very interesting book that will teach about the world’s financial system & how it is being manipulated.
Elon Musk is nerd’s superstar & with mass innovations behind him, he has become someone who is changing the world each day. The story of a man behind PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX, hyperloop, SolarCity & whatnot. He is a real-life iron man in true sense. Nobody has covered his journey in the true sense. Elon Musk finally agreed to tell his side of the story after rejecting it several times. This book will drive you through his struggles, his highs, his lows & his vision. It is not normal for a human being to earn millions of dollars & spend all in some new company whose success rate is pretty low. But, he is that man, he is on a mission to change the world with his innovations & visions. Some say he is not human & the way he works add up to this fact. The book will inspire you to do something big & monumental. Don’t miss it at any cost.
So, this was the list of books I read in 2020 to date. I have planned to read 24 books, the challenge I gave to myself each year & completing it as well. You can check all the books I read here. Read, learn & implement.
Blockchain is one revolutionary technology that is considered in high regard by some of the greatest brains of the world. Blockchain is a transparent, public ledger that keeps account of everything just like an ordinary ledger but open to all. Some consider blockchain as the biggest invention to take place since the Internet. As most of us know, the internet has skewed the world into a click. Internet which one perceived as too geeky is now used by even the uneducated one in some form or the other. In similar ways, Blockchain which is still in the early phases of the experiment will transform the world for the good. One of the earliest experiments of blockchain is Bitcoin. Bitcoin needs no introduction but for those who wonder what this tech is? Bitcoin is a peer to peer currency, completely decentralized that can’t be hacked or manipulated. Bitcoin will change the finance system forever in the coming years in fact changing it this second. Finance is one of the use cases of blockchain. There are many more unexplored ones as well. So, if you are excited about this tech & want to learn more about it, you should read all the below books & after finishing all these books you will be amazed by the tech advancements.
Digital Gold is a story of the early days of Bitcoin. Bitcoin was invented by Satoshi Nakamoto after the stock market crash in 2008. At that time, Bitcoin was trading at a few cents & a decade later the same is trading around 10,000 USD. Largely hailed as Gold 2.0 by this tech world. Bitcoin is expected to rise to an unmatched price of a few hundred thousand dollars. This book will take you to the early years of Bitcoin & its world. A perfect book to start your journey to this world.
This book talks more about the different things that can be performed through blockchain. The author talks about the various industries that will radically change through the blockchain. With a combination of blockchain & AI; our daily lives will not the same & in the coming decade’s things will change drastically for the good. This book will take you to various industries & its functions & how it will change after the introduction of blockchain. A great book to get some ideas about the future & how you can adapt to it.
Since 2015, the development in blockchain has boomed. Most of the new businesses are building their businesses on the blockchain. There are tokens, mineable coins, stable coins & whatnot & there is hardly any book that explains these concepts thus this book will tell you about the functioning of various terms & what are its uses in the world of blockchain. This will help you greatly in figuring out what all types of assets are there in blockchain & what are the functions of each of them.
A more of a technical book about how the bitcoin blockchain functions & what is the necessity of its code. This book is not for everyone as this will dive deep into the technicalities of the blockchain. The book is great for people looking to learn about the bitcoin blockchain & how can they use it in their projects. Blockchain is a complex structure & mastering it requires a lot of patience & hard work. This book will surely help you to get some extra legroom or comfortable with the code of blockchain, cryptography, total supply, halving, etc.
Andreas Antonopoulos is Bitcoin Jesus for the simple reason that he shares wisdom without any return. He talks about the use case of Bitcoin & why it is so important in today’s world. Internet of Money is a collection of his talks over the period of time, that will make you fall in love with this technology. He speaks passionately & positively. Not only this he also talks about the possible hindrance in the adaption of this technology. Thus, no bitcoin talk is complete if we don’t mention him in the context & anyone without tech knowledge should listen to him.
Facebook’s story is well known to the world. In the movie, The Social Network; there is mention of two brothers who worked with Mark Zuckerberg during his quest & who later sue him for stealing their idea. The same twin brother jumped into then fancy money Bitcoin after the Facebook settlement. Bitcoin was introduced to them at some party & after researching about it. They were convinced that it will change the world so they went all in, they bought most of the Bitcoin they can get their hand on. It is assumed that at one point in time they had 1% of total bitcoin supply. As informed earlier, Bitcoin price started with few cents & once the price of 1 Bitcoin hit 10,000 USD they became billionaires.
All these books are a must to read if you want to get informed about this tech & Bitcoin. This technology is awesome & if the development is matched with the potential our world will change for the good. Also, it is one of the biggest investment opportunity at the current moment. So, don’t miss it. I hope this will help you to learn something new today.
The currency is one mode of exchange that has changed throughout the time, from grains to coins, to paper & latest to digital. Currency has always looked to keep up with the pace of the world. The more efficient the money system, the easier it is to transact that eventually helps one to become rich. Having an agreed mode of transaction, played an important role in globalization. It not only changed how we transacted between the countries but also opened new avenues like remittance, credits, etc. But,
the financial system was about to be changed forever. This change was not from any government or banks but by a single person or group of people with the introduction of Bitcoin (a digital currency).
Bitcoin came into the picture after the meltdown of 2008. The reason for its introduction was primarily the banks. Banks who thought they are the supreme power & can make or break government, change things or, in simple words, can rule the world. By having a centralized entity to look after your valuable is a norm in the current scenario. But, after seeing, that very central entity is corrupt & gullible. It was a necessity to search for alternatives & that alternative was introduced to the world by Satoshi Nakamoto, with the introduction of Bitcoin.
Please note that I am a nontech guy & hardly know the technical aspects of it. But, reading about different topics hooked me to bitcoin & the rise I saw from Dec 2017 to Jan 2018 made me curious about this technology which led me to read all about it. I still feel the if you want to learn about this topic you should listen to only Andreas Antonopoulos, bitcoin Jesus according to me.
What Is Bitcoin?
In layman terms, Bitcoin is the internet of money that can be transferred to others over the internet (just like email) without any intermediaries. Also, this is not owned by any bank, government or corporation.
Decentralized:
There is no central entity overlooking or controlling the prices of 1 bitcoins. Thus, No One actually controls it & it is not possible to inflate or deflate the value of one bitcoin. Several nodes spread across the globe are working across the clock are verifying the transaction. Thus making is truly decentralized.
Scarce:
Every scarce thing is valuable hence Gold is considered an important commodity till date. Bitcoin’s total supply is limited to 21 Million & there will be no more or less than the mentioned supply. The 21 million bitcoin will be mined through the time with 1st bitcoin mined in the year 2008. it is estimated that the last bitcoin will be mined in the year 2140. As there is a limited supply it is scarce.
Expandable:
In the current provision, every bitcoin can be expanded to 8 digits from the decimal. Each least one is referred to as a satoshi. So, if you are sending 0.00000001 BTC, it is equivalent to 1 satoshi. However, there is an option to increase the divisibility but that is too far from the current position.
Transaction Time:
Usually, to transfer an amount across borders takes days to reach the receiver. Bitcoin transactions are confirmed on average 10 mins & hence it is super quick. Recently introduced lighting network is trying to reduce the time further. Also, transaction charges are less than 1% which is currently 3 to 5 %.
Intrinsic Value:
The funny thing about the intrinsic value is, it is derived if someone else can derive the value from it. Like Gold, like fiat, the currencies that are mutually agreed on.
How to buy Bitcoin?
There are many ways through which one can own a bitcoin, exchanges like WazirX (India), Binance (world), Kucoin (world), Coinbase (world) etc are few of the existing pool of exchanges doing well.
Another method is through mining, mining is a process through which a computer solves problem & if authentic wins a few bitcoins. The reward is halved every 4 years. Currently, a miner wins 12.5 Bitcoin for solving one problem, the interesting part is rewarding will be reduced to half i.e to 6.25 this year (2020).
This is a layman guide to Bitcoin. This doesn’t cover any technical terms like blockchain, public & private keys, hash rates, & many more. However, a brief about why this is important. If interested in this technology read these books from amazon for the in-depth knowledge of the topic. On the other hand, if you are still not able to fathom why this is critical to you. Please spare a few minutes to read Currency wars by James Rickards & you will be amazed with the things you will find out.
I have read 24 books in the year 2019 & I believe these books are the best books of 2019, out of all the books I have read. You can check my complete list here. Book reading is an essential part of today’s life. So, read often & read effectively to win in life. So, without wasting any more time, lets dive into the list.
Having trouble in your life. This philosophical book about life is amazing & will clear your life concepts. The book is written by a guru Gopal Gaur Das. His videos are popular on youtube & most of his views can be learned from there only. However, this book is written fantastically & will clear your mind. So, I would recommend buying this book, just to have access to it all the time. There are many gems in this book that will help you to maneuver your life during tough times.
Another book that talks about life. This is a book about a dying man & his student, who comes together for the one last time to record his thoughts. The student asks about the questions related to various topics, like life, love, relationships, money, religion, etc. These topics touch everyone in some way or the other. A very short book that can be completed in a day. But, it contains lots of great ideas & some new aspects of the daily situation.
How to live a life is one aspect of life & how to make money is a completely different one. This book by Tony Robbins is an eye-opener about money. The money is hard to earn, but it is doable & if one follows certain steps & stick to the rules, they can make it big. This book will teach you about the game that is not taught in schools or colleges but is the most important aspect of one’s life. With money, life becomes smooth & fulfilling. So, reading this book becomes a must, as if you don’t know the rules you can’t beat it.
Principle is a book by a hedge fund manager & how he lived his life. After creating a successful company, he wanted to continue it. But, how could he ensure, same productivity & same problem-solving process? So, with all his experience & support of his team, he wrote down a list of principles that should be followed by the company in the future. This list was highly appreciated by people not in the company but by outsiders as well. This encouraged him to publish the book on the same topic & this is how principle came into the picture. A great book to read that will help you to figure out ways to deal with difficult problems.
It is tough to come from a family, where a father feels getting an education is against the norms of Christianity. But, 3 people from that family self-taught themselves to become Ph.D. holders. How this becomes possible? Read about their story in this book & in particular about a girl who had written this book. After completing the book, you will be shaken by the journey she took. A great read & an inspiring story about a person with a strong will. A must-read book.
Apart from these, there are many more books which are worth mentioning these are Bad Blood ( a story of a startup that tried to fake it till make it; a page-turner), Animal Farm (a sarcastic take on politics which is relevant in today’s scenario as well), HBR 10 Must-Read on Analytics, AI & More (a great book on how technology will shape your world in coming future). You can check all the list of the books I read in 2019 here.
Money is a game only understood by few & Tony Robbins is one of those people who can understand this game. Like all the self-made millionaires. He also believes in a slow & steady process of gaining wealth. He wants you to follow certain steps which are proven & which will help you to attain desired wealth. Although the majority of concepts are considering US market. However, the financial institutes work in similar ways all across the world. So, you can always find something that you can use & benefit from. I would recommend this book to learn how to manage your money & eventually grow it.
It is no hidden fact that habits create men. Habits can be one of the essential differentiation points between successful & unsuccessful ones. This book is more about the psychological aspect & how it will help you to gain some wealth. This is a proven concept & many people are voting for this method.
Working hard is one thing & getting what you want is a separate thing. This book provides the frameworks to follow. A step to step guide to building wealth. It is probably one of the most read books in history. A sure shot way to get rich from any situation. The results will take time but once they do; you will have enough of what you are looking for.
Like Think & Grow Rich, the power of the subconscious mind also flirts with the same concept. Although the concept is the same in both books. This book’s concepts are more doable. The techniques are simple & with constant efforts, you can make it big in fact massive inroads in wealth creation.
A book by a self-made millionaire. He has followed a few basic principles through which he was able to reach such massive gains. He teaches how poor invest in liability & rich invests in assets. The difference which is hard to deduce & often people miss during their peak. This book is a wonderful way to get your finances in the right direction.
All the above-mentioned books require some work or the other. But, this book is simple & easy to grasp. The book is about the age-old practice to generate wealth. A simple 3 or 4 step process to acquire & grow wealth. This book is simple to the core & shall be read by anyone who has started to learn something, no matter how minute the amount is.
These books can be read by anyone for whom the money matters. Easy to grasp & easy to implement. Read these books & re-read whenever you feel stuck. An easy guide to success. Buy all these books from Amazon.in
There are a plethora of books available. But, it is literary impossible to read all of them. I am reading books suggested by successful people. Based on my knowledge. I am jotting down a list of 5 books that every person should read before starting a business. These books are recommended by most of the successful people. It will be wrong to say that book shall change a life. Generally, books change the mind set of the person, subsequently changing the result. Books are tool necessary to sharpen skills, not the foot path to follow.
For a long time, I have used this formula of taking out what is necessary for me & invalidating rest of the points. The formula for success is different for different human beings, which can’t be replicated.
The book by Peter Thiel, who is an early investor in Facebook. Other than that he is known for his startup “PAYPAL”. The book recommends tools & tips to take your business one step forward. A must read book for everyone who is planning to start something. The author describes the power of monopoly & how to think about an idea. How an idea succeeds & how does one shape future.
While some books show planning is important. This book considers doing things as foremost important. Do what you think is appropriate. Test the results of it & if it is as per your expectation keep doing it. Also, if some of the processes are not working then abolish those & try something new. Power of speed is explained in this book.
Startups are not always about billion dollars funding. Some startups are found in living room, bedroom etc. The so called micro businesses are thriving in this internet age. The unlimited opportunities are waiting to get tapped. This book is must read for anyone who is looking to expand their vision.
The book is written by a person named Simon Sinek. His tedtalk is one of the highest viewed tedtalk ever. The simple concept of WHY is explained beautifully in this book. Many people get tired while in the journey due to the lack of inspiration. The WHY is often forgotten during the journey. However, it is as much important as anything else to keep the business running.
The book is on Pixar. One of the first company to introduce animation to this world. The first-time animation came to life. The early days of setting up of the firm & the roller coaster journey are amazing to read. The book covers most of the aspects of the startup struggle. However, if one is determined enough it can topple every problem. This book is an example of that.
