After reading about how Kim Philby played the UK and US for so long in the Soviet Union’s favor, I was happy to learn the story of a dramatic spy operation going the other direction. This is the story of […]
Kim Philby was an upper-class English guy who went to the “right” prep school and college, then joined the intelligence service during WW2. He rose to become the head of counterintelligence at MI6, focused specifically on the Soviet Union. Then, […]
It’s as if this book was made for the audiobook format. Because it’s mostly written as a diary, it really fits. And the narrator kicks ass at his role! (View on Amazon)
Malcolm Gladwell references many studies to support his theory for how ideas spread “virally” – mavens, connectors, and salesmen. There’s a really interesting part of the book about why so many people continue to smoke despite knowing the risk factors. (View […]
It’s hard to overstate the impact of the Morgan family & their legacy firms on global business. The story is a deep dive from the family’s beginnings when Junius Morgan became the partner of George Peabody in US-British trade through […]
I drank the Elon Musk kool-aid. This guy is amazing, and the biographer (Ashlee Vance) does a great job of telling his story. (View on Amazon)
A true rags-to-riches story. Carnegie was a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune in the steel business, and then worked for many years to “give it away”. After he sold out (to JP Morgan), he was having trouble giving his […]
Vanderbilt was another remarkable titan of industry. Making his original fortune in steamships, he switched gears and went all-in on railroads once he caught wind of the opportunity. Fun fact from the author – at the time of his death […]
Russians are crazy! This book details what happened through the transition from communism to capitalism, and how that resulted in a few newly-minted Billionaires taking the lion’s share of property for themselves. (View on Amazon)
Regardless of your view of Ayn Rand’s politics, it’s hard not to enjoy this book. It’s a really amazing story that tugs at a variety of human emotions. And if you also believe in some or all of her philosophy, […]