Showing results by author "Swift Reads" in All Categories

Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time (originally published in 2002, and revised in 2017) is a self-help guide about the importance of frank, empathetic communication. Author Susan Scott believes that, too often, personal and professional conversations are unproductive, or even counter-productive. Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men (2002) by domestic violence expert Lundy Bancroft is a nonfiction book for those who have experienced or are experiencing intimate partner violence and abuse. Why Does He Do That? outlines types of abuse, including physical, emotional, financial, verbal, and sexual abuse, and provides insight to shed light on the underlying reasons for abusive behaviors. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

Women Who Love Too Much (1985) by marriage and family therapist Robin Norwood is a self-help book written for women who make their romantic partners and their partners’ needs central in their lives, at the expense of taking care of their own needs first. Norwood calls women with this propensity women who love too much and notes that they are most comfortable when they are self-sacrificing to help their partners. Get this in-depth summary to learn more.

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (2007) by psychiatrist Norman Doidge explores breakthroughs in neuroscience regarding plasticity, or the brain’s ability to change. Doidge shares inspiring stories of the work done by what he calls “neuroplasticians” - neuroscientists who are pioneering new methods for optimizing brain function....

This is a summary of The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century (2005), in which Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Thomas L. Friedman explains how globalization and improvements in technology have facilitated an economic environment where anyone, no matter where they are from, can excel. The title refers to the idea that the world has been “flattened” now that companies, entrepreneurs, and workers can collaborate and compete with one another on a global scale....

The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles (2005, updated for 10th anniversary in 2015) by cell biologist Bruce Lipton explores the power of the mind to influence health and well being. The Biology of Belief provides scientific proof that debunks the notion of fixed genetic inheritance, or that genes create reality. Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

This is a summary of The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life (2018) by leadership guru Robin Sharma. It is an inspirational work of fiction. Sharma uses the narrative of a fictional artist, entrepreneur, and tycoon to extol the virtues of rising early every morning.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (2018) by James Clear is a self-help book designed to drive behavior change over the long term. Built on the notion that small changes can spark powerful transformations, this practical volume explains what motivates human behavior with the goal of showing people how to improve their lives.... Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (1970) guides job-seekers through the process of finding fulfilling careers that utilize their individual talents and skills. First published in 1970, the book has been updated annually since 1985... Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

Never Eat Alone (first published in 2005, and updated in 2014) by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz is a how-to guide to networking. Networking is frequently cast as selfish or shallow....

This is a summary of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert (1999), which provides married couples with a system for evaluating the health of their marriages, as well as tactics for reinvigorating those unions if they become unfulfilling.

The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection by best-selling author Michael A. Singer, is a spiritual memoir that chronicles Singer’s quest to embrace whatever the universe presented to him at any given moment. Singer’s experiment with surrender began in 1970, when he was enrolled in a graduate-level economics program at the University of Florida and realized there was a voice inside his head, often critical and judgmental.... (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (2001) explains how humans routinely underestimate the role luck plays in determining outcomes. This failure to account for uncertainty can lead someone to attribute meaning to a result where none exists, or to overlook the probability of a rare but cataclysmic event....

This is a summary of How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen & How to Listen so Your Kids Will Talk (1979), which is a guide for parents who want to effectively communicate with their children. The skills contained in the book can be learned and practiced by all parents and, when incorporated consistently, help parents and children build positive relationships with each other....

Lost Connections explores the physical, psychological, and cultural factors that lead to depression, as well as the tactics communities can employ to overcome it. British journalist Johann Hari argues that while depression can have a biological cause, it’s largely an involuntary reaction to the social ills that plague modern society. Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

Barbara Demick’s Nothing to Envy (2009) traces the lives of six North Korean defectors from Chongjin, a city in northeastern North Korea in North Hamgyong Province. The narrative examines their daily lives and occupations. Listen to this in-depth summary by Swift Reads to learn more.

Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World (2018) examines the exploits of Jho Low, a Malaysian money launderer who organized the theft of at least $5 billion from a government fund meant to create jobs in the Southeast Asian country. Low used some of the money to forge connections with notable politicians in the Middle East, North America, and Asia. Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

In The Big Short (2010), journalist Michael Lewis traces the stories of a handful of misfit investors who predicted the 2008 financial crisis. In the parlance of Wall Street, to “short” something is to bet against an investment or company through the purchase of a complex high-finance product.... (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

The Definitive Book of Body Language (2004) by body language experts Allan and Barbara Pease is a comprehensive guide to non-verbal communication. An expanded version of Allen Pease’s Body Language (1981), The Definitive Book of Body Language outlines the basics of body language, including expressions, gestures, and physical movements. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon.)

The Good Gut: The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long-Term Health (2015) by Justin Sonnenburg and Erica Sonnenburg explores the fascinating machinations of the human gut. Also known as the microbiome, the gut is teeming with live bacteria that help make or break one’s physical and mental health.