Creative Selection: Inside Apple’s Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs – Ken Kocienda

This book turned out to be different from my initial expectations, yet it was a satisfying read. It doesn’t provide a comprehensive overview of Apple’s entire history and product line, and it’s not a conventional business theory book either. It goes in depth with the author’s experience in his areas of product development only. It has very little of Steve Jobs. So if you are looking for a book on him, this is not it. I really enjoyed it though. It was well written, and in depth on the product creation. It’s very much written like a story. It had me laughing at some points and I found it interesting. There were a few points that I lost interest in it though. The author being a software engineer does get a bit technical at times, but does a great job of drawing familiar parallels to software principles.

I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone curious about the intricate process of product development at Apple. It offers a delightful and enlightening reading experience, making it a solid 4 star recommendation.

Hello Gen Z: Engaging the Generation of Post-Millennials – Claire Madden

Gen Z, born between 1995 and 2009, currently aged 29 to 15, I picked up this book wanting to know more about Gen Z, particularly in the workforce. I understand that at the time of writing, in 2017, many Gen Z individuals were teenagers, but there were also adults in the workforce, and Gen Z would be increasingly entering the workforce as the years went on. The author could have focused more on the future. I felt that I had high hopes to learn a lot from the book, but in the end, it let me down. It was filled with quotes from Gen Z, which is fine, but it was inundated with repetitive quotes all saying the same thing. There was a lot of “this is how it is right now,” but no strategies for dealing with Gen Z in the workforce or in general. Some of it focused on understanding Gen Z, which is necessary in the book, but not to the extreme extent of what we are already observing from them. It didn’t provide explanations. I felt it took a long time to get into the book, and even then, it lacked depth. I’ve read other books on different generations, and they had more depth, even for the era in which they were written. I felt like the terms, slang, and things labeled as Gen Z were more characteristic of Gen Y, especially since I am Gen Y. I’m unsure if Gen Z is just not that different, or if I’m not as old as I thought I was! I recommend this for generations X and above. 3 stars.

Conscious Leadership: Reveal your potential. Inspire excellence. – Neil Seligman

I don’t believe this book is poor, but it didn’t quite resonate with me either. This book presents itself as a guide for leaders, but it’s really for anyone interested in understanding themselves better and making better choices. It offers examples, exercises, and suggestions for further reading on each topic. It’s short and covers a lot about self-development and becoming a better person. Overall, it’s a pretty good book. I don’t really have any faults with it. I think it just wasn’t for me. 3 stars.

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Win Or Die: Lessons for Life from Game of Thrones – Bruce Craven

I might have rated this book a bit harshly, because it just wasn’t for me. I haven’t read Game of Thrones so I didn’t get much out of it. A lot of the book makes reference and fully analyzes Game of Thrones. I don’t recommend reading this book if you haven’t read Game of Thrones. There are some leadership ideas, however, nothing new. There is very little leadership theory, and a lot of explaining via Game of Thrones. While the author aims to draw parallels between the challenges faced by the characters in Westeros and real-world leadership scenarios, the book seems to cater primarily to fans of the series. Without prior understanding of the characters and their arcs, the lessons feel abstract and disconnected.

For those who are avid followers of Game of Thrones, this book might provide an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. 2 stars.

Finding My Virginity: The New Autobiography – Richard Branson

I found this hard to review. The book itself is ok and not that badly written. It’s obviously an autobiography so it’s told as the story of his life. The stories don’t drag on, they get to the point at least. The part I don’t like is Richard Branson himself, and his life story. He is not someone I would be friends with. I have not read his first autobiography and wasn’t even keen to read this book. I didn’t know much about Richard before reading it, but after reading this book it confirmed everything I already knew.

Richard Branson considers himself a legend. He views himself as The Most Interesting Man in the World. I hoped to learn a little about running companies. But really he does none of this. Instead readers are subjected 450+ pages of egomania. It’s all about what he does in his everyday life which is off on dare deviling adventures that he brags about. Including his complete list in the appendix of “75 close shaves with death”. Most of which are doing dumb idiotic situations he puts himself into. Besides always almost dying, the rest of it is his views on politics, bragging, any time he did anything “cool”, and out right just being rich. I don’t even think he runs any companies?! Not in the day to day sense anyway.

There is no advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. It is just Branson telling the world, over and over again, how much fun it is to be Branson. I thought he was a wanker before, and now reading this, it confirms it. 2 stars.

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The Excellence Dividend – Tom Peters

The author’s points and principles are correct. I do agree with them. But the writing style is horrible! It’s poorly constructed and has a disjointed writing style. I picked up this book agreeing with the title and the concept. I hoped to come away from it motivated and inspired. But I struggled to even finish it, and was even skimming parts!

I don’t mind the quotes. I do like some quotes, but when they have no context and heaps of them, what’s the point? It was also written a lot in bold and caps which irritated me. And let’s talk about the length! This book is a heavyweight, but what did I get out of it? Not much. It did re-confirm the things I know and believe in. But it didn’t have anything new and interesting, and definitely not inspiring. Overall, I’m disappointed. Those seeking a more impactful and engaging exploration of similar themes are advised to explore alternative titles that better deliver on the promise of motivation, inspiration, and fresh insights. 2 stars.

How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job – Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith

I am a supporter of feminism, particularly in the realms of careers and in the workplace. I appreciated that this book acknowledged the existing disparities in these areas and aimed to tackle them. However, while I fully embrace feminist principles, I found this book to be overwhelmingly focused on feminism to the point of excess. While I acknowledge some valid points made by the authors, the book often resorts to comparing males and females and implies that women must conform to societal expectations rather than advocating for societal change. It feels patronizing and relies heavily on broad stereotypes.

The book repeatedly suggests that women must adapt to fit into traditional leadership roles rather than challenging societal perceptions of success or women’s roles. Also the portrayal of the corporate world as a rigid hierarchy with only upward mobility options doesn’t resonate with my experiences. I disagree with the book’s insistence that women must emulate men to succeed in this environment. The writing style, with constant references to the authors and their previous works is off-putting. While I grasped the authors’ points, they were poorly articulated and lacked clarity. The book also took too long to delve into its content, and while some anecdotes were relatable, others felt contrived. Ultimately, the book perpetuates the notion that women can only advance by conforming to male standards, which I find condescending and patronizing. I rate it 2 stars.

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