(A Tale of) Libau Discovers the Bible - and Reads It! #LeadersAreReaders September 2024

In a longhouse where everyone lived simple, predictable lives, there was a boy named Libau who was different. One day, while wandering around, he found an old, forgotten missionary house. Curious, he picked up a book (unknowingly, a Bible) and started reading. It was as if a whole new world opened up to him—he learned about the Creator, Jesus, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and truths that stretched beyond anything he had ever known.

As Libau kept reading, he began to think differently. He used the knowledge and truth he gained to teach other young men and women in his longhouse, helping them better understand the world and the reality of God around them. At first, the people were suspicious and even opposed him. But as time went on, they began to notice that Libau lived differently and saw things in a way they didn’t. Some of them started turning to him for advice and prayers, though, overall, he was still rejected by many.

One day, missionaries came through the longhouses, speaking about the Kingdom of God and the call to preach the Gospel beyond the horizon. Libau, filled with curiosity and a sense of God's calling, decided to join them and go into all the world. The people of the longhouse saw Libau leave, knowing he had risen above the ordinary, not because he was stronger or richer, but because he had the power of the knowledge of God through reading, meditating, and living the Bible.

The missionary house, with all its hidden wisdom, remained—waiting for the next curious and seeking mind to discover its truths. Will you pick up the Bible and read it too? 🙏

To read my monthly reading articles, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Reading Can Activates Your Potential #LeadersAreReaders August 2022

Without reading and writing, there will be no progress to speak of. Without reading and writing, we'd be stuck in the Stone Age. Without reading and writing, there will be no civilization as we know it. These gifts of God to humankind are keys to unlocking our hidden potential. These gifts, writes Burke Hedges, author of Read & Get Rich, "liberates us and activates our dormant minds, much like a catalyst activates an inert chemical solution. Without the catalyst, the chemical just sits there. Add the catalyst and - boom! - there's an explosion of activity."

This reminds me of an old, true story. A young Italian sculptor named Agostino had a huge block of marble delivered to his studio. He had great plans to sculpt the block into a marvelous statue but unfortunately, he found the marble hard to work with. Frustrated, he had the marble removed to make room for a different project. About 40 years later, another Italian sculptor named Michaelangelo spotted the marble block hidden in an abandoned garbage heap. When he saw it, he ordered it sent to his studio. You know what happened next, right?

In case you don't... For many years, he studied the marble block, sizing up its potential, measuring it over and over again, testing its hardness with his chisels, making endless sketches, etc. Slowly but surely he gently smoothed his completed status with his chisels. The result was a masterpiece, the famous statue of David! You see, my fellow social media friends, Michaelangelo did what Agostino failed to do: he saw the full potential of the marble block and released that potential with his talent, patience, genius - and his chisels. Like that marble block, we are rough and unrefined at first (otak pun keras!) but we have such great potential! Reading (and writing) is the chisel that releases our potential and reveals the work of art within.

Ernest Carr puts it this way, "Not to be able to read is like one world with one door to enter and nothing is there... Because of literacy, I have been freed from this dark world. Because of literacy, I have 1,000 doors that I can enter now." So you see, reading not only activates your POTENTIAL but also POSSIBILITIES. Read! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read other articles on reading and book reviews, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Science of Self-Learning (2018) by Peter Hollins, Sort-of Book Review

The Science of Self-Learning: How to Teach Yourself Anything, Learn More in Less Time, and Direct Your Own Education (2018) by Peter Hollins, Ebook

 
The title and subtitle say it all. Some books are easy to read and quick to finish simply because you already agree with the main theses of the book. And extra if you already applied most of the ideas. So, what is the benefit of reading a book that doesn't challenge me to do or think about something new? Well, for one, the feel-good effect I had due to confirmation bias. And the other, for self-reminder, that it is the right thing for me to continue to pursue. Peter Hollis, a psychologist by profession, wrote in such a way that is engaging and balances theories with practicality. He reminds me that the path - for me, not necessary for everyone - to education is through self-learning.

We all should've realized that the process of acquiring information has changed significantly over the last few decades. The author seriously joking that 30 to 40 decades ago, one of the main ways for people to look up general info was inside an encyclopedia! Today, all we have to do is just Google-ing absolutely anything and find out very specific info about any subject of interest in less than a few seconds anywhere, anywhen. What hasn’t changed, sadly, is our educational system. It is still based mostly on a traditional model, where students still learn what somebody else has decided for them to learn. Although there are exceptions and some positive sides to it, the outdated model is overall limiting and intimidating. Mr. Hollins writes, "[Motivating] someone to learn by threats or reproach isn’t just ineffective - it’s impossible. If one is feeling hurt or mistrusted, or if they’re dealing with depression, stress, difficult personal issues, or fear, they don’t have any resources left to help them learn."

Enter the keyword: autodidact (or a self-educator). It simply means a self-taught person. He or she is both a teacher and a student at the same time. Self-taught is not a new pursuit. There are famous people like Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo da Vinci who are autodidacts. The advantage for us today is that it is easier and faster for us to be one. “Courtesy of the Internet, the world is your oyster,” writes Mr. Hollins, “and we have the ability to learn anything we want these days.” Due to my personality and learning style, classroom-type, professor-guide, assignment- dateline like Bible seminary is not suitable for me. My process of directed personal education growth is via proactive intellectual curiosity. Thus, my motivation is not from the outside forces but from the inside a.k.a. intrinsic. Nobody can 'force' me to learn, I WANT to learn. The author puts it like this: "Rather than performing a task to gain rewards or avoid punishment from someone else, a person experiencing intrinsic motivation does an activity for how it will enrich them on an intangible level." Right!

If you are an autodidact, reading Chapter 1: Principle of Self-Learning is a good reminder for you to keep doing what you are doing (probably Chapter 1 is just enough). If you are aspired to be one, reading this book is a good starting point. You will learn the Learning Success Pyramid, the classic SQ3R Method, the Cornell Note-Taking System, Speed-Reading tactics, and more. The author is generous with his resources. I love this quote, "Anyone can be an autodidact - there aren’t any restrictions on age, gender, or background. All that’s required is the willingness to actively find new knowledge and to do so with a discerning, evaluative mind." Yes! ☕

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheScienceOfSelfLearning #AutodidactForever #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read a hundred+ of my book reviews, CLICK HERE     

LEGASI.tv Media: https://linktr.ee/LEGASI.tv 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

How To Think Like Einstein (2015) by Scott Thorpe, Book Review

How To Think Like Einstein: Simple Ways to Break the Rules and Discover Your Hidden Genius (2000, 2015) by Scott Thorpe

Three primary materials sparked my interest in the life of Albert Einstein, namely, Walter Isaacson's Einstein (2007, an extensive volume biography that I didn't get to finished), a TV series Genius: Einstein (2017, based on Isaacson's book), and John Gribbin's Einstein's Masterwork (2015). I also watched lots of documentaries about his life and works. Thus, I can boast about having general knowledge about Albert Einstein. Still, I cannot say the same when it comes to an understanding of how the general theory of relativity really works (Yes, YouTube videos are helpful. Thank you). Although Albert Einstein wasn't the only gifted intellectual during his lifetime, his accomplishments, especially the 1905 papers, make him the poster-child or the symbol of GENIUS. The words Einstein and genius are synonymous. So no wonder many authors who want to write books on being a genius or discovering your hidden genius will go to Einstein for reference or as the chief model. But I think we shouldn't want to be like Einstein or think precisely like Einstein because Einstein is one of a kind. We are created by God (not evolve) wonderfully and uniquely from everyone else. However, we can - and should - learn from others, including Einstein, even if we disagree with them. When I approach this book with this attitude, I get more from it.

The essence of Einstein's secret to think like a genius, according to the author, is that "you've got to break the rules." I know this is not a piece of top-secret information. But I agree with Scott Thorpe when he writes: "Rules are not always bad things. They are like railroad tracks. If you want to go where the track goes, they are perfect. But like destinations without a rail line, some solutions cannot be reached by following our rules. The only way to get there is to leave the tracks. Rules stunt innovative thinking because they seem so right. They hide the numerous superior solutions that exist but are outside our rule ruts. These great solutions will only be found by breaking the rules." As I observe myself and others, I find that most of our rule ruts are in our heads: we are trained to obey the rules mindlessly, we refuse to think differently when we become 'experts', we hold on to our limited perceptions, we don't stop to notice external forces that influence us, we quickly rejecting contrary evidence, we tend to conform to groupthink, the fear of rejections paralyzes us, etc. A world-class problem-solver and master of rule-breaker, Albert Einstein said, "We must recognize what in our accepted tradition is damaging to our fate and dignity - and shape our lives accordingly."

But even Einstein is not immune to rule ruts. Imagine this: Einstein's intelligence was consistently high throughout his life, and as he grew older, his vast knowledge of mathematics and science increased steadily. At the beginning of 1905, the young Einstein made significant discoveries in physics in his spare time, especially when he developed his special and general theories of relativity (and don't forget the formula, E = MC²). One of the rules that he broke was Isaac Newton's 'time is absolute' rule. When most scientists think that time is absolute, as decreed by Newton, Einstein believes otherwise, saying that time is relative. His productivity and problem-solving skills are in the beast mode. But as he gained reputation and acquired more knowledge, the old professor's spark was diminishing (Ronald William Clark's remarked in his book, Einstein: The Life and Times, another book that I didn't finish, "…later years, he moved his interest from science to politics"). He was still brilliant, but he didn't solve any more critical scientific problems after that. Why? Thorpe explains, "If rule-breaking was the secret to Einstein's genius, then we should expect his problem-solving decline when he didn't break the rules - and that is exactly what happened." Isn't this is sad but true? When you first enter the Christian ministry, you're so full of revolutionary ideas, but after few years of service, you are settling for the old-unchristian rules? When you were appointed leader, you wanted to make a difference, but now it seems like you're stuck in the same situation as before? Perhaps it's time to rethink and examine your current physical and mental rules and start to break the rules! Read this book is an excellent way to know-how.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #ThinkLikeAlbertEinstein #BreakTheRules #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my previous #1Book1Week book reviews, CLICK HERE  

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/                         
Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiSpotify           
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LEGASItv/       

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Read To Refill the Wells of Inspiration #1Book1Week September 2020

 

Why read? "Read to refill the wells of inspiration," said Harold Ockenga, who took a suitcase of books on his honeymoon! As a leader (in any field), you need to learn consistently. There are many ways to do it, one of the most effective ways is by reading books 📖 (the second is YouTube!). Read Christian books for your spiritual benefit. Read other subjects too for intellectual growth. Read to spark your imagination and challenge your current beliefs. Read for fun! 😉

In the world of social media today, to be a leader, you must CHOOSE depth, not shallow thinking. Social media gives you titbits, entertainment-based news, and lots of negativity. You'll be depressed easily. Try reading books. Because it is not that 'viral' thing nowadays (people with millions of followers on TikTok are not famous because they promote or review books. Duh!), you can be ahead of others who don't read. In this way, you will always be a leader. A real influencer ⚡💪🙏 #ServeToLead #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #Mythology #PersonalDevelopment #History #Religion #Fiction

Btw, here are my #1Book1Week for the month of September:

1. The Decision: Overcoming Today's BS for Tomorrow's Success (2020, Audible Original) by Kevin Hart
2. Introducing Jesus: A Graphic Guide (2012) by Anthony O’Hear & Judy Groves
3. Homer: The Odyssey (1993) retold by Geraldine McCaughrean
4. Altar of Eden (2010) by James Czajkowski a.k.a. James Rollins
5. Forbidden History: Prehistoric Technologies, Extraterrestrial Intervention, and the Suppressed Origins of Civilization (2005) edited by J. Douglas Kenyon

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/            
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/         
YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Ray Kroc on The Power of Persistence (Video)

The Founder (2016) is a good movie about an entrepreneur that makes McDonald famous and big, Ray Kroc. In the movie, he is played by Michael Keaton and there is one very powerful speech where Kroc says:

"I know what you’re thinking, how the heck does a fifty-two-year-old, over the hill, milkshake machine salesman build a fast-food empire with sixteen hundred restaurants and annual revenue of seven hundred million dollars? One word: PERSISTENCE 💪

"PERSISTENCE. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent won’t. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius won’t. Unrewarded genius is practically a cliché. Education won’t. The world is full of educated fools. Persistence and determination alone are all powerful" 😉😁🔥
_______________________________________

BUY CHEAP BOOKS: https://my.carousell.com/richard_angelus/

FB Page: https://web.facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Follow IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Angelus' Quote: How to Have a Conversation with the Finest Minds?

René Descartes, a French philosopher, mathematician and scientist (brilliant man, read about him!) once writes, "The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries" :)

Books on Sale: https://my.carousell.com/richard_angelus/

_______________

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/richard_angelus

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose (2010) by Tony Hsieh, Book Review

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose (2010)
by Tony Hsieh

I never heard of Zappos 2-3 years ago. As far as I can remember, I might have read a sentence or two about this unique company in the many books that I read in my entire life (well of course, since I’m really interested in entrepreneur and business books only last year). I never bought any shoes from Zappos. I was clueless to who Tony Hsieh is. In short, to be honest, I never thought that I will finish reading this book and enjoying it! As my learning habit, to maximize my understanding, along with reading the book, I will also listen to the author’s interviews on YouTube and Podcast. After I read and listened to Tony’s talks online, I became Zappos’ fan and loss for a word to describe what I have read. Thanks to Jonathan Haidt, his praise for this book echoes mine: “This book illustrates so many of Zappos’ core values: It’s open and honest, passionate and humble, fun and a little weird.” In his humorous, genuine spirit (he shares stories of successes and failures too) and geniusity (I just made up that word), Tony shows that a business is not just about money but it’s also about Delivering Happiness to the customers and employees.

“It’s important to constantly challenge and stretch yourself,” writes Tony, “and not be stuck in a job where you don’t feel like you are growing or learning.” Tony is born as an entrepreneur. When he was a kid, he started a worm farm business! In college, he running a pizza business. Then after few years graduating (and working), he quits a high-paid job to cofounded LinkExchange. In the first section of this book (entitled Profits), he tells stories of him growing up, adventures and rebellions as a young entrepreneur and eventually became a CEO of Zappos at the age of 20 something. In the middle of this book, Tony start to think about what’s matter in life, he writes, “I made a list of the happiest periods in my life, and I realized that none of them involved money. I realized that building stuff and being creative and inventive made me happy.” And so, in the second section (entitled Profits and Passion), Tony outlines how the philosophy of happiness and purpose infiltrate into the blood and bones of Zappos’ business systems. Company culture based on happiness is more important and influential than the marketing strategy. “What’s the best way to build a brand for the long term?” Tony asked, “In a word: culture.” “For individuals, the character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny.” “Your culture is your brand.”

To create a WOW culture, Zappos committed to these 10 core values:

1) Deliver WOW Through Service

2) Embrace and Drive Change

3) Create Fun and a Little Weirdness

4) Be Adventurous, Creative and Open-Minded

5) Pursue Growth and Learning

6) Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication

7) Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit

8) Do More with Less

9) Be Passionate and Determined

10) Be Humble

In the book, Tony explains each of the core values in detail and share some stories from the employees as they applied the values into their work and life. Very inspiring. If you own a company or working in HR or thinking of starting a business, reading Chapter 5 Platform for Growth: Brand, Culture, Pipeline is worth your time and attention. The ideas, examples, and inspirations will make you think about how important customer service is and the culture in the company.

In the third section (entitled Profits, Passion and Purpose), Tony outlines the ‘marriage’ of Zappos with Amazon, Zappos’ vision for taking things to the next level, and how Zappos’ vision can become ours. “Zappos is about delivering happiness to the world.” The evolution of Zappos’ vision over the years is very interesting. 1999 – Largest Selection of Shoes; 2003 – Customer Service; 2005 – Culture and Core Values as Our Platform; 2007 – Personal Emotional Connection; 2009 – Delivering Happiness. “If happiness is everyone’s ultimate goal,” Tony asks his readers in the last chapter, “wouldn’t it be great if we could change the world and get everyone and every business thinking in that context and that framework?” Yes, let’s change the world. Let’s deliver happiness to the world by making yourself happy (by tapping into your passion and live with a higher purpose) and making others happy (that’s the real profit right there!).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

6 Books on How-to-Think-Like

In the 1670’s Sir Isaac Newton wrote in a letter to his friend Robert Hooke, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” That is exactly what reading How-to-Think-Like biographies can do for you – allow you to see further because of what these people have achieved. These 5 people are what I think are - geniuses - and reading about them makes me feel like one:

#1 Think Like Da Vinci

#2 How to Think Like Da Vinci

#3 How to Think Like Einstein

#4 How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes

#5 How to Think Like Bill Gates

#6 How to Think Like Steve Jobs

If you want to think like one of these geniuses (even a fictional character like Sherlock!) a.k.a. buy a copy or two or more, CLICK any of links below and ask about the books:

Carousell: https://my.carousell.com/richard_angelus/ 

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/RichardAngelusBookstore/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/richard_angelus/

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Angelus' Quote: A Dropout Will Beat A Genius Through Hard Work

Besides Gaara, one of my favorite characters in the Naturo Anime is Rock Lee. Why? Because on the surface, Rock Lee is not the strongest or the coolest person in comparison, says, with Naruto, Neji, or Sasuke. He cannot even use any form of ninjutsu and must solely rely on his taijutsu skills in battle. However, I think, Rock Lee’s inability to use ninjutsu is what makes him a standout character. Because of that, he becomes a man with the most determined and hard-working character. He was often made fun of because of his inability. Even the adults doubted the possibility of him becoming a ninja. But, with the help of his mentor, Might Guy, Rock Lee became one of the strongest ninjas! "A genius, huh? What does that mean? 'Genius'?," Rock Lee reasoned, "So I was not born with a whole lot of natural talent, not gifted like Neji... but I work hard and I never give up! That is my gift, that is my ninja way." Wow!

Many of us like Rock Lee: We don't have impressive natural-talents like others, we have flaws and handicaps, we often laugh at, not so good looking (or as beautiful), and people may doubt our ability. But don't let these be your excuses. We can be geniuses. In fact, as Rock Lee once said, "A dropout will beat a genius through hard work." Don't look down on yourself, improve yourself! Don't let your inability be your incapability - you're capable to work hard!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (2016)

Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (2016) by Adam Grant

Referencing research and many studies, best-selling author Adam Grant explores what it takes to be creative, innovative and champion new ideas. In Originals, Grant not only offers stories of great accomplishments but also dissects exactly how these accomplishments were achieved. He debunks the idea that originals are great risk-takers. Most of America’s founding fathers were reluctant revolutionaries. Martin Luther King writes that he was pushed into service as leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott before he had a chance to say “no.” Bill Gates eventually dropped out of college but only after first securing a leave of absence from the university and ensuring that his parents would support him. Originals, Grant argues, “are more risk-mitigators than risk-takers.” They are not the firsts to think about change or idea, Grant said, “Being original doesn’t require being first. It just means being different and better.”

Grant also emphasizes that originals are not only successful because they are creative and nonconformist but because they also turn their ideas and their dreams into reality. They find a way to overcome resistance to change, sometimes through counterintuitive strategies. This enlightening 335-page book includes the following eight chapters:

#0 Foreword by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

#1 Creative Destruction

#2 Blind Inventors and One-Eyed Investors

#3 Out on a Limb

#4 Fools Rush In

#5 Goldilocks and the Trojan Horse

#6 Rebel with a Cause

#7 Rethinking Groupthink

#8 Rocking the Boat and Keeping It Steady

I like this book, simple and exciting :) Although, I think that this book is too US… too Americans… But nevertheless, fully recommended!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity (2012) by Tina L. Seelig

InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity (2012) by Tina L. Seelig

My first encounter with Tina Seelig was gone I searched the internet for talks and documentaries on innovation and creativity. Her TED Talk on the same title amazed me. And her Talks at Google caused me to say, ‘This woman is brilliant!’ She is an international best-selling author and award-winning Stanford University educator and she teaches creativity to students at Stanford and to business leaders around the world. With this credibility, she is the most suitable writer to write on how to be (more) creative and uses simple tools to enhance each individual creative genius.

In today’s world, innovation and creative problem solving are more important than merely having knowledge and good grades. Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination (or creativity) is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” That is not to say knowledge is not important – I vow to pursue knowledge every day for the rest of my life – but knowledge alone is not enough. Tina Seelig argues that creativity “is not just something you think about (knowledge) – it is something you do.” And because it is something we do, then, creativity can be taught and enhance from inside out – it is doable. The word ‘ingenious’ is derived from Latin which means natural capacity or innate talent. We can, Tina believes, ignite our inborn inventiveness. Let’s do it!

In this book, Tina offers a revolutionary creative model she called ‘Innovative Engine’ which explains how creativity is generated on the inside and how it is influenced by the outside world (refer to pic below, comment section). There are 6 crucial components: the three insides are – knowledge, imagination, and attitude; and the three outside are – resources, habitat, and culture. In the inside, knowledge provides the fuel for imagination; imagination is the catalyst for the transformation of knowledge into new ideas, and attitude sparks curiosity to acquire related knowledge. From the outside, innovation is influenced by resources, habitat, and culture (think of Google creative-culture).

Tina shows many easy and fun examples in this book: Chapters 1 to 3 delve into the process of enhancing our imaginations by reframing problems, connecting ideas (or ‘connecting the dots’ said Steve Jobs) and challenging assumptions. Chapter 4 focuses on the power of observation to gain knowledge. Chapter 5 to 8 investigates the factors in our habitats that influence our creativity including space, constraints, incentives and team dynamics. Chapter 9 to 10 address our attitudes in doing and thinking about problems or new ideas. And the last chapter 11 she pulls the components back together and shows how all the parts fit together to create the ‘Innovation Engine’, a powerful engine for innovation.

In conclusion, Seelig writes: “You hold the keys to your Innovation Engine and have creative genius waiting to be unleashed. By tapping into this natural resource, you have the power to overcome challenges and generate opportunities for all dimensions. Your ideas – big and small – are the critical starting point for innovations that propel us forward. Without creativity, you are trapped in a world that is not just stagnant, but one that slips backward. As such, we are each responsible for inventing the future. Turn the key.” Buy this book!

[Btw, I bought this book from book fair last year, just RM10. I’m one happy reader!]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Steve Jobs (2013) by Walter Isaacson

Steve Jobs (2013) by Walter Isaacson

Listened to almost all of Walter Isaacson’s Interviews on YouTube. Before he wrote the biography on Steve Jobs, he already wrote few international best-seller biographies such as Benjamin Franklin, Henry Kissinger, Albert Einstein, and his most recent book on Leonardo da Vinci (will get this one at Kinokuniya KLCC bookstore this month!). I hope he will write about Isaac Newton and Nikola Tesla too in the future.

This book is VERY thick, 650+ pages. It took me an interval of 3 months, to finish it. First, if it’s not obvious yet, I admire Steven Paul Jobs a.k.a. Steve Jobs very much. First thing first, this book will shatter all your prejudices about the man—the legend—Steve Jobs. Walter Isaacson does a phenomenal job chronicling the life of Steve Jobs as told by Jobs and those that knew him best (“My mentor always told me, write biography chronologically,” said Isaacson repeatedly throughout his interviews). Throughout this book, I learned more about Steve's days at Reed College, his fascination with diet and spirituality, and his "distortion reality" that infected anyone that allowed themselves to get caught up in it. Many credit Steve as being the great innovator, but after I read this book, I think he was a genius no doubt and super creative but innovative-parts were mostly done by other people, not him. Jony Ive, I found out, was really the innovator for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad, etc. Yet, Steve's infectious distorted reality allowed Apple to become one of the world's greatest companies. Even after he’s gone, his legacy still rings inside Apple.

I read at least 3-4 books about Steve already, but it was a surprise to me when I learned how often he cried when he didn't get his way. I laughed, I pondered, and I often amazed by Steve’s personalities when I read this book (some of his characters I can easily identify with. A bit rude, straight to the point, jerk… maybe I like him because he’s like me… minus the success). Beautifully written. A bit longwinded, but worth the read. Like I said, I speed read… and honestly skipped some of the boring parts. This book is brutally honest. I bet, if you read this book, you’ll gain a deeper respect and understanding of the man that helped change the world… technologically. I’m not an Apple product fan, but I’m a fan of Steve Jobs. One wonder: What would Steve Jobs be doing if he were still alive today? I don’t know. No one knows. For sure, he will have combined arts and technology even more effectively (its rhyme). Just see the book cover, it was Steve who suggested it… simple, elegant, rich.

There are 42 not-so-small-chapters in all:

Ch. 1. Childhood: abandoned and chosen

Ch. 2. Odd couple: the two Steves

Ch. 3. The dropout: turn on, tune in

Ch. 4. Atari and India: Zen and the art of game design

Ch. 5. The Apple I: turn on, boot up, jack in

Ch. 6. The Apple II: dawn of a new age

Ch. 7. Chrisann and Lisa: he who is abandoned

Ch. 8. Xerox and Lisa: graphical user interfaces

Ch. 9. Going public: a man of wealth and fame

Ch. 10. The Mac is born: you say you want a revolution

Ch. 11. The reality distortion field: playing by his own set of rules

Ch. 12. The design: real artists simplify

Ch. 13. Building the Mac: the journey is the reward

Ch. 14. Enter Sculley: the Pepsi challenge

Ch. 15. The launch: a dent in the universe

Ch. 16. Gates and Jobs: when orbits intersect

Ch. 17. Icarus: what goes up

Ch. 18. NeXT: Prometheus unbound

Ch. 19. Pixar: technology meets art

Ch. 20. A regular guy: love is just a four-letter word

Ch. 21. Family man: at home with the Jobs clan

Ch. 22. ToyStoryy: Buzz and Woody to the rescue

Ch. 23. The second coming: what rough beast, its hour come around at last

Ch. 24. The restoration: the loser now Will be later to win

Ch. 25. Think different: Jobs as CEO

Ch. 26. Design principles: the studio of Jobs andI'vee

Ch. 27. The iMac: hello (again)

Ch. 28. CEO: still crazy after all these years

Ch. 29. Apple stores: genius bars and Siena sandstone

Ch. 30. The digital hub: from iTunes to the iPod

Ch. 31. The iTunes Store: I'm the Pied Piper

Ch. 32. Music man: the soundtrack of his life

Ch. 33. Pixar's friends and foes

Ch. 34. Twenty-first-century Macs: setting Apple apart

Ch. 35. Round one: Memento mori

Ch. 36. The iPhone: three revolutionary products in one

Ch. 37. Round two: cancer recurs

Ch. 38. The iPad: into the post-PC era

Ch. 39. New battles: and echoes of old ones

Ch. 40. To infinity: the cloud, the spaceship, and beyond

Ch. 41. Round three: the twilight struggle

Ch. 42. Legacy: the brightest heaven of invention...

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? (2005) by Roberta Edwards

Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? (2005) by Roberta Edwards

Leonardo da Vinci was a gifted painter, talented musician, and dedicated scientist and inventor, designing flying machines (more of theatrical objects), made prototype submarines, and even basic mechanics and sketches for future airplane. Yet he had a hard time finishing things, a problem anyone can relate to. Only thirteen paintings are known to be his; as for the illustrated encyclopaedia he intended to create, all that he left were thousands of disorganized notebook pages. Here is an accessible portrait of a fascinating man who lived at a fascinating time — Italy during the Renaissance. In fact, Leonardo is called “The Renaissance Man”, polymath, term use to describe a person with many talents or areas of knowledge.

This book – with pictures – is very basic. Many things about Leonardo are not covered in this book (example, he was a gay) and well so because it mainly written for young reader. I can’t wait to read Walter Isaacson’s new book, subject-name title, Leonardo da Vinci. I saw one at MHP Bookstore, The Spring, but still expensive… maybe I should wait for it to come out at BookXcess. Meanwhile, I’ll stay curious and continue to learn more about him and his thinking. Leo once said, “Learning never exhausts the mind.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Steve Jobs’ Life by Design (2014) by George Beahm

Steve Jobs’ Life by Design: Lessons to Be Learned from His Last Lecture (2014) 

by George Beahm

I have half a dozen of books about Steve Jobs. I simply like him due to his personality and resilient. No one outside Biblical story have an inspiring come-back power like Steve Jobs. This man just don’t give up. And in this book, the author George Beahm, portrait the life of Jobs with simplicity and narrated his successes and failures – and absolutely Jobs’ genius – based on his 2005 Stanford University’s 114th Commencement Ceremony address. You must watch this 22 minutes address which is available on YouTube. Here Jobs summarised everything he had learned from life – framed in three simple themes: Connecting the Dots, Love and Loss, and Death. 

“Your time is limited,” he preached, “so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Speaking directly from the heart (written on papers, of course) Jobs’ elegantly simple talk was then became his Last Lecture. You must watch it. In essence, “he challenges us to make a dent in the universe by discovering our own passions and having the fearlessness to pursue them.” Iconoclast. Visionary. Adopted. Drop Out. Fired. Genius. 

My favourite quote making-famous by Steve Jobs is: “Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry.” I’ve printed it and framed it on the wall of my working table. “Stay Hungry” mean an expression of a desire for knowledge, for enlightenment, for continuous learning, not so much a hunger for success in an increasingly materialistic world. “Stay Foolish” on the other hand mean a state of mind as free as possible, without constraints, an unburdened mind, capable of thinking clearly and creatively; in short, a free thinker. Or, in Apple’s terms, someone who would “think different,” the theme of an Apple ad highlighting artists like Picasso, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Einstein, and others. Steve Jobs said during his speeches, “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

I love this book because the author divided the commencement address speech into 22 smaller and enjoy-reading chapters. I bought this book for only RM19.90, hardcover at BookXcess bookstore. Oh yeah!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.