Writing Contest Winners!!!

 

Credit: AuthorsBySasha.Blogspot

Thank You to ALL the Participants Who Shared Their Creative Works.

Congrats to the following Winners! 🎉

Poetry

Jason Fernandez, "Etched Marble Diaries"

Flash Fiction (2 Winners)

Irina Kravchuk, "Marmalade"

Kelvin James, "An Unwritten Ode"

Dopamine Nation By Anna Lembke, MD

 

Credit: Dopamine Nation

 

Overview

This book is about pleasure. It’s also about pain. Most important, it’s about how to find the delicate balance between the two, and why now more than ever finding balance is essential. We’re living in a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting . . . The increased numbers, variety, and potency is staggering. The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation. As such we’ve all become vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption. Read more here. Credit: Dopamine Nation; Anna Lembke, MD.

VIBE By Adam Grant

 

Credit: VIBE, Adam Grant 

 Overview

When we vibe with other people, it fuels our happiness and success. Yet building meaningful ties is one of the most pressing problems of our time. As face-to-face interaction gives way to digital screens, communication gets outsourced to AI, and the world becomes more polarized, our loneliness crisis shows no signs of slowing. To reveal how we can forge faster, stronger, and longer bonds, Adam Grant offers groundbreaking studies, expert insights, and myth-busting stories. Filled with the eye-opening takeaways that have brought millions of readers to his books, Vibe teaches us that similarity is not necessary for solidarity, chemistry doesn’t always happen quickly, and closeness doesn’t always take time. Read more here. Credit: Barnes & Noble; Adam Grant.

 

The Voice of Knowledge

 

Credit: The Voice of Knowledge

Overview

In The Voice of Knowledge, Miguel Ruiz reminds us of a profound and simple truth: The only way to end our emotional suffering and restore our joy in living is to stop believing in lies — mainly about ourselves. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, this breakthrough book shows us how to recover our faith in the truth and return to our own common sense. Ruiz changes the way we perceive ourselves, and the way we perceive other people. Then he opens the door to a reality that we once perceived when we were one and two years old: a reality of truth, love, and joy. Credit: The Voice of Knowledge; Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.; Janet Mills.

"We are born in truth, but we grow up believing in lies. . . . One of the biggest lies in the story of humanity is the lie of our imperfection." — don Miguel Ruiz

"Crafting Pitches and Pitching Etiquette"

 

Credit: Sasha Talks Show | www.sashatalks.com

It's Showtime! 

Calling All Speakers, Multimedia Contributors and Writers ...

 Join Sasha on Sasha Talks at BBS Radio Channel 1 this Tuesday.

 Airing Worldwide.

*Check your local airtime for appearances. 

 

Sasha shines light on crafting pitches and best practices.

Learn how to craft a valuable pitch which attracts interest and desired results.

Let's get you in front of the spotlight which YOU deserve! 

* Sasha Talks Terms of Service and Disclaimers Apply.

The Imagination Muscle By Albert Read

Credit: The Imagination Muscle

Overview

... 

Albert Read reveals how we can harness the imagination in our day-to-day lives and why, in the new age of technology, it is more pressing than ever that we do so. He explores where to find ideas, how to foster skills in observation and connection, and how to be more attentive to the fluxes of our own minds. After all, as Read expertly outlines, the imagination is our supreme gift, our biggest opportunity, our greatest source of fulfillment and our most vital asset for the future. The book is illustrated throughout with approximately 60 images. Read more here. Credit: Hachette Book Group; The Imagination Muscle. 

"Decisions, Courage, and Action" By Robert Plank

 

Credit: Decisions, Courage and Action

Overview

What have you been putting off until you feel ready?

Maybe it's a project you keep restarting, a conversation you're avoiding, or a trip you've promised yourself for years. Meanwhile, the work piles up, other people need answers, and waiting has started to feel suspiciously like a decision.

Decisions, Courage, and Action brings together ten authors with real stories and practical approaches to making decisions, leading people, and finishing what matters. Compiled by Robert Plank, this collection explores what you can do when fear, exhaustion, competing demands, or rapid change make the next step difficult.

Rita Ainsworth recalls looking at her advertising dashboard and suddenly being unable to make sense of familiar numbers. Mitch Slater describes receiving a million-dollar check as a young financial advisor and discovering what another person's trust required of him. WL Gertz returns to poetry after roughly fifty years, with a reminder to stop postponing the experiences you want to have.

Alongside these stories, you'll find ways to help your team think for themselves, communicate through change, and build physical strength through repeatable practice. Donna Blevins explains how finishing three small tasks can get stalled work moving. Robert Plank's Five Little Boxes approach starts with the finished outcome and works backward to a step you can take today. 

For entrepreneurs, managers, creators, and anyone reconsidering what comes next, this book offers ideas you can put to work while you're still figuring things out. Credit: Robert Plank; Decisions, Courage and Action.

The book is a healthy collaboration of multiple contributors and authors.

 

p.s. Here's a flashback from when Sasha revisited Robert to explore time. 

(Original air date - 2018)

 

Peak Human By Johan Norberg

Credit: Peak Human 

 Overview

Golden ages are marked by periods of spectacular cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement and economic growth: Ancient Greece gave us democracy and the rule of the law; out of Abbasid Baghdad came algebra and modern medicine; and the Dutch Republic furnished us with Europe’s greatest artistic movements. As such, each has unique lessons to teach us about the world we live in today. But all previous golden ages have proven finite, whether through external pressures or internal fracturing. 

In Peak Human, acclaimed historian Johan Norberg examines seven of humanity’s greatest civilizations—ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere—and asks: How do we ensure that our current golden age doesn’t end? Credit: Peak Human; Cato Institute.

Curiosity Redefines the Limits

Credit: Curiosity Redefines the Limits

Overview 

In Curiosity Redefines the Limits, business leader and innovator Rod Adkins delivers a compelling roadmap for turning life’s questions into fuel for growth, leadership, and impact. From his early days as a precocious child in Miami to the executive ranks of IBM and influential roles on global boards, Rod’s journey proves that curiosity isn’t just a trait—it’s a strategy. This insightful book combines personal storytelling with actionable insights to help readers harness curiosity in every chapter of life. Whether you’re facing career decisions, navigating adversity, or redefining what success means to you, Curiosity Redefines the Limits will inspire you to ask better questions, stay open to learning, and lead with purpose. Credit: Amazon; Rodney Adkins.

Roll The Calls

Credit: Roll The Calls, Ari Emanuel

Overview

Ari Emanuel has long been one of the most influential people in the world, but he’s also something of a mystery. Part of the reason is Emanuel’s job description. As Hollywood’s best-known super-agent—the inspiration for Ari Gold in the classic TV drama Entourage—he’s paid to speak for his A-list clients, not himself. Now, for the first time, the agent, the mogul, the fero­cious power broker, speaks for himself, about himself, and about the game of life—often at the top of his lungs. In Roll the Calls, his take-no-prisoners memoir, Eman­uel tells the incredible stories behind the signings and fir­ings, the triumphant mergers and nasty breakups, the hard-won victories and crushing mistakes. Read more here. Credit: Penguin Random House.

A World Appears By Michael Pollan

Credit: A World Appears

 

Overview

 

When it comes to the phenomenon that is consciousness, there is one point on which scientists, philosophers, and artists all agree: that it feels like something to be us. Yet the fact we have subjective experience of the world remains one of nature’s greatest mysteries. How is it that our mental operations are accompanied by feelings, thoughts, and a sense of self? What would a scientific investigation of our inner life look like, considering we have as little distance and perspective on it as fish do of the sea? In A World Appears, Michael Pollan traces the unmapped continent that is consciousness, bringing radically different perspectives - scientific, philosophical, literary, spiritual and psychedelic - to see what each can teach us about this central fact of life. Read more here. Credit: Michael Pollan.

Imagination Library

Credit: Imagination Library

Celebrating Books and Reading 

 In honor of legendary American singer and artist Ms. Dolly Parton, fans and avid book lovers are welcome to learn more about the Imagination Library. 

Learn more about Dolly Parton here. 

#learning #education #mission #community #global 

#imagination #goals #success 

No One Succeeds Alone

 

Credit: No One Succeeds Alone

Overview

No one expected a dreadlocked fifteen-year-old who cared more about his DJ business than his homework to grow up to become one of the youngest-ever White House fellows, create multiple nonprofits, and found a multibillion-dollar company. But Robert Reffkin, raised by an Israeli immigrant single mother, disowned by his maternal grandparents for being Black, and abandoned by his father, has always defied the odds. Read more here. Credit: Robert Reffkin.

The Banker Who Made America By Richard Vague

 

Credit: The Banker Who Made America

Overview

If you haven't followed the money, chances are you don't know the real story of America and its Revolution. Nothing gives a clearer insight into this history than the life of early America's dominant merchant trader, first bank president, and first central banker, Thomas Willing. In this book, Richard Vague shows how Willing bankrolled, and in the process helped save, the Revolution and then fundamentally shaped the financial architecture of the young Republic. So powerful was Willing that President John Adams complained that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton were governed by him. Yet at a decisive moment in Willing's life he voted against independence, as conflict between Pennsylvania's moneyed elite and the emergent lower and middle classes embroiled the politics of 1776 in bitter class conflict. This dynamic would continue after independence, as Willing and his associates attempted to tame the democratic forces unleashed by revolution and thereby set up a tension that has never stopped shaping US politics. Read more here. Credit: Richard Vague.

Careless People By Sarah Wynn-Williams

 

Credit: Careless People

Overview

From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite.

Sarah Wynn-Williams's inside story puts you in the room during stumbling encounters with juntas through to the moment Mark Zuckerberg learned of Facebook’s role in Trump’s election and drew an unexpected conclusion. As she grapples with the reality of Facebook's influence on world events, she experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to “lean in” through it all. Read more here. Credit: Careless People; Sarah Wynn-Williams.

Writing Contest - Hosted By Authors By Sasha

Seasons Ending - Writing Contest

Theme: Endings

Prizes

1 Winner in the Poetry Category - $250

1 Winner in the Flash Fiction Category - $125

Prizes are dispensed in the form of an Amazon Gift Card.

Submission Rules

- Participants must have not published a book

- 1 Author per 1 literary submission

- Literary piece must be original and human written

- Poetry must be no more than 27 lines, double spaced

- Flash fiction must be no more than 150 words, single spaced

- Submission must not be published elsewhere in any capacity

- Genres & Topics Excluded from Consideration:

Politics

Religion

Violence

Suicide 

- Writing is submitted in PDF format with title only -- no author name. 

- There must be no reference to the author name within the document.

(Author name can be disclosed and shared in the submission form).

- Submission Fee: 

Nonrefundable fee of $17 for reading & consideration, not a decision.

Resubmissions due to any errors constitutes an additional $15 processing fee.

Withdrawing a paid submission constitutes an additional $15 processing fee.

- Deadline:  September 30, 2026

Winners will be notified early November 2026

Contact here to learn more about the contest and submission form.

*Sasha Talks Terms of Service and Disclaimers Apply.

The Burden of Bad Ideas By Heather Mac Donald

 

Credit: The Burden of Bad Ideas

Overview

Critics have attacked the foolishness of some of today's elite thought from many angles, but few have examined the real-world consequences of those ideas. In The Burden of Bad Ideas, Heather Mac Donald reports on their disastrous effects throughout our society. At a Brooklyn high school, students perfect their graffiti skills for academic credit. An Ivy League law professor urges blacks to steal from their employers. Washington bureaucrats regard theft by drug addicts as evidence of disability, thereby justifying benefits. Public health officials argue that racism and sexism cause women to get AIDS. America's premier monument to knowledge, the Smithsonian Institution, portrays science as white man's religion. Such absurdities, Ms. Mac Donald argues, grow out of a powerful set of ideas that have governed our public policy for decades, the product of university faculties and a professional elite who are convinced that America is a deeply unjust society. And while these beliefs have damaged the nation as a whole, she observes, they have hit the poor especially hard. Read more at The Burden of Bad Ideas. Credit: Manhattan Institute.

Authors By Sasha & Kreative Circle Welcome Talents

 

Credit: KreativeCircle.com

Hello Authors, Writers and Kreatives!

Authors By Sasha and Kreative Circle are showcasing kreatives within the writing genre for the upcoming season. This is a wonderful opportunity for writers of all kinds to share their expertise and works in text format interviews. Previous select talents who have collaborated, in specific segments and written interviews, with Sasha Talks and Kreative Circle are featured on the site. Inquire more by visiting KreativeCircle.com to learn about these commercial services.

Credit: KreativeCircle.com

Meet Rebecca Heidt, Celebrated LGBTQ Writer & Artist

Credit: Writers Series | Guest Rebecca Heidt

Meet Rebecca Heidt 

Rebecca Heidt is an accomplished LGBTQ writer, artist, and lover of anthropology, history, spirituality, and nature. She has self-published the "Acceptance" series, including "Acceptance: The Beginning," "Acceptance: The Reality," and "Acceptance: Reborn," with a fourth book, "Acceptance: Reconcile," in progress. Rebecca is also working on a feature film, "Secrets of The Warrior," based on her first book, collaborating with international production teams. She's the writer and executive producer of other projects like "Living for Her" and "The Last Check In". She's been honored by being featured in several magazines. Across all platforms Rebecca is recognized for her neurodivergent wisdom and impactful advice for aspiring writers, leading her to be a sought-after podcast guest on topics of motivation, self growth, mental health, and writing. With her growing experience and knowledge she has had the privilege of receiving multiple awards in LGBTQ, Contemporary, Woman's and Urban Fiction. Rebecca has also been recognized as the 9th rank in the Iconic 100 Impact Igniters Worldwide for 2023. Credit: Rebecca Heidt.

Credit: Acceptance - The Beginning

Credit: Acceptance - The Reality

Credit: Acceptance - Reborn

Credit: Secrets of the Warrior

Follow Secrets of the Warrior on Instagram: 

@secretsofthewarriorfeaturefilm 

The Power of Less By Leo Babauta

Credit: The Power of Less

Overview

With the countless distractions that come from every corner of a modern life, it's amazing that we're ever able to accomplish anything. The Power of Less demonstrates how to streamline your life by identifying the essential and eliminating the unnecessary - freeing you from everyday clutter and allowing you to focus on accomplishing the goals that can change your life for the better. The Power of Less will show you how to: break any goal down into manageable tasks, focus on only a few tasks at a time, create new and productive habits, hone your focus, and increase your efficiency. By setting limits for yourself and making the most of the resources you already have, you'll finally be able work less, work smarter, and focus on living the life that you deserve. Credit: The Power of Less; Leo Babauta. 

Agatha Christie By Nancy West

 

Credit: Agatha Christie

Overview

Inside, you’ll get an intimate glimpse into the life, mind, and works of the Mother of the Cozy Mystery. Featuring quotes about (and from) the literary genius and excerpts from her suspenseful stories, this beautifully crafted literary biography is a celebration of Christie’s literary brilliance and timeless creations. With each page, you’ll learn all there is to know about the bestselling novelist of all time, from her early years to her lasting impact on pop culture. Whether you’re a longtime admirer of Christie or just beginning your literary adventure, uncover the unexpected mysteries behind the “Queen of Crime” with Agatha Christie! Credit: Simon & Schuster; Nancy West.

Cancel Me If You Can By Dave Portnoy

 

Credit: Cancel Me If You Can

Overview

In his unfiltered style, Dave Portnoy details the journey of how he built his polarizing media empire, Barstool Sports, while refusing to bend the knee to those who tried to tear him down, staying true to himself and blocking out the haters.

Dave Portnoy is a gambler. From his days playing Little League baseball, he has always bet on himself and his future, which is exactly how he built his digital media empire, Barstool Sports. It all started in 2004, when Dave wrote what he knew and passed out a four-page broadsheet newspaper all over Boston. The idea was simple but revolutionary: not everyone wanted their sports takes from SportsCenter anchors in suits. Fans wanted something local, raw, and unapologetic—written in the same language and tone you might hear at your local sports bar. So, Dave gave it to them.

More than twenty years later, Barstool has grown into a nine-figure company with over 300 employees and 150 active brands. But the story doesn’t end there. Dave continues to expand Barstool and his personal brand, launching into the world of sports betting, giving honest pizza reviews, building generational media stars, and giving back to dog shelters and small businesses with the help of his own famous rescue dog, Miss Peaches. Learn more here. Credit: Barnes & Noble; Stool Presidente.

The Courage To Be Disliked

Credit: The Courage to Be Disliked

Overview

The New York Times bestselling TikTok sensation with more than 13 million copies sold worldwide, The Courage to Be Disliked is a transformative and practical guide to personal happiness and self-fulfillment.

Now you can unlock your full potential and free yourself from the shackles of past traumas and societal expectations to find true personal happiness. Based on the theories of renowned psychologist Alfred Adler, this book guides you through the principles of self-forgiveness, self-care, and mind decluttering in a straightforward, easy-to-digest style that’s accessible to all. 

The Courage to Be Disliked unfolds as a dialogue between a philosopher and a young man, who, over the course of five enriching conversations, realizes that each of us is in control of our life’s direction, independent of past burdens and expectations of others. Read more here. Credit: Simon and Schuster.

Meet Douglas Newsom, Ghostwriter and Author

 

Credit: Writers Series | Guest Douglas Newsom

Meet Douglas Newsom

Douglas Newsom is the founder of BBS Network, Inc., known worldwide as BBS Radio TV, a live, interactive, premier internet talk radio and television network dedicated to giving voice to people, ideas, and conversations that matter. His life and work were profoundly transformed by a spontaneous Kundalini event in August 2004. That experience changed everything. Since then, his passion has been to serve as an energetic catalyst for the empowerment of others. It is the fuel that drives Douglas daily. 

Through BBS Radio TV, he works endlessly to provide a powerful, professional platform for hosts, visionaries, teachers, entertainers, healers, researchers, and truth-seekers who are committed to bringing awareness, hope, information, love, and entertainment to the masses. Douglas believes we are living in the most interesting of times, and that each of us is called to participate in the transformation of consciousness, culture, and community. He's have never been driven by fame. His desire has always been soul wealth: the kind of inner abundance that comes from understanding the self, putting love into action through kindness, and seeking union with all that is. To him, that journey is profound, humbling, and perhaps never-ending.

In addition to his work in broadcasting, he has written one published work on cosmetic ingredients as a ghostwriter, a wide body of poetry, and two unpublished books: The Bible to Self Awareness and Doom the Deal! Creativity, service, transformation, and the pursuit of deeper meaning remain central to everything Douglas does. "I believe that if you are not changing something, awakening something, or contributing something meaningful, you may be missing one of life’s greatest opportunities: to live with purpose." Credit: Douglas Newsom; BBS Radio.

Focal Point By Brian Tracy

 

Credit: Focal Point By Brian Tracy

Overview

The true secret of high achievers is that they know how to find their "focal point," the one thing they should do, at any given moment, to get the best possible results in each area of their lives. 

Bestselling author and motivational speaker Brian Tracy brings together the very best ideas on personal management into a simple, easy-to-use plan. Focal Point helps readers analyze their lives in seven key areas and shows them how to develop focused goals and plans in each.

This best-selling guide provides timeless truths that have been discovered by the most effective people throughout the ages, answering questions like:

In Focal Point, Tracy provides timeless truths that answers questions such as:

- How can I get control of my time and my life?

- How can I achieve maximum career success and still balance my personal life?

- How can I accelerate the achievement of all my goals?

Focal Point shows you how to develop absolute clarity about what they want, and how they can achieve supreme satisfaction, both personally and professionally.

Credit: Focal Point; Brian Tracy International.

Writers, Speakers & Creators - Let's Preserve Independent Voices

It's Your Turn on Writers Series!

 

It's Showtime! 

Writers Series is hosting new guests to share their work with audiences.

Share the word with authors, writers and readers worldwide!

Talents of all levels welcomed.

Submit your pitches here to learn more about this opportunity.

*Sasha Talks Terms of Service and Disclaimers Apply. 

 

Knife By Salman Rushdie

 

Credit: Knife By Salman Rushdie

Overview

On the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black—black clothes, black mask—rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are.

What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide. Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again. Credit: Knife; Salman Rushdie.

The Laws of Human Nature By Robert Greene

Credit: The Laws of Human Nature

Overview

Robert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all, understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves. We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess, without which our other talents can only take us so far. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people's masks, and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose. Read more here. Credit: Abe Books.

Suicidal Empathy By Gad Saad

Credit: Suicidal Empathy; Gad Saad

Overview

What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique of maladaptively irrational altruism that has gripped our culture. This mind parasite hijacked the empathy module of our progressive elite, leading to a catastrophic miscalibration of moral priorities. The results are everywhere: from coddling violent criminals to protecting rapists to branding self-defense as toxic behavior. We are witnessing a civilization in rapid decline. Lunatic policies are instituted because we prioritize the feelings of ostensibly marginalized groups over The Truth, criminals over victims, and squatters over homeowners. This is not humane; it’s an active dismantling of the pillars that keep us safe and free. Credit: Suicidal Empathy; Gad Saad.

P.S. Perfect timing for this book's arrival! This aligns with the few Sasha Talks topics addressed in the recent years. #foodforthought  #growth  #society  #realitycheck

Moving Mountains with Sasha - Storytelling Flashbacks 🎧

 

Credit: Moving Mountains with Sasha

Storytelling Flashbacks By Authors and Writers -  Enjoy! 

🎧

Paul Donsbach, Co-Author of The Bronze Scroll

Linwood Jackson Jr., Author of Growth

Kelly Mitchell, Author of Musing Around LV

Alexis and Justin Black, Author of Redefining Normal

James Aiello, Author of Christina Powers American Goddess

Fierce Conversations By Susan Scott

Credit: Fierce Conversations

 Overview

The master teacher of positive change through powerful communication, Susan Scott wants you to succeed. To do that, she explains, you must transform everyday conversations at work and at home with effective ways to get your message across and get what you want. In this guide, which includes a workbook and The Seven Principles of Fierce Conversations, Scott teaches you how to: 

* Overcome barriers to meaningful communication

* Expand and enrich relationships with colleagues, friends, and family

* Increase clarity and improve understanding

* Handle strong emotions on both sides of the table

* Connect with colleagues, customers and family at a deep level

Credit: Fierce Conversations; Fierce Inc.

Inside The Box By David Epstein

Credit: Inside the Box

Overview

We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and prizes freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be, and how to spend our time. All that choice is wonderful; it is also overwhelming. The irony is that total freedom can be paralyzing, and unlimited resources don’t necessarily lead to the biggest breakthroughs. In fact, overvaluing complete freedom can be disastrous for everything from starting a company to harnessing creativity to finding personal satisfaction.

David Epstein argues that all of us, individuals, businesses, institutions, even societies, can benefit from narrowing our options. He dives into the science and practice of constraints, exploring exactly when and how guardrails can be beneficial, whether we’re working with limited resources or using self-imposed boundaries to tap unexpected wells of focus and innovation. Credit: Inside The Box; David Epstein.

How to Break Up With Your Phone

Credit: How to Break Up With Your Phone

 

Overview

Is your phone the first thing you reach for in the morning and the last thing you touch before bed? Do you frequently pick it up “just to check,” only to look up forty-five minutes later wondering where the time has gone? Do you say you want to spend less time on your phone but have no idea how to do so without giving it up completely? If so, this book is your solution.

Award-winning journalist Catherine Price presents a practical, hands-on plan to break up—and then make up—with your phone. The goal? A long-term relationship that actually feels good. You’ll discover how phones and apps are designed to be addictive, and learn how the time we spend on them damages our abilities to focus, think deeply, and form new memories. You’ll then make customized changes to your settings, apps, environment, and mindset that will ultimately enable you to take back control of your life. Credit: How to Break Up With Your Phone; Catherine Price.

Lying By Sam Harris

 

Credit: Sam Harris

Overview

Most forms of private vice and public evil are kindled and sustained by lies. Acts of adultery and other personal betrayals, financial fraud, government corruption—even murder and genocide—generally require an additional moral defect: a willingness to lie. In Lying, bestselling author and neuroscientist Sam Harris argues that we can radically simplify our lives and improve society by merely telling the truth in situations where others often lie. He focuses on “white” lies—those lies we tell for the purpose of sparing people discomfort—for these are the lies that most often tempt us. And they tend to be the only lies that good people tell while imagining that they are being good in the process. Credit: Lying; Sam Harris.