Maria's Picks
The Super Busy Superstar
(In no particular order)
Reading Style
I lead a busy life in the medical field, so when I have time to read, I tend towards things I can read quickly or in sections to better myself.
Literary Likes
01
Complications: A Surgeon's Note on Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
Genres: Nonfiction, Health-Medicine, Science
In gripping accounts of true cases, surgeon Atul Gawande explores the power and the limits of medicine, offering an unflinching view from the scalpel's edge. Complications lays bare a science not in its idealized form but as it actually is--uncertain, perplexing, and profoundly human.
02
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Psychology
In The Power of Habit, Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation. Along the way we learn why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. We visit laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. The core argument is: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success is understanding how habits work.
03
The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone
Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business
While most people operate with only three degrees of action – no action, retreat, or normal action – if you're after big goals, you don't want to settle for the ordinary. The 10X Rule unveils the principle of "Massive Action," allowing you to blast through business clichés and risk-aversion while taking concrete steps to reach your dreams. It also demonstrates why people get stuck in the first three actions and how to apply the new rule. Find out exactly where to start, what to do, and how to follow up each action you take with more action to achieve Massive Action results. Instead of behaving like everybody else and settling for average results, remove luck and chance from your business equation, and lock in massive success.
motivational, though-provoking, wellness, poetry, short stories with humor/sarcasm, Atul Gawande, Dale Carnegie, Charles Duhigg, Paulo Coelho
Literary Dislikes
50 Shades of Grey, Game of Thrones
What's on my bookshelf
Books on deck to read next
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
04
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Classic Literature, Philosophy
This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
05
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Psychology
You can go after the job you want...and get it! You can take the job you have...and improve it! You can take any situation you're in...and make it work for you! Carnegie's principles will help you achieve your maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age. Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.
06
Like the Flowing River by Paulo Coelho
Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Philosophy, Spirituality
In this riveting collection of thoughts and stories, Coelho offers his personal reflections on a wide range of subjects from archery and music to elegance, traveling and the nature of good and evil. An old woman explains to her grandson how a mere pencil can show him the path to happiness... instructions on how to climb a mountain reveal the secret to making your dreams a reality; other stories teach of the folly of anger, the art of friendship, and fulfilling your destiny. Like the Flowing River includes jewel-like fables, packed with meaning and retold in Coelho's inimitable style. Sharing his thoughts on spirituality, life and ethics, Paulo touches you with his philosophy and invites you to go on an exciting journey of your own.
07
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by
Mark Manson
Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is Manson's antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.
08
Frases: 106 Reflexoes Dos Guerreiros Da Luz
by Paulo Coelho
Genres: Nonfiction, Selected Quotations, Philosophy
In Portuguese, Paulo Coelho's way of life is shared with readers through phrases with great life experience. For non-Portuguese speakers, the closest thing in English is Life: Selected Quotations, a collection of selected quotes from Coelho's impressive body of work.