Thursday, September 28, 2017

"Ordering your private world" by Gordon MacDonald

"I seem to have misplaced my time, can you help me find it?" is a phrase in this book that really got my attention.  Written from a Christian perspective, this book is sprinkled with stories of success and failure in the arena of time management.  The author is very candid as he shares a sad story of a mid-life crisis and breakdown in his own life.  No one wants to wake up and realize that years of their life has been squandered.  Quotes from some famous and not so famous people are interspersed throughout to give inspiration.  Some are from holy figures such as saints and some are from ordinary people.  The discipline of prayer is discussed heavily as the author notes how few people stop to think about the quality of their spirituality.  This ties into what the book describes as the inner world versus the outer world.  The outer world is clear for the public to see--clothing, accolades, relationships, etc.  However, the inner world is obscured from the public view--depression, emotions, prayer, spirituality, etc.  The cry of this book is to slow down and manage one's time properly.  Every moment spent is a moment lost.  There are incredible feats that people can achieve if they stop and think about what they want.  It is very difficult to write a review for this book since it is not exactly linear.  The chapters are unique but follow the same common theme.  I encourage readers to discover for themselves what they enjoy about ordering their own private world.  Due to disjointed nature of this book, it is very easy to pick up after days of neglect.  I went on vacation and picked up right where I left off without missing a beat!  Also, there is an insightful readers guide in the back of the book that will help facilitate personal growth or book club discussion.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

"Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future" by Ashlee Vance

This biography about billionaire CEO Elon Musk takes readers full circle from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood to adulthood.  The journey begins in South Africa with Musk's childhood dreams and even discusses his dynamic with his mother and his [abusive] father.  Reader learn how Musk escaped to Canada and then America to complete his education and about his early works as a computer coder.  Teaming up with other like-minded friends and family, Musk started an internet business that was very successful.  After selling his initial internet companies Musk gained a lot of capital that helped him invest in what would later become Tesla and SpaceX.  The dream of electric cars and a human colony on Mars may initially seem absurd, but Vance paints a picture of feasibility.  While this book highlights Musk's successes, it does not shy away from failures.  Failed test launches, late products, poor public relations / media coverage, and near bankruptcy are discussed.  For those who wish to work on the future at Tesla or SpaceX, they learn of the horrific work-life balance and the cold nature of Musk as a boss.  Many employees of Musk have been yelled at and pressed to work nights / weekends.  There are more than a few stories of people who were fired on a whim.  Musk's personal life is also covered, and readers learn about his various marriages and divorces.  In the middle of this book are come full-color pictures that go along with the book.  Since this book has some cursing and a few lewd remarks--which I would have preferred were edited out--this book is not recommended for children.