This biography by David McCullough is a comprehensive and engaging account of John Adams' life. It delves into his role in the American Revolution, his presidency, and his personal life, including his enduring marriage to Abigail Adams. The book is enriched by over 1,100 surviving letters between John and Abigail Adams, providing deep insights into their private lives and the historical context of their time. McCullough's narrative spans Adams' early life, his legal career, his diplomatic missions to France, and his presidency, highlighting his integrity, honesty, and contributions to American history.
Driven: The Virat Kohli Story, written by Vijay Lokapally, is a detailed account of Virat Kohli's cricketing career. The book covers Kohli's early days, his exploits as a young cricketer, and his transformation into one of the world's top batsmen. It includes interviews with those who have known Kohli closely, such as his childhood coach and teammates, and provides insights into his personal and professional life. The narrative is simple and clear, reflecting Lokapally's extensive experience as a cricket journalist. The book also touches on Kohli's emotional moments, such as his response to personal losses, and his growth as a player and captain[2][4][5].
This book tells the dramatic story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, who changed history by inventing the first powered, heavier-than-air aircraft. David McCullough paints a rich picture of the brothers’ intelligence, determination, and strong familial bonds. Despite lacking formal engineering education, they persevered through relentless experimentation and sharp business instincts. The narrative highlights their exceptional courage, intellectual curiosity, and mechanical ingenuity, as well as the broader historical and societal context in which they worked. McCullough also reflects on the darker implications of their invention and its impact on the world.
This book is the first in a trilogy by Edmund Morris and details the life of Theodore Roosevelt from his birth in 1858 through to 1901. It includes his family history, his turbulent childhood illnesses, his education at Harvard, and his early involvement in politics. The biography explores Roosevelt's passion for learning, his various roles such as New York State Assemblyman, Civil Service Commissioner, New York City Police Commissioner, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy. It also covers his leadership of the Rough Riders in Cuba and his eventual rise to the Vice Presidency, setting the stage for his future as President of the United States.
This book provides insights into Bill Walsh's philosophy of leadership, gleaned from his successful career as the head coach and general manager of the San Francisco 49ers. Walsh stresses the importance of creating a strong culture, setting high standards, and thorough preparation. He advocates for leaders to focus on the process rather than the outcome, emphasizing that 'the score takes care of itself' when the right principles are applied. The book also touches on Walsh's personal struggles and the toll of relentless pressure, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life. It offers practical advice on leadership, applicable not only in sports but also in business and other fields[1][2][4].
This book is an English translation of Chung Ju-yung's autobiography, chronicling his life from escaping his home as a young man to establishing the Hyundai Group. It covers his early entrepreneurial ventures, the growth of Hyundai into a global conglomerate, and his role in major infrastructure projects such as the Soyang Dam and the Gyeongbu Expressway. The book also touches on his personal life, his philosophy, and his efforts towards the reunification of Korea, including the notable act of herding 1,001 cows through the Korean Demilitarized Zone to North Korea.
This biography explores the life and career of Samuel Bronfman, who rose from humble beginnings to establish the Seagram whiskey empire. It delves into his strategic business acumen and the challenges he faced, including navigating the complexities of Prohibition-era laws. The book provides a detailed account of Bronfman's journey and his lasting impact on the liquor industry.
What I learned from reading Driven: An Autobiography by Larry Miller.
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[1:01] I decided I had to be extremely good at something.
[2:47] I’m sorry to say, neglecting my family to do all of the above. I worked and worked and worked, day after day, night after night, dawn to bedtime.
[5:23] He owned movie theaters, auto dealerships, a motorsports park with a world-class racetrack, a movie production company, an advertising agency, ranches, restaurants, TV and radio stations, a real-estate development company, an NBA franchise, a professional baseball team, an NBA arena, sports apparel stores—nearly 90 companies in all, in six states, with 7,000 employees, all under the umbrella of The Larry H. Miller Group, which produces $3.2 billion in sales annually, ranking it among the 200 largest privately owned companies in the United States.
[7:23] The chain of events that began my entrepreneurial career was sparked by three failures: I dropped out of college, got laid off, and got demoted.
[35:22] It’s excellence for the sake of excellence. It just feels good being excellent, doing your best, learning everything you can about anything to which you apply yourself and then doing that thing well.
[38:40] The insanely long hours that I worked were driven by fear, but then the success became intoxicating. Clearly, my motivation to work like that shifted from fear-driven to success-driven.
[40:36] A bunch of people say, “I wanna have . . .” and “I wanna be . . .” but they’re not willing to pay the price. The price is time and effort and being a student of what you’re doing.
[48:15] https://patrickcollison.com/fast.
[56:15] Working all the time made me successful. It made me a failure, too. I missed most of my children’s youth. I missed ball games and science fairs and back-to-school nights. I missed the first day of kindergarten and playing catch in the yard. I missed dinner at home with my wife and kids.
[1:00:53] I try to pass these painful lessons to others who might be tempted by the allure of professional success. Mine is a cautionary tale.
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