Book Review of "The Psychology of Money"

“When most people say they want to be a millionaire, what they might actually mean is “I’d like to spend a million dollars.” And that is literally the opposite of being a millionaire.”

In all honesty, the “Psychology of Money” by Morgan Housel is a textbook definition of a guilty pleasure for people like me - the wannabe economics readers, who despite all our pretences, end up enjoying a straightforward, practical & informative read as opposed to a deep, analytical theoretical economics book. 

“Every financial decision a person makes, makes sense to them in that moment and checks the boxes they need to check. They tell themselves a story about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it, and that story has been shaped by their own unique experiences.”

Psychology of Money essentially talks about life lessons for managing, accruing & in general dealing with your money. It juxtaposes quite a few amazing real-life stories with a tangible outcome/lesson. Yes,  it does get preachy in parts. Yes, it does feel like it's just scratching the surface and avoiding the weeds of uncertainties and nuances, but I am willing to turn a blind eye to these - because the book does indeed put forth “the lessons” very succinctly. I found myself saying “aha!”, “that is so true!” and in general vigorously nodding my head throughout the reading. 

 “What’s often overlooked in finance is that something can be technically true but contextually nonsense.”

Morgan Housel was a Motley Fool columnist, If you trade in NYSE and/or Nasdaq, you are surely aware of the Motley Fool. I had picked up this book hoping for something in between the Freakonomics and Thinking Fast and Slow. Happy to report that “Psychology of Money” is neither - which is Not necessarily a bad thing mind you. No kidding, this book is literally one of the most quotable books I have read in recent years. Give this book a go! Solid 4.5/5.

“Good decisions aren’t always rational. At some point you have to choose between being happy or being “right.””

 

Book Review of "Mistborn #3 - Hero of Ages"

Brandon Sanderson really knows how to stick the landing! The Hero of Ages is a fun and tremendously entertaining book to end the Mistborn trilogy with a satisfying bang. Open questions are resolved, loose ends are tied up and just the perfect amount of opening is left for a potential sequel. 

What I liked about this trilogy is that it doesn’t try to be anything more than a fantasy story. It does what it sets out to do and it does it very well. The character development is superb, the twists are shocking enough and everyone, including the protagonist, faces the consequences of their actions! So even though, as a standalone book, Hero of Ages is not the best of the trilogy, it succeeds in ending the story in the best way possible.

“If you give up what you want most for what you think you should want more, you’ll just end up miserable.”

Book Review of "Mistborn #2 - The Well of Ascension"

 "Which is more potent? The pain of memory, or the pain of forgetting?"

The second book in the Mistborn Trilogy did not disappoint. The same superb storytelling, the same near-perfect character development, and the same unadulterated entertainment without any pretensions. It's hard not to rave about the intricately designed magic system - it’s just super fun to read. 

That being said though, the first half is maddeningly slow and slightly off-putting. But in a typical Brandon Sanderson style, the last 30% or so is a whirlwind of action and adventure and impossible to stop in between. So a word of caution - do Not get into the third act of this book on a weekday night unless you are ready to sacrifice your sleep! Overall, not perfect but a solid sequel to the first book.

Book Review of "Mistborn #1 - The Final Empire"

 “Belief isn’t simply a thing for fair times and bright days. What is belief if you don’t continue in it after failure?”

I decided to take the plunge into the famed Cosmere Universe and boy oh boy, the first book in the Mistborn trilogy is a superbly entertaining piece of writing! This is taking fantasy writing back to basics. No hidden philosophy or any satirical undertones. A story told very well, that’s it.

A likable, sympathetic, and feisty protagonist, her helpful & charismatic mentor (think temperament of a teenage Sirius Black with the skillset of an adult Snape) and a well crafted, all-powerful antagonist with just the right sense of mystery - the three pillars that make the Final Empire click. The metal-based magic system designed by Brandon Sanderson is unique and super fun to read. You might be put off by the pacing in the first half, but the second half more than makes up for it! 

“That’s kind of what trust is, isn’t it? A willful self-delusion?”

Book Review of "The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)"

“The End of Everything (Astrophysically speaking)” is a wild, imaginative, and intense ride! The Author, Dr. Katie Mack, is a Theoretical Cosmologist at NC State University (my alma mater!). This book discusses the possibilities, the probabilities, and some insanely creative speculations about how the ultimate end of the Universe would look like. Think Neil deGrasse Tyson on steroids - the same enthusiasm, the same energy, and the passion coupled with an astute ability to explain complex, theoretical concepts in a fairly easy-to-digest form! 

“Beginnings imply and require endings.”

There is a slew of literature about the Big Bang and in general about the “the beginning” of everything. Not so much about “the end”. The ideas discussed in this book are mind-boggling and do bring out the contemplative side of things. The last chapter is particularly interesting where the possible mechanics of “the end” are put aside and the philosophical implications are discussed - still keeping the tone of the book as fun & informative and never getting preachy.

“Acknowledging an ultimate end gives us context, meaning, even hope, and allows us, paradoxically, to step back from our petty day-to-day concerns and simultaneously live more fully in the moment. Maybe this can be the meaning we seek.”

Just beware though - even though this book is under 250 pages, it is extremely dense. For an astrophysics layman like me, I had to stop and look up on Wikipedia a few times to get more context about the various ideas discussed here. But it was well worth it. A solid 4/5.

“Cosmology requires thinking creatively. This doesn’t mean fully unconstrained flights of fancy. You can’t just randomly make stuff up. But what you can (and must) do is constantly find new ways to look at problems to wring a little more insight out of whatever data the universe has to offer.”