Comments on: Building Your Antilibrary http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/ Meditations on strategy and life Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:06:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: dbole http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9483 dbole Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:04:17 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9483 With your interests, I'd add Robert Caro's books - his LBJ biographies (Path to Power, Means of Ascent, and Master of the Senate) are a detailed case study in the acquisition and application of power. I think they're referenced a few times in the 48 Laws of Power. I've read a lot of the books cited there, but they're the best so far. If that 3000 page commitment is too big, go with The Power Broker - a bio of Robert Moses by the same guy which hits a lot of the same themes (identifying organizations or positions that don't have power but could be made to, using money, parties, contracts, etc. to gain influence over people who want other things). With your interests, I’d add Robert Caro’s books – his LBJ biographies (Path to Power, Means of Ascent, and Master of the Senate) are a detailed case study in the acquisition and application of power. I think they’re referenced a few times in the 48 Laws of Power. I’ve read a lot of the books cited there, but they’re the best so far. If that 3000 page commitment is too big, go with The Power Broker – a bio of Robert Moses by the same guy which hits a lot of the same themes (identifying organizations or positions that don’t have power but could be made to, using money, parties, contracts, etc. to gain influence over people who want other things).

]]> By: Steven http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9482 Steven Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:06:05 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9482 Love's Executioner Love’s Executioner

]]> By: Drew http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9481 Drew Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:46:09 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9481 Ditto Jules on Seutonius. Ditto Jules on Seutonius.

]]> By: Chris http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9480 Chris Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:15:46 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9480 Ryan, I highly recommend Gang Leader For a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh. He's the guy who spent years with a crack gang in Chicago, whose data was featured in Freakonomics. It's an amazing and compelling story. Ryan, I highly recommend Gang Leader For a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh. He’s the guy who spent years with a crack gang in Chicago, whose data was featured in Freakonomics. It’s an amazing and compelling story.

]]> By: John http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9479 John Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:34:38 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9479 I highly suggest you read Shogun by James Clavell. "This novel portrays an entire culture which essentially held [Machiavellianism] as a value; an historical rarity." I highly suggest you read Shogun by James Clavell. “This novel portrays an entire culture which essentially held [Machiavellianism] as a value; an historical rarity.”

]]> By: Eva http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9478 Eva Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:16:45 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9478 I'm almost surprised someone already mentioned 'Gödel, Escher, Bach', which I just recently pulled off my antilibrary-shelf and started to read. Still up there are some Kafka, Schopenhauer (the dialectics), Wilde, Hawking, Brecht and Bukowski. I also recommend Nietzsche's 'Antichrist'; looks good on any shelf, and is a much lighter (and funnier) read than it's commonly assumed to be, nice if you need a break from the serious stuff. I’m almost surprised someone already mentioned ‘Gödel, Escher, Bach’, which I just recently pulled off my antilibrary-shelf and started to read. Still up there are some Kafka, Schopenhauer (the dialectics), Wilde, Hawking, Brecht and Bukowski.

I also recommend Nietzsche’s ‘Antichrist’; looks good on any shelf, and is a much lighter (and funnier) read than it’s commonly assumed to be, nice if you need a break from the serious stuff.

]]> By: Marco B http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9477 Marco B Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:55:29 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9477 I bought The No Asshole Rule a couple months ago but it is still sitting in my antilibrary. I have heard great things about it but have yet to read it. Other than that I don't have anything in my physical antilibrary. I guess my antilibrary has become my amazon.com wish list which has 50+ books. Has anyone tried the Kindle? It seems like a good idea but I don't know if it will catch on. I bought The No Asshole Rule a couple months ago but it is still sitting in my antilibrary. I have heard great things about it but have yet to read it. Other than that I don’t have anything in my physical antilibrary. I guess my antilibrary has become my amazon.com wish list which has 50+ books.

Has anyone tried the Kindle? It seems like a good idea but I don’t know if it will catch on.

]]> By: Jules http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9476 Jules Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:18:10 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9476 Read Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars. It's amazing how much you can learn simply by observing the most powerful men in the ancient world in their everyday routines (as well as their defining moments). Read Suetonius’ The Twelve Caesars. It’s amazing how much you can learn simply by observing the most powerful men in the ancient world in their everyday routines (as well as their defining moments).

]]> By: Pike http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9475 Pike Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:09:11 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9475 A few in the anti-library: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, What is the What, and Cat's Cradle. I know I ought to read them for their literary value, but I can't get past this perception that the counter-culture stuff is bunch of socialist hippe garbage. Even though I'm sure I can glean a lot from them. How can I pick up these when the shelf above has the like of T. Sowell's Basic Economics, The Long Tail, Blink, and the (yet unread) "Age of Turbulence" which is Greenspans memoirs? A few in the anti-library: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, What is the What, and Cat’s Cradle. I know I ought to read them for their literary value, but I can’t get past this perception that the counter-culture stuff is bunch of socialist hippe garbage. Even though I’m sure I can glean a lot from them.

How can I pick up these when the shelf above has the like of T. Sowell’s Basic Economics, The Long Tail, Blink, and the (yet unread) “Age of Turbulence” which is Greenspans memoirs?

]]> By: Brendon http://www.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9474 Brendon Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:12:38 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/building-your-antilibrary/#comment-9474 The book on your list "Nation of Rebels: Why Counterculture Became Consumer Culture" is AMAZING. I read "No Logo", "Culture Jam" and some stuff by Thomas Frank before reading it - all the anti-corporate stuff. Coulda just skipped to that book. It refutes them point by point and explains why subcultures like goths, punks, emo, etc. appear, why people want to buy what's new, and why the counterculture even happens - all with one simple theory. I can't suggest it enough. Also, have you read "The Power of Now?" Another good book I'm in the middle of now is "Living the Martial Way : A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think". Breaks down how to live all that strategy stuff on a day to day basis. It's about martial arts, but the applications are pretty far reaching. Love your blog by the way. It's good to see I'm not the only one by age so dedicated to learning, understanding, and working on larger goals. The book on your list “Nation of Rebels: Why Counterculture Became Consumer Culture” is AMAZING. I read “No Logo”, “Culture Jam” and some stuff by Thomas Frank before reading it – all the anti-corporate stuff. Coulda just skipped to that book. It refutes them point by point and explains why subcultures like goths, punks, emo, etc. appear, why people want to buy what’s new, and why the counterculture even happens – all with one simple theory. I can’t suggest it enough.

Also, have you read “The Power of Now?”

Another good book I’m in the middle of now is “Living the Martial Way : A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think”. Breaks down how to live all that strategy stuff on a day to day basis. It’s about martial arts, but the applications are pretty far reaching.

Love your blog by the way. It’s good to see I’m not the only one by age so dedicated to learning, understanding, and working on larger goals.

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