I Am Legend - Richard Matheson

3*

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; paperback / softback edition (October 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765357151
• ISBN-13: 978-0765357151
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches

This book is quite short. Though it is not very similar to the actual movie itself, it was pretty un-put-downable. Easily read within 1 day. Enjoyable read!

Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless

Amazing and a great alternative to the ipad. Comes in 4G LTE too! Awesome! 

Crash of the Titans: Greed, Hubris, the Fall of Merrill Lynch, and the Near-Collapse of Bank of America

3*

 

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Crown Business (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307717879
• ISBN-13: 978-0307717870

The 2008 financial crisis spurred me to read this book. It is pretty insightful with much depth in the building of each character in the story of Merrill Lynch. There was much history and Farrell ploughed into the details of how Merrill got neck-deep into the CDO and subprime mess. Even excellent companies have their black swan events which can wipe them out entirely. To protect this excellent heritage somewhat, it had to be finally merged with BoA. Any BoA employee should give this a read.

Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely

5* Must read again

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1 Exp Rev edition (April 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061353248
• ISBN-13: 978-0061353246

This book is an excellent book. It is not only insightful into human behaviour as a whole but is great for self-reflection to a greater awareness of why we do the things we do. As usual, I try to summarize the learning points after I read this book. You should read it, and re-read it.

1. Anchoring
   We are influence by context even if it can irrational. We compare things in relative terms. This point is great for marketers who want to sway choices. By inserting an anchor, people will form their opinions/expectations around it.
2. Zero - It is not 1 minus 1
   Free as compared to taking an absolute discount off, can tilt decisions dramatically. It has an immense distortion effect. 
3. Social norms has no economic equivalent
   We can be happy to do things for free, but we don't be if we are paid to do the same things. Social exchanges interact at a deeper level and putting any market price to them automatically strips them away. The learning point is to leverage on social exchanges to get the things money can't buy. Give symbolic gifts whenever possible and not the money equivalent.  
4. We possess an unpredictable animal self
   When we are in a state of heightened emotion (be it anger, lust etc) , rationality goes out of the window.
5. Procrastination is normal
   Immediate gratification is the anchor that sways our decisions even though our long term plans are the most rational. To master this, have fixed painful deadlines or have another anchor to sway your decisions to do short-term actions that contribute to long term goals. 
6. We overvalue what we own
   This is due to the emotional attachment to what we have and assign them as unique.
7. Options are not a good thing as they serve as distractions that affects our productivity
8. Expectations are anchors on their own so try to moderate expectations to your benefit
9. Expectations can cause placebo effects
   Preconceived notions like better price equals higher effectiveness works because the mind feeds on itself
10. Tragedy of the commons is everywhere around us - The cycle of distrust
11. Dishonesty is more prevalent than we thought - especially if disassociated from money. We need a moral reminder for us to stay honest.

Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired and Secretive Company Really Works

3*

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Business Plus (January 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 145551215X
• ISBN-13: 978-1455512157
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches

Following the last book I read on Steve Jobs, I landed my hands on this book to read more about one of the most astounding company of this era.

This is quite a small book and elaborates further on what the general public already. It makes a good light reading and reinforces on certain principles Apples holds very closely to its core.

A few things that I have gleaned from this:
1. Do a few things but do them very very well. The entire suite of Apple's products can fit onto a conference table
2. Even the top leaders micromanages in Apple
3. From the outside, Apple looks like a great firm to work in. From the inside, it is true if you believe in being a slave to this great company.
4. Integrate everything but control everything.
5. Secrecy will help promoting the brand more than anything else as it will create conversation.
6. Own your own message and make others sing it for you.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

4*

• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (October 24, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1451648537
• ISBN-13: 978-1451648539
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.9 inches 

I read this book shortly after the passing of Steve Jobs and it certainly gave an insight to how he was a person and the history of one of the greatest companies of this age. Some key things that I remember reading in this book.

• Jobs was given up by his birth parents and at a later part, gets reunited with his family somewhat
• He was a college dropout doing the things he loved to do.
• Taking drugs and being into Zen formed the basis of how he thinks and operate
• He was more of a marketing person than an engineering person
• GUI actually came from Xerox but Jobs capitalised on it. That shows that being first does not translate to being a winner. 
• Bill Gates was actually quite close to him. 
• Jobs was fired from Apple. Jobs was actually very hard to work with and has a very difficult personality. 
• He did not create Pixar but owned it and drove it to what it is today.
• Jobs died of cancer in part due to his obstinate personality. 
• After he came back to Apple, the first foray into music started the ball rolling. 
• His concept of having products as extension of the PC sparked the post-PC revolution. 
• He keeps everything tightly controlled and integrated. 

All in all, a cool book that is hard to put down.