Hello, friends! Today I am talking about the AWESOME negotiation book called: "“Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your Life Depended on it” by Chris Voss. This book combines that gritty Cop Noir type genre with a standard business self-help type book for an awesome all around book that will both entertain and educate you. If you're interested in learning some new negotiating skills, you'll love this episode! Thanks for listening! If you like the show, please subscribe, share, and rev...
Feb 12, 2022•47 min•Ep. 23
Hi guys! Today I am talking about the unique book on innovation and progress, "“Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future” by Peter Thiel. I'll admit that when I first picked up this book, I had low expectations. After all, I thought it would be just another business book written by some rich guy who thinks he has something important to say. But I gotta tell you, this one caught me off guard a few times. If you're interested in hearing a weird guy talk about another weird guy's ...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 22
Hello, my friends! Today I am talking about the dense but rewarding book "Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street’s Great Foreclosure Fraud” by David Dayen. As the title suggests, this book is about the 2008 financial crisis and how a cancer nurse, a car salesman, and an insurance specialist banded together to find out why they and so many others had lost their homes. They navigate a hostile legal landscape and take on some of America’s biggest institutions head on. If...
Feb 03, 2022•55 min•Ep. 21
Hello, my friends! Today I am talking about the inspiring book "The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything” by Ken Robinson. This book is all about discovering your passions, pairing those passions with a talent, and discovering your "Element." It also gives some advice and great examples of people through history who have overcome the barriers to getting to that place where you love what you do, and you are good at it. If you like the show, please share it with someone who you thi...
Jan 28, 2022•54 min•Ep. 20
Hi guys! Today I am talking about the amazing book "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" by Greg McKeown. This book is all about helping you discover the things that are truly important and essential in life while trimming away all of the many things we all do that aren't actually helping us to reach our goals. This book sincerely changed the way I look at my own life and priorities and it has given me a ton to think about! If you're interested in ways that you can streamline your own ...
Jan 23, 2022•45 min•Ep. 19
Hi guys! Today I am talking about the political thriller, "Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Quest for Justice" by Bill Browder. This book is a look behind the curtain into the gangster oligarchs running Russia from behind the scenes, how they seized power after the fall of the Soviet Union during the era of privatization, and how Vladimir Putin rose to become the kingpin of the whole thing. The book was written by an American who finds himself caught up in a politi...
Jan 21, 2022•58 min•Ep. 18
Hi guys! Today I am talking about the excellent non-fiction book called "T: The Story of Testosterone, the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us" by Dr. Carole Hooven. This book was a highly-educational overview of endocrinology and evolutionary biology delivered in a surprisingly entertaining package. It was full of very interesting facts about the way testosterone shapes both man and animal alike and how it impacts the world we live in. I loved this book, and I think you'll get a kick out of l...
Jan 15, 2022•57 min•Ep. 17
Hi guys! Today's episode is talking about the awesome self-improvement/philosophy book "Ego is the Enemy" by Ryan Holiday. This book talks about implementing good stoic philosophy and the wisdom of humble greatness into your life. If you can stay humble, there is no end to your potential. If you let your ego get in the way, then there is every likelihood that you will fail, or at least not reach your fullest potential. This book was important to me and gave me a lot to think about. If you're int...
Jan 06, 2022•49 min•Ep. 16
Hello, friends! In this special Holiday episode of What's Tom Reading?, I am talking about a very interesting paper I read recently called Universe 25 by Dr. John B. Calhoun. The paper was written to document the results of an experiment in which the Doctor and his colleagues set up a perfect mouse utopia only to witness as it completely destroyed itself from the inside. I thought this was super fascinating and I think you will too! I also wanted to thank all of you for your support in getting t...
Dec 30, 2021•38 min•Ep. 15
Hi guys! At your request, I finally made it through Twilight and in this episode I'm going to talk all about it. I have some serious issues with this book, but I also try to take time to talk about the highlights as well. If you're interested, please enjoy the show! Thanks for listening, and thanks so much for all of your support! You guys are the best!
Dec 12, 2021•50 min•Ep. 14
Today's episode is about the book "Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs from Communism to Al Qaeda” by Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton. This book is a wild ride through the intricate and secretive world of spies, espionage, and intelligence gathering. I talk a little bit about all the gizmos, gadgets, gear, and awesome agents who work behind the scenes to fight America's enemies abroad. If you are interested in James Bond, Jason Bourne, or any other super cool spy action thrille...
Dec 04, 2021•50 min•Ep. 13
Today's book is "The End of Craving" by Mark Schatzker. This one is about all of the things in our modern diet that are screwing us up and killing us. If you want to end up paranoid about what's in your flour, then this one's for you. If you want to pick up the book for yourself and you'd like to support the podcast, please use this link: https://amzn.to/3CHnVuC Thanks for listening and thanks so much for all of your support! You guys are the best.
Nov 22, 2021•46 min•Ep. 12
Hi guys! Today I'm talking about the book "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. This book is a historical fiction novel about the 300 Spartans and their heroic last stand at the "hot gates" in Thermopylae to fight off the Persian Emperor Xerxes and his massive army. It's a great book that offers an interesting take on one of the greatest stories ever told. Check it out! If you want to pick up the book yourself and you'd like to support the show at no extra cost to you, please use this link: http...
Nov 17, 2021•48 min•Ep. 11
Hi guys! Today I'm talking about the book "The Gray Lady Winked: How the New York Times's Misreporting, Distortions, and Fabrications Radically Alter History" by Ashley Rindsberg. This book was CRAZY! If you're into news and/or politics at all, you have to make this book a part of your life. If you want to pick it up and you'd like to support the show at no extra cost to you, please use this link: https://amzn.to/3oiViic Thanks so much for listening and for all of your support!...
Nov 11, 2021•52 min•Ep. 10
Hi guys! Today I am talking about the Great Courses lecture series called "Forensic History: Crimes, Frauds, and Scandals" performed by lecturer Elizabeth A. Murray. If you are into "true crime" as a genre and you have a strong stomach, I think you'll get a kick out of this episode! If you want to pick up the book for yourself and you'd like to help out the podcast at no cost to you, then please use this link to buy it: https://amzn.to/3BXXNLA Thanks for listening, and thank you for your support...
Nov 08, 2021•50 min•Ep. 9
In this episode I talk about the autobiographical expose of the evils and excesses of the Chinese Communist Party, "Red Roulette" by Desmond Shum. This is an important book that has some crazy takeaways! If you're into world politics or you just want to learn a little more about the Chinese system of government, I think you'll get a kick out of this episode! Thanks so much for listening. If you want to pick up this book for yourself, click on the link below and it will take you to the Amazon pag...
Nov 02, 2021•45 min•Ep. 8
On this episode I talk about the book "How to Invent Everything" by Ryan North. This is a fact-filled invention-focused non-fiction book with a super cool fictitious premise. In some ways this book is everything I could ever dream of in a book. It was full of useful and practical knowledge delivered in a fun and engaging way. If this sounds interesting to you, I think you'll get a kick out of this episode. If you want to pick up the book for yourself, this is one that I'd highly recommend owning...
Oct 27, 2021•45 min•Ep. 7
Today I'm talking about the audiobook - The History of the Vikings. This book is a compilation of very cool lectures on Norse mythology, culture, and impact, with a particular focus on the raiding, pillaging warrior class of Vikings! If you are into Vikings, I think you'll get a kick out of this episode! If you want to pick up the book, you can support this show with no extra cost to you by purchasing through this link: https://amzn.to/3pr998g Thanks for listening! Enjoy the show!...
Oct 24, 2021•46 min•Ep. 6
Hi guys! In this episode I talk about The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This awesome and highly-quotable book was a ton of fun to read and I think it will be a ton of fun for you to hear some of the coolest little nuggets of wisdom from it! If you want to pick it up yourself, and you'd like to support the podcast at no cost to you, please use this link: https://amzn.to/3lCeiI9 Thanks for listening!
Oct 20, 2021•48 min•Ep. 5
This week I read the book I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. You may have seen the Hollywood movie with Will Smith, and it was great, but if you haven't read the book then you are missing out! I couldn't put this one down and I know you're going to get a kick out of hearing about. If you want to pick this book up, here is the link to Amazon. By using this link to buy the book, you help out the show (and it doesn't cost you anything extra). https://amzn.to/3mVozOZ Thanks for listening!...
Oct 12, 2021•42 min•Ep. 4
In this episode, I review "By Water Beneath the Walls" by Benjamin Milligan. This book talks about the rise of the Navy SEALS and how one of the world's foremost elite special forces units came to be. This is a pretty obscure book, but one that you're definitely going to want to learn more about! Check it out! Thanks for listening.
Oct 09, 2021•45 min•Ep. 3
In this episode, I talk about Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. This is a semi-obscure collection of essays on extremely low-probability events and how they interact with broader systems. I know it doesn't sound like a thrill-ride, but I promise this book has a lot to offer! Check out this episode and see for yourself! Thanks for listening!
Oct 09, 2021•49 min•Ep. 2
This week I review one of the all-time great science fiction novels - Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. I figured, what better way to start this podcast than by talking about one of the best scifi books ever written? Thanks for listening, I hope you like it!
Oct 09, 2021•37 min•Ep. 1
