Gio'

Never Split the Difference – 5 Stars:

What a great book. Over the years, I’ve read so many business and self-help books that I consider it a win even if a book gives me just one or two fresh insights or helps crystallize things I already know.

This one way over-delivered. It gave me empirical, usable techniques that I can actually apply in day-to-day life. I’m even thinking of creating a personal cheat sheet because I see this book as fundamental—I want to master the concepts.

The writing is tight, clear, and refreshingly free of filler. Best of all, it avoids the self-congratulatory, overly patriotic tone that often plagues books by former military or law enforcement folks.

Blindsight – Did Not Finish:

I tried and tried and tried, but I was so bored I gave up around one-third of the way in. The story moves slowly, filled with meaningless introspection, and the plot is so sparse that it feels like nothing really happens.

Not my cup of tea.

The Universe in a Nutshell – 3 Stars:

I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but it didn’t really work for me. It’s mostly a science book, with very little of the science philosophy or history that made me love Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

Even on the science side, the rhythm felt off—the author moved too quickly for me to get truly engaged with the concepts.

An okay book, but nothing more than that for me.