Chris Orwa
Whenever I read Gibran, I'm struck by his deep sense of life's duality. He constantly points us toward the “other side”—urging us to widen our lens, to see through someone else's eyes. Have we ever truly considered that madmen might have their thoughts, feelings, and points of view? Gibran does—and he brings it out with a sly touch of humour. Through his poems and parables, you're left questioning by the end: who's mad—the so-called madman, or the rest of us pretending to be sane?
Erich Fromm's The Sane Societ delivers one of the most piercing critiques of modern mental health, arguing that the very fabric of contemporary life, especially under capitalism, is driving us mad. With surgical precision, Fromm dissects the psychological cost of a system that prioritises profit over purpose, leaving individuals alienated, anxious, and spiritually adrift.
Fromm's central thesis is blunt yet compelling: if you are employed in a capitalist society, you are more likely to suffer mental distress, not because you work, but because your work is devoid of meaning. You're not shaping your destiny; you're a cog in a machine controlled by bosses, corporations, governments, and societal expectations. The primitive man, Fromm suggests, may have had fewer comforts, but he had more agency—and with it, a more stable psyche.
In the end, The Sane Society is not just a psychological diagnosis but a philosophical wake-up call. It contends that capitalism, far from being the guarantor of freedom and well-being, might be the root cause of widespread mental illness. Fromm dares us to rethink sanity not as conformity to a sick society, but as a reclaiming of our autonomy, creativity, and shared humanity.
If you mix cocaine with gunpowder and smoke it, that's the high this book gives you. I laughed out loud so many times—the author was definitely on some wild shit. Five stars just for the dialogue alone. The storyline improved, with deeper character backstories and some great new additions to the cast.
Another gripping and absurd tale by Albert Camus. This is the story of Meursault, a man condemned not just for murder but for his indifference. After killing a man in a beachside altercation, he finds himself on trial—less for the act itself and more for his failure to grieve at his mother's funeral. His unemotional nature, his casual romance the day after her death, and his friendship with a pimp all serve as evidence against him, turning a case of manslaughter into a philosophical indictment of his character.
What a story! I first learned about John O'Neill through a documentary—the man who foresaw Bin Laden's attack on America but tragically lost his life in the World Trade Center on 9/11. His warnings to the U.S. government went unheeded, leading to his frustration, resignation from the FBI, and eventual role as Director of Security at the Twin Towers.
I picked up this book to learn more about O'Neill's fascinating story, and it did not disappoint. It explores his early life, shaping the man who became a top anti-terrorism investigator. The storytelling is clear and engaging, making it an effortless yet compelling read.
What began as a typical ghetto crime tale unexpectedly evolved into a captivating story of a developing criminal mastermind midway through. Now I can't wait to dive into Vol. 2 to uncover the puppet master behind the untraceable bullets and gun used to eliminate enemies—a true criminal chess master.
Sex, violence, and blasphemy collide brilliantly in Book 2 of Preacher. A sex-crazed priest reunites with a blasphemous mutant ally, embarking on a depraved journey to find a gigolo responsible for the mutant's girlfriend's death. Instead, they stumble upon a secret army loyal to the Pope, triggering a violent confrontation. The chaos crescendos with the Pope's demise and the shocking revelation of a monstrous child—a hybrid born from the forbidden union of an angel and a demon, destined to rule the world. Meanwhile, God abandons Heaven to take refuge on Earth, determined to correct this abhorrent union.
An exploration of the origins and practice of observing the Sabbath. The Jewish people were the first to dedicate one day each week to rest, and their steadfast commitment to abstaining from work on the Sabbath laid the foundation for the modern weekend. While the author delves into the rituals and significance of the Sabbath for the Jewish community, the treatment feels somewhat lacking in depth or satisfaction.
The incandescent madness of the Joker engulfs the home of Gotham Police Commissioner Jim Gordon as he takes him captive, dragging him on a harrowing roller-coaster ride through an abandoned theme park. The Joker's twisted goal is to shatter Gordon's sanity, believing madness to be the ultimate escape hatch from a world weighed down by worry and relentless anxiety.
Always Batman to the rescue.
It is the second-oldest legal document in the world that regulates trade, marriage, and, surprisingly, price controls. Large sections of the code specify how labor for certain services should be compensated. Rather than focusing solely on punishing wrongdoers, the code appears to protect the vulnerable by ensuring fair wages.
Two interesting laws have endured to this day. The first rule that that if a squatter occupies a property for a certain period without the owner's claim, the property legally becomes the squatter's. The second one covers consumation of marriage. It states that “If a man take a woman to wife, but have no intercourse with her, this woman is no wife to him.
It is the world's oldest legal document, dating back 4,000 years, and bears a strong resemblance to the Code of Hammurabi. Given its age and origin in the Babylonian city of Ur, it is reasonable to view the Code of Hammurabi as an extension of this earlier code.
A striking difference between the two is that this code emphasizes compensation for most offenses, while the Code of Hammurabi frequently prescribes death as punishment for transgressions. Additionally, the latter code introduced regulations on trade, likely reflecting the more complex trade systems that emerged during King Hammurabi's reign.
Every page of the book justifies the paper and ink it's printed on. Reverend Thomas Malthus ranks among the most misquoted and misunderstood authors. His treatise on human population is remarkably accurate, highlighting the critical issue that a population cannot outgrow its ability to sustain itself—whether through subsistence or wage labor. When population growth exceeds the available means of subsistence, checks like famine or vice inevitably come into play.
Malthus's most controversial point is his argument that the poor should refrain from reproducing if they cannot provide for themselves, as this exacerbates society's problems. Criticizing the poor is always unpopular and earns anyone a bad reputation.
In summary, the book has insights into leadership and what defines a great soldier. The lessons it offers are highly relevant to business and life. A quote that encapsulates its essence is: “In forming a plan for a campaign, it is crucial to anticipate everything the enemy might do and be prepared with the necessary means to counteract it.”