20 91΄σΙρ 2019
Spending time with family and friends is the perfect way to unwind at the end of an intense semester. For me the holidays are a good time to recharge and reflect on what has happened in recent months. I also like to catch up on my favourite shows, and read some books that allow me to dig deeper into the topics that interest me. Here are three books that I finished during the holiday break that I would highly recommend.
Principles
Written by Bridgewater founder, Ray Dalio, Principles is a book that is both concise and enlightening. Although we are aware of the need to live by a set of principles as adults, I feel many people still have trouble dealing with challenges and managing their life. This can be due to the lack of courage to face the truth or the lack of a series of consistent principles. Ray Dalio shares his principles on life and management in this book, which are proven to work given the success of Bridgewater. From my point of view, principles differ from person to person, but it is always useful to have insights from such a legend.
Fire and Fury
The world is always changing, and the rules keep changing too. Nevertheless, politics continues to play a central role. Although the activities of Trump and the White House are covered daily by the media, for many of us, we will never have a chance to step inside and learn for ourselves. Fire and Fury is a book published in 2018 by Michael Wolff. It details the behaviour of the US President, Donald Trump, the staff of his 2016 presidential campaign, and the White House. Wolff gives us a chance to better understand the leader of the free world and what goes on inside the White House. However, Wolff also makes some claims that we should investigate for ourselves. I always believe that no issue is entirely black or white and this is just how the world works.
Case in Point
Case in Point is a classic book for case interview preparation. Written by a Harvard Business School professor, this book is a must for every student dreaming of getting a consulting job, and it is also very helpful if you are interested in general business. This book not only gives you a real sense of case interviews, but also gives many concrete suggestions for people interested in consulting. Consulting is highly competitive which means students need to work even harder to stand out. Reading these cases didn’t stress me out and it has made me even more interested in consulting. If you are also interested in consulting, then this is a must-read.
With fireworks lighting up the sky, I stayed in my room and read these books, which I believe was a beautiful moment for my New Year's Eve, as I very much believe that reading is learning.
Xiang, MSc International Business and Emerging Markets