Social Studies Study Guide

In the book, Gawande is able to build a narrative through the collection of experiences that leads to the conclusion that as we perceive ourselves as closer to death, our thoughts on mortality transform our goals and values to that of simpler things. Through a collection of insights, statistics and stories, Gawande argues on how we should focus less on prolonging life and more on how we can make it more meaningful. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

The Meaning of Truth is a prime example of the philosophical movement of pragmatism, which was developed in the United States in the 19th century. Written in 1907 by one of the most ardent proponents of pragmatism, William James, this collection of fifteen essays answers the critiques that pragmatist tradition had received.

The Discourse on the Method of Reason was the first true work of skepticism, a foundation of doubt which allowed a critical re-examination of all that was previously held to be true. Descartes literally revolutionized both philosophy and mathematics, and this discourse provides the means by which he approached the tangle of contemporary thought and laid the foundation of rational understanding.

Adam Grant is the youngest tenured professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as well as the most highly rated professor at that university. Gant sets out to write a book about how to awaken the originality within yourself as well as inspiring originality in others. He sets out to give the listener tools to not only change the way the world is seen, but the tools to change the way in which we live our lives.

This is the audiobook summary of the story of Dr. Paul Kalanithi’s short, outstanding life. A profound story about life, death, and living with death, it transcends to become a legacy of living life with meaning and purpose, even beyond the grave.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's Aesthetics, or Philosophy of Fine Art, is part of a rich German aesthetic tradition that stretches from the middle of the 18th century into the modern era. Hegel wrote this work early in the German exploration of aesthetics, and it served as a foundation piece for the philosophies of all who followed him.

"Property is theft." This quote is perhaps one of the most widely known phrases delivered by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, a man known as the father of anarchy. In The Philosophy of Misery, he examines the nature of economy and gives his thoughts about the subversive influence of capitalism. Before the rise of corporate giants, Proudhon recognized the potential for the state and the economy to enslave humanity to profit and accumulation.

In the fall of 1999, New York Times education reporter Jacques Steinberg was given an unprecedented opportunity to observe the admissions process at prestigious Wesleyan University. Over the course of nearly a year, Steinberg accompanied admissions officer Ralph Figueroa on a tour to assess and recruit the most promising students in the country. The Gatekeepers follows a diverse group of prospective students as they compete for places in the nation's most elite colleges.

For decades, women battered the walls of the male fortress of television journalism. After fierce struggles, three women - Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, and Christiane Amanpour - broke into the newsroom’s once impenetrable “boys’ club”. These women were not simply pathbreakers, but wildly gifted journalists whose unique talents enabled them to climb to the top of the corporate ladder and transform the way Americans received their news.

Uncover the fascinating and complex women from mythology and folklore with this collection of stories profiling powerful goddesses, mighty queens, and legendary creatures. Get inspired with 50 fascinating stories of powerful female figures from mythologies around the world. From heroines and deities to leaders and mythical creatures, this collection explores figures of myth who can inspire modern listeners with their ability to shape our culture with the stories of their power, wisdom, compassion, and cunning.

Essential reading for any executive, Into the Metaverse, will reshape how you think about the internet and its place for those who want to lead successful businesses, today and into the future. If the internet was first used to connect us to information, and then developed into a social media forum to connect people, then Web3, which connects people, places and things, will help enable the successor state to today’s mobile internet - the Metaverse. It will bring together and merge our physical and digital lives and Metaverse will shake things up even more.

In the current climate of racial tension and outcries for equality, why does talking about race seem so difficult? In Robin DiAngelo's best-selling book, White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, she takes on this difficult topic. In less than one hour, this summary will help you recall the key ideas if you already listened to the book or quickly grasp the key ideas from White Fragility if you're considering listening to it.

Layla Saad in this ground breaking discovery on White Supremacy; which is a story, a provocation, and an invitation. On the one hand, it is a reflection by Saad on her own journey as a Muslim woman of African descent growing up in Western society (in her case, in England). On the other hand, this book challenges listener to examine how their own lives contribute to and reinforce the systems of White Supremacy that underlie Western society.

A comprehensive summary of Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell. Talking to Strangers is nothing short of powerful, insightful, and highly revelatory. It tears the very fabric of what you should look out for when talking to strangers and replaces them with proven, real time instances that shape and redefine your outlook of the subject matter. It is not just a book. It is a tool for building successful and honest interpersonal relationships with those you know, as much as those you do not.

In his 2019 book, Stillness Is the Key, Ryan Holiday guides readers using Stoic and Buddhist philosophies to show people how internal stillness can lead to doing great things, personal peace, and happiness. Stillness Is the Key not only shows that stillness works, but it also helpfully guides readers on how they too can achieve tranquility in their minds, which leads to the ability to handle situations that are externally chaotic.

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World (2019) shows how social media sites, smartphones, and other modern innovations became major contributors to the rise of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Author Cal Newport argues that many users have become dependent on smartphones and the applications those phones can access to fill spare moments in their days....

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds (2009) by professional communications expert Carmine Gallo offers essential guidance for delivering an effective, original, and moving presentation. Gallo’s book incorporates discussions of the psychology behind compelling keynote speeches, interviews with TED presenters, and insights gleaned from analyzing more than 150 hours of TED talks, representing approximately 500 speakers.... Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time (originally published in 2002, and revised in 2017) is a self-help guide about the importance of frank, empathetic communication. Author Susan Scott believes that, too often, personal and professional conversations are unproductive, or even counter-productive. Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more. (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

Merchants of Truth is the groundbreaking and gripping story of the precarious state of the news business told by one of our most eminent journalists. Jill Abramson follows four companies: The New York Times, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, and Vice Media over a decade of disruption and radical adjustment. The new digital reality nearly kills two venerable newspapers with an aging readership while creating two media behemoths with a ballooning and fickle audience of millennials.

Don't miss Robert Cialdiani's long anticipated follow-up to his blockbuster book Influence. Robert Cialdiani uses heavily researched data along with relatable situations to show you a new way to influence people before you even open your mouth.