The off-season is here and – once we're past what will likely be an uneventful free agency and draft— we won't have much else to discuss. I had been thinking that maybe we could form a kind of book club to remain in-touch and get some interesting discussions going. In the past we've had some pretty profound debates about current events, politics, history, etc that I personally enjoyed. I'm not sure if those types of conversations are still welcomed but if they are, I think it'd be a good change of pace. I'm not entirely sure how to structure things (or if anyone would even be interested) but maybe we can brainstorm some ideas and really flesh this thing out.
At the moment, I'm reading a book called "JFK and The Unspeakable" by James Douglas. I'm not sure if anyone has read it or would have any interest in it. If I'm being honest, the best place to start might not be the kind of material or topic that could get us all on a "list" lol. But I am very much interested in cutting my teeth on stuff that helps me grow and evolve my perspective on things. I've been getting this nagging feeling that things are going to change radically in all of our day-to-days and just want to be ready— whatever that may mean.
I recall that we had a couple Wall Street/Financial types back in the day (not to put anyone on blast but Nolad, BRIGGS, etc). I don't know dick about that world, so stuff in that genre might be useful to us all. Just a suggestion but I'm curious about what everyone else may think.
You do realize that most of us are operating at a 3rd grade reading level, right?
Not to brag or anything. 
ToddTT wrote:You do realize that most of us are operating at a 3rd grade reading level, right?Not to brag or anything.
Lmao. Guess that means we can only get better with time.
I remember when I wrapped up by freshman year at college, I tried to get a summer job as a salesperson at Barnes & Noble. I had prior experience as a salesperson at Banana Republic, from where I had good references. The interview with the manager started like a blast, I was commended for my studies and previous work. Until the manager asked me about the last book that I had read. I honestly answered that it was the memoirs of imperial Russia's foreign minister Sazonoff, where he gave a first-person account of the prelude and the first years of WW1. As soon as I answered, I suddenly saw the manager's long face, the interview got quickly wrapped up, I was sent on my way.
I did not get the job.
From then on, I never recommend books to people.
NardDogNation wrote:The off-season is here and – once we're past what will likely be an uneventful free agency and draft— we won't have much else to discuss. I had been thinking that maybe we could form a kind of book club to remain in-touch and get some interesting discussions going. In the past we've had some pretty profound debates about current events, politics, history, etc that I personally enjoyed. I'm not sure if those types of conversations are still welcomed but if they are, I think it'd be a good change of pace. I'm not entirely sure how to structure things (or if anyone would even be interested) but maybe we can brainstorm some ideas and really flesh this thing out.At the moment, I'm reading a book called "JFK and The Unspeakable" by James Douglas. I'm not sure if anyone has read it or would have any interest in it. If I'm being honest, the best place to start might not be the kind of material or topic that could get us all on a "list" lol. But I am very much interested in cutting my teeth on stuff that helps me grow and evolve my perspective on things. I've been getting this nagging feeling that things are going to change radically in all of our day-to-days and just want to be ready— whatever that may mean.
I recall that we had a couple Wall Street/Financial types back in the day (not to put anyone on blast but Nolad, BRIGGS, etc). I don't know dick about that world, so stuff in that genre might be useful to us all. Just a suggestion but I'm curious about what everyone else may think.
Against the Gods is a reasonable starting place for understanding finance.
Millionaire Next Door is decent for broadstroke, albeit possibly outdated personal finance decision-making.
48 Laws of Power is pretty great for exposing power and helping identify how people act, right or wrong.
Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence people is great for interpersonal skills in the work place.
Brief History of Time is an approachable summary of the universe.
Sapiens is a pretty approachable summary of history TLDR - humans did it.
Guns, Germs and Steel is among my favorites for pseudo-sociology explanation of where we are today.
Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow is great for understanding how people think.
Superforecasters is a really good application of how to make predictive guesses (relies heavily on Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow.
Grit is another pseudo-psychology in the same vein.
I could use recommendations on books for health and lifestyle. Trying to get back in shape after 3 kids. But the above is the kind of stuff I read. That and a lot of SciFi.
ESOMKnicks wrote:I remember when I wrapped up by freshman year at college, I tried to get a summer job as a salesperson at Barnes & Noble. I had prior experience as a salesperson at Banana Republic, from where I had good references. The interview with the manager started like a blast, I was commended for my studies and previous work. Until the manager asked me about the last book that I had read. I honestly answered that it was the memoirs of imperial Russia's foreign minister Sazonoff, where he gave a first-person account of the prelude and the first years of WW1. As soon as I answered, I suddenly saw the manager's long face, the interview got quickly wrapped up, I was sent on my way. I did not get the job.
From then on, I never recommend books to people.
Haha what a great story
Reminds me of my college days when i applied for a job at Strawberry's (chain of record stores when people used to listen to those, the first time around)
Anyway, I went in feeling like a cool kid, ready to land the cool job, at the cool record store. Took about 5 minutes into the interview to start feeling like exhibit A for dweeb.
EwingsGlass wrote:Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow is great for understanding how people think.
Great recommendation, thank you, I picked up on it and am about half way through.
Very impressed: it is not a book that you read, it is a book that reads YOU.
Based on this reading, I wonder what a simple algorithm for predicting future player success at draft time might look like. Without crap like "eye test", "heart", "motor", "body language", "French fashion", "the next [insert name]", etc.
ESOMKnicks wrote:EwingsGlass wrote:Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow is great for understanding how people think.
Great recommendation, thank you, I picked up on it and am about half way through.
Very impressed: it is not a book that you read, it is a book that reads YOU.
Based on this reading, I wonder what a simple algorithm for predicting future player success at draft time might look like. Without crap like "eye test", "heart", "motor", "body language", "French fashion", "the next [insert name]", etc.
Fast thinkers are a plague to society, and overall asshats.
I came to that conclusion pretty fast, so, sort of a dilemma.
ToddTT wrote:ESOMKnicks wrote:EwingsGlass wrote:Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow is great for understanding how people think.
Great recommendation, thank you, I picked up on it and am about half way through.
Very impressed: it is not a book that you read, it is a book that reads YOU.
Based on this reading, I wonder what a simple algorithm for predicting future player success at draft time might look like. Without crap like "eye test", "heart", "motor", "body language", "French fashion", "the next [insert name]", etc.
Fast thinkers are a plague to society, and overall asshats.
I came to that conclusion pretty fast, so, sort of a dilemma.
Pretty sure the chapter on fast thinkers being asshats is the sequel.
ESOMKnicks wrote:EwingsGlass wrote:Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow is great for understanding how people think.
Great recommendation, thank you, I picked up on it and am about half way through.
Very impressed: it is not a book that you read, it is a book that reads YOU.
Based on this reading, I wonder what a simple algorithm for predicting future player success at draft time might look like. Without crap like "eye test", "heart", "motor", "body language", "French fashion", "the next [insert name]", etc.
“Grit” is like a non-licensed sequel to Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow. So is Superforecasters. Both have citations to Kahneman. But I’d read Grit before trying to apply this logic to drafts. Grit is great for the applications to selecting individuals.
"Just Listen" by Mark Goulston
This was written by a former FBI and police hostage negotiator. When Ive applied the techniques in the book, Ive found that Ive had better success in breaking through an impasse. Dont rely on it enough.
Thinking Fast and Slow! I'm not gonna say its the most exciting read, but the theories of Kahnemann/Tversky are the foundation of Behavioral Economics and the way people make decisions with money and risk. I've built a lot of my presentations over the last 10 yrs off these theories, so definitely have a personal attachment to it.
