I’ve now read almost 70 books since I signed up with Blinkist in late September. I read one book every morning at the gym while working out on the stationary bike. Best app ever and it does indeed deliver on its promise to “Serve Curious Minds.”

and Here are my top 3 reads from November😜

For The Record – – by David Cameron

Great read from the former Prime Minister of England who was brought down by the Brexit referendum. Until I read this book I hadn’t been aware of the role immigration played in the outcome of the vote.

I thought it was all about trade but according to Cameron’s book, the biggest factor in the decision to stay or leave the EU was the influx of immigrants to Britain from other EU countries (over a million when they had been told it would be 13K).

The Ride of a Lifetime – – by Robert Iger

The inside story of Disney’s comeback and how Iger’s career was shaped by his father and by preparedness for chance encounters (one especially fateful one at a hospital while visiting a distant relative).

Iger had several career-defining moments throughout his life but one of his biggest bets came just as he was named the president of ABC TV. ABC was failing and he knew he needed something groundbreaking to get it out of its doldrums. He staked his reputation on David Lynch and the cult TV show, Twin Peaks. It was a risky gamble but it paid off. He was suddenly getting calls from filmmakers like Spielberg and George Lucas who now wanted to work with him. It had been a dicey move to go with Lynch but it cemented his reputation as a visionary leader with good creative instincts.

The low point of his career came during his first years at Disney. All his efforts were stymied by Eisner who had a particularly poor relationship with Pixar. No sooner had that been resolved then 9/11 happened. It was a very challenging start for his tenure at Disney.

However, Iger had developed a great working relationship with Steve Jobs, which led to the acquisition of Pixar. Later, with the purchase of Marvel, Disney’s fortunes turned around. Most recently, he bet big on streaming and it appears to be paying off spectacularly. His leadership has been defined by such bold, risky moves.

The Surprising Science of Meetings – – by Steven G. Rogelberg

Fantastic read on how to organize productive meetings. Here are some highlights:

• Most meetings are scheduled to last an hour but researchers have found that shortening meetings, makes attendees more productive.
• One company found that by starting its meetings at a quirky time, e.g., 8:48 am, people were more intrigued and they were more likely to arrive on time.
• Another tip is to make meetings very short, e.g., 15-minutes. These meetings, known as “huddles,” have been shown to boost performance. Huddles were very popular in the Obama White House.
• And the most intriguing tip of all: the optimal number of people to have at a meeting? No more than seven! That’s the key number if you want to have the most productive meeting. All those extra people are dead weight, and actually counterproductive!

Bottom Line.

Based on having read almost 70 books, I’m now more on board with Blinkist than ever. I love everything about it and consider it the best $99 I’ve spent on self-improvement. I am also naming Blinkist my best product discovery of the year.

Happy Reading!!