Emotional Intelligence
By Daniel Goleman – “Anyone can become angry — that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not easy.” Aristotle P. ix “This book is a guide to making sense of the senselessness… our scientific understanding of the realm of the irrational. P xii “… abilities called here emotional intelligence which include self-control, zeal and persistence, and the ability to motivate oneself. And these skills can be taught to children, giving them a better chance to use whatever...
Read More7 Habits of Highly Effective People
By Steven Covey – The Seven Habits represent a holistic, integrated approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness. 1. P.18 If we want to change the situation, we must first change ourselves. And to first change ourselves, we must first change our perceptions. 2. P.27 Two people can see the same thing, disagree, and yet both be right. 3. P.37 To relate effectively…we must learn to listen. And this requires emotional strength. 4. P.43 Be the kind of person who generates positive energy and sidesteps negative energy rather than empowering it.” 5. P.44 TS Eliot: “We must not...
Read MoreLife 101: Everything we wish we had learned in school – but didn’t
By Peter McWilliams; excerpts from the book follow: P. vi “At college age, you can tell who is best at taking tests and going to school, but you can’t tell who the best people are. That worries the hell out of me.” Part I: Introduction to Life P. 6 “We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.” P. 9 “What is the purpose of life? Life is for doing, learning and enjoying.” P. 12 “Our doing allows for more learning. P. 19 “The trick is to learn to enjoy the process of...
Read MoreFlow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
By Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – P. ix “This book summarizes…decades of research on the positive aspects of human experience – joy, creativity, the process of total involvement with life that I call flow. …a joyful life is an individual creation that cannot be copied from a recipe. …this book presents general principles…to transform boring and meaningless lives into ones full of enjoyment.” P. 1 “Aristotle concluded that, more than anything else, men and women seek happiness.”… “We do not understand what happiness is any better than Aristotle did… people often end up...
Read MoreThe Monk and the Philosopher
By J-F Revel and M. Ricard – 1. Revel is a renowned French philosopher and atheist and Ricard is his son who has a PhD in biology and a very western education before moving to Asia to become a monk some 30 years ago. 2. In this dialogue, Ricard defends the validity of his life-changing experience of enlightenment. He does not see his conversion to Buddhism as any repudiation of what he knew as a scientist. Revel is a formidable proponent of liberal Western individualism, of that enlightened self-interest which accords so well with Western science. 3. Ricard became an interpreter for the...
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