This book is not only for musicians but for all kinds of creators! The book consists of short stories but is full of actionable insights, guiding you through various situations you will face as a creator, particularly the indie/solo one. Although the book can be finished in a day, I suggest limiting your reading to 4-5 stories daily, reading comments on Derek's website, and reflecting on your past experiences.

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The book spoke directly to me! A must-read for any technician turns entrepreneur. Highly recommended for those who are tired of bootstrapping a business or have lost the initial joy and purpose that motivated them in the first place.

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A very good introduction to physics for beginners. Most examples in the book are easy to understand and applicable to everyday phenomena. My favorite chapters: Chapter 1 (Atoms in Motion), is the most relatable in everyday life; Chapter 5 (Theory of Gravitation), is the most fun to imagine; and Chapter 6 (Quantum Behavior), is the most 'what the heck' yet intriguing. However, visualizing some concepts can be challenging. I highly recommend reading along with other resources, such as YouTube videos.

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A good overview of how core ideas of reality have developed over time, from Democritus' atomic model to quantum gravity. It's eye-opening to learn what we perceive is just a fraction of reality (reality is not what it seems), which sparked my curiosity to study further. What also interested me is the thought process behind each breakthrough, especially Einstein — how they tackled problems and what made them different. Highly recommended if you are interested in all this.

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The book reflects on so many things personally, especially how I learned and started coding when I was a kid. There are a lot of observations on how kids learn, techniques to design the environment for students and lessons that you can apply to your learning strategy. Resnick also shares his design decisions and philosophy behind building his project Scratch, so the book is recommended not only for learners and educators but also for developers.

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Basic understanding of human nature. Provides a foundational framework through which to view things like politics, business, and life.

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Recommend for those who want to delve into the history of Bell Labs and how the labs produced numerous innovations. It is packed with many interesting stories about the renowned researchers and inventions. Some of the most fascinating topics include the Transistor, Information Theory, and the works and life of Claude Shannon. This book also sparked my interest in physics and the inner workings of older technologies that we often take for granted. However, it might be too long for those who are just looking to know the process of innovation.

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The book offers general advice and insights on how successful, large companies are built. Each chapter is centered around the “important truth that very few people agree on”, which I found interesting and insightful. Recommend to those interested in building a tech business in general.

Read my notes or go to the Amazon page for details and reviews.