On Black Women, Rape, and Resistance, Steve Jobs, and Seven Tools for Life
Books that changed my thinking, my behaviors, and my life
Hello all!
3BT started 1-year ago. For the past 56 weeks, you received a short synopsis, insights, and my personal notes from 168 books.
Books are extra special to me. The first book I read cover-to-cover was The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I was 22-years-old. It changed the trajectory of my life.
The books in 3BT are books that I’ve read throughout the past 26 years. They’re books that I relied on to get me through graduate school, medical school, and residency training. They supported me in starting companies, running companies, and selling companies. They shaped the development of my leadership abilities and guided my spiritual growth. And so much more.
One year ago, as I stared at my bookshelves, I decided to begin to catalogue all of the books and the notes in those books to help gain a better understanding of the building blocks and inspiration of my life. I started with a simple spreadsheet and Evernote page, and committed to cataloging and recording the notes from one book everyday.
After the first week, I quickly realized that other people could benefit from this curation and sharing of notes. This is when Three Book Thursday was born.
It is still a work in progress and who knows how long it will go on for. But every week I hit the publish button, a smile crosses my face knowing that I get to share a little goodness from my life with all of you.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
Here is to another 168.
Summary
At the Dark End of the Street is a groundbreaking and deeply impactful book that uncovers the crucial role of black women in the civil rights movement, particularly in their fight against sexual violence and racial inequality. This book is highly significant for those interested in American history, civil rights, gender studies, and the intersection of race and gender in social justice movements. Don’t take my word for it, let Oprah and McGuire explain.
Danielle McGuire reexamines the civil rights movement through the lens of black women's resistance to sexual violence and their fight for justice. It brings to light numerous overlooked incidents and the brave women who stood against them, from the pre-civil rights era through to the Black Power movement. The book notably reframes Rosa Parks' role, highlighting her extensive work as an anti-rape activist long before her famous bus boycott in Montgomery. McGuire details how black women's protests against sexual assault and their demands for bodily integrity were central to the larger civil rights movement, fundamentally shaping its direction and tactics.
This book is a transformative read that offers a new and essential perspective on the civil rights movement. Danielle McGuire’s meticulous research and compelling storytelling not only pay tribute to the courageous black women who fought against racial and sexual violence but also challenge and expand our understanding of the civil rights movement. This book is a crucial contribution to the history of social justice in America.
Insight: The civil rights movement was propelled by the courage and resilience of Black women, whose stories are often untold.
Insight: The civil rights movement's narrative is richer and more complex when the contributions of Black women are acknowledged and celebrated.
Insight: The resilience and bravery of Black women in the civil rights movement left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire current and future generations.
Author: Danielle McGuire
Themes: History, Civil rights
My personal notes from the book
2. Biography
Steve Jobs
Summary
You’ve all heard of Steve Jobs and the founding of Apple. But there is so much more to the story. Isaacson’s biography does a wonderful job at exploring Jobs, a man who was at once a creative entrepreneur, a passionate innovator, and a complex human being. Isaacson brings Jobs's character to life, offering you not just a history of Apple, but a deeper understanding of the man behind the brand. Isaacson's biography presents a detailed and nuanced portrait of Steve Jobs, from his early life and the founding of Apple to his role in revolutionizing several industries, including personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. Isaacson explores Jobs's intense personality, creative genius, and drive for perfection, which were both admired and often criticized. He also delves into Jobs's role in making Apple a powerhouse of innovation, his departure and return to the company, and his battle with cancer. This is a fun read!
Insight: The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do.
Insight: You should never start a company with the goal of getting rich. Your goal should be making something you believe in and making a company that will last.
Insight: The Zune...the older I get, the more I see how much motivations matter. The Zune was crappy because the people at Microsoft don't really love music or art the way we do. We won because we personally love music. We made the iPod for ourselves, and when you're doing something for yourself, or your best friend or family, you're not going to cheese out. If you don't love something, you're not going to go the extra mile, work the extra weekend, challenge the status quo as much.
Author: Walter Isaacson
Themes: Biography, Entrepreneurship, Product development, Marketing
My personal notes from the book
3. Memoir
Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life
Summary
Shout out to my friend, Matt “Coach Marty” Smith for buying me this book. He picked a good one! Everyone knows Arnold from his movies. But unless you’ve spent time reading his books or listening to his interviews, I think you are missing out on. His story is truly remarkable. He’s funny, witty, and smart. In addition to this book, his Netflix documentary is excellent and his interview with Tim Ferriss is outstanding.
Insight: It's the struggle that makes success, when you achieve it, taste so sweet.
Insight: Vision is purpose and meaning.
Insight: The author of Lord of the Flies was rejected by publishers 21 times. JK Rowling's Harry Potter was rejected 12 times. Andy Warhol gave the MOMA one of his drawings for free, and they gave it back. The producers of the Godfather fired Francis Ford Coppola multiple times because they didn't believe in his vision of the story. U2 and Madonna were both rejected by multiple record labels. The founders of AirBnB were rejected by all 7 investors they pitched when they first tried to raise money. Steve Jobs got fired from his own company. Walk Disney's first animation company went bankrupt. Netflix tried to sell to Blockbuster for $50mm and Blockbuster laughed at them. Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, got rejected from Harvard 10 times and couldn't even get a job at KFC. They all kept going.
Quote: What you can see, you can be. -Don Macpherson
Author: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Themes: Memoir, Personal development, Living a full life
My personal notes from the book
That’s a wrap. Thanks for reading! And thank you for being a part of the 3BT community.
Please continue to share with me the books that changed your life! And let your friends, colleagues, and the strangers you meet at 7-11 know about 3BT.
Best,
Adam
Previous Three Book Thursday editions
All Three Book Thursday Book Links
All Three Book Thursday Personal Notes
This is my first time reading “3BT” & I love it! Thank you for sharing your thoughts & opinions on these great reads. I’ll definitely be back for more;-)