Reddit reviews The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement

Hoow. Well, I'm in the middle of re-reading The E-Myth, since it's a good refresher and I find myself having to scale up one of my businesses.

I'm looking at (re)reading Deep Survival next week because I'm going on retreat. I have saved it for a close reading and copious notes because I think there's something similar in the people who survive dangerous situations and the people who survive and thrive in starting small businesses.

I'm in the middle of The Social Animal, by David Brooks, which I adore. I think I'm going to keep it. (That's saying something, since I read voraciously, but I have only one shelf of books I felt was worth revisiting.) The way he's tackled the book is very interesting and it's incredibly deftly done.

I have Republic of Thieves out from the library, the newest in the Gentleman Bastards series. I don't know when I'm going to get to it. When I start a fiction book I tend to read it straight through, and nothing else gets done, so I'm loathe to start one.

I also have TapDancing to Work the new Warren Buffet autobiography, The Compass of Pleasure (which has been on my wishlist so long I've forgotten what I wanted it for) and Medieval Mercenaries a book about the history of mercenaries. I've always been very interested in mercenaries. I don't know why.

Today a friend recommended The Small Business Life Cycle which I already own, so it will be moving up on the list. I really admire the author, a US Army veteran and philosopher.

I don't agree that we have outlived / out-evolved ourselves as social beings. I recommend The Social Animal for more on this idea.

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Emotion definitely causes human conflict. But it also is a powerful motivator. And emotions definitely contribute to our cultural and social wellbeing. Emotions are the reason why paintings, songs, plays, books, ideas.. move us and inspire us. They connect people and create communities.

Even some very strong 'rationalists' argue that emotions are not something to discard / evolve away from.

I've found The Social Animal particularly enlightening. This list has a ton of great books on social psychology. I'm currently making my way through it.(That's how I stumbled upon The Social Animal - albeit by a different author than recommended)

If you truly desire to learn how to socialize, make conversation with a stranger everyday. If I have to emphasize 'IRL', then it'd be even more of use.