Founder & CEO @ Close
I’ve been reading Demons by Dostoyevsky and there are two small anecdotes from the book that immediately resonated with me—two topics that many of us as humans deal with throughout our lives. The first is the impulsive act of judging others too quickly and the arrogance we must overcome to give one another a fair …
Today I want to share with you one of my favorite books of all time, The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky. I loved the experience of reading this book so deeply that I already can’t wait to read it again. It does a wonderful job of portraying many major life themes in a profoundly delightful way. …
As I was meditating recently, I had a realization – something I already knew, but was shifted into crystal clear focus for me. It was a beautiful moment that further clarified my tremendous gratitude and love for books and reading. One of the most amazing experiences to me with reading is that you get to …
We chat about a surreal short story by Michael Ende named “Einer langen Reise Ziel” (Destination of a Long Journey). It’s the first story in his collection of short stories called Das Gefängnis der Freiheit (Prison of Freedom), and how “search and you shall find” might sometimes mean something very different from what we commonly …
Here’s a conversation we’ve had about Michael Ende, Author of The Neverending Story, Momo, and other great books (like “Das Gefängnis der Freiheit“). We then touched on the beauty of poetry and song lyrics, going on awareness walks, having 1-on-1’s with my sons, how interpreting my mother’s dream put my patience to the test, the …
After 100 episodes of intimate navel-gazing and serious inner work, it’s time so start sharing some of the silly goofing around we do in between. Expect nothing meaningful from this episode. We’re talking Jocko Willink, Charles Bukowski, the courage of degenerates, and the cowardice of choosing to live your life in the safe harbor of …
Recently while on vacation in Greece I was looking for some more lighthearted literature and picked up Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski. Well, let’s say it wasn’t exactly the feelgood read I sought, but the story of the potato chip friendship stuck with me. TRANSCRIPT:[00:00:00] I’ve been reading Rye on Ham from Charles Bukowski. …
In this episode I share my thoughts after reading Dostoyevsky’s Crime And Punishment. A much more effortful, and less rewarding read than I had hoped, but I do love how deep it goes into the central theme of the story—which is what happens when we go against our own moral compass. [00:00:00] The book. Crimes …
“Lying is a delightful thing, for it leads to truth” wrote Dostoyevsky in Crime and Punishment. We discuss how you arrive at the truth through lying, and then about the twisted lies of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, how her insistence on denying her own truth eventually leads to her ending her own life. TRANSCRIPT [00:00:00] lying …
One thing I love about Tolstoy’s writing is with how much insight and empathy he’s making the characters of his novels come alive. I learn so much about myself, and humanity in general by reading Anna Karenina, a novel written more than 100 years ago—much more than I’ve gained from reading a hundred books on …
I’ve been reading Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina recently, and absolutely love this book for the sharpness with which he looks at relationships, and how people communicate. There’s so much wisdom within these pages, about misunderstandings beyond repair, painful truths and the convenient lies we sometimes hope for. TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] okay. So. I am currently reading Anna Karenina …
Here’s a book recommendation. A very quick and easy read, but one that moved me nonetheless and that I gifted to my nephews and nieces. TRANSCRIPT [00:00:00] I read the both died at the end[00:00:02]and it is a recommendation. I recommend you read the book. I shall do so for sure. Yes. You asked when …
I recently started reading The Trial by Franz Kafka, and there’s one thing I really love about this book: It has already raised so many questions in my mind and made me think thoughts I wouldn’t have pondered if it weren’t for this book. This episode is just me sharing my reading experience while I’m …
One of my favorite reads of this year was Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis. I love Zorba’s practical wisdom and zest for life. He manages to see the everything and everybody as a miracle worth celebrating, while also recognizing that we’re all just sacks of bones and flesh and flaws, and that everything we …