Episodes

In the 1980s, RJR Nabisco, the producer of the well-known Oreo cookie brand, was acquired by a securities company at a whopping price. The acquisition approach is a classic example of a leveraged buyout. By gathering first-hand data and using fascinating descriptions of the events, the two authors of the book have recreated the most famous Wall Street merger and acquisition war in the 1980s. So, how did KKR, the “barbarian” in the security market, acquire the business tycoon, RJR Nabisco?

Memories help us to truly know ourselves. We rely on our memories to discern our identity, status, and expectations. However, the physiological mechanism of memory is inherently unreliable, not to mention that there is constant interference from our external environment. The book “The Memory Illusion” offers a comprehensive explanation of the physiological mechanisms of memory and the causes of memory illusions. This international bestseller has become widely regarded as a popular science book a...

In the course of human evolution, our ancestors often encountered problems related to survival or reproduction. To solve these problems, we have evolved a unique set of psychological mechanisms and behavioral patterns that enable us to better adapt to our environment. So how does evolution affect our psychological mechanisms? And how closely does this relate to our lives? This book, “Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind,” will help us understand the factors involved in these ques...

This book examines some common phenomena in daily life from the perspective of behavioral economics, in order to reveal irrational factors in human behavior. It analyzes the external and internal reasons for irrational behaviors and offers ways we can avoid them. Behavioral economics refutes the fundamental assumption of traditional economics that people behave in rational ways. This book explains the complex theories of behavioral economics in plain language that everyone can understand.

At least a third of the people around the world are introverts. In a culture that prefers extroversion, introversion is regarded as an inferior personality trait. By introducing many studies from leading psychologists in the United States, the author of this book explains the traits and strengths of introverts to show how introverted people are undervalued and how they should make use of their strengths.

Pursuing simplicity and ease of use is human nature. Simplicity and ease of use are the keys to winning users and determining the life of a product. Based on more than 20 years of practical experience, Giles Colborne has proposed four strategies to achieve simplicity: remove, organize, hide, and displac. In addition, Colborne has explored how to create an unforgettable user experience according to user needs.

The rapid development of Internet technology and smart products has provided people with a lot of convenience. Meanwhile, all kinds of notifications and messages mean people's working time has become highly fragmented. The author keenly points out that more than 60% of knowledge workers work time is spent on shallow work. This type of work not only yields limited output value but also permanently reduces people's capacity to work deeply! This book describes how to train the brain to eliminate di...

This book is an investment amateur’s guide to stock investment written by Peter Lynch, which reveals his life experience in stockpicking. It is not only a memoir of his personal stockpicking, but also provides a good course in stockpicking by illustrating real-life cases. Lynch first tells the story of how he increased the assets of the Magellan Fund from US $20 million to US $14 billion. Then, he shares 21 classic cases of stockpicking and teaches us how to pick stocks in different industries.

People can sometimes take advantage of you, or perhaps you feel that it’s difficult to say no. These are both manifestations of a loss of control in your life. To have a balanced and healthy life, clear boundaries are essential. A boundary is a personal line that indicates who is responsible and for what. It defines what you are and what you are not. Boundaries have a significant impact on every aspect of our lives, and this book is going to tell you how to establish healthy boundaries.

Human consciousness is invisible and impalpable; it seems to be an untraceable mystery. Throughout history, consciousness has always been a conundrum for scientists. The author of this book, Stanislas Dehaene, combines his cutting-edge achievements in experimental studies and consciousness research to describe how to study consciousness scientifically. He also discusses the applications of consciousness research, leading us to understand the creation and role of consciousness and providing insig...

In contemporary society, almost everyone suffers from anxiety. To cope with it, people turn to psychologists, books, and radio stations for help. However, they eventually find that even after spending so much time and energy searching for a cure, their anxiety not only remains, but they may feel even more stressed out and helpless. Is anxiety really this powerful? Is there any way to fight anxiety? This book provides a practical guide that will help those dealing with panic disorders, generalize...

Have you heard of Condoleezza Rice, the former United States Secretary of State? Do you know how she, as a black woman in America, found her place in society? This bookey will tell you how Rice’s family gave her the best education and cultivated her self-esteem, confidence and courage to stand up for herself in a country that was not always friendly to black people. It also helps us understand how Rice went from Stanford provost all the way to Secretary of State.

Many people are familiar with the name Warren Buffett. Buffett is a world-renowned investment wizard and a representative figure of the philosophy of value investing. Known as the “Oracle of Omaha”, Buffett has been able to consistently maintain a high return of 20% for many years. How does he achieve this? This book systematically illustrates Buffett’s economic moat theory. The sole purpose is to teach investors to pick stocks accordingly and to construct high-return portfolios.

There has never been a written work of world history that is as concise and vivid as A Little History of the World. Guided by the author’s elegant brushstrokes, we can enjoy an uninterrupted view of this historical panorama. We can imagine the waves and ripples created by the Athenian fleet in the Aegean Sea, the dawn of the Renaissance in Florence, and the smoke and light of Enlightenment permeating throughout Europa. With this book, you will be infected by Gombrich's endless positive expectati...

On 11 March, 2011, a massive earthquake in Japan caused a super-tsunami. Seventy-five students unfortunately died while in the care of their teachers. Seventy-four of them perished in just one place, the Okawa Primary School. In Japan, a country with abundant experience coping with earthquakes, schools are supposed to be the safest place. So, what caused this disaster? Having spent six years uncovering the truth, the author discloses the hidden ghosts beneath the exquisite surface of Japanese so...

Enron spent 16 years becoming a historic American business giant and a rising star in the natural gas industry. However, in just one month, it squandered 65 billion dollars’ worth of accumulated assets. It suddenly declared bankruptcy and underwent the second-largest bankruptcy case in American history. What happened? Who should be blamed? The system or Humans in charge? Two top editors at Fortune magazine spent 16 months investigating what went wrong. Their investigation culminated in a book, w...

Have you ever suffered abuse, sexual assault, a serious car accident, or some other injuries? Life often leaves us with too many psychological traumas and nightmarish memories. We struggle to get rid of them and forget them, only to find we can’t. The brain and body never forget the psychological trauma caused by an event, and it is not “all in one’s head,” but rather has a physiological basis. This book will take us through the secret of the body that never forgets trauma.

What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses is a science book published by the Scientific American, the world’s leading popular science magazine. It has been widely praised after its publication, and was listed as Amazon’s Top 10 Science Books in 2012. This book uncovers the mystery of plants. It examines whether plants have the senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing, proprioception, and even memory, and helps us comprehensively understand plants’ inner world.

Is the purpose of exercise just to keep fit and lose weight? Of course not. John Ratey and Eric Hagerman use convincing experimental data and case studies to demonstrate that exercise is a natural brain booster. It not only provides a cure for many diseases but also has a preventative effect. In addition to improving memory and attention deficit disorder, exercise helps us fight off stress and anxiety, balances hormones in women, and will make you less fearful in your struggle against aging.

Why does a child who was previously close to their parents suddenly become estranged? The internal need hidden behind children’s rebellious and aggressive behaviors is their desire for emotional attachment and responses. Many may ask how parents can notice their children and build an intimate relationship with them. In reality, almost all parents have never truly understood their children’s minds, nor have they realized what their deep desires are. What is going on? Hold on to Your Kids will hel...

How does Buffett, known as the Sage of Omaha, invest? This book will take you on a journey through Buffett’s investment history. We’ll learn how Benjamin Graham, Philip A. Fisher, and Charlie Thomas Munger influenced Buffett’s investment outlook, philosophy, and methods. Integrating his investment principles into your thinking and investment actions may not make you a billionaire, but it can help you improve your investment skills in the long term.

When it comes to economics, we often think of obscure concepts and principles. However, the book How An Economy Grows And Why It Crashes simplifies this by telling a story of people fishing on an island. Through this story, we can more easily understand the economy, economic growth, its root cause, as well as inflation and deflation. This book makes dry and dull economic concepts easy to understand, and at the same time mirrors the operating system of the U.S. economy.

“The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature” introduces a revolutionary theory that is against the mainstream view of human nature. It constructs new meanings and moral concepts after destroying old ones, and rebuilds our confidence in human nature. This book will clarify the origins, connotations, and limitations of human nature, trace the roots of many types of human suffering, dispel the mist of moral illusions, and reach the land of reality. It also confronts hot topics in the scient...

Do you want to know how Apple founder Steve Jobs, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Forbes World's billionaire Mark Cuban manage their time? Based on his interviews with 7 billionaires, 13 Olympic athletes, 29 straight-A students and 239 entrepreneurs, The New York Times bestselling author Kevin Kruse summarized the 15 time and energy management habits of productive people, and put forward his unique E-3C System for time management.