Good Living

A review of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography.

Marketing strategist Ryan Holiday discusses how to turn obstacles to advantages, which is the theme of his best-selling book, The Obstacle Is the Way.

How did Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines, build the most profitable airline in America? In Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Action, Simon Sinek shows that what separates fabulously successful business leaders such as Kelleher from mediocre leaders is their clarity in defining why they do what they do.

Success is possible, but not guaranteed. We can achieve our dreams, but only if we direct our thought and effort toward them. Difficulties, roadblocks, obstacles are a part of life, and Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle is the Way is a great resource for learning how to turn these obstacles into opportunities.

Provides a fascinating look at the nature and potential value of cognitive enhancement drugs, laying to rest some of the hype and fear-mongering surrounding their use.

Sex among responsible individuals—including among responsible older teens (the precise appropriate age depends on individual maturity)—is a healthy and moral part of life and one of its great joys. People who are mature and responsible enough to have sex should pursue it passionately and enthusiastically, and not let mystical dogmas stand in their way.

For twenty-seven years Joseph “Gabe” Sonnier of Louisiana worked as a janitor for Port Barre Elementary. Although Sonnier never treated the position as beneath him, he worked hard to reach new levels of success, first as a teacher, then—as of November—as the principal of Port Barre.

Daniel Wahl reviews So Good They Can't Ignore You, by Cal Newport.

Daniel Wahl reviews Seven Pleasures, by Willard Spiegelman.

Zeros in on the nature and importance of purpose in good living, discusses how to organize and prioritize your values and goals with respect to their relative importance to your life and happiness, and offers tips and standing orders for making your life the best it can be.