All posts by Cody

Brookhiser has done good work in writing biographies on several founding fathers of the United States. After finishing Give Me Liberty last week, I started in on Alexander Hamilton, American. It has been great so far.

Hamilton, like so many of the younger founding fathers, excelled in many areas, over and above their peers. They wrote significant works at a young age, entered college at a young age, and read far more than those around them. Hamilton was no exception.

He served as one of George Washington’s aides in the revolutionary war, helped craft the United States Constitution, and, as the first Secretary of the Treasury, was the primary architect and advocate for creating America’s first central bank – the First Bank of the United States, which was established in 1791.

Books I’m Reading I finished this book and was thankful I read it. Brookhiser captures well the context and sentiments underpinning several of the most liberty-connected moments in the history of the United States. Particularly moving this week was the account of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR) fireside chat later named, “Arsenal of Democracy,” delivered on…

I saw this book on the shelf at our library and had to pick it up, especially after reading Ingenious the week before. Brookhiser has an approachable way of writing, tracing the history of liberty as the key ideal in the foundation and continued development of the United States of America.

I must say, the further we progress into the future as a nation, the further we drift from our original ideal of liberty. Sadly, I don’t think we should expect anything different.

After finishing the Mistborn trilogy by Sanderson I had to try out this first of a sequel series that’s set in the same world. It takes place roughly 300 years after the events of the last Mistborn book, The Hero of Ages. I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far.

This week I finished Rumelt’s second book. It’s a thoroughly excellent look at the intersection of good strategy and good leadership.

From the Goodreads summary:

In this ground-breaking book, Richard Rumelt, the world’s leading authority on strategy, shows how finding the crux of a challenge is the essence of the strategist’s skill. The crux is the key issue where action will best pay off, and Rumelt reveals how to pinpoint it so you can focus energy on what really matters. Drawing on decades of professional and academic experience, and through vivid storytelling – from Elon Musk’s decision-making to Netflix’s journey – Rumelt illuminates how leaders can overcome obstacles, navigate uncertainty and determine the best path forward.

Strategy is not about setting financial targets, statements of desired outcomes, or performance goals, it is about finding the crux and taking decisive, coherent action.