Have you ever wondered why Elon Musk has his hands in so many different industries? According to his biographer, Walter Isaacson, there’s a method to his madness. Early on, Musk identified the internet, sustainable energy, and space as the three areas of industry most critical to humanity’s future, and the rest has followed from there. […]
A journalist finally holds Big Tech accountable
Kara Swisher is one of the most famous technology journalists in the world. In her recent memoir, Burn Book, she goes all in on criticizing the industry that made her rich, with few tech leaders escaping her attention. While many onlookers have focused mainly on Swisher’s conflicts with big egos like Elon Musk, some of her […]
The easy trick that prevents misunderstandings
Effective communication is a superpower that anyone can learn. In our latest Instaread, investigative journalist Charles Duhigg shares the secret formula. There are really only three types of conversation: practical, emotional, and social. Your job is to understand the difference. Your New Superpower Practical, decision-based conversations focus on the question “What’s this really about?” Emotional conversations ask […]
Warren Buffett’s shadow self
A few days ago, in his annual letter to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett remembered his long-time business partner, Charlie Munger. Munger, who died last November at the age of 99, wasn’t as famous as Buffett, but he was just as important to the company’s success. Our latest Instaread looks at his investment […]
Inside the royal court
The Royal Family has really been going through it, as they say. Charles has cancer. Katherine’s recovering from an undisclosed illness. And poor old Harry is practically American now. Who has been advising these people through the crises? And how soon can they be replaced? A Delicate Balance A good courtier fills a variety of […]
The redemption of Britney Spears
Britney Spears has been famous for most of her life, starting from her childhood appearances on “Star Search” and the Mickey Mouse Club. Our latest release traces her journey in the public eye as well as the trouble she experienced at home, behind the scenes. Celebrity Dirt Britney has plenty to dish on her former flame Justin […]
Why do people hate Ray Dalio?
In 2017, Ray Dalio wrote a hit autobiography about how he founded and led Bridgewater, the world’s largest hedge fund. The book was enormously successful, but it also fed discontent behind the scenes between Dalio and his employees. Rob Copeland, a financial reporter for the New York Times, digs deep into Dalio’s secrets in our latest Instaread. […]
Will the monarchy fall?
Omar Scobie always traveled with a black suit. As a journalist covering the British royal family, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Queen Elizabeth II passed away. Still, her death still caught him a bit by surprise. Perhaps every British person believed, on some level, that Queen Elizabeth would live […]
Sing us a song, you’re the banana man 🎤
The fruit trade is a dirty business. Take, for example, Sam Zemurray, known as the Banana Man, a Russian immigrant who became an influential figure in the American banana trade. This is the story of how he became one of the most powerful men in the world, overthrowing governments and contributing to the Guatemalan civil […]
What it’s like to be poor
Stephanie Land’s life changed forever when she wrote her first memoir, Maid, and the adaptation blew up on Netflix. But before any of that happened, she struggled horribly as a single mother with an abusive ex. Her second book, Class, tells that story — and it isn’t always pretty. Found Family Perhaps the biggest drain on Stephanie’s […]
