Skin in the Game, Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Rating: ★★½☆☆
I really loved The Black Swan – the book that brought Taleb fame – but unfortunately he’s continued to go downhill following Antifragile and Fooled by Randomness. Skin in the Game is effectively a 260 page rant where Taleb uses his fame to perch on a soapbox and complain about all the societal norms that infuriate him. He’s an incredibly sharp fellow and the lucid portions of the book were fun to read, but I can’t say I enjoyed this one as a whole…
Goodreads: In his most provocative and practical book yet, one of the foremost thinkers of our time redefines what it means to understand the world, succeed in a profession, contribute to a fair and just society, detect nonsense, and influence others. Citing examples ranging from Hammurabi to Seneca, Antaeus the Giant to Donald Trump, Nassim Nicholas Taleb shows how the willingness to accept one’s own risks is an essential attribute of heroes, saints, and flourishing people in all walks of life.
As always both accessible and iconoclastic, Taleb challenges long-held beliefs about the values of those who spearhead military interventions, make financial investments, and propagate religious faiths.