Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Antifragile : Things That Gain from Disorder (Hardcover); 2012 Edition

Very hard to read, but a good book for self improvement

I wish I could get my money back. What a disappointment. The premise of this book, that some things thrive in chaos or in unexpected circumstances rife with change, is a compelling topic. I was eager to find out what the author had to say. But I found his story-telling style not to my taste.I have NEVER felt strongly enough about a book I did not like, that I would take the trouble to write a negative review. See if you can borrow a copy before you put your money down. I read tons of books every year, usually several a week, but for this one, I was only able to force myself to wade through the first few pages.Typical is one 46 - word long sentence full of descriptive language and grammatically correct. But it's difficult to follow those kinds of sentences, especially one after the other! That one was in the next to last paragraph on page four.On page six the author makes disparaging remarks about bureaucrats, bankers, name droppers, and academics. I guess that was the final straw for me.

The first time I picked up this book, I tossed it aside. Taleb tone is arrogant and condescending. His voice comes through the page. I went and grabbed the book a second time in March 2020. It’s the height of the coronavirus pandemic. This time I tried looking past his obnoxious tone. He makes a lot of important points about life and business. Optionality and antifragility are very timely now, as we deal with coronavirus pandemic.

If you want to read the views of a misogynistic, homophobic libertarian, this is the book for you. Glad I checked it out at the library.