A valuable guide for the uninitiated in search of quick, simple explanations.
A brief but impressively thorough introduction to cryptocurrency in general and bitcoin in particular.
Cryptocurrency is among the most hotly debated commercial innovations, but it’s also among the least understood, which is why so many new investors typically fail according to publisher alkeyTAB Pro (no author listed). This remarkably concise overview—barely more than 100 pages—attempts to clarify both the underlying technology and the operations of the market. The author begins with a quick, conventional history of cryptocurrency that traces it back to both its embryonic precursors, like DigiCash, invented in 1995, and the now-infamous essay written by the nebulous Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008, a kind of founding manifesto. Readers take an accessible guided tour of blockchain technology and the basic characteristics of bitcoin and are given some brief, comparative descriptions of its principal competitors like Ether and Ripple. The author notes the primary advantages of cryptocurrency over traditional currencies—the allure of decentralization, the elimination of third parties in transactions, and the absolute anonymity of the user are among the most attractive. And after discussing a host of questions the prospective investor might have—the book unfolds sort of like a long FAQ sheet—the author outlines a reasonably prudent investment strategy. Introductions to bitcoin are typically less practical, focusing on the political philosophy that undergirds it. By way of contrast, the book makes a point of providing basic, actionable information for those keen on entering the market. Also, while the author candidly considers bitcoin “one of the most important discoveries of recent times,” he also acknowledges its risks and limitations, including a vulnerability to hackers and the volatility of its market. In fact, he concedes it will not soon replace gold: “There is no evidence to conclude that bitcoin will ever take over gold as an investment asset. It can be expected, however, that the gold will hold its market, and bitcoin will gradually gain its own market share.” This isn’t the most detailed or searching account of bitcoin available, but it’s a useful resource for the newcomer looking for an easily digestible primer.
A valuable guide for the uninitiated in search of quick, simple explanations.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: alkeyTAB Pro
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Striking research showing the immense complexity of ordinary thought and revealing the identities of the gatekeepers in our...
A psychologist and Nobel Prize winner summarizes and synthesizes the recent decades of research on intuition and systematic thinking.
The author of several scholarly texts, Kahneman (Emeritus Psychology and Public Affairs/Princeton Univ.) now offers general readers not just the findings of psychological research but also a better understanding of how research questions arise and how scholars systematically frame and answer them. He begins with the distinction between System 1 and System 2 mental operations, the former referring to quick, automatic thought, the latter to more effortful, overt thinking. We rely heavily, writes, on System 1, resorting to the higher-energy System 2 only when we need or want to. Kahneman continually refers to System 2 as “lazy”: We don’t want to think rigorously about something. The author then explores the nuances of our two-system minds, showing how they perform in various situations. Psychological experiments have repeatedly revealed that our intuitions are generally wrong, that our assessments are based on biases and that our System 1 hates doubt and despises ambiguity. Kahneman largely avoids jargon; when he does use some (“heuristics,” for example), he argues that such terms really ought to join our everyday vocabulary. He reviews many fundamental concepts in psychology and statistics (regression to the mean, the narrative fallacy, the optimistic bias), showing how they relate to his overall concerns about how we think and why we make the decisions that we do. Some of the later chapters (dealing with risk-taking and statistics and probabilities) are denser than others (some readers may resent such demands on System 2!), but the passages that deal with the economic and political implications of the research are gripping.
Striking research showing the immense complexity of ordinary thought and revealing the identities of the gatekeepers in our minds.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-374-27563-1
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
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These are not hard and fast rules, but Meyer delivers important reading for those engaged in international business.
A helpful guide to working effectively with people from other cultures.
“The sad truth is that the vast majority of managers who conduct business internationally have little understanding about how culture is impacting their work,” writes Meyer, a professor at INSEAD, an international business school. Yet they face a wider array of work styles than ever before in dealing with clients, suppliers and colleagues from around the world. When is it best to speak or stay quiet? What is the role of the leader in the room? When working with foreign business people, failing to take cultural differences into account can lead to frustration, misunderstanding or worse. Based on research and her experiences teaching cross-cultural behaviors to executive students, the author examines a handful of key areas. Among others, they include communicating (Anglo-Saxons are explicit; Asians communicate implicitly, requiring listeners to read between the lines), developing a sense of trust (Brazilians do it over long lunches), and decision-making (Germans rely on consensus, Americans on one decider). In each area, the author provides a “culture map scale” that positions behaviors in more than 20 countries along a continuum, allowing readers to anticipate the preferences of individuals from a particular country: Do they like direct or indirect negative feedback? Are they rigid or flexible regarding deadlines? Do they favor verbal or written commitments? And so on. Meyer discusses managers who have faced perplexing situations, such as knowledgeable team members who fail to speak up in meetings or Indians who offer a puzzling half-shake, half-nod of the head. Cultural differences—not personality quirks—are the motivating factors behind many behavioral styles. Depending on our cultures, we understand the world in a particular way, find certain arguments persuasive or lacking merit, and consider some ways of making decisions or measuring time natural and others quite strange.
These are not hard and fast rules, but Meyer delivers important reading for those engaged in international business.Pub Date: May 27, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61039-250-1
Page Count: 288
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2014
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