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Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten

Founder & CEO at TNW (The Next Web)

23 posts / 9 following / 1.4k followers

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4000 weeks, Oliver Burkeman

I’ve bought this book for friends and keep recommending it to people. It’s the last efficiency/lifehack book you’ll ever need to read. Every page is a joy, every insight one you’ll want to share, but then you can also just lean back, enjoy life and relax.

May 30
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I’ve bought this book for friends and keep recommending it to people. It’s the last efficiency/lifehack book you’ll ever need to read. Every page is a joy, every insight one you’ll want to share, but then you can also just lean back, enjoy life and relax.

After Steve: How Apple became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul

Tripp Mickle gained access to an unprecedented amount of Apple executives to write a behind-the-scenes book of a company that known for keeping the behind-the-scenes firmly locked down. Juicy, insightful, personal.

May 8
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The antisocial network

Another author who’se books I pre-order as soon as they’re announced, and then usually read and finish within 24 hours. This one, about the GameStop short squeeze (if you don’t know what that means don’t worry, it’s all explained in the book) and the following (almost) banking crisis. Reads like a thriller, but it happened, and you’ve probably witnessed some of it.

September 16
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Project Hail Mary

A book I pre-bought from the author of The Martian and Artemis. It made me laugh, cry and take notes. Several plot twists keep the story alive and exciting, and the science is well explained and interesting.

August 28
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Bad Blood

Elizabeth Holmes, once heralded as the new Steve Jobs, is today going on trial in one of the biggest fraud cases ever. The unraveling started with a few articles by John Carreyrou, which led to this book. It’s a great book because you’ll start of liking and understanding Holmes and then as the book progresses you’ll slowly start realizing she really is a fraud. Reads like a thriller!

August 31
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Goldilocks

A female crew of 7 astronauts steals a spaceship and sets out on a mission to save earth, in a future world that’s increasingly anti-feminist. Sounds like science fiction? Unfortunately too many topics in this book are uncomfortably close to reality. After reading this book you’ll start recognizing parts of the book in life around you. Apart from all that, it’s a page turner and thrilling right until the end.

September 20
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Fuzz - When Nature Breaks the Law

Mary Roach’ books are all worth checking out. I’ve bought and read and enjoyed every single book she wrote, from Bonk (the curious coupling of science and sex) to Gulp (adventures in the alimentary canal) and now her most recent book: Fuzz: when nature breaks the law. Interesting, funny and ethically challenging chapters about animals around the world interacting with humans and each other, and breaking our laws and natures laws.

February 18
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Winter World

A delightful science fiction book that you won’t be able to put down once you get through the first chapter. I read it, loved it, then once I finished it found out it has two more books in a series of three. You can enjoy the one book and that’s fine, but if you love it, there will be two more. Recommended summer read.

August 2
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Make the Noise Go Away

To be honest; this is an awful book. The story is dated and difficult to identify with. Two bros in a cabin discussing their work relationship. Ugh. BUT… it is also a great book to get a better understanding about the relationship between a CEO and their COO. I can highly recommend reading it if you have one of those roles, or might need a COO (or want to become a COO) at some point. And it is short and factual. So buy it, ignore the story, and learn from it.

August 2
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