Krisztián Zsolt Sallai

A software engineering manager, a passionate Java developer, a software architect and a software craftsman.

1 minute read

I got to know about this book from a colleague. Since I had never heard about it before, I first paid little attention to it for some reason. I just put it in my backlog.

I still remember the moment when it got changed. I often listen to audiobooks during jogging. I was already in my jogging dress, standing outside, ready for exercise. I quickly looked for a new audiobook on my phone as I finished a previous one on a different running session. When I saw it on my list, I just hit the purchase button without much hesitation. After a minute of download time, I was already jogging and listening to this great book.

Yes, it is a great book. It was crystal clear in the beginning what the book was about. It also promised to prove or decorate the points with stories. And those stories are truly fantastic. They were always relevant and smoothly connected to the book’s main line. And there were many of them from a wide variety of sources, business people, politicians, doctors, and world-famous people, such as Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln, John D. Rockefeller, King George V, Napoleon, Jesus, and many others.

The book is not something academic, philosophical essay or thesis. Instead, it is a ready-to-be-used guide for dealing with people. Helpful at home with your family, with your friends, at your workplace with colleagues, or even with random strangers. Easy to follow, straight to the point, and nicely emphasises the main takeaway messages. Last but not least, it is timeless. I only realised that the book was first published in 1936 when I got to the very end. Both the reasonings and stories remain relevant even to this day.

And finally, I opted for the audiobook format, and the narrator, Andrew MacMillan, was exceptional. His voice had a soothing late-night DJ tone, and he spoke clearly, emphasising all the right parts. Overall, listening to the audiobook was a delightful experience.

What I liked the most:

  • Practical, ready-to-be-used guide
  • Useful in different areas of life, at home, with friends, or at the workplace
  • Timeless
  • Full of great stories
  • The audiobook narrator is exceptional

What I didn’t like much:

  • nothing, easily one of the best books I have ever read

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