I backed the Kickstarter for this nonfiction book, so I got to read it slightly before it was released in fall 2025. The premise is simple: it FEELS as if everything in our world—from the digital tools we use to the websites we access and the products we buy—keep getting worse. Is that true, or is that simply our imagination? The author, Cory Doctorow, explains exactly why products start out great but then become "enshittified" as corporations shift from catering to end users to caring only about their shareholders. Off the top of my head, he presents case studies that include Google, Amazon, Facebook, Uber, Apple, and a host of other well-known brands.
Google search, for example, used to give users a long list of records that they could then click through to find inflation about any topic. It was valuable to end users. Once Google dominated that market and became the only gamer in town, they shifted to rewarding advertisers who wanted to reach those users. Next, in the final stage of enshittification, their product worsened to the point that each search an end user makes results in crappy shopping results, AI-generated responses, and a short list of productive links. The search function has worsened so that both searchers and advertisers are screwed. (You never find what you're looking for, and the the advertisers budget is eaten up before they ever land a satisfied customer.)
In the realm of household goods, we learn the the digitization of so many products mean that corporations can control your household goods even after you have paid good money to "own" them. They can kill your printer, your fridge, your washing machine, or your cars any time they want--or hold certain features ransom unless you pay a monthly subscription fee.
Doctorow clearly knows a lot about this world. Parts of the book get wonky, but I enjoyed learning that no, I'm not crazy. Things really are getting worse. He lays the blame on monopolistic forces, loss of competition, the death of true regulation across the world, and the crushing of workers and unions.
If nothing else, it explained me to me why Amazon drivers are the terror of my neighborhood. They are in fear of losing their jobs and are spied on as they make their rounds.
I heard about this book from an artist and software creator who said he used Walker's concepts to connect better with his newsletter subscribers and help them guide him into making better products. A key insight is that if you listen carefully and build what your users/fans/customers want that they will reward you by buying it right out of the gate.
This is a revised edition, so Walker is able to provide links to case studies of students of his who built strong online businesses using his techniques. They range from people like real estate developers selling courses to costumiers selling courses on how to create amazing "kits" for historical re-enactors.
Understand that Walker himself is selling a course, but you don't need to buy it to follow the principles in the book. I think it's a valuable for anyone looking to establish new or enhance existing income streams.
The only guide you'll ever need to achieve online marketing success. With new chapters offering fresh information, you'll find all the insider tips in one place.
The revised and updated edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller Launch will build your business - fast. Whether you've already got an online business or you're itching to start one, this is a recipe for getting more traction and a fast start.
Think about it: What if you could launch like Apple or the big Hollywood studios? What if your prospects eagerly counted down the days until they could buy your product?…
I had never heard of the multimillionaire entrepreneur Ravikant before this. I tend not to be a business book reader, but in 2025 I tried to focus on reading nonfiction books that others recommended to me, and this was one of them. The book is a collection of interviews and, yes, Tweets he shared with followers over the years that express his ideas. So yes, because of this mode of presentation, the book can feel a little disjointed. But thought the editor did a create job of presenting these chunks of wisdom in as tightly a manner as possible, so the ideas read seamlessly.
The first half of the book is all about wealth--how I got this way and how you can, too! Mostly, I was surprised how much he attributed to reading the right books and continuing one's education throughout life.
The second half, surprisingly, was all about happiness--how to live your life without the baggage of the past. He's a proponent of using meditation to resolve the things that upset you and drag you down.
I did not know what to expect when I started reading this. The book is dirt-cheap in digital form, but if you like it I recommend getting the print edition. His recommended reading list at the back of the book is worth the investment in the book.
GETTING RICH IS NOT JUST ABOUT LUCK; HAPPINESS IS NOT JUST A TRAIT WE ARE BORN WITH.These aspirations may seem out of reach, but building wealth and being happy are skills we can learn.So what are these skills, and how do we learn them? What are the principles that should guide our efforts? What does progress really look like?Naval Ravikant is an entrepreneur, philosopher, and investor who has captivated the world with his principles for building wealth and creating long-term happiness. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant is a collection of Naval's wisdom and experience from the last ten years, shared…
My wife and I are both successful freelance writers and authors. We wrote this book because so many of the creatives we meet have amazing careers but are still living hand to mouth. "I love what I do," a designer told us at a book conference, "but I turn 50 this year and I have no retirement savings to speak of."
The book lays out a system that anyone who has a "not-so-regular" job can use to funnel their earnings correctly to save for the future, pay taxes, pay for health insurance, reduce debt, and build up a nest egg. It works if you're a designer (like our friend above) or an artist, software developer, restaurant server, hair stylist, etc.
I would say that the book is probably best enjoyed by people who are just starting out in the freelance world. If you have been freelancing and surviving for decades, you have probably hammered out your own system and there's no point to adopting ours.
We're gratified that more than a decade after this book pubbed, we still hear from fans on social media who say this was the book that turned it around for them. We hope you'll check it out.
