When I first heard the name Adharanand, I imagined an ultra-running icon of Indian descent. However, after some quick research, I found that he is actually of Irish origin, born to Irish parents. His family moved to a South London ashram, where they were deeply influenced by Indian spirituality. This unique upbringing shaped much of Finn's perspective on life and endurance.
In this book, Finn takes readers on a journey through his experiences in ultra running, competing in some of the toughest ultra-marathons around the world. From the searing deserts of Oman to the challenging, rugged terrain of Mont-Blanc, Finn's journey is not just about physical endurance but also mental and emotional resilience.
What stands out throughout his grueling races is the unwavering support he receives from his family, especially his children. He admits that there were many moments when he felt like quitting, particularly during 24-hour track runs and other ultra races. However, with the constant encouragement and moral support of his family, he pushed through, achieving feats he once doubted were possible.
Finn's story is deeply inspiring, and while it resonated with me, I wonder if I will recall his journey every time I lace up for a jog—that’s a matter of personal motivation. Perhaps it’s Finn’s spiritual connection, nurtured by his early life experiences, that gives him the strength to push through and accomplish seemingly unattainable goals.
The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island - By Bill Bryson
The audiobook is one of the coolest technological inventions. Many of us would love to read books but may not have the time to sit and read as much as we'd like. With the invention of the audiobook, we can listen to our books while traveling, jogging, cooking, house cleaning, and more.
When we were in Maidenhead, the audiobook service Libby from the local library did not have a good collection. However, after relocating to Wallington, I found that the Sutton libraries have a really good collection of audiobooks. Though it's sometimes hard to find the book we want to read due to many being on hold, it still has a good variety available.
I agree that with audiobooks, you cannot easily listen to logical or hard-to-understand books. For example, I tried to listen to "Steppenwolf" by Herman Hesse but couldn't get past 30 minutes. Some books require frequent references to previous pages, which you cannot do easily with an audiobook. However, easy-going, no-brainer or just informative books can definitely be enjoyed via audiobooks, making good use of time while performing mundane tasks.
The first complete book I listened to via audiobook was "The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island" by Bill Bryson. It's a travelogue where the author covers British landscapes, history, culture, food, and people. This is said to be an extension of his previous book, Notes from a Small Island, which I haven't read yet. Bryson starts his journey from the southern tip of England, Beachy Head, and travels to Cape Wrath in the far north of Scotland. Being an American immigrant, his experiences with the British Isles resonated with many of my own memories as an immigrant to the UK from India. His experience in Mc Donalds was the best of all for me.
As he traveled around the UK, he made beautiful notes on British terrain, personality, jokes, coffee shops, and more. Bryson's writing style is simple but often witty. I felt that the narrator of this audiobook, Nathan Osgood, did a great job narrating the book with emotion. I'm sure if I had read the book myself, I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed listening to it. It was definitely a delightful and easy-listening book, and I'm happy that I started my audiobook journey with such a good experience.
Facebook: The Inside Story by Steven Levy
"Facebook: The Inside Story" by Steven Levy offers a compelling look into the rise of one of the most influential tech companies in the world. Here are some key takeaways from my reading:
Mark Zuckerberg's Early Years
Mark Zuckerberg, born to Jewish parents—a dentist father and a psychologist mother—displayed remarkable intelligence from a young age. His early interests included learning programming from "C for Dummies" and playing "Civilization," which inspired him to create his own games. He attended the prestigious Exeter Academy, where he coded several programs, including a precursor to a social network inspired by a classmate. He also developed a program to help find groceries in supermarkets, though he never pursued it further. Mark eventually chose Harvard as his first-choice university, where he created Facemash, a controversial platform that landed him in trouble due to privacy and security issues.
The Birth of Facebook
Before Facebook, there were several similar platforms, including SixDegrees and Friendster. During his time at Harvard, Mark was approached by Divya Narendra and the Winklevoss twins to develop ConnectU, a social networking site. While he agreed to work on their project, he intentionally delayed it to focus on his creation, Facebook. Initially called "TheFacebook," the platform quickly spread from one university to another. The company later paid $500,000 to secure the domain "facebook.com," marking a significant milestone in its journey. Divya Narendra and the Winklevoss twins (Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss) sued Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing their idea. The legal battle culminated in a settlement in 2008, where Facebook agreed to pay $65 million in cash and stock to the ConnectU founders.
Acquisitions and Growth
Facebook's growth was significantly fueled by major acquisitions, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus. Initially, these companies operated independently, benefiting from Facebook's infrastructure. However, over time, Mark Zuckerberg began integrating their services more closely with Facebook. This integration led to dissatisfaction among the original founders. The founders of WhatsApp left the company, voicing their concerns with the hashtag #deletefacebook, as they felt pressured into monetizing WhatsApp in ways that conflicted with their vision. Similarly, the founders of Instagram also departed, though their exit was more subdued, due to disagreements over the integration of Instagram's features with Facebook. Despite these challenges, Mark remained committed to his vision of free speech, often overlooking the quality and truthfulness of the content on the platform. This stance played a significant role in the 2016 U.S. election, where Russian groups and Trump's digital marketing team leveraged Facebook to influence voter opinions.
Challenges and Setbacks
Facebook has faced numerous challenges and setbacks over the years. One of the most significant was the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, where a consultant, Aleksandr Kogan, accessed user data through a Facebook app under the guise of academic research. This data was then sold to Cambridge Analytica, which used it to influence voter behavior in the 2016 U.S. election. The scandal brought to light serious privacy concerns and led to widespread public and governmental scrutiny of Facebook's data practices.
In addition to privacy issues, Facebook struggled with several product failures. The company's attempt to release its own smartphone, in partnership with HTC, was a notable flop, failing to attract significant user interest. Similarly, the Portal device, a video communication tool, received positive reviews but suffered from poor sales due to the timing of its release amidst Facebook's ongoing privacy controversies.
Facebook's foray into digital currency with Libra also faced major hurdles. Despite being backed by major companies like Mastercard, Visa, and Paypal. The initiative faced regulatory pushback and skepticism from the public, leading several key partners to withdraw their support. Eventually, the project was rebranded as Diem but failed to convert as a successful project, eventually ending up as a shelved project.
Despite these setbacks, Facebook continued to innovate and compete in the social media landscape. Snapchat, which remained independent despite acquisition offers from Facebook, pioneered the stories feature, which Facebook later adopted for Instagram. This move helped Instagram stay competitive and maintain its user base.
Personal Life and Leadership
Mark Zuckerberg is known for his aloof and sometimes rude demeanor, never visited Instagram's headquarters, and is described as difficult to work with. Despite this, he overcame a fear of public speaking through extensive rehearsal and now enjoys it. He married Priscilla Chan in a low-key ceremony, which was presented as a graduation party for Chan. Mark's personality and leadership style have significantly influenced Facebook's culture and operations.
Facebook's Culture
The company's motto, "Build Fast, Fail Fast," evolved to include "Apologize Later" due to frequent controversies and missteps. Despite numerous challenges, Mark remains steadfast in his belief in Facebook's mission. He has acknowledged several times that he didn't foresee the issues that a platform like Facebook could cause, especially regarding the spread of misinformation and its impact on society.
"Facebook: The Inside Story" provides a detailed and insightful look at the complexities, triumphs, and tribulations of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the tech industry's inner workings.
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