The Black Swan

By: Nassim Nicholas Taleb   

Pages: 305

Non Fiction, Psychology

My recommendation: 10 / 10

Date read: Before 2013

Brief review: Taleb describes a black swan as "a surprising or virtually unpredictable event that can have a massive impact. He challenges the notion of success and proves that most of it could be simply because of luck. Filled with numerous examples and research, this book will definitely hit your thinking pattern and the way you use probability in your life. His arguments and data points are brilliant. In one of the chapters he subtly says; don't cross the river if it is (on average) four feet deep. It is one of the finest books you can read which cautions about the risk of historical evidence in life and business. Taleb advocates to take positive exposure to black swan events. Simply outstanding. (Note: Starting this book is easy but you need to focus hard to finish it. The book carries too much depth and you should give time to read it. Don't hurry up into this one.)