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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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July 12th, 2024 | by Kyle Brennan
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Thought of the Week
While some argue that his observations are too simplistic and lack nuance, it doesn't negate the importance of acknowledging the subtle distinctions that both genders generally exhibit.
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There's no doubt men and women often present vastly different traits, expectations, and behaviors.
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In his blog, Tucker Max acknowledged a critical difference that I find to be (generally) true in most cases. He says:
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- To understand why a man said something, add “…and what do you think of me now that I said this?” to the end of his sentence.
- To understand why a woman said something add, “…and how close are we now that I’ve said that?” to the end of her sentence.
Not perfect obviously, but shockingly effective.
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What I'm Reading
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Malcolm X is a historical figure, who I was embarrassed to admit, I know almost nothing about. This book has been on my radar for a while as it is typically listed high in a number of 'Best Nonfiction Books of All Time' lists.
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I'm about halfway through, and the story of his life is fascinating - particularly how he used his seven years in prison to educate himself by reading nearly every book in the prison's library.
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Full review to come next week!
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Article I'm Reading
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While I'm only 31, the current political landscape in America has never felt further divided in my lifetime than it is now. This OpEd by Oren Cass (a conservative) paints an accurate depiction of the wide gap in beliefs and behaviors between the 'elite' and the 'everyman' and how it has led to anger and distrust in our political leaders.
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A couple of my favorite excerpts from the article:
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The result is a shockingly irresponsible national game of chicken. Barreling from one side are elites who remain fully committed to their own preferences, to pulling the levers of power for their own benefit and to offering candidates in both parties who would preserve the status quo. Barreling from the other are ordinary people, the majority of Americans, who reject elite preferences but feel unable to assert others, except through the last resort that democracy affords them. Both sides are honking as loudly as they can.
Taking the majority’s preferences seriously, even when they conflict with the preferences of more sophisticated experts, is often disparaged as populism. But while elected officials and their technocratic advisers may have special insight into how the people’s goals are best achieved, only the people can determine what those goals should be and whether they are being met.
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I'm often overburdened at work. As a result, I find myself frequently apologizing for late replies or sending through annoying bumps to unread emails. This chart crafts some better responses in a world of less humanized business jargon.
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Observe and Rapport Bookmarks!
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As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics, and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of
The New York Times Book Review.
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Books from the list I've read:
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Books on the list I want to read:
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Quote I'm Pondering
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“Three-fourths of philosophy and literature is the talk of people trying to convince themselves that they really like the cage they were tricked into entering.”
― Gary Snyder
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This was such an awesome conversation. Jules is an old friend of Keith's and generally an awesome guy with a great story. Really enjoyed this one.
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Keith and Kyle sit down with professional performance coach and Muay Thai instructor Jules Ryan @jules.jrp. The gents discuss Jules' origin story, how extensive travel influenced his career and career choices, the discipline of Muay Thai, Jules' process with clients for creating personalized fitness programs, and Jules' opinion on the three most under-utilized workout styles.
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Check Out My Amazon Favorites Bookstore
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Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
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Kyle's Published Work
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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