Books :: Overview
I'm a 30-year-old computer scientist interested in why some people create successful, enjoyable, and meaningful lives while so many others do not. My first three books tackle the subject as it applies to students (I was a student myself when I wrote them). My latest book tackles the subject as it applies to crafting a career.
Being a geek, I'm not interested in simplistic slogans (e.g., follow your passion!), or conventional wisdom (e.g., successful students are all joyless grinds). Instead, I dive deeper, looking to decode the underlying patterns of success, in all their nuanced glory. If it helps, think of my writing as a scientist's take on self-help.
- So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love
- (Business Plus, September 2012)
- "Follow your passion" is bad advice. Here's what you should do instead.
Learn more >>
- How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Withouth Burning Out)
- (Three Rivers, July 2010)
- Learn the secrets of relaxed superstars --
students who get into top colleges without hating their high school
lives.
Learn more >>
- How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less
- (Three Rivers, December 2006)
- Revealed for
the first time: The proven study techniques
used by real straight-A students.
Learn more >>
- How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students.
- (Three Rivers, April 2005)
- Proven strategies
for making the most of your college years, based on
interviews with the country's most successful students.
Learn more >>