Nassim Taleb – The Black Swan

In a nutshell (366 pages), this is a book all about the improbable end of a bell curve. Most people, including people who have never heard of the book or its author, probably know the term Black Swan by now but not many truly understand the significance. Taleb makes the case that the significance of these Black Swan events is not only impossible to foresee or prepare for by definition but amongst the most important factors of significant change in our world.

What I got out of it

I got a much better way of looking at probabilities and how to work with them. While Taleb makes the case that a Black Swan event is unforeseeable by definition, it doesn’t mean that there is nothing at all you can do to be prepared for them. It just means that you should pay close attention to “best laid plans” with a grain of salt.

What was difficult

While not particularly difficult per se, there is a lot to think about here. If you’re looking for an easy read, you will find that, but you’d be much better served taking your time reading it properly and considering the implications of Taleb’s arguments.

Recommendation

I strongly recommend giving this book a read. If you’ve read any of Taleb’s books and enjoyed them, then you will definitely enjoy this as well.