Book Review: Ego is the Enemy
Don't be fooled by the title, Ego Is the Enemy is not a modern day Chicken Soup for the Soul self-help novel. After hearing some extremely positive reviews from people I know and follow on the internet I decided that it was time to take a break from the world of science fiction and fantasy and read about how ego could be my enemy.
It's not all that alien of a concept, ego is something although seldom discussed is something that I think inherently we all know can overwhelm us, and make us make bad decisions. What's interesting though is that we live in a society that often promotes or glorifies those with crazy ego's, just look at this presidential race as an easy example. What's interesting about this novel is that it focuses in on both household names and lesser known people throughout history who's egos didn't overtake them.
I think by about the halfway point of Ego is the Enemy I understood and had received as much of the thesis of this novel as I was going to get. Which for a short read is not a bad thing. The stories and real-world examples that Ryan Holiday gives are quite good. His argument is that by keeping your ego in check in the long run it will go to benefit you not only in your career but in your life.
Although not a perfect novel I really enjoyed this read. The examples were great, the real-world application was solid, and the overarching narrative compelling.
