Samridh Kapoor - Samridh’s Library

Sign in Subscribe

Samridh Kapoor

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility is being superior to your former self. Samridh's Library is a garage for my mind. Learn along with me.

📝 Are You Writing Things Down?

📝 Are You Writing Things Down?

What's the most underrated invention in human history? Roland Allen thinks it's the humble notebook. In The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper, he explains how for much of recent human history, the humble notebook (in various forms) has been the key enabler for some

🛫 🇮🇳 Which Fighter Pilots Win

🛫 🇮🇳 Which Fighter Pilots Win

Can we learn to decide from fighter pilots? I think so. Fighter pilots face some of the most challenging decision-making environments, where all the factors that contribute to bad decision-making occur simultaneously: 1. Little or no time to decide 2. High-stakes and existential risk to life of their own and

🥷🏼 This Book Wins Wars

🥷🏼 This Book Wins Wars

3000 years ago, Kautilya (popularly known as Chanakya) didn’t waste his time debating whether war between two countries was moral. He knew: war was a continuation of strategic objectives by other means. In the Arthashastra, the only question was: How ready are you to win? I love this book,

How To Spot Lies

How To Spot Lies

Another scam just hit this week. Blusmart and Gensol's billion-dollar valuations (as well as the hard-earned investments of millions of retail investors) were wiped out by a single SEBI order. In such times, the real asset isn’t money. It's knowing the truth and how to

This Old Book Predicts Our Future

This Old Book Predicts Our Future

Most people think science progresses like savings accounts — slow, linear compounding. Thomas Kuhn destroyed that fantasy. His message was simple: science doesn’t evolve. It revolts. In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn, a historian of science, shows us how real change happens — not inch by inch, but revolution by

Will AI Replace You?

Will AI Replace You?

Let’s be honest. AI isn’t just a technological revolution. It’s a psychological one. Professionals aren’t panicking because they can’t learn AI. They’re panicking because, for the first time, their mind itself feels replaceable. The Psychological Hit Professionals Are Taking from AI—and How to

How To Avoid Disastrous Decisions One Step At A Time: Second Order Thinking

How To Avoid Disastrous Decisions One Step At A Time: Second Order Thinking

I see most people make daily decisions like goldfish do— with a short memory, and zero foresight. But rational people? They try to think beyond the knee-jerk reaction and predict the chaos that could follow. This mental habit to foresee the consequences of your decisions, and the consequences of those

Are You Thinking in Bets?

Are You Thinking in Bets?

Annie Duke, a former professional poker champion and decision strategist, argues that life is more like poker than chess—it’s full of incomplete information, randomness, and unknowns. Therefore, we must learn to make decisions like elite poker players do: by focusing on the quality of the decision process—not

🔮 How To Predict Well

🔮 How To Predict Well

Can the future be predicted? These guys think so. In Superforecasters, Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner reveal the habits, mindsets, and methods of individuals who are extraordinarily accurate in predicting future events—not by using crystal balls, but by using three habits systematically: 1. Thinking clearly 2. Updating frequently, and

⚠️ Have You Misunderstood Risk?

⚠️ Have You Misunderstood Risk?

Have you misunderstood risk all your life? Do you use the words, risk, uncertainty and volatility interchangeably as if they were all the same? Have you lost money, ideas and opportunities because of this misunderstanding? You're not alone. An important book helps correct this misunderstanding. Howard Marks, co-founder

Dead Geniuses: Why The Dead Are Better 'Influencers' Than The Living

Contrarian Ideas

Dead Geniuses: Why The Dead Are Better 'Influencers' Than The Living

Who are the Dead Geniuses? And are they really worth liking, sharing, following and subscribing to, more than the living influencers of today? Why Is This a Contrarian Idea? In a world obsessed with real-time updates, trending influencers, and the latest thought leaders, suggesting that the most valuable insights come

9 Ways To Read More With Less Effort

9 Ways To Read More With Less Effort

A Samridh's Library Checklist about how to spend more time reading simply, with minimum effort and maximum joy.

How To Read A Book by Mortimer Adler

How To Read A Book

Today’s Book Is Literally Called ‘How to Read a Book’. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Disclaimer: I don’t recommend books I haven’t read at least twice. And I believe no one should. Your time is valuable, and I should have spent at least twice that time reading something to be able to

The Feynman Method

The Feynman Method

Today I've learnt a little more than I already knew about the Feynman Method, a simple way to learn by teaching. Want to know what I figured out? Continue reading.

Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!

This book is a collection of anecdotes from the life of Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. Rather than focusing solely on his scientific achievements, the book showcases his curiosity, unconventional thinking, and irreverent attitude toward authority and tradition. Feynman narrates his experiences—from cracking safes at Los Alamos to