78,231 books
—
291,769 voters
Brian Smith
https://www.goodreads.com/bgsmithdc
“Kelly was momentarily stunned. Trump had heard the phrase “Pearl Harbor” and appeared to understand that he was visiting the scene of a historic battle, but he did not seem to know much else. Kelly explained to him that the stealth Japanese attack here had devastated the U.S. Pacific Fleet and prompted the country’s entrance into World War II, eventually leading the United States to drop atom bombs on Japan. If Trump had learned about “a date which will live in infamy” in school, it hadn’t really pierced his consciousness or stuck with him.”
― A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America
― A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America
“Mike picked up a tip listening to a speech by an executive of BJ’s Wholesale Club that we use—and you should too. Mike thought he knew all the secrets of public speaking, but as he waited to go onstage after the executive from BJ’s, he heard him start and end his speech with these words: “If there’s only one thing you remember from this talk . . .” That’s a great way to signal unmistakably what matters most and what you want people to take away.”
― Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less
― Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less
“football: it might not be enough to just love your job. You had to want to live in the world the job created. Working with people you like, a tribe with a common goal, would make your professional life far happier than any accolade, salary, or a company’s prestige could. You need to do the work you love, at a place and with people you love. You have to feel—Brady repeatedly returned to this word—“appreciated.”
― It's Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness
― It's Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness
“We have an America we can dream about again,” he said with a note of astonishment, as if this should have been totally obvious.”
― Reborn in the USA: An Englishman's Love Letter to His Chosen Home
― Reborn in the USA: An Englishman's Love Letter to His Chosen Home
“Their meeting wasn’t some meaningless diplomatic reception. It began with Halifax mistaking Hitler for a footman and almost handing him his coat. And then Hitler was Hitler for five hours: sulking, shouting, digressing, denouncing. He talked about how much he hated the press. He talked about the evils of communism. Halifax listened to the performance with what another British diplomat at the time called a “mixture of astonishment, repugnance, and compassion.”
― Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know
― Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know
Brian’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Brian’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Brian
Lists liked by Brian
































