On My Shelf with Paula Guagliardi — UX/UI Designer at paulagdi.com (Berlin, Germany)
About me
I am a UX designer based in Berlin who enjoys translating insights from users into interfaces for products with a positive impact on people’s lives. I started my career working in digital advertising. I also founded my web design studio before turning to User Experience and Product Design.
On my shelf
So Good They Can’t Ignore You
Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love
by Cal Newport
My opinion
This book should be mandatory in College. It provides such a clear guide and framework to develop a career path. It doesn’t offer any magical tool, on the contrary, the book challenges the, now mainstream, advice about following your passion as the key to love the work we do. Instead, the book explores how skill and ability is the way to have a successful career. The book is consistent with other Cal Newport’s books such as Deep Work and Digital Minimalism.
304 pages, Grand Central Publishing 2012
The Demon-Haunted World
Science As a Candle in the Dark
by Carl Sagan
My opinion
I read this book a long time ago, but I think that is a must-read for the times we’re living in now. Carl Sagan urges us to differentiate the myths of pseudoscience from the scientific method. He explores fallacies through-out history and culture and persuasive as always makes the case for learning critical and skeptical thinking.
457 pages, Ballantine Books 1997
How to Take Smart Notes
One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking
by Sönke Ahrens
My opinion
This book explores Niklas Luhmann’s method to develop ideas and thoughts. Luhmann was a prolific German sociologist, philosopher of social science, and a prominent thinker in systems theory. This is the first comprehensive guide and description of his system in English. The technique is simple, and the book not only explains how it works but also why. Turning it into a tool to learn how to think better.
176 pages, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2017
Making Sense Podcast
by Sam Harris
My opinion
The making sense podcast offers engaging conversations with experts about technology, politics, conscience, religion, and free speech. He explores current topics centered around society, why we do the things we do, how are these things affecting us, how can we live a better life.
Listen to the podcast on
Our series “On my shelf” features product people from all over the world who are passionate about reading and sharing their best book recommendations with the community. If you want to join the movement and share your reading list with others send us a message. Let’s get better together 📚.
