The Great Mental Models Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts
“This is what non-fiction books should aspire to be like. Definitely, a must-read if you’re into universal multi-disciplinary thinking.”
– Carl Rannaberg
“I’m really glad this exists in the world and I can see that I will be recommending it often.”
– Matt Mullenweg
“Learn the big ideas from the big disciplines and you’ll be able to twist and turn problems in interesting ways at unprecedented speeds”
– Simon Eskildsen
A Look Inside Volume 1
General Thinking Concepts covers the first 9 mental models in the series. A thorough understanding of these 9 models will, without a doubt, improve the way you approach problems, consider opportunities, and make difficult decisions.
A chapter is dedicated to each model (see a sample chapter on Probabilistic Thinking), dissecting it in three ways. First, we define it. Second, we provide real-world examples where this model has been used, (or in some cases, show the consequences of where it was ignored.) And last, we offer suggestions for how these models can be applied in your own life — where they really matter.
The project is more than an encyclopedia of mental models, it changes thinking and behaviors.
Bonus Materials
- The Elephant
- The Three Buckets of History
- The Trolley Experiment
- The Cattle Chute
- Second-Order Problem
- Fat Tails
- Causation vs. Correlation
Where to Order
Have you seen The Great Mental Models Volume 2: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
Real World Reviews
Here is what some people have said about The Great Mental Models Volume 1 so far:
“I’m really glad this exists in the world and I can see that I will be recommending it often.”
– Matt Mullenweg
co-founder of WordPress
founder and CEO of Automattic
“This is what non-fiction books should aspire to be like. Informative, concise, universal, practical, visual, sharing stories and examples for context. Definitely, a must-read if you’re into universal multi-disciplinary thinking.”
– Carl Rannaberg
“Broadly informative. This book contains a wealth of information which is elegantly sourced from a broad array of knowledge bases and studies. This information is presented in a way that is elegant and easy to digest.”
— Benjamin Krotin
“If you’ve read Charlie Munger’s Almanack this is the book you deeply crave in its wake. … Learn the big ideas from the big disciplines and you’ll be able to twist and turn problems in interesting ways at unprecedented speeds. His blog already documents a subset of models, but in this book Shane goes in even more depth with rich examples of each under the umbrella of ‘General Thinking Concepts’, e.g. Occam’s Razor. This is the first in a 5-part series: the encyclopedia of the big ideas from the big disciplines. One that I hope to be recognizable on bookshelves around the world. You owe yourself this book.”
– Simon Eskildsen
“This book is a natural complement to Shane’s blog. It teaches the reader about important mental models in an easy to learn manner. Shane has a wonderful ability to discern what models are most important to decision-makers and to teach the reader the key principles behind these models. This book is a great thing for any active decision-maker to have – in any industry where you make frequent decisions with no “right answer.” I highly recommend it!”
— Paul Ciampa
“The Great Mental Models series is a stunning achievement in centralizing the many models for thought in an organized fashion … The encyclopedic content is complex but easily digested- I’ve found myself referencing the first volume on numerous occasions.”
– Sam
“I can truly say is one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting lost in. I loved the book and the challenges to conventional wisdom and thinking it presents.”
— Rod Berryman
“A great book, short and to the point. A less restrained author would probably elaborate more about the concepts, but in my view, the short and concise chapters are what makes this book appealing. I can easily pass this book on to friends and family, who are not one bit interested in learning this stuff, and I bet they would swallow it as I did.”
— Amazon Customer
“Beautifully designed, interesting, and delightful book I will be returning to for years to come.”
— Amazon Customer
