Thomas E Chung

I write about all sorts of weird and wonderful things, ranging from how to manage one's personal finances as a younger person, how to survive and thrive in one's professional life, and how to learn French with less friction as an English speaker. I'm currently working on a travelogue, documenting the things I learn from my annual mecca to France.

Books about decision-making in everyday life — from personal finance and careers to learning through real experience.
All available on Amazon (Kindle, paperback, and hardback formats) and Google Play.

Young But Not Foolish: A Young Person's Life-changing Guide to Money (2025)

“Anything to do with money does my head in…”

“All this finance stuff is far too complicated…”

“I’d never be able to understand anything about money…”

If you find yourself thinking the same thing, I’ve got good news for you!

This book tries to break money concepts down in plain English. The author truly believes that financial concepts should be accessible to everyone. Whether we like it or not, we all have to deal with money probably until our last breath, so not understanding how it works puts one in distinct disadvantage in life.

No, you won’t end up becoming a financial wiz after reading this book but what you’d gain is a level of financial literacy that would hopefully serve you for years to come.

Le Casse-tête: The Blasphemous Guide to Learning French for English Speakers (2025)

French is impossible to learn. I’ve been learning it for years and I’m going nowhere fast…

I’m stuck on the French-learning plateau – no matter what I do, my progress has stalled and I just can’t catch a break…”

I understand everything in my French course but when I’m tossed into the wild, it feels like what I’ve learned and how French is actually spoken and used are two wildly different things…

What resources are available to French-learners? Is Duolingo any good? When should I start using native material?

Why can’t French people understand me? Why do they keep speaking English to me when I speak French to them?

If you find yourself thinking the same thing, I’ve got good news for you!

This book gives English-speaking French learners practical insight into how the language actually works in real life. This is not a French grammar textbook. Rather, it supplements academic French by bringing the language to life. It’s filled with tips, shortcuts, and ‘a-ha moments’ gathered over years of learning French as an English speaker.

The book highlights key differences between English and French, anchoring French in concepts you already know, helping you transition from translating from English in your head to actually thinking in French.

If you want to turbocharge the French you already know and finally make it usable in everyday life, this is the resource you’ve been looking for.

The Consummate Professional: How to Thrive in Your Professional Career and Enjoy it Along the Way (2026)

“I’m starting my career in a professional services firm, now what?”

“There are all these unspoken rules but no one tells you about them…”

“How do I advance and get to the top in my professional career?”

Your professional career doesn’t come with a manual – until now.

This book is written specifically for professionals like accountants, lawyers, management consultants, engineers, architects, surveyors, IT consultants, financial planners, and many others who provide professional services to clients.

Professional services firms are special and peculiar workplaces. They operate on their own secret codes and unwritten rules. There are very few resources out there to teach you how to survive your career – let alone thrive in it. Young professionals are traditionally expected to learn the ropes under a ‘sink or swim’ approach and most end up running into brick walls.

To reduce the number of bruises you give yourself as you muddle through your colourful but often complicated career, this book distils thirty years of professional services experience into digestible, bite-size insights and gives you no-nonsense advice that is easy to put into practice.

If you’re looking for an experienced mentor who has lived the lessons in this book – and genuinely wants to help you succeed and thrive – look no further.