Running list of books completed in 2024
108. The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World by David Deutsch
Reflections:
This is one I will have to revisit probably several times before I grok what Deutsch is saying. Some of the key points were that all progress stems from explanatory knowledge, which involves understanding the underlying principles of how things work and that problems are inevitable, but solutions are also infinite, provided we can continue to generate new knowledge. Empahasizing error correction and the ability to make changes being the most important to keep society on the path of infinity. Defining a good explanation - being hard to vary without losing explanatory power, and optimism - a belief that problems are soluble with sufficient knowledge. An emphasis on the importance of creativity and conjecture to continue the progression and growth for society. The concept of infinity is great to seriously dwell on because the implications are quite profound. If you concede that the universe is infinite, then not only are all fictions that conform to the laws of physics possible, but they are real. This was the slowest I have listened to an audiobook all year and I ordered the physical copy to read again. I went back over many of the sections repeatedly until I felt I could move on. There were so many moments of true delight when he explained certain concepts or ideas where I would smile or laugh while listening. Heavy recommendation, and I hope to dive more deeply into this book one step at a time in the near future.
107. More Money Than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of a New Elite by Sebastian Mallaby
Reflections:
One of my favorite books of the year. Having spent a brief stint at a smaller hedge fund that was a tiger descendent and reading widely in the space, I really enjoyed the deep dives into some of the most famous hedge fund investors in history. Investing has the potential to be the most interesting job in the world because you can learn things from all different areas of life and time periods and apply it to any situation, make bets on outcomes, and then be rewarded or punished by the marketplace. It is the most competitive game in the world because the rewards for being correct are nearly limitless. I had heard snippets of some the stories showcased in this book before, but I felt Mallaby did a great job at explaining the relevant context for different funds and trades and captured the key points to cover the history of the hedge fund industry. I was specifically impressed with the stories of Alfred Jones and the origin of the hedge fund. Many of these concepts seem so obvious now in hindsight, but to be the first to dig into things like alpha, beta, position sizing, attribution, and the long/short strategy is pretty interesting, especially given the scarcity of data at the time. Highly recommend for anyone interested in hedge funds.
106. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
Reflections:
This book was relatively short and available through my library app so I wanted to quickly cross it off of my list. I am a firm believer in depth + breadth in the sense of Charlie Munger being a sponge for knowledge across seemingly disparate domains and seeking out the common threads. I appreciated the breakdown of different profiles in different environments where there are tradeoffs between specificity and generalization. I believe that irrespective of your chosen field, it pays to go extremely deep and specific into certain subjects for periods of time, but in almost any field you would be worse off by cutting yourself off from other fields. I have adopted curiosity as one of the core principles of my life, and so having an open and wandering mind trying to pull on threads and seek out knowledge and understanding naturally leads to wide exploration. It is sad that the world has moved so far into specialization, even in my childhood some schools making highschool freshman choose to play only one sport. I was a 3 sport athlete and am glad I experienced different games and team environments. I try to tell younger people to branch out to different disciplines because you really do not know what you like or dislike until you get a bit beyond the surface of a certain field.
105. Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It by Richard V. Reeves
Reflections:
I do not know what drew me to this book, perhaps it was my love of Of Wolves and Men earlier this year, but in the end I am glad I came across it. I personally really enjoy the memes surrounding the “cure to male loneliness” and I think that is an early step in bringing this problem to the mainstream. There seem to be a lot of different long term negative trends that have bubbled up to the surface in recent years. Looking at the wtfhappenedin1971.com website may give a range of things to dig into. From health to our monetary system to government bloat, this is the first time in my lifetime that these issues are talked about publicly in the “mainstream” (aka on Twitter). Even though I am in fact a male, I did not realize the extent to which men are suffering. I also was not expecting race and class to play such big roles in this book, but the fact that they needed to be included says a lot in and of itself. I think that there were some questionable claims or suggestions for ways to improve things, but all in all, I am glad that this book has entered the zeitgeist. There was a pendulum swing very far in a specific direction over the past 4-8 years, and it seems like it has swung back away from the extremes which appears to be a net positive. Relatively quick read for those interested, but the statistics tell most of the story.
104. On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything by Nate Silver
Reflections:
Well researched and brought in concepts from all different fields whether it be prediction markets, investing, poker, sports betting, or everyday life. I also liked the distinction between the river and the village. It truly seems like a different set of people who live in a different world. In the one arena, it is pure probability weighted decision making and trying to maximize expected value, whereas the other world may be completely unfamiliar with these concepts. More and more in my own life I try to force myself to think probabilistically a la Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke. Having some personal connections to the behind the scenes actions of sportsbetting, there was one section that stuck out to me in particular. If you are unfamiliar with the dynamics surrounding sportsbetters and sharpes/whales, then there will be a ton of interesting rabbit holes to dive into. The piece that stuck out to me was that for events with large public participation such as the superbowl, there are a lot of positive EV bets for sophisticated players to make, but the books typically do not care because there is plenty of “dumb money” and so allowing the sharpes to place their bets essentially gives the sportsbooks unofficial consultants to set lines.
103. Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food by Chris van Tulleken
Reflections:
I really enjoyed this book even relative to other similar books that I have read in the space. At the end of the day, I do not believe that there is some evil cabal of people that are intending to make children obese, but the incentives are such that this is the ultimate outcome. Many different players in the system are incentivized to make food as cheap and addictive as possible. One of the most salient points in the book that has stuck with me since reading is the desire to have softer foods from these UPF companies. Softer foods mean you eat faster and more than you would otherwise. There are definitely huge groups of people historically and presently that are conspiring to make sure that the true health impacts of these foods are concealed and they are presented as harmless. It is quite sickening to learn that false and skewed data has been presented to the public as fact in order to promote over consumption of garbage that has more likely than not contributed to a whole host of negative health outcomes. To top it off, they then push to try and blame a lack of exercise for people’s weight gain. The parallels between cigarette companies blocking data, or big oil companies pushing the idea of personal responsibility in recycling are quite clear. I think everyone should be aware of this book and should try to avoid ultra-processed foods as much as possible.
102. Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy
Reflections:
A bit off the beaten path relative to my usual selection, but I am really glad I read it. Advertising almost seems like a dirty word to me since it implies some degree of psychological manipulation on the part of the advertiser. There are plenty of arguments to be made that advertising is a net positive for consumers, but there are also a plethora of examples of advertising being harmful. It depends on the product being advertised and the nature of the advertisement. My main takeaways from this book were in Oglivy’s methods of communication. The ways that people tend to read through articles, watch commercials, or look at billboards provide some insight into human psychology that I have not come across from other sources. It has made me re-evaluate how I think about different ad campaigns and try to be more cognizant of how I am being persuaded. Most of all, Oglivy demonstrated the importance of hard work and developing principles in life and work in order to manage relationships with customers, prospects, coworkers, and competitors. The data-driven approach was revolutionary at the time, and it was impressive to see how successful the various campaigns he managed were. I will likely revisit this one to extract the different checklists and rules he strung throughout the book.
101. The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend by Rob Copeland
Reflections:
This was a refreshing read after learning a lot about Dalio through different sources over the past 4 years. I still find a lot of value in reading Principles and through Dalio’s analysis of debt cycles and his view on how world orders have evolved over time. Reading a lot of history from different cultures and time periods helps to build a wealth of knowledge that can be synthesized and patterns discovered. In reading Principles, there should be a natural degree of skepticism if you understand how humans work. The principles themselves are good in theory, but in practice is a different story. It is good to have values to measure yourself up against, knowing that you will fall short. Pretending that these are adhered to strictly and that there are no politics involved seems counterproductive. It does not surprise me that the reality of the principles methodology seemed to be “do what you think Ray wants and suck up to him.” It is nice in theory to think that you live in a pure idea meritocracy where the best ideas win and the most believable people reign supreme, but the incentive structures and reality ran counter to the ideals laid out.
100. Where Are the Customers' Yachts?: or A Good Hard Look at Wall Street by Fred Schwed
Reflections:
I had heard of this book here and there over the years and surmised the thesis from the title, but I am glad that I actually got around to it. I was very pleasantly surprised to hear all of the humor that was woven into the narrative description of Wall Street. Having been in and around different fund structures and learned more about the plumbing of the financial markets, I especially appreciated several different aspects of the book. I think that if I had come across this book several years ago, it would have had less of an impact on me given I did not have the proper context. It seems as though not much has changed in the past 85+ years as this book almost sounds like it could have been written in the modern era. Save for some technological advances that have occurred, many of the accusations and callouts that come in each chapter still rightfully could apply today. Like any great literary work, as long as human nature is involved, there is a certain amount of relatability that can cross generational chasms. As long as human emotions are the primary driver of various swings in markets, this book will continue to be relevant. I imagine that eventually if human emotion gets taken out of markets over time (I wonder if that will ever happen) then this book will be looked back upon with a different lens. Laughing at how foolish we were to not change things for so long and continuously fall for the same traps for centuries.
99. The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle
Reflections:
This book has been on my reading list for nearly 4 years and I am so glad that I finally got around to it. I did not know what to expect going in as the podcast mentioning this book has faded from my memory. I was quite intrigued to learn more about the concepts of culture across different cohorts of people whether that be race related, age related, geographically related, or otherwise. It makes a lot of sense that there are undercurrents in our everyday decisions given how much of our cognitive processes are subconscious, but I never thought about how and why brands are able to sustain through ebbs and flows and use different strategies to target different cohorts. This book really made me rethink some of my decisions to choose certain products or to think about family, friends, relationships, work, and other aspects of my life. There is an ingrained culture within each of us that spans across nearly every decision that we make, and we can be nudged one way or another based on these scripts. This is a book I will be revisiting over time in order to extract key principles and takeaways from the characterizations of different subsets of people.
98. The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself by Sean Carroll
Reflections:
I have mixed feelings about the author after hearing some controversy coincidentally when I started this book. In all things, I try to be thoughtful about separating message from messenger, so I attempted to assess the book and its contents on their own merits. That being said, I enjoyed it quite a bit. I have had a bit of a hiatus from the physics and the universe in terms of my recent books, aside from some fiction here and there. I have started to incorporate some more podcasts that delve into the universe and some new theories about our origins and quantum mechanics which I think is the most interesting field we currently know. I enjoyed the nuance of accepting different levels of rigor for different levels of systems and delving into time as an emergent phenomenon. The mental models that come about through physics form the bedrock of my assumptions in other fields, so the more I learn physics, the better. Free will, purpose, morality, practical philosophy, and wonder. These are some of my absolute favorite topics to talk about and reflect on, so I am glad that this made the list.
97. Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss
Reflections:
Fiat Food was my first literary foray into the skullduggery of big food. I have learned a lot about diet and nutrition over the years through athletics and personal experiences, but mostly through short clips or social media posts/podcasts. The long form content from Fiat Food did a good job at explaining the corruption of incentives and some of the bizarre beliefs driving policy decisions, and this book did a great job at stating the somewhat obvious. These big companies exist to make money. It is in their best interest in the short term to get the cheapest ingredients that people will accept, and make them as addictive as possible. To see that as a conspiracy is a bit odd, it makes sense in a capitalist system. Seeing how cigarette executives and psychologists/neuroscientists worked together to develop what amounts to likely toxic addictive poison that hijacks all of our bodies’ natural signals has permanently changed how I look at ultraprocessed food. For food obsessives like me, or anyone interested in this whole dynamic, more relevant now with MAHA and RFK Jr. agenda, I think this book is a tremendous resource.
96. Resistance Money by Andrew M. Bailey, Bradley Rettler, and Craig Warmke
Reflections:
Caveated with the fact that I met the authors at an event prior to writing this reflection, so there may be some positive bias - hello and thank you again if any of you end up here. This book has made it into many of the “orange-pill starter packs” mentioned on Twitter over the past several months since its release. Others being The Bitcoin/Fiat Standard, Broken Money, etc. several of which are either included on these lists or are on my list of books to read. I saw that this book was listed on the on-campus public lectures site and bought the book to read in a week prior to the talk. Many further recommendations and followups came about through the very heavily cited pages of this book and others mentioned at the event. This was a very different take on Bitcoin than many of the other sources I have come across in that it does not make any sort of pitch to be invested in bitcoin. It is purely a philosophical exercise to determine whether or not the world is better off with the existence of something like bitcoin. Interesting in and of itself that this was written by three philosophy professors. I really love hearing people who are smarter than me talk about things that I don’t understand since it gives me so much to look into. Since I have been in the space for a while, many of the rabbit holes covered in the book I had explored in one form or another, but there are still massive gaps in my knowledge and understanding. In giving this book to others and recommending it, I make sure to explain the premise of the book and its goals. For someone who is interested in the philosophical case for bitcoin, there are probably few resources currently that are more thorough and comprehensive than this book. I really enjoyed this read, and enjoyed even more getting to peer into this world where I am very much an outsider.
95. A Man for All Markets: From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market by Edward O. Thorp
Reflections:
This definitely rhymed with the book on Claude Shannon, and it is fortunate that these two men knew each other and collaborated. Ed Thorp is probably the closest thing to a holistic role model that you can find. People often say, “don’t meet your heroes”, but I would like to think Ed is the exception. An incredibly smart person who is endlessly curious and loves problem solving. He would get an idea in his head, and regardless of what the orthodoxy in the space was, needed to see for himself. Constantly tinkering and experimenting, he always seems to follow his interests and passions rather than chasing money as an ultimate goal. Seeing other stories of the rise and fall of great investors, it is tough to know how much is enough. Thorp was able to go into some of the most cutthroat and notoriously corrupt/seedy industries, namely Vegas and Wall Street, and more or less come out unscathed. Many people in his position with his knowledge and skillset would look to maximize monetary gains for themselves and their friends; however, Thorp seemed to truly come from a place of intellectual humility and endless curiosity. It is unreal to me that he, a professor, woud dress up in different disguises with alter egos in order to fool pit bosses and dealers and skate by unnoticed. Across investing, gambling, health, and spending time with loved ones, it seems like Thorp really had a good set of guiding principles. This book also triggered a waterfall of research and digging that led to a new take on an old friend which is a very funny story for anybody curious. Highly recommend.
94. The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self by Martha Beck
Reflections:
I have enjoyed Martha Beck’s appearances on podcasts and so was excited when I saw this available at my library. I have since ordered a hardcopy. I am definitely a fan of the woo-woo-ness of some of these principles so keep that in mind if you are going to give this a try. Even as a rational materialist, there are always some things that just seem to be a bit funky. I think that there are so many things going on in our world that we do not have the capacity to explain or test, and also will not be able to explain or test in my lifetime (some just are not provable/disprovable). Given that is the case, you have a choice that amounts to Pascal’s wager in some sense. I personally try to evaluate the utility of different beliefs to my day to day wellbeing and overall happiness in life, and have come around to the ideas put forth in this book and things akin to the law of attraction. I have seen and heard so many examples of these types of principles at work that at a certain point from a risk reward perspective, it is positive expected value. Always happy to discuss these general concepts with anyone because they ultimately tie back to meaning and God which are some of my favorite things to talk about. Recommend.
93. The Mr. X Interviews Volume 2: World Views from a Fictional US Sovereign Creditor by Luke Gromen
Reflections:
Luke Gromen is a great teacher. The methodology for this book can definitely be viewed as condescending as I believe I mentioned in the reflections on Volume 1, but as someone who is totally unfamiliar with these concepts and the relationships between foreign powers and monetary systems, I really enjoy the simplification. Anytime Luke goes on a podcast I have to slow it down and relisten to look up the different concepts he discusses. Clearly Luke has been following global macroeconomics for decades and has made observations and predictions across different themes and trends that have come to pass. The main takeaway I had from finishing this book is that I wish I had read it sooner. I hope he comes out with another such book to explain the past 4-5 years. I have benefitted greatly from following his twitter and the various pieces he puts out. As a person who is very mindful of spending money that tries to find every free alternative available, these two books have made me consider being a full time subscriber to his FFTT newsletter so that I can start to develop an understanding of macro events as they play out in real time through Luke’s perspective.
92. Irrational Exuberance 3rd edition by Robert J. Shiller
Reflections:
I thought that the author did a great job at going through different historical periods and was intellectually honest for the most part in trying to make comparisons. Obviously with the shear volume of data available in the stock market, you can slice and dice periods and metrics in order to make nearly any argument and it would actually hold up to statistical scrutiny. Looking backwards and trying to say certain things are obvious is not really fair to do, so I felt Shiller did a good job at showing predictive value of different models during different time periods. In an uncertain world where the future is unknown, it is helpful to study the past since you can discover rhymes. The more I have read and learned about the past, the more I realize that we are substantially evolutionarily the same exact human beings that existed in any written history. You can read the personal diary of Marcus Aurelius 2000 years ago and relate to his problems. Similarly, you can look to market speculators from any century and see similar patterns emerge today, albeit with instantaneous access to information and unprecedented magnitudes of fluctuation. I can see myself revisiting this book down the line as a healthy reminder for when I am further along in my career and a more active manager of risk.
91. Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys by Joe Coulombe
Reflections:
Truthfully, I had added this to my list more as a throwaway because it seemed like it would be interesting to learn more about Trader Joe’s. However, I was blown away by the history of the supermarket that has gained a cult following. The strategy and business acumen in the early days was incredibly insightful to learn more about. There are some folks throughout history for whom you read their stories and it just seems like success was inevitable - this was one such case. There was so much hard work, passion, consistency, and commitment to a mission that went into building Trader Joe’s into the behemoth that it is today. Taking norms in an industry and questioning why they have to be that way are often key commonalities among these stories. As was the case with Elon Musk, Claude Shannon, or Ed Thorp, by approaching problems with a healthy degree of skepticism and starting from first principles, you can often unlock value hidden in plain sight. I am not myself a Trader Joe’s shopper, but see the appeal and will forevermore enter the store with a greater respect.
90. So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
Reflections:
I have read Deep Work (twice), Digital Minimalism, and Slow Productivity from Cal Newport, so I had a sense for his writing style. I was very pleasantly surprised by this book in that it was not what I expected. Initially I thought this book would be about honing your craft or becoming the best in your field, but it was actually more about living a fulfilling life. It argues against the passion hypothesis in carving out one’s career, and instead recommends fully pushing yourself into a field if it meets certain requirements. Rather than shop around for what speaks to you most or what you think is your one true calling, Newport recommends plowing headlong into whatever it is you find yourself doing so long as it meets some initial barriers. It is then in the process of learning and becoming highly skilled at something that you can begin to enjoy it and gain leverage in your career path. I enjoyed how he flipped some conventional and hackneyed wisdom on its head, and it reminded me of The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Quick read and well written/researched.
89. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Reflections:
This was a book mentioned in passing from some podcast a while back, and has lingered in my mind ever since. The journey of Ernest Shackleton is absolutely amazing and I think should be common knowledge. I was never interested in history classes growing up and thought the topic to be quite boring, but I have really come to enjoy biographies and historical narratives that are told in a compelling way. Some of the scattered details about life and common knowledge at the time were really interesting to hear about and incorporate into my worldview - one such anecdote is boats repeatedly ramming into ice to try and forge a path through. With the whole Titanic thing, this seemed pretty funny to me. Spoiler alert, but he essentially gets stuck and then ventures out with a ragtag crew as a last ditch effort to try and get help while the remainder of the crew stays back. He eventually is able to get back and not lose a single man in the process which is absurd. There are many instances of seeming divine intervention which prompted me to think of how many similar ships were not as fortunate. Very interesting if you want to learn about arctic sailing in the early 20th century, if not interested, then some summary of the journey would suffice.
88. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Reflections:
Another incredible fiction book that I am glad finally made it onto my list. Science fiction that ties in principles of quantum mechanics is my favorite genre. I have an underlying love of physics that almost manifested in an astrophysics degree, so anything that talks about space and some of these principles and theories really get me excited. We live at a time where seemingly everything has been discovered and is known when you are operating in day to day life. Once you zoom out and realize how much we do not know about the universe, anti-matter, and the quantum world, it really makes you wonder how much there is to discover. I hope that humanity is able to get to the point of knowledge that has future humans looking at us the way we look at apes. Many awards and a Netflix adaptation should be sufficient for you to pick this one up if hesitant.
87. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
Reflections:
I was far more excited to read this after hearing Haidt on a few podcasts and listening to the Coddling of the American Mind earlier this year. I am sort of in that “in-between” segment of the population that grew up partially with smartphones and partially without and do not yet have children of my own, so this was a bit of an instruction in how things have been going since the advent and mass proliferation of smartphones, and partially a parenting book. It is kind of funny (and sad if true) to read these types of books that speak to the problems of the modern generation. It is almost as if all kids nowadays are obese, dealing with psychological conditions, and pretty much completely unable to function. There are plenty of reasons to have hope for future generations, but I am legitimately concerned when interacting with high school kids who are afraid to make eye contact or hold a normal conversation. I think COVID and social media have combined during the formative years of socialization for a few generations to produce people with stunted social skills. In my own life I see the impacts of social media and isolation any time I go to far into the recluse side of life. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those interested in raising children in the era of smartphones.
86. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Reflections:
Definitely my favorite fiction book in some time. I am very interested in quantum physics and have dabbled with a few different fiction books that play with that theme. This book offered me a completely new lens with which to look at life. I have been thinking a lot about life choices and regret minimization in recent months, so this book helped to put that idea into many illustrative examples. Simple decisions that we make each and every day compound to make us the people that we are. I have started to think about that as I go through my day in that each decision is contributing to the life I want to live. Sure it is easy to fall short of goals on one day, or let a weekend go to waste. But if those slip-ups move from anomalous to habitual, then at some point I will look back at my life and the state that I am in and wish that I had more discipline and consistency in my efforts. Hindsight being 20/20 is cliche, but trying to live life and make the decisions that you will look back on positively is a worthy goal. I do not think I will regret taking care of my body by maintaining a good diet, exercising,reading, writing, and getting enough sleep. If I instead waste my days scrolling through social media, sleeping in, and giving into every junk food impulse as it arises, then I am setting myself up for failure. I am very fortunate that I have not struggled much with depression like the protagonist in the book, but I think the wide range of lives she lives help to increase this book’s relatability. A key takeaway, aside from some quotes, is that quantum physics and string theory/parallel universes are scientifically based and not just pulled out of someone’s imagination. The more I learn about quantum mechanics, the more it sounds like something I would read in Harry Potter, but it is fascinating that this is how our universe operates. Highly recommend this book to just about anyone.
85. Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up by Abigail Shrier
Reflections:
More than anything else, this book was a healthy reminder to increase my own skepticism. It is especially easy to take content at face value when reading it in a book relative to other media. When listening to a podcast, watching television, or scrolling through social media, there is a natural amount of skepticism because the barrier for deceit is so low. When reading a book though, I know that it has gone through some degree of editing and fact checking, and the fact that certain books rise in popularity or receive awards enhances their credibility in my mind. This book mentioned several other books or studies that have formed the foundations for certain beliefs I hold, and so it was surprising to see them torn apart. I think that I largely agree with the conclusions supposed in this book, but there is a happy medium between the callousness of prior generations and the overly emotional nature of today. I do not know if the studies and anecdotes about modern day children are true or as widespread as the author claims, but assuming they are, this is a very serious concern. In many areas of society I feel we are due for a cultural reset, and my relative outsider perspective has allowed me to watch the pendulum swinging. The concern with that analogy is that sometimes it is not a pendulum, but a leaning tower that could very well collapse if brought too far outside of bounds. I have sprinkled several parenting books into my reading list over the past few years, and I would classify this as adding to that literature. Friends and family are starting to have children and I am curious to see how my involvement in child rearing increases in the coming years and what I will get to observe firsthand. I think the principles brought forth in this book are important to be voiced, and it is unfortunate that they will likely be dismissed by the popular media.
84. Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
Reflections:
I had read Setting the table in the past and heard stories of Union Square Hospitality Group from other sources prior to this book, so it was a great refresh on that story as well as offering new perspective. As someone who has not been inclined to a service profession, I have been astounded at just how many people are. It seems like a somewhat demeaning position to be in, to cater to the whims of others, but this is addressed in the book. When he reframed the service industry, it finally clicked to me that I also feel good about doing service in a charitable context, or when I help out friends and family. To do that professionally is actually not all that different. I have never really experienced fine dining to the level that is discussed in the book, so some of those concepts were a bit lost on me. In fact, when I have dined at higher end restaurants, it almost makes me uncomfortable when the staff is so subservient - freaks me out a bit. I completely understand the appeal of having a getaway and being maximally serviced for the entire experience, but at the same time, I do not think I would enjoy it as much as the people in and around this space. Big picture takeaways were the importance of little things. I have entered a service industry that is dependent on how people feel, and so much of the little acts of kindness and care to improve diners’ experiences resonated with me. I thought this book was well written and interesting enough for anyone who is tangentially interested in restaurants/hospitality or the service industry more broadly.
83. Energy and Civilization: A History by Vaclav Smil
Reflections:
This book completely changed the way I think about energy. Prior to reading, mostly because of my interest in Bitcoin, I had learned more about energy demands over time and the evolution of the power grid/supply in the US and abroad. However, this book added the full historical context translating man labor hours and energy expenditure into animals and then finally into machines. Thinking about the fuel efficiency of plants converting energy into the sun and how that has evolved into nuclear power is pretty amazing. Our planet’s source of energy is ultimately the sun, and the whole evolution of mankind has revolved around the more efficient uses of that energy and its descendants. Viewing the world from a first-principles lens and understanding the underlying laws of physics helps to give context to our role in the universe. As we create more order locally by extracting useful energy from different systems, we inevitably increase the entropy in the universe. This goes for everything from building a house, to a spaceship, to formulating a thought. Profoundly interesting from start to finish, and some killer quotes sprinkled throughout. There are many facts and figures/conversions if that is something that would turn you away - on a re-read I would opt to skip over those conversions to extract the gist. Very glad I finally got around to this one.
82. Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich (A Personal Finance Guide) by Jason Zweig
Reflections:
I was a bit concerned when I first started this book that it would be an echoing of the talking points that I have heard from a dozen other books on psychology and behavioral economics. For some of the lessons, that was certainly true; however, I thought that this book did a great job at tackling the playing field as a whole. Investing is an interesting game because it involves every aspect of our minds, bodies, and emotions and even the smartest people get carried away. There were several points in the book where I had to evaluate my own ego and pride to try to assess my strategies rationally. Especially as I move into the realm of financial advising, I think this is a great tool in the toolkit to help break down complex topics in an easily digestible way. There were some parts of the book that are due for an update with new research, but by and large I think that the principles and suggestions are sound. I will likely purchase a physical copy to read through more carefully and outline for use in future client meetings and for my own personal investing journey.
81. The Mr. X Interviews: Volume 1: World Views from a Fictional US Sovereign Creditor by Luke Gromen
Reflections:
I learned a lot from this short book and I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking to learn more about the U.S. debt situation and how it has evolved over the past century or so. I found it incredibly interesting and have continued to dig into the topics discussed so that I can have a better understanding of the global financial markets. What has surprised me most through studying history and different market cycles is how much influence money and power have over the progression of civilizations. The United States has had a privileged position on the world stage due to its status as the world reserve currency for much of the last centure, but this has started to crack in the last decade, and we are seeing the spillover effects into other parts of financial markets and in geopolitical conflicts. We have been running a playbook that operates under a specific set of assumptions, and it can reasonably be argued that those assumptions are no longer valid and players around the world have realized. Especially as I learn more about politics and the current policy proposals from both sides of the aisle, it is interesting to see how things are presented vs. what the background motivations may be.
80. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Reflections:
I am not the target demographic for this book in that I am not at this juncture in the trenches as a writer. However, as in all things, I think the lessons for writing can be applied to other areas of our lives. Specifically in the titular lesson of taking things little by little, it was helpful to hear about techniques one can use to overcome inertia. Authenticity and truth-seeking have been themes I have reflected on recently. Specifically as it relates to my blogging ventures, the self-discovery that comes about through the writing process resonated with me. My blogging efforts are a way to try to capture the different thoughts and opinions I am having as I have them, and it is sometimes only through the writing process that I realize I do not actually have an opinion on something. It is easy when I read a lot or listen to a lot of podcasts to have the feeling of knowledge, but once I get into a conversation with someone or have to lay my thoughts out, I realize I may not understand things as well as I thought. Quick read that I found entertaining and easy to digest.
79. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A novel by Gabrielle Zevin
Reflections:
Time and again with these popular works of fiction I am blown away by the authors’ abilities to imagine entire worlds from nothingness and still accurately seem to capture the necessary elements of human behavior and not lose the reader on the way. I am sure they are often based in reality, but it is still impressive to be totally transported to another world with a different set of rules. I have gotten away from video games since I was a kid, and have thought about revisiting some of these story-based games over the past few years. All in all, I was glad to sprinkle this in amongst the other topics that I have explored recently.
78. Inadequate Equilibria: Where and How Civilizations Get Stuck by Eliezer Yudkowsky
Reflections:
This had been on my list for quite some time, and I am glad I finally got around to it. This book is essentially about examining different systems within our society to see whether or not they may be operating efficiently. There are many situations we encounter where solutions or improvements seem to be obvious, but nonetheless are not resolved because of the underlying incentives. A basic understanding of game theory and economics is used in the book to explain why certain situations would or would not be exploitable for gain. At a high level, due to the complexity of our society and certain incentive structures in place, all participants in a system may be operating at their individual maximum and would all benefit from changing their behaviors, but the incentives are such that this is unlikely to impossible. There are some situations; however, that are actually exploitable. This can show you when it would make sense to try to pick up the $20 bill on the crowded street. I really enjoy thought experiments like this that force you to explain your logic and examine worlds that are different than the one that you exist in. As one example that will stick with me put it, you should operate in such a way that you do not think goblins live in your closet in this world, but would think that they do in a different world where that is true. There are several far better and intellectually interesting examples throughout the book, but as a basic hook, I think that is sufficient. Highly recommend.
77. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Reflections:
Isaac Asimov has been on my list of authors to read for some time now. I had not heard anything about foundation going into the book, so was thoroughly engaged throughout. I was not really sure what the narrative structure was either, so the deeper I got into the book, the more I understood and was able to piece together what was going on. As I have mentioned elsewhere in these reflections, I used to be much more into science fiction when I was growing up, and this book would have been right up my alley - although likely above my head to understand the implications. Learning more about history and the rise and fall of empires helps to put this book in its proper context. It is funny that we find ourselves in not too dissimilar of a position to the society in the book. Civilization goes through different cycles as is discussed in books like The Fourth Turning, the Lessons of History, and Ray Dalio’s book about the Changing World Order. It is impressive to me that Asimov was able to generate entire intricate galaxies and plotlines throughout generations all from scratch. Sure it is ultimately a commentary on the fall of the Roman Empire, but to do so projected eons in the future is no small feat. I particularly enjoyed certain predictions about how we would live and operate in a futuristic society - having flying cars, spaceships, and forcefields but still smoking cigars and having elevator operators. Obviously any prediction of the future will not be perfect, so I am moreso impressed at how deep the thought experiments extended rather than any predictions of technologies or behaviors in the book. Excited to read more by Asimov.
76. Holes by Louis Sachar
Reflections:
This may seem like an odd choice, but it was short and available at my library so I figured I would give it a listen. I feel like for whatever reason I watched the movie Holes many times during my childhood, so listening to this audiobook really helped to make the story come to life after not watching it for over a decade. It is rare that the movie adaptation of a book can capture all of the aspects of the original, but I feel like this is the rare case. I was expecting to hear of different plotlines or aspects that were skipped over to make the movie, but these were few and far between. For anyone who enjoyed the movie growing up, I think it can be a fun blast from the past to see how the story is presented in its original version vs. in film. Overall this was a welcome break from books of a more serious nature.
75. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Reflections:
I have always been a fan of Tina Fey and have enjoyed her writing throughout the years. I have completed a few different biographies of comedians over the past 1-2 years and have enjoyed learning how they got their starts. Comedians I feel are generally good storytellers and are in touch with their emotions. I think much of comedy comes from a dark or broken place in that it is filling in gaps of insecurity. Fundamentally, to want to be the center of attention and entertain is externally motivated which brings with it its own set of challenges and takes a particular psychology. I feel like Tina Fey is a somewhat unique comedian in the past 20 years because she is able to intelligently craft jokes that address societal or common interpersonal issues despite the clear gender barriers in comedy. In particular, she has usually been surrounded by some absolute powerhouses of comedy in her different roles, and so to stand out in a world that almost seems to want you to fail is all the more impressive. I enjoy learning about folks who have achieved celebrity before my time since in my eyes their success has always been inevitable. Hearing about the earlier days in people’s careers and the struggles overcome inspires me to figure out what my goals and dreams are and then diligently work towards achieving those in spite of all the rejections that may come my way.
74. Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) by Richard P. Feynman
Reflections:
This was on the list for a while and was highly recommended by a number of different people I have heard on different podcasts. It is essentially a collection of anecdotes and major life developments from Richard Feynman. As with most biographies of intelligent people from different eras, I was shocked by just how much they were able to accomplish. It seems like it should take several lifetimes to experience all of the different events and places that some of the notable people of history have. His unique intellect and great sense of humor had me laughing several times throughout the book. A few select quotes stuck with me that are not humorous, but I found interesting to be phrased in such a way, especially from his vantage point as a theoretical physicist. Here are the quotes in particular:
“Hypnosis is interesting because the whole time you're saying I could do that but I won’t which is just another way of saying I can't”
“Art gives someone individually pleasure, you can make something that somebody likes so much that they are depressed or happy on account of that damned thing you made. In science its sort of general and large and you don't know the individuals who have appreciated it directly”
“To sell a drawing is not to make money but to be sure that it is the home of someone who really wants it, someone who would feel bad if they didn't have it”
73. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance
Reflections:
I felt that this book was necessary to read with J.D. Vance now in the VP race. I had heard of it here and there over the years as it rose in popularity, but was totally unaware of the connection until after he received the VP nomination. To date, I have yet to hear him speak in any long-form way such as on a podcast, debate, or interview, so this book is the only insight I have into his life beyond some headlines and short clips. I am guessing he has changed some of his views or at least the way that he communicates things over the years, because the way the book is written is actually pretty inspiring, and I have seen him ridiculed in the media a lot over the past few weeks. He seems to be a great storyteller and has overcome a lot in his life. For someone like me who has pretty much only seen a sliver of this country, my worldview is incredibly limited. It is so easy to forget that my life and the opportunities I have had are not universal, and not even for someone in the US just a few states over. We live at an interesting time in the development of our nation where cultural values and the general zeitgeist have perhaps overshot certain goals and are due for a correction. Studying history, it seems that societies typically are not able to mean revert and correct for these excesses, and the trend is largely one way. I am excited for this election season as I am increasingly more impacted by the policy decisions made and I have become more informed about the overall process. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Vance’s life as it is relatively short and does not contain much fluff.
72. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Reflections:
Accidentally kept on theme with another fiction book that was post-apocolyptic. This was one of my favorite fiction books in a while due to the religious undertones. Not unlike those in A Wrinkle in Time, I was prompted to think through several of my beliefs and rationalize why I would take one side vs. another. Even more than in other works of fiction, the ability to imagine a full world with its own rules and history, and then develop a religion in that world is incredibly impressive. I had heard of Octavia Butler years ago, but had not moved to read any of her work. I am glad I did. It was also funny because the book began in this year (2024) and so was interesting to see what her predictions for an apocalypse that would change the world over the last 30 years or so. Much of my own creative thinking these days is tied to reality and forced to be practical, whereas I feel that the fiction and storytelling I used to engage in would imagine different worlds with different rules and customs. Books like this have inspired me to try and think from a first principles perspective why things are the way that they are, and what things would be like if there were different underlying assumptions or “givens.” I especially enjoyed the “quotations” from Earthseed, the book of the living - worth looking up if interested.
71. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Reflections:
A welcome break for fiction. I have not watched much TV in the past few years and movies are few and far between often with friends and family and usually rewatching classics. It was therefore nice to be transported to a different world and start to flex some of those creative areas of my brain which can go dormant and atrophy without use. I am always amazed at the detailed worlds and lives spun out by certain authors and the ability with which they are able to communicate these ideas in the written word. It is one thing to have vivid and exciting dreams, but an entirely different thing to be able to express those to someone else in a way that is engaging. I have narrowed down much of my reading list by going off of the recommendations of others, and this was a great example of a book I would not be likely to find on my own. Very glad I came across it.
70. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress Related Diseases, and Coping y Robert M. Sapolsky
Reflections:
After learning more about the power of our thoughts and evolution, this book was a helpful addition. Many of the lessons and stories I had encountered ins ome form previously, but as was the case in Determined (another of Sapolsky’s books), there was significantly more scientific detail surrounding the insights. I have seen enough data on the power of the mind to not dismiss it as trivial or ridiculous, but this book helped to hammer home the fact that it can be helpful to “believe” certain things, even if you know them to be false. Several lessons stuck with me. Specifically, emphasizing that psychology can modulate the pain response. Being able to talk to friends or having some outlet for emotions can improve subjective well-being. Having control modulates stress, including studies where you are given something you’re told controls stress (e.g. a button) will actually reduce stress even if you do not press it. In the work sphere, low demands and low control are psychologically worse than high demands and high control - I thought interesting because low demanding jobs would intuitively be objectively less stressful than high demanding jobs. Finally, perception that events are improving brings relief even if there are no objective changes to reality This last principle is one of several that should measurably improve subjective conditions simply by changing one’s mental state.
69. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
Reflections:
I thought this was a very good instruction manual for small businesses and entrepreneurs relative to many that I have encountered before. I am certainly not in the arena of running my own business, but the lessons can be applied to other areas of one’s life. I believe this is a book I will revisit over time with a notepad to make sure I crystallize some of the key points and guidance. The fact that we contain multitudes is a good reminder. An early example in the book was skinny guy and fat guy and how we go through these cycles where we make decisions or plans in one mindset or the other, but do not realize that future you is often different than the you making plans. This was similarly helpful in thinking through all of the different roles that a business owner may occupy and acknowledging that each role calls for its own personality, objectives, and tasks. In order to have a cohesive whole, it is critical to account for the differing viewpoints, time horizons, and operations for each of the component parts. The parts of the book discussing systemization particularly resonated with me given my experience with watching various organizations scale and seeing what happens when there are processes in place and when there are not. Definitely enjoyed and glad I came across this.
68. On the Origin of Species; Or; The Preservation of the Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin
Reflections:
This had been on my list for some time. I think the takeaways from Pulak Prasad’s book and the ideas in A Mind at Play pushed me over the edge into adding it to the queue now vs. another time. I was blown away by how much Darwin was able to cover and accomplish in his lifetime. There were really no established methods or reliable records for tracking down the origins of different species. He literally was examining fossil records himself, measuring pigeons, planting seeds in gardens, tickling ants with a piece of grass, and much much more all to try and probe deeper into the ideas of natural selection. Pushing against the status quo and Christian doctrine was clearly very difficult as he hedged most of his statements throughout the book. It is clear that he spent a lot of time in thought. Continuously making observations and extrapolations from what he has seen and read. Fascination with even the most seemingly mundane aspects of living creatures and utter curiosity. Aside from the investing lessons with respect to compounding, competition, and selection that are outlined in Prasad’s book, the biggest takeaway was the importance of first order thinking. Claude Shannon was similar in that he learned the foundational principles of different disciplines, and then when he encountered a problem, he could contextualize the foundational aspects and know whether or not a solution should exist prior to knowing what that solution was. Darwin would have a series of observations, understand basic principles, and then was incredibly prescient and assertive in that certain conclusions must be so. Diverging so radically from common wisdom must have been met with extreme resistance. As I see this is dragging on, the final comment I would make was my surprise that people commonly accepted being able to select for certain traits in domestic plants and animals for many generations, but the fact that natrue may be doing the same was absolutely novel.
67. The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World by David Robson
Reflections:
I have encountered elsewhere many of the studies and anecdotes mentioned throughout this book; however, it is always helpful to hear valuable insights and practically applicable findings repeated. It is easy to forget or trivialize important takeaways when repeatedly exposed to them. Hearing ideas in new contexts or after certain life experiences can often increase their impact. Such was the case in this book. I have often remarked how ubiquitous the ideas of manifestation and the power of the mind come up across seemingly disparate disciplines, and I have yet to put that realization into any action in my life. Time and time again I am awestruck by the power of placebo. It is seemingly one of the biggest hurdles for modern medicine to overcome in clinical trials of new drugs. Thinking about that is pretty incredible. Our best technology and research is often thwarted by the mind simply thinking that a sugar pill or saline injection is curing them. Across different domains of life such as health and nutrition, focus, exercise, and lifespan, your thoughts truly help to shape and direct reality. In an effort to take a simple idea and take it seriously, I am hopeful that I can leverage these tools to my advantage.
66. A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age by Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman
Reflections:
I really enjoyed this book based on the information presented and the significance of the developments that came about through one man’s life. There are many different takeaways for me and the way that I think about learning new fields or being curious in general, but I do not plan on rereading this book in its entirety anytime soon. It is amazing how little attention Claude Shannon receives given his massive influence on the way data is packaged and transmitted. He was in some pretty powerful places during revolutionary times of technological development and understanding, and crossed paths with some of the heaviest hitters of history in that regard. I would love to be a fly on the wall in some of these time periods witnessing the groundbreaking revelations that seem so obvious in hindsight. We take for granted many foundational theories across math and physics and can discount just how
65. Robin Williams: When the Laughter Stops 1951–2014 by Emily Herbert
Reflections:
I have finished several biographies, including a few comedians over the past year or so. This one was somewhat disappointing in that it mainly followed Williams’s professional career with small anecdotes from his personal life and various interviews. There was not much of a rich backstory or details that helped to bring him more to life, but it was more of a life compressed into public appearances and his various works and their receptions. It is tough when a biography is not an autobiography, and cannot even be informed by the person themselves, but overall I did come away with a greater appreciation for his work and career. I grew up watching Robin Williams in movies and in different talkshow appearances, but was not alive during the prime of his career. It is always interesting to hear about the origins of larger than life celebrities who passed their peak fame before I was born, because they all seem like inevitable successes. It is a good reminder that life can only be lived moving forward, and that setbacks or haters can either stump you or motivate you. Those types of lessons as well as a better understanding of his career were my bigger takeaways more than specific details or anecdotes about his private life.
64. Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers by James C. Humes
Reflections:
This book was relatively short but had many actionable and practical tips for having greater impact in communications. Similar to many of the books that discuss communication and body language, it feels almost alien to try and incorporate some of these methods into daily life. Many speakers throughout history were naturally endowed with some of these abilities simply through intuition, and others were meticulously planned down to the syllable. Especially when there are important communications that need to be delivered, it is important to keep the list from this book at hand in order to make sure the easy improvements are made, and the easy slip-ups are avoided. I will likely go back through this book and write down my key takeaway from each tip with the associated examples or scenarios that improve its salience. I always appreciate historical analysis of techniques that are ubiquitous in memorable situations, and think that the author’s work in drawing from different people, places, and contexts was entertaining.
63. What I Learned About Investing from Darwin by Pulak Prasad
Reflections:
This is a book that I will have to read again not only for its investing wisdom, but also for its scientific wisdom. Pop science books are sometimes good because while they may miss the trees, the forrest is usually good enough. An early lesson in this book I found interesting was about nature’s seeming preference with respect to types of errors. Type 1 and Type 2 errors, essentially commission vs. omission, have different outcomes in survival game theory. Although I have had many errors of omission in my investing career, I have had far fewer realized errors of commission. This gave me some comfort, but also made me reevaluate what game I was playing and what game I want to be playing. I really appreciated the intellectual humility of the author throughout the book and being open and honest about one’s relative strengths and weaknesses. I think it is easy to say but hard to do. The overarching theme that I admire is the cross-discipline thinking. Many of the books on this list will be from seemingly random fields, but my hope is that through this broad swathe of information, I will be able to develop connections across disparate domains and gain unique perspective on situations over time. Overall, very glad I encountered this one.
63. Tools Of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Timothy Ferriss
Reflections:
This was an absolute behemoth to get through, but I am glad I did. It is essentially a compendium of wisdom extracted by Tim Ferriss from his various podcast guests over the first 200 episodes. It is divided into sections on health, wealth, and wisdom which I think are probably the most important things to optimize for in life, in that order, as long as you can squeeze relationships in between health and wealth. One naturally leads to the next and the next. I am a fan of the podcast, and so it was helpful to see some of the lessons from episodes I have listened to written out in text. There is something different about written word and spoken word. Sometimes a sentence in a book does not hit me, but when I hear the author say it out loud, it becomes immediately clear to me. Similarly, a lesson in a podcast episode that is seemingly off the cuff will come across as far more profound when written in a book. For a good example of this, I think back to The Hard Thing about Hard Things which uses rap lyrics between each chapter. It is amazing how much poetry and truth can sometimes be right before your eyes in a rap song that is otherwise about committing crimes and making money. I really like those situations where you can take an example from one domain and then view it from a different perspective and extract a new and useful meaning. All in all, I took a lot of notes and have post-its strung throughout the book. I will be going back through and taking down some of the most important takeaways more thoroughly.
62. The Source: Open Your Mind, Change Your Life by Dr Tara Swart
Reflections:
This book is definitely bordering on woo-woo-ness, but if you know me, then you know that I kind of love that kind of stuff. There is this constant resistance in my logical mind to things like vision boards, manifesting, or the law of attraction. I find myself thinking, htis is so dumb, what if it doesn’t work? It is only recently that I have started to think, but what if it does? Time and time again I have heard people from disparate spheres tout the benefits of meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, positive self-suggestion, etc. and dismissed it as irrational. How many times do I have to hear something to actually give it a try myself? The answer seems to be one more time. Thinking about the cost benefit analysis, it is a no-brainer that I should actually try some of these principles. Take a simple idea and take it serious - maybe I should take that wisdom into account. Some unexpected principles from this book I think contain irrefutable truth are the concepts surrounding interroception. Gaining better awareness of our bodies in space and the various signal pathways that we have developed over eons can really give us a sixth sense and help us not only in physical danger, but in surprising other areas of life like emotions.
61. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
Reflections:
This was recommended by an intelligent and thoughtful decision maker who is far more “in the arena” than I will be anytime soon. Coupled with several of the books I have finished recently, It really helped to give me a new perspective on different parts of my life. It is heavily focused on scripture and specifically a Christian viewpoint, but I think that the lessons are pretty universal. “Love, joy, and peace are incompatible with hurry” is a quote that I will keep in my repertoire, hopefully, for my whole life. Another one was the observation that we all wish we had more time, but if we had more time we would probably just spend it how we spend our time now. Several specific interpretations from bible passages or from religious figures are bookmarked for me to go back and review in more detail later. I really appreciate people who think deeply about scripture or historical intellectuals and translate the meanings into modern-day language with relevant examples. The audiences of most historical texts are vastly different from today’s population, so the wisdom can easily get lost in translation. I would describe this book as a church homily on steroids because it was packed with actionable advice and wisdom that was easily digestible.
60. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
Reflections:
This is a book I had put off for several years, mainly because I thought it was one of those right-wing books that would yell into the void and present many strawman arguments. This was because I did not connect that the author was Jonathan Haidt whom I have heard on several podcast discussions. I have tried to read books and listen to podcasts from both extreme sides of the political spectrum since I find it helpful in understanding the arguments on each side and it gives me insight into how people may think and behave who espouse certain beliefs. Overall I really liked this book and will go and read other of Haidt’s work since he comes from an intellectually honest place trying to dig into problems from a first-principles approach to see how things evolved. I have increasingly enjoyed thinking through various changes and desires in our day-to-day life through the lens of evolution since it drives so much of how we think, feel, and act. I did not really appreciate how these evolutionary mechanisms could be hijacked in such short orders for nefarious means, and so I have a heightened sense of some of the triggers that exist and are exploited in many arenas of my current life. Definitely recommend this to anyone interested who may be turned off by the title.
59. The Dhandho Investor: The Low-Risk Value Method to High Returns by Mohnish Pabrai
Reflections:
This is a short book by Mohnish Pobrai whom I have enjoyed learning more about over the past few years. He is a proponent of cloning and simplicity and a Buffett disciple in the best sense of the term. I enjoyed learning more about the different anecdotes he mentioned to describe the principles of a Dhando investor, namely, minimizing downside and probability writhing various outcomes as a more holistic assessment of embedded risk. Taking the principles of investing outside of the world of actual stock market investing I think was even more helpful. Asymmetry is one of those meta concepts that I have encountered and am trying to seek out in all areas of my life. It is so powerful and often overlooked due to our inherently high levels of risk aversion. Especially as I ascend to higher levels of responsibility in portfolio management, I will take the principles of this book to heart, and have already begun using some of the sources and techniques mentioned.
58. Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins
Reflections:
This had also been on the list for a bit, but was relatively short and available on my library’s app. Really glad that I read this book since it is a healthy counter to a lot of the productivity optimizing books in the self-help and financial planning space. Some of my biggest takeaways were investing in experiences that pay a memory dividend earlier in life, and a reminder of the smoothing of consumption over one’s lifetime. Personally, I am quite frugal and averse to spending money, but I realize that as the number in the bank goes up, it does not really mean anything to me at a certain point. Certainly it is helpful to have more rather than less, but there must be a point where that ceases to be true. I have recently decided to overinvest in anything health related, anything charitable, and anything related to experiences with close friends and family. It really helps to be able to take a step back and think of things objectively with that “outside view” and analyze how our day to day decisions fit into the overall framework we desire for a happy life.
57. Life After Life by Raymond A Moody
Reflections:
I have had this book on my list for quite a long time. I am very glad I finally got to it as the stories are amazing. For anyone remotely interested in spirituality and near death experiences, it is a must-read. I am sure there are a lot of criticisms given its age and methodology, and there will always be explanations to counter findings that touch on anything slightly mystical, but this analysis and synthesis of experiences “after death” is pretty profound. I have been trying to come up with a unifying framework for spirituality and the general mind-body problem for many years, and so each work like this helps to tweak that framework. Some takeaways included the emphasis on love and knowledge, the perfect understanding of others prior to speech, people’s reason for being on earth, the emphasis on humor, how people can get called back from the afterlife, Plato’s views on birth and death, lack of heaven and hell, suicide/murder and its implications, and overall purpose of one’s life.
56. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Reflections:
Pretty short read. I have heard Seth on a few podcast episodes and have looked through his blog. This was his first actual book I decided to try mostly because it was free and available through my library. I am not currently a business owner nor into marketing per se, but the ideas in the book I think are transferable and have held up quite well over the past 20 years. One of the main takeaways I had was how safe can be risky. This is something that is often taken for granted in that the well-trodden path seems like a safe route, but can lead to mediocrity and lower returns over time. It is counterintuitive, but especially when the downsides are limited, taking a leap of faith can actually be safer. The premise of the book is how advertising and marketing have changed dramatically in the current world of abundance and the rise of social media. It takes different approaches in order to have anywhere close to the same impact that an old television marketing campaign would have had. Through the lens of this book, the prevalence and success of influencer marketing and the Tiktok shop make a lot of sense. The other primary takeaway I had was how remarkable is the opposite of very good. Almost by definition, if a product or service meets all of your needs very well, then there is nothing to talk about. It is only when something either dramatically under delivers or over delivers that it is worth sharing. I understand in the different arenas in life I currently operate in just how difficult it is to differentiate yourself when access to a vast amount of resources has been democratized.
55. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
Reflections:
I did not know much about Mr Rogers prior to starting this book. I have seen a few episodes of the show, have seen parodies in popular culture, and references to his legacy over the years. He definitely was not a foundational component of my childhood as I was in a different era, but I was pleased to know that many of the shows I watched in my childhood were either heavily influenced by his philosophy or from the same production company. Mr. Rogers definitely had a unique upbringing coming from an affluent family and being an only child. I was impressed with the thoughtfulness that went into every aspect of the show and the prioritization on the child viewer. Words and phrasing were paramount, with workers on the show referring to the language as “Fredish”. There are a lot of “reading between the lines” type of lessons for me in terms of how people perceived him and ridiculed him, how he structured his life, and where he failed/succeeded and why. Overall, I was not too interested in continuing once I got about halfway through, but was glad that I pushed through that period. Likely will not revisit.
54. A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains by Max Bennett
Reflections:
This was a top book of the year. Incredibly interesting and I have a full list of notes in my phone. This will be on my list of books to read again in a physical copy and highlight/take physical notes. I am not sure how accurate or sure we can be about all of these different assumptions but holy moly is it a compelling narrative. I am always interested in the why and how behind our wiring and proclivities, and Bennett did a wonderful job going from the earliest forms of intelligence to the modern day in an easy-to-follow narrative. This took many of my favorite elements from The Hour Between Dog and Wolf which I read earlier this year, and expanded upon them in detail. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning about the way our brains and the brains of other organisms have developed over time.
53. The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz
Reflections:
This book was pretty refreshing in the world of business/self help culture in that it says the quiet part out loud. Many books of this nature say seemingly very obvious things, and in doing so, contradict their own advice over time. It is hard to decipher in different situations what the best course of action is, and that nuance is exactly why the rewards are so huge for those who can successfully navigate and grow from adversity. A lot of people give advice as spectators or try to take their success from one domain and then proselytize about something completely different. I enjoyed the real-world examples and decisions that were made in the midst of uncertainty. I especially liked the rap quotes strung throughout the book. I realized that a lot of the songs I listen to regularly are actually very poetic if you can strip them away from the other context of the song.
52. Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables by Phil Vischer
Reflections:
I saw this on my library app and knew I had to give it a go. Especially with all of the very serious subjects that I have been focused on as of late, I thought it would be helpful to learn about Veggie Tales and its origin story/creator. I ended up really enjoying the story and took a way a surprising amount of business-book-like wisdom. Additionally, it was unique to hear God playing such a big role in the entirety of the book. I feel that most people do not discuss religion in books since it can be a polarizing topic. However, I feel as though a lot of people covered in biographies have certain religious convictions that help to contextualize their decisions and thought processes, so in their absence, it can be difficult to put the pieces together. Some of the main religious takeaways I had were that God and anything else is not greater than God alone, how God can give you everything you think you want just to take it away, and how you may think that XYZ action is doing the most good from a utilitarian perspective, but God does not use the same measurements that we use.
51. The Fiat Standard: Debt Slavery Alternative to Human Civilization by Saifedean Ammous
Reflections:
This is a follow up to The Bitcoin Standard and was actually pretty intellectually humble of Saifedean to produce. There are definitely some stretches here and there in terms of claims being made, and the author speaks very confidently and definitively. The premise is basically revisiting the emergence of fiat currencies and instead of dismissing them outright, seriously endeavoring to see why they have been so successful (success in this case is Darwinian in nature). The book along the way discusses how art, food, politics, and pretty much everything you can imagine has been impacted by the ubiquity of fiat currency in our society today. It sounds pretty far fetched that the currency of the world could have such far-reaching consequences, but he makes a pretty compelling case. Once the monetary system loses its ties to reality, it is easy to start to have warped incentives and lose your footing. I really enjoyed this book as a complement to The Bitcoin Standard, and am excited to read Principles of Economics next.
50. How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients by Jeffrey J. Fox
Reflections:
This was recommended by my boss and was a pithy book on how to be an effective salesman. There is not much to say in terms of impact aside from some quotes that stuck with me throughout the book. Generally, the book discussed what it takes to generate new relationships with clients, and maintain a high standing in relationships with existing clients. There are a number of tactics ranging from the general to the specific in how to accomplish this task. I am not yet in a position to put these tools into practice in a professional context, but I believe sales is a pretty good analogy for most relationships in life, and as such, I am able to tweak the ways I behave with family and friends to ensure I am being a good and trustworthy partner.
49. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, 3rd Edition by John Perkins
Reflections:
This is the type of book that everyone kind of thinks is happening, but vindicates so many conspiracy theories. Obviously the author has motive to embellish and sensationalize certain stories. We live in a complex world where there are so many moving pieces and it is impossible to say exactly the factors that go into any outcome. That being said, it is absolutely mind-blowing to hear some of the practices that are apparently just out in the open. The U.S. and other countries engage in these incredibly immoral plots and schemes essentially subverting democratic processes for questionable ends. I wonder if there is ever going to be an end to this type of behavior in the world. Time and time again I was shocked at the level of corruption and lack of empathy in these institutions. It is truly scary what one will do to maintain and increase power over time.
48. The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
Reflections:
This really made me think about the semantics of arguments. It sounds a bit pedantic to be worrying about the definitions of words or how different people see things differently, but it becomes especially important with development of AI, wording of laws, and just generally in operating in day to day life. Thinking about what truth is and means was quite profound. Specifically in that we can never know for sure that something is true, things just asymptotically approach certainty with repeated experiences and trials. Especially in the last chapter when he discusses the value of philosophy, I was struck by his explanation of philosophy existing in the abstract and then becoming a science over time. Physics and Psychology were examples given of how Philosophy made the jump from the theorized to the empirical. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but it was a bit heady to get through via audio, so I found myself slowing down and replaying many sections.
47. The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean Ammous
Reflections:
This had been on my list but pushed up because of fiat food. I think Saifedean is incredibly intelligent and persuasive in his arguments. I have followed him on Twitter (X) and have heard him on some podcast appearances. I always appreciate first-principles thinkers as they present arguments from the ground up and you can see very clearly if and when you disagree with any premises set forth along the way. I have read other books that cover similar topics, but you can tell that Saifedean has done his research across disciplines and time periods to formulate a cohesive argument in favor of Bitcoin. This is going on the list to re-read along with his other books.
46. Fiat Food: Why Inflation Destroyed Our Health and How Bitcoin Fixes It by Matthew Lysiak & Saifedean Ammous
Reflections:
Heard Lysiak discussing the book on a podcast and immediately bought the audiobook. Quite an insane story and premise, but the more you learn about it, the more you start to be convinced. I am a self-proclaimed sucker for a good conspiracy theory. Even with that in mind, I think there is a compelling argument to be made for a confluence of factors supporting the same general trends in food recommendations across different entities. I also have seen a lot of commentary anecdotal and otherwise that falls in line with the guidance from this book. An engrossing tale of how the government, religious organizations, and lobbyists conspired to influence the diets of Americans and more than likely contributed in a big way to the obesity epidemic.
45. Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders by Warren Buffett
Reflections:
Absolute behemoth to get through, but glad I did. This was a project on the back burner I had had for a while, but it was daunting to take on. When I had a gap between employment I decided to tackle it as I was not sure when I would have a similar period of time to do a deep dive. Although I am nowhere near close to understanding all of the accounting intricacies and much of the jargon that is used and the practical implications of what is said, I was able to glean a lot of useful information and things to look out for through context clues. I knew about Berkshire sort of at arm’s length going into the read which was helpful since I did not know how the different stories would play out. Being able to go back and read through decisions or different discussion topics during different financial periods was insightful. Obviously I am reading it with the knowledge that Berkshire made it through the ups and downs, but I was trying to project myself back to the time of writing and think about what I would be thinking as an investor and capital allocator. I will certainly be going back and revisiting my notes and highlights as I start to move into an investment manager role, and I will take the principles and lessons with me for the rest of my life, not only in business.
44. Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach
Reflections:
I enjoy many of the teachings and practices of Buddhism. I liked how the different concepts were illustrated through stories from her practice, and how real world challenges and feelings can be overcome through deliberate practice and meditation. More than anything, this helped to hammer home the idea that everyone you know is going through their own internal battles, and there is a way out. This is one of the many books that may push me to meditate on a more regular basis. Being alone with my thoughts and examining the feelings that come up at different times is a superpower in understanding myself and how I am wired.
43. Hell Yeah or No: what's worth doing by Derek Sivers
Reflections:
Heard about this book through Derek’s appearances on a number of podcasts and some other channels. I think that the basic concept of the book is understandable from the title. I had a number of pretty important decisions to make over the past several weeks, and this concept was a guiding principle in those choices. I was expecting the book to cover the concept in greater detail, but it ended up being a compilation of blog posts across various topics. I like Derek Sivers and his general approach to life. I am glad I encountered him through some different channels, and will look into some of his other short books.
42. The Trusted Advisor Hardcover by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, & Robert M. Galford
Reflections:
Went into this book (which was sitting around my house) thinking it would be applicable to my new job in the financial advising space. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the advice and guidance in the book was geared toward a number of different jobs, and really more so to life and relationships in general. I enjoyed The Speed of Trust, and felt that this book covered a lot of the same ground in that the key component to any relationship is trust. Relationships are incredibly important whether they be professional, familial, or amongst friends. The core principle to make effective relationships is trust, and it is amazing how many other seemingly important things are deprioritized in favor of trust
41. The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight by Satchin Panda PhD
Reflections:
I heard this book mentioned on the Huberman Lab podcast several times over the years and finally got around to it. This was a good reminder to me of the importance of our biology. It is easy to forget in our day to day lives that are overwhelmed with technology and divorced from the natural world, but we are animals at the end of the day that are products of evolution. This does not suit our needs in the modern world, and yet, there is nothing we can really do. Certain things surrounding our health and wellbeing are unfortunately tied to the way our bodily systems evolved when living in the savannah, and it is incredibly difficult to circumvent the things that fed into our wiring. Specifically the timing of light viewing, sleep, eating, and exercise and their spillover effects into pretty much all aspects of our health play an outsized role in how we should construct our daily rituals. I am wary of any science or protocol that claims to be the be all end all of health and longevity, but I think the author did a great job at explaining the underlying principles and mechanisms by which the systems in our bodies operate, and then building upon those with certain protocols. There are some specific recommendations in the book that I believe may be a bit outdated with more recent studies, but in truth, we don’t know all that much about how we operate. Focusing on the general themes and principles that are tested and make logical sense from an evolutionary perspective seems to be a sound operating system, and so for that reason, I am making some tweaks to my daily routines to incorporate the lessons from this book.
40. Of Wolves and Men by Barry Holstun Lopez
Reflections:
This book pretty much knocked it out of the park. Take a topic that I think is not interesting and bears pretty much no value to my life “wolves” and then almost immediately make me eat my words. Within the first chapter I was saying to myself, “wolves are pretty sick.” That is probably the best four word summary I could give to describe this book, and the medium of text to communicate it does not do it justice. I really enjoyed the storytelling in this book. The relationship between man and wolf is far more complex and significant than I would have thought. I have thought a lot recently about the interplay between humans and the natural world, specifically in what makes us similar or different from different types of animals. When looking through the lens of human supremacy, which I would imagine most all humans do, it can be easy to dismiss all animals of being less than. This was one of my first foray into the realm of human and animal relationship/evolution, and it will certainly not be my last.
39. Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's Mass Market by Ray Kroc
Reflections:
I had seen the movie The Founder years ago, but in all honesty did not remember much beyond thinking that Ray Kroc was kind of a scumbag. I will have to rewatch the film in light of the book and see if that judgment is still valid. The book itself was great. Quite short and yet packed with insights on business and entrepreneurship. It is inspiring to hear the tales of scrappy entrepreneurs from depression era roots and see how they overcame various challenges. It seems like a somewhat idealized world in some respects, and totally miserable in others. The fact that Ray Kroc would literally take trains city to city to look at different restaurant concepts or writing letters was so striking relative to today where almost all of the information you could ever ask for is at your fingertips. I wonder if these types of people would similarly thrive in today’s world or if they would succumb to the laziness and take-for-grantedness that is the status quo. I really love reading biographies or stories that are told through the eyes of successful people in their fields, almost irrespective of what that field is. There are clear toolkits and guidebooks out there for how to be successful in this world if I only look, and then of course put the lessons into practice.
38. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
Reflections:
I heard this book mentioned a few places over the past several years, and saw that it was available in the Audible catalog. It was a short read, but holy moly was it great. A totally new perspective on how we got to where we are today. The narrative is illustrative of the power of compounding and the importance of starting conditions. Looking at the developments of different societies and trying to honestly evaluate how they came to be from a first principles lens is one of the most valuable tools to understand a variety of domains. Much of what is discussed is a bit opaque at first, but when you dig into the details, it smacks you right in the face.The development of farming leading to more children, work specialization, government hierarchy, priests, wars, animal domestication which then leads to illness passing from animals to humans and then to other humans is such an obvious linkage that I had never before considered. Taking the lessons of history and then looking at where we are today can help provide clues as to where we may be going. Even in looking at inequality of opportunity for different demographics in the world today, this book helps to provide a framework for evaluating how different initial conditions in complex systems can lead to drastically different outcomes.
37. Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company by Andrew S. Grove
Reflections:
This was mentioned by my former boss and was available in the audible catalog so I gave it a listen. Reminiscent of the lessons from The Innovator’s Dilemma. Grove’s term for these moments where there are sea changes in industry in which companies must adapt or die is a Strategic Inflection Point. These are by nature more obvious in hindsight, but I believe that with experience it begins to become an exercise in pattern recognition. I am not currently in a leadership position where I have to make the types of decisions discussed in the book; however, I am an investor and can use the ability to identify these points as an advantage. Unfortunately, there are a number of these points in my lifetime that I have let pass me by. Fortunately, these were mistakes of omission vs. commission, so I do not fully grasp the missed opportunities (fortunately should be viewed with sarcasm). Shame on me if I do not heed the lessons of this book and my past failures to not capitalize on the next Strategic Inflection Points that come about during my lifetime.
36. Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
Reflections:
Arthur Brooks is one of my favorite guests on the different podcasts I listen to regularly. Last year I read his book From Strength to Strength and really enjoyed it although I was not the target audience. This book is written for anybody who is a human being, and so I found all of the lessons to be applicable to my life. I appreciate the intellectual humility and building up from first principles or inversion in order to arrive at conclusions and prescriptive advice. Prescriptive while at the same time being instructive so that you can think through the argument and decide for yourself if it warrants merit. The concept of happiness is often on my mind (if you couldn’t tell from many of the books on these lists over the years) so a lot of the topics discussed I have seen in other mediums prior. That notwithstanding, I still had valuable takeaways and appreciated the breakdown of happiness and life into different segments and extracting the big themes or principles to hone in on in order to take control of your emotional well-being. My life has been pretty great so far, but in those moments of difficulty, the lessons in this book are helpful for me to parse out what is and is not in my control and the levers to focus on in order to find a silver lining and escape from any rut. Oprah being a coauthor was interesting and I appreciated her commentary. It made me want to explore more of her content and revisit What I Know for Sure which was an early favorite in my reading journey.
35. Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger by Charles T. Munger, Peter D. Kaufman, Warren Buffett, and John Collison
Reflections:
I first heard of this book years ago and it has been on my list ever since. The older copies were pretty expensive, so I was glad to see it brought back into publishing and, more importantly, an audiobook version as well. This book is a compendium of different talks/lectures as well as some other commentary written specifically for this book, so it is good to hear it produced in a similar format that it was initially given in. Even though the talks were likely well planned and prepared, there is a different style when writing a book and writing for speaking aloud. I think that this book should be essential reading for people in most fields as it takes a holistic approach to learning and life. I probably gravitate more towards Munger than Buffett when it comes to personality types, and the stress on learning as widely as possible and using knowledge from different disciplines makes so much sense to me. The common theme across all of Warren and Charlie’s lessons is how practical and simple they are. They make so much common sense and yet are hard to apply. The aphorism and pithy quotes can be easy to overlook or roll your eyes out, but the more experience I have had, the more I realize how much wisdom goes into some of the simplest quotes that last for generations.
34. Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Dr. Becky Kennedy
Reflections:
A bit strange to read a parenting book, but I have heard/seen Dr. Becky on different podcasts and social media channels over the past few years, and feel that it is helpful to learn from leaders in different fields. I do not know anything really about parenting aside from what is available through pop culture and the experiences of my life, so it was actually eye-opening to see all of the types of challenges parents may face in raising kids. It made me go to my parents and ask questions about my tantrums or memorable stories/situations to see how they handled things. I do not remember in any vivid detail my tantrums or complaints, nor for that matter how my parents handled certain things. I remember various punishments and consequences for actions or other restrictions, but not in a deep-seeded psychological way which is somewhat comforting. Many of the lessons for dealing with children also apply to dealing with adults, and I think that even if you did not get parented in a certain way, you can almost retrain yourself to respond to emotions or situations in more adaptive ways with the knowledge of what may be more healthy psychologically. All in all, I think I will continue to read these types of books to help build out more general knowledge and cross-domain learning.
33. Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
Reflections:
This is not really the type of biography I typically gravitate towards. In fact, I ignored it being available at my library for several weeks until finally I pulled the trigger. I did not know much about Agassi going into the book other than knowing he was pretty good at tennis. I had no idea about the controversy or turmoil throughout his life, which was good in a way because it made me follow along the journey from scratch without having any preconceived notions of what may be going on behind the scenes. Now of course I am biased in the other direction as I only have his perspective and am not as aware of the public’s perspective of his life and actions over the years. The fact that people who are the best in the world at their craft openly (no pun intended) share all of the details of their lives and experiences is probably one of my favorite things about getting back into reading. It is one thing to hear someone as a guest on a podcast talking about specific anecdotes or having conversations, but a full book takes far more effort and coordination and as such contains a number of gems and takeaways even across different domains.
32. How Innovation Works: And Why It Flourishes in Freedom by Matt Ridley
Reflections:
This book/author have come up a lot over the years, most likely because they/he have had so much success. The style is reminiscent of Gladwell in that he takes a pretty well-known topic and then proposes a unique view of it that causes you to rethink assumptions. Then he provides a myriad of examples across different spheres of life to further prove his point. Purely from a history and general knowledge perspective, this was a good read. I have gotten away from these types of books that go through detailed examples of instances throughout history and cultures and found it interesting just in that respect. While the examples and detail after a certain point begin to become superfluous in terms of proving a point/argument, it was a refreshing step back towards nonfiction and I appreciated all of the research and effort that went into the book. I always try to be wary when so many examples are used in service of a singular agenda, because it is very easy to manipulate details or present them in such a way that they align with different viewpoints. All in all, I enjoyed it and was nice to listen to on a long plane ride.
31. Invested: How Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger Taught Me to Master My Mind, My Emotions, and My Money (with a Little Help from My Dad) by Danielle Town and Phil Town
Reflections:
I heard this book mentioned on a podcast and ordered it on a whim even though the title/description online is not something I would typically gravitate towards. I was pleasantly surprised because although the content wasn’t entirely new and the writing felt a bit patronizing at times, the message and the deliverer of the message I believe were helpful in explaining the deliberately obtuse financial concepts behind investing and taking control of one’s personal finances. I actually immediately lent the copy to a friend who was struggling to get started learning about personal finances and how to invest. It is an intimidating process especially for those not in the finance realm, and I liked how the author had that background of hesitancy and fear. It just goes to show that even people with successful and financially literate family members can still be intimidated and just as uncertain as anyone. Anything that promotes better financial literacy of the general public can get a thumbs up in my book.
30. The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Reflections:
Another book revisited from a prior assignment and continuing on my fiction kick. This story is far shorter than I remember, likely because it felt like it dragged on and on when we read it in school. I like Hemingway’s writing style and it is a great pallet cleanser since most of my reading tends to stay in the nonfiction realm. The imagery is great, but I think I most enjoy the reflections about life that come about organically through the characters. It impresses me when fiction writers are able to make you believe that the characters in the story would actually behave and think in certain ways since while their entire beings are fabricated, there is some underlying truth that comes through in a well-constructed character. There were probably a dozen or so instances of highlighting turns of phrase or descriptions throughout the book that I felt were worth revisiting. Great read and can be completed in a day.
29. The Martian by Andy Weir
Reflections:
As a former astrophysicist hopeful, I really enjoyed this book. I had seen the movie with Matt Damon years ago and never revisited it, but now feel like another watch would be warranted. Aside from continuing on my fiction kick, this also helped to take away from some of the moral lessons or reading between the lines of other fiction as it is moreso an interesting narrative surrounding a what-if future scenario that is more grounded in reality and less cerebral. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that the science in the book is actually pretty accurate, or at least was at the time of writing/the article. Nothing too much to say on the book content-wise as you can get the gist from reading a brief summary, but it did bring to mind an introductory class in astrophysics that I had. Some of the more interesting questions on exams were not dissimilar to the book - calculating how long you could survive in a rover with a radioactive element, calculating how long you would have until you passed out if sucked into a black hole - and so it was fun to be brought back into that “practical” problem-solving frame of mind.
28. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Reflections:
I read this in school at some point as assigned reading, and remembered enjoying it. I have not seen the movie adaptation, but probably through some combination of that movie and the book’s availability at the library (plus my momentary fiction kick), I ended up revisiting it. I enjoy a lot of these types of dystopian novels because they take an idea or a handful of ideas that most people have thought of, and then take them seriously. Oftentimes when I read some of these novels independently, the context within which they are written is unknown to me, and I therefore may lose the metaphors or allegories that the author is trying to express. I feel like in a way it is almost better to go in blind so that I can assess the thought processes and logical extensions on their own merit instead of being caught up determining whether or not the argument or claim is accurate. This book made me rethink what it means to feel, highs and lows of emotions, and ultimately consider how the human experience should best be defined.
27. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Reflections:
Not sure what drew me to add this to the list, but it was available at my library and I am glad I put it in the queue. The re-read somewhat inspired me to consider writing a fiction story as a way to flesh out ideas - have not done yet, but planted the seed of the idea. Ironically, a lot of what was discussed in the book as it relates to quantum effects, different ideas of perception/dimensions, and exploring the concept of God have been on my mind probably forever, but more so in the past year or two. The more I learn about our bodies, minds, phsyics, and different wisdom traditions, the more I gravitate towards esoteric theories of a unified whole or oneness. The idea to grapple with some of these concepts in a book primarily marketed toward children is an interesting approach to say the least. I felt it actually helped to cover some of the concepts because with a younger audience, you can deliberately be more vague and allow the imagination to wander. With many of the unproven concepts and theories in the realm of quantum physics and then religion more broadly, it is probably best to leave ideas vague and open to interpretation.
26. Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot by Matt Abrahams
Reflections:
This was more so a “filler” type of book that was popular at my library and became available while I was in between books, so decided to give it a go. I have mentioned before that it feels alien to cover a book like this where you learn about how to speak to others. Notably, this book hammered down the point that there is no shame in practicing effective communication and storytelling, because that is the way to actually get better at it without having to remember acronyms or deliberately try to fit together puzzle pieces. By studying narrative structure and effective communication, there will definitely be some alien-like conversations or moments where you have to think to the lessons learned in the moment, but over time, the real value comes from those tools flowing seamlessly into everyday life. Overall, I enjoyed that this book gave many examples of how to conquer being put on the spot in social situations, regardless of the context.
25. The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind by John Coates
Reflections:
This is immediately one of my favorite books of the year and a top book of all time. The core essence of the book surrounds decision making. The story is centered around stock trading as a way to elucidate the many different examples of how our bodies respond to information and react in situations of uncertainty, but the principles and lessons extend far beyond the trading floor. There are many psychology and neuroscience books I have covered over the past few years, and I can say this book certainly held its own among a tough crowd in terms of interesting insights and amalgamating information. I really love when you are reading a book and you know with certainty that the author is just smarter than you in every way on the topic at hand. The synthesis across domains and studies was incredibly interesting and I found myself stopping every so often to share the information with others. Easily could see myself going back to this one with a highlighter and a notebook in the near future.
24. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Reflections:
Although Dale Carnegie is a prevalent author in the self-help space, I think that some of the classic books of this ilk are classic for a reason and worthy of reading and re-reading. Reading 7 habits, How to Win Friends and Influence people, and others again will be part of my list over the next chunk of time as things settle down on the personal/professional front. I often hear that this advice is hackneyed and everyone already know it, or that it is obvious, and that is kind of the point. Carnegie even says something along the lines of “all of the instructions to live a good and happy life are out there, it is just a matter of adhering to the advice.” This could not be more true and ties back to the blog post I had earlier this year on the difference between simple and easy. A lot of the advice for living a happier life and overcoming adversity is quite simple, and yet, difficult to implement and put into practice. Constant reminders like reading and re-reading help to prepare you for improvement in between stimulus and response.
23. The Missionary of Wall Street: From Managing Money to Saving Souls on the Streets of New York by Stephen Auth
Reflections:
I met Steve over the several NYC missions that I did between 8th grade and senior year of high school. These were some of the best memories I made during that period, and definitely got me out of my comfort zone. I never heard Steve’s full story himself in terms of how he got involved in the missions, so it was good to get that perspective. Beyond that, it was great to hear a lot of the anecdotes relayed because it helped to bring me back to similar memories and stories I had during my missions. I was also participating alongside a lot of the missionaries mentioned in the book, so it was great to hear refreshers on some of the “big fish” from those days. I read the full book cover to cover on Easter Sunday between mass and family time, so it was a great reminder of the power of connection and humanity that can be brought about through simple actions. Perhaps if I end up living in or near NYC for this next phase in life I will look into rejoining some of the missions efforts.
22. [Partial Re-Read] The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Reflections:
Ordered the behemoth of a hard copy of this one after getting tantalized by the abridged audiobook from my library. Replete with anecdotes, statistics, and diagrams, this book did a great job at laying out the reasons behind various protocols and experiments, and then explaining the results and potential implementations into one’s daily routines and habits. There are probably a dozen or so principles from this book that I immediately incorporated into my life specifically across diet and exercise. It is definitely a blow to the ego to realize that you have not been operating in the most effective way, but across several domains of my life, this book helped to show that that was the case. If my goals in the gym are to get as strong as possible, or to lose as much weight as possible, or to look physically the best possible, then my training program should specifically be designed to do that. In this arena (and others) of my life, I realize that there is a lot of room for improvement, and much of the work and stress I am putting myself through is superfluous - which is humbling and somewhat embarrassing, but only if I was to continue my ignorance.
21. A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir by Colin Jost
Reflections:
Needed a break from the cerebral/business books and this book became available at my library at a perfect time. Funnily enough, met the author in a hilarious series of events years ago. I have enjoyed the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade which has guests each episode from the SNL cast or prior hosts. In particular, it is great to hear the behind the scenes stories of SNL since I have been a long time fan and secretly always have thought I’d end up on the show. This was great insight into the perspective of what it takes to get there, especially from someone of a somewhat similar background. Surprised to hear him mention Rincon, Puerto Rico a few times as I randomly happened to live there for half a year after graduation.
20. The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future by Sebastian Mallaby
Reflections:
This book was a detailed description of the rise of Venture Capital, packed with explanations of its history, inner workings, and major players along the way. Venture as an asset class has shaped so much of our world today, and I had never previously realized what a radical shift in investment style it was. It sounds like a cop-out, but the idea that in disruptive technologies you can’t forecast based on the past was a profound idea that will stick with me. The end of the book in particular I thought did a great job laying out the history of VC and where we are today. Books of this ilk are especially susceptible to the narrative fallacy, but I found Mallaby did a decent job at balancing perspectives, showing successes and failures. It is tough because so many of the failures are, by definition, not part of the dataset. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. VC is probably the most cinematic of asset classes given the absurd sums of money involved and the wide-ranging cast of characters.
19. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli
Reflections:
It is a shame that this book came at a later stage in my reading journey because I have heard many of the principles from other sources which took away from its impact to me specifically. In 100 short chapters, this book outlines the most common decision-making failures. Each chapter describes one of these cognitive biases and then gives examples and some surrounding principles to help in overcoming them. After taking a behavioral economics class called the Psychology of Decision Making and Judgement, reading Influence, Presuasion, Thinking Fast and Slow, Nudge, all of Taleb, Blink, Predictable Irrational, Super Forecasting, Thinking in Bets, and many more, it is hard to produce a concept that I have not come across in this sphere. Novelty aside, it is imperative to be reminded of these biases constantly in order to keep them top of mind in the hopes of curtailing their influence. I thought this was a great book to succinctly cover a broad swathe of these common lapses in judgement and would be beneficial to anyone ranging from an absolute beginner, to someone who has seen all of these concepts a dozen times.
18. Awareness: Conversations with the Masters by Anthony De Mello
Reflections:
Instant favorite. This book was mentioned on the Tim Ferriss podcast and I had had it on my list for a while. He mentioned it again in a recent episode, and it spurred me to download the audiobook. The book itself is a compendium of talks/lectures from De Mello who was an indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. My interest in the meeting of Eastern and Western traditions seem to culminate perfectly in his very being. I enjoyed the audio so much that I ordered a physical copy before I was half way through in order to take physical notes and highlight sections. I do not think that there is anything too profound about the book as a whole, but there are sometimes those little nuggets in a book that help you frame thoughts and assumptions in a different light. This book had at least a dozen such cases and I look forward to a re-read.
17. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Reflections:
This book deviated from the typical titles on my list, but I was really glad I added it. Ever since the movie was announced and I started seeing the book rise in popularity on various book lists, the title alone was intriguing. I read the blurb summarizing the plot almost a year ago and knew that I would get around to it at some point. I knew nothing going into this book which made it almost more like a historical fiction piece, but the fact that this all happened in the not to distant past makes it all the more gripping. I was never one to listen to true crime podcasts or watch those TV shows that have risen in popularity over the past several years, but after this book, I can definitely see the appeal. The massive amounts of corruption and lack of sophistication in terms of forensics and police protocols helped to increase the drama and mystery. As with almost anything involving the US government, the personal interests and overall power/sway that authority figures had seem almost cinematic (no surprise a film was made). Highly recommend for anyone whose interest is piqued by the book description.
16. Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg
Reflections:
Story and language are such foundational aspects of being human that in nearly any field, you can see the best communicators and storytellers able to rise above the crowd. Similar to many of the psychology-oriented books I have read, there is so much to be discovered underneath the surface in our everyday conversations, and by bringing the unconscious to the conscious, we can help to communicate more effectively no matter the relationship. In my life I have found myself having less and less conversations in person as work is primarily remote phone calls and interactions in public tend to be blocked out by headphones or smartphone usage. Figuring out what your objectives are in a conversation, as well as what the other participants objectives are, and then ensuring that they are in alignment is one of the most significant takeaways I had. I find myself in a lot of conversations having two separate discussions which ends up being frustrating and a waste of time.
15. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find - and Keep - Love by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
Reflections:
I have heard remnants of attachment theory through different books and podcasts that will gloss over some of the concepts or experiments at a high level, and so I thought it would be worthwhile to go through the book myself. I was not expecting to learn much from this book having essentially gotten the punchline ahead of time; however, I was surprised to find a lot of helpful examples and detail along the way that supported the theory. As the authors went through examples of each attachment style across different situations and types of relationships, I found myself achieving greater clarity in why certain relationships worked or did not work. The best thing about psychology or neuroscience findings in my opinion is when you can find words that map to an experience you could not previously explain. Being honest with myself, I have acted as each of the different attachment styles at different points in my life and in different types of relationships. It is helpful to keep attachment styles top of mind whenever there is friction in relationships to recognize the potential conversation beneath the conversation.
14. Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will by Robert M. Sapolsky
Reflections:
Immediate candidate for favorite book of the year. The note in my phone dedicated to this book is too extensive to cover in a short blurb, but suffice to say - holy moly. Quite long and thorough, this book did a tremendous job at going through the various defenses of free will and explaining the different arguments with a first principles lens. There are so many followups from this book that I find tremendously interesting to look further into, ranging from neuroscience to quantum mechanics. Felt close to peak nerdiness as I was excited and smiling in anticipation of returning to this book. I could not help myself from sharing with some friends and family while I was learning various things that I had never heard before that were just fascinating. Probably the most important topic to have an understanding of as it underlies all of our “decision-making” processes and planning that make up our everyday existence.
13. Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr
Reflections:
This book is often touted and referenced (sometimes mockingly) across various media channels that I have looked at over the past several years. It was available at my library and I thought it would be a good idea to look at the source. As with many great ideas, it is not so much that anything within this book was incredibly novel, I believe the popularity was more so a result of attaching language to the beliefs and systems/processes in order to hold yourself accountable to principles that are nearly impossible to disagree with. A lot of celebrity encounters and unexpected people came up in this book which add credibility to the arguments. Similar to Principles by Ray Dalio, the concepts seem so irrefutable that it makes you wonder exactly how they are implemented in practice. A solid leadership/management book that I would not mind revisiting if my situation warranted it.
12. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant
Reflections:
I am a fan of Adam Grant’s other books and his appearances on podcasts over the years. As usual, a lot of great anecdotes. The biggest takeaway for me at this point in my life was the fact that sometimes you need to regress in order to progress. When ascending the mountain, at times you will hit a dead end and have to retrace your path to find a better route up. The concepts of learning how to improve at improving, and having the nerve to embrace, seek, and amplify discomfort especially resonated with me. The metaphor of the compass giving you direction and not directions made it into my notes app. A very inspiring book that helps to shift the emphasis from the destination back to the journey, democratizing the access to greatness.
11. As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Reflections:
This is a classic and a super short read, so I would recommend it for anyone interested. Pretty amazing that this was written in 1902 and echoes a lot of the sentiments that continue to be expressed in the self-help genre, now flush with countless examples and studies that corroborate the ideas. James Allen’s book too is echoing ideas that have been percolating in Eastern parts of the world for thousands of years, stressing the interconnectedness of thoughts, actions, and the world. It is written in very simple language, and talks through some important lessons that are vital to remember as the world increasingly tries to take us away from moments of stillness and internal reflection.
10. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens
Reflections:
A pretty happy title, huh? I don’t believe I have read a book that is anti-God before, and so when I saw this title was popular at my library and available, I thought it would be worth a go. I have been reading the bible a chapter at a time over the past few months, trying to get cover to cover, and so many of the specific passages referenced were luckily in recent memory. I think it is generally a good idea to open oneself to as many different ideas and worldviews as possible. Somewhat counterintuitively, I believe that learning a lot about beliefs that run counter to what you may profess can actually strengthen your beliefs. Going to Catholic schools for K-12 and being raised in that faith tradition has skewed the way I view the world, so it is interesting to hear the perspectives of those who do not share those biases.
9. Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion by Daniel Goleman and Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Reflections:
I am interested in mindfulness and meditation and always like to learn more about the practices. I have yet to implement any sort of robust meditation practice/habit into my life, but I think that some of the tools offered in this book have given me a useful ramp to doing so. For those who have been bugged with my current hodge-podge cross stitch of the universe and spirituality, the part of the book that discusses the three “speed limits” we have: physical, mental, and energy/feeling; resonated strongly with me. It is sad to me how easy it is in the world today to not have moments of deep reflection or contemplation. I think that in moments of stillness, I find my mind spiraling or craving to check my phone, watch a video, or listen to a book or podcast. Throughout history, I know that men have struggled to do important work, and that is why monks and spiritual figures who seem to have overcome these impulses seem so other-worldly to us mere mortals. In an accessible way to Westerners, this book takes you through various meditation practices and also gives real-world examples and references studies for the various concepts.
8. The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter
Reflections:
I had never heard about this book before, I was scrolling through popular and available now at my library and stumbled upon it. I am very glad I did. I really enjoyed this story and had a lot of takeaways such as Misogis, the power of being bored, creativity, fractals in nature, the modern lack of lean times, happiness in Bhutan, and different/new stories of how humans have evolved. One specific fact that I had not heard, or at least had not appreciated before this book was the fact that carbs and fats together do not really occur in nature, and yet are present in nearly all of the hyper-palatable and highly processed foods today. This narrative was well-crafted bouncing back and forth from an intense excursion to the Alaskan wilderness to various scientific studies or reports on principles surrounding health and wellness. Several behavioral changes have already come about in my life on account of this book. Again, very glad I stumbled upon this book and would recommend it to anyone remotely interested in the title or anything mentioned in this paragraph.
7. [Re-Read] Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B Cialdini PhD
Reflections:
I took this on our family vacation and gave it a full re-read cover to cover with pen in hand. My goal at this stage in my life is to read as widely as I can and try to take notes on which books are worth revisiting. After I read a book I really like on kindle or on audiobook, I will buy the physical copy to go through more carefully and mark up. This was the first book that I had gone back through in such a fashion (aside from Meditations). The principles of Influence and the examples that Cialdini lays out are timeless and once you are aware of them, start to see them everywhere. I sometimes feel uneasy reading books like this that discuss how our psychology works because it almost feels manipulative. However, it is better to be aware of the tools that are employed by others, whether they are conscious of them or not, to be better armed to protect ourselves from falling into default patterns when they do not serve us. As Cialdini and many others have explained quite well, we evolved with automatic ways of thinking that have helped to reduce our mental burdens and in most cases lead to good outcomes. Yet, in the modern world, many of these evolved impulses and automated behaviors have been hijacked for other purposes, and so we must be hyper-aware of them if we hope to stand a chance.
6. Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel
Reflections:
I liked the Psychology of Money, and similarly liked Housel’s most recent rounds on podcasts touting this book so thought it was worth a try once it became available at my library. One of my favorite concepts from Charlie Munger is the concept of inversion, and I think that that is at the core of this book. Instead of trying to focus on what will change or how this or that will play out, it asks the question of what will stay the same. The biggest “mind-blown” moment by far was when he talked about the concept of parallel universes and the butterfly effect. I think that the infinite parallel universe theory is intellectually interesting to think about at a minimum, and I have often thought about the many different worlds where I decided to sleep in that day, or take a different route to work, or chose a different college, etc. I have never; however, thought about all of those different universes from the perspective of what would be the same in all of them. It seems so simple and obvious, and yet boom! Hit me like a ton of bricks. Would “universal goods” like truth or love still be as such in every possible universe? What would be? Definitely food for thought and maybe fodder for a future blog post.
5. The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Reflections:
Spoiler alert - this was just the audiobook, and I found out it was abridged! How lame! I am a big fan of Tim Ferriss and think he too has lived an incredibly interesting life. His podcast is really great, and I love that all of his content is pretty much freely accessible. I bought hard copies of this and one other book which are both 500 or so pages, and will likely be read cover to cover, and then returned to in piecemeal fashion. I don’t know if this book will reappear on this list later this year (I hope it does), but even in the abridged version, I learned a lot of concepts and principles that I can apply to my own life. I think one of the biggest things that I respect about Tim is that he recognizes the limitations of scientific studies. Especially as it relates to the body, I have felt in my own life that there are so many conflicting signals out there about X being good, and Y being bad, or taking this supplement, or that workout style. At the end of the day, there is still so much to be learned, and we won’t have all of the answers anytime soon. Even if we did, each person is different, so the best strategy is to experiment on yourself and see what works for you - using some guidance from underlying scientific principles or known mechanisms.
4. Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Reflections:
I heard Arnold making the rounds on podcasts talking about this book, and it was relatively short/available at my library so I gave it a go. I did not know much about Arnold’s life story before this book and the podcast appearances, but it is truly remarkable. I have read some biographies of people like Ben Franklin and Malcolm X and marveled at the seemingly many lives they were able to live during their respective times on Earth. Similarly, I am impressed with Arnold’s origin story and his relentless drive, ambition, and hard work that has gotten him to where he is today. The concept of “being useful” has also been helpful to me as I think about not only my career path but also what I am spending my time on each day. Nothing too groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
3. The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M .R. Covey
Reflections:
This has been on my list for a long time, courtesy of the TIP WSB podcast. It certainly did not disappoint. This was one of those books that once you read it, you start to see the principles all over in your life. Realizing how foundational trust is to almost everything in our society, and the various “dividends or taxes” that can come about due to trust or a lack thereof respectively, fundamentally has changed the way I think about the world. In environments of high trust, there is so much less friction and so many more possibilities enabled that it makes me intensely dislike instances where trust has been betrayed and the consequences that follow. One such instance that will probably always make me think of this book is airport security. Some nefarious individuals have permanently and irreversibly made traveling far more difficult for the vast, vast majority of people who have no bad intentions and have to still pay this trust tax with their time.
2. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Reflections:
I think my interest in Eastern thought should be relatively obvious looking at some of the books that I choose to read, but the Tao Te Ching is an oft-quoted short book that I had yet to read in its entirety, so ordered it around Christmas. My biggest takeaway was the concept of opposite forces and seeming contradictions. As the book jacket says, it can be read in “30 minutes, or over a lifetime.” This is one of those short books of wisdom that I think I will continuously go back to read certain quotes and sit with them. “When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.” Quotes like this capture simple wisdom that is echoed and said in different ways across many different media I have encountered since beginning this reading journey, and I think it is only after hearing concepts said in many different ways that I can get the most out of little snippets like this.
1. Broken Money: Why Our Financial System is Failing Us and How We Can Make it Better by Lyn Alden
Reflections:
This was a pretty long book to get through, but I think is a must-read for anyone interested in learning in relatively simple terms from first principles how we got to where we are today in terms of the current global financial system. The evolution of money and currency throughout time is incredibly interesting, and to be living at the dawn of cryptocurrencies and various advancements in technology and cryptography that have enabled their existence is underappreciated. I think Lyn Alden is extremely intelligent and a great communicator of ideas, and so once she spoke about this book, I ordered it soon after it came out. The world is in a pretty precarious position right now ever since the departure from the gold standard, and we have yet to see (in the US at least) the full pain that should naturally come about from the policy enacted over the last 50 years, which only seems to accelerate with each crisis. Highly recommend.
I have become increasingly interested in Bitcoin specifically over the past 5 years. My time and attention have been spent on learning more about layer one Bitcoin. Coming from an economics background and learning about financial history in college and more recently in Lyn Alden's new book "Broken Money", there are inevitable changes to come to the legacy financial systems, and the winner to date seems unequivocally to be Bitcoin. I am a voracious reader and love to learn and read widely. I think about different times in history when some massive technological advancements or discoveries opened the door to new possibilities that were previously unimaginable. Seeing the advent of blockchain technology, and the emergence of cryptocurrencies over the past decade has felt like one of those important inflection points in history - and I am excited to be witnessing it in real-time. Outside of the general excitement surrounding technological innovation, there are two more practical reasons why I have become so interested in learning more and participating in this unexplored frontier.
Born and raised in the US, I have a skewed perception of what economic opportunity looks like, and although our currency has been inflated over the years, it pales in comparison to other countries. The economic freedom provided by access to globally salable sound money that cannot be debased or controlled by any central entity is life-changing for many folks in developing countries who may otherwise have no way to preserve their purchasing power. This is one of the primary arguments that has made me more convinced of the viability of Bitcoin over the long term.
The second, and perhaps better, argument for why Bitcoin should exist comes from the energy standpoint. There have been a lot of misconceptions over the years related to Bitcoin's energy usage and how it is bad for the environment/can't scale/etc. One of the most exciting things in the space is seeing all of the innovation around Bitcoin mining and how it is flocking to cheap sources of energy and helping to stabilize energy grids or bring new investment into otherwise stagnant spaces. I am a firm believer that increasing access to energy across the globe as well as continuing to decrease the cost of energy is the best way to achieve progress. Bitcoin has the correct incentive structures in place to properly enable these developments, and we are at the early stages. Seeing developments in Africa tapping into geothermal energy, using mining rigs to heat homes/pools, and established energy grids using mining to increase efficiency are all very early on in terms of lifespan, and get me excited about what is to come. Market forces are very powerful, and I have seen enough parallels to other historical periods to know that there is immense opportunity for Bitcoin and the various developments happening on top of the base layer.
This had been on my list for quite some time, and I am glad I finally got around to it. This book is essentially about examining different systems within our society to see whether or not they may be operating efficiently. There are many situations we encounter where solutions or improvements seem to be obvious, but nonetheless are not resolved because of the underlying incentives. A basic understanding of game theory and economics is used in the book to explain why certain situations would or would not be exploitable for gain. At a high level, due to the complexity of our society and certain incentive structures in place, all participants in a system may be operating at their individual maximum and would all benefit from changing their behaviors, but the incentives are such that this is unlikely to impossible. There are some situations; however, that are actually exploitable. This can show you when it would make sense to try to pick up the $20 bill on the crowded street. I really enjoy thought experiments like this that force you to explain your logic and examine worlds that are different than the one that you exist in. As one example that will stick with me put it, you should operate in such a way that you do not think goblins live in your closet in this world, but would think that they do in a different world where that is true. There are several far better and intellectually interesting examples throughout the book, but as a basic hook, I think that is sufficient. Highly recommend.
77. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Reflections:
Isaac Asimov has been on my list of authors to read for some time now. I had not heard anything about foundation going into the book, so was thoroughly engaged throughout. I was not really sure what the narrative structure was either, so the deeper I got into the book, the more I understood and was able to piece together what was going on. As I have mentioned elsewhere in these reflections, I used to be much more into science fiction when I was growing up, and this book would have been right up my alley - although likely above my head to understand the implications. Learning more about history and the rise and fall of empires helps to put this book in its proper context. It is funny that we find ourselves in not too dissimilar of a position to the society in the book. Civilization goes through different cycles as is discussed in books like The Fourth Turning, the Lessons of History, and Ray Dalio’s book about the Changing World Order. It is impressive to me that Asimov was able to generate entire intricate galaxies and plotlines throughout generations all from scratch. Sure it is ultimately a commentary on the fall of the Roman Empire, but to do so projected eons in the future is no small feat. I particularly enjoyed certain predictions about how we would live and operate in a futuristic society - having flying cars, spaceships, and forcefields but still smoking cigars and having elevator operators. Obviously any prediction of the future will not be perfect, so I am moreso impressed at how deep the thought experiments extended rather than any predictions of technologies or behaviors in the book. Excited to read more by Asimov.
76. Holes by Louis Sachar
Reflections:
This may seem like an odd choice, but it was short and available at my library so I figured I would give it a listen. I feel like for whatever reason I watched the movie Holes many times during my childhood, so listening to this audiobook really helped to make the story come to life after not watching it for over a decade. It is rare that the movie adaptation of a book can capture all of the aspects of the original, but I feel like this is the rare case. I was expecting to hear of different plotlines or aspects that were skipped over to make the movie, but these were few and far between. For anyone who enjoyed the movie growing up, I think it can be a fun blast from the past to see how the story is presented in its original version vs. in film. Overall this was a welcome break from books of a more serious nature.
75. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Reflections:
I have always been a fan of Tina Fey and have enjoyed her writing throughout the years. I have completed a few different biographies of comedians over the past 1-2 years and have enjoyed learning how they got their starts. Comedians I feel are generally good storytellers and are in touch with their emotions. I think much of comedy comes from a dark or broken place in that it is filling in gaps of insecurity. Fundamentally, to want to be the center of attention and entertain is externally motivated which brings with it its own set of challenges and takes a particular psychology. I feel like Tina Fey is a somewhat unique comedian in the past 20 years because she is able to intelligently craft jokes that address societal or common interpersonal issues despite the clear gender barriers in comedy. In particular, she has usually been surrounded by some absolute powerhouses of comedy in her different roles, and so to stand out in a world that almost seems to want you to fail is all the more impressive. I enjoy learning about folks who have achieved celebrity before my time since in my eyes their success has always been inevitable. Hearing about the earlier days in people’s careers and the struggles overcome inspires me to figure out what my goals and dreams are and then diligently work towards achieving those in spite of all the rejections that may come my way.
74. Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) by Richard P. Feynman
Reflections:
This was on the list for a while and was highly recommended by a number of different people I have heard on different podcasts. It is essentially a collection of anecdotes and major life developments from Richard Feynman. As with most biographies of intelligent people from different eras, I was shocked by just how much they were able to accomplish. It seems like it should take several lifetimes to experience all of the different events and places that some of the notable people of history have. His unique intellect and great sense of humor had me laughing several times throughout the book. A few select quotes stuck with me that are not humorous, but I found interesting to be phrased in such a way, especially from his vantage point as a theoretical physicist. Here are the quotes in particular:
“Hypnosis is interesting because the whole time you're saying I could do that but I won’t which is just another way of saying I can't”
“Art gives someone individually pleasure, you can make something that somebody likes so much that they are depressed or happy on account of that damned thing you made. In science its sort of general and large and you don't know the individuals who have appreciated it directly”
“To sell a drawing is not to make money but to be sure that it is the home of someone who really wants it, someone who would feel bad if they didn't have it”
73. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance
Reflections:
I felt that this book was necessary to read with J.D. Vance now in the VP race. I had heard of it here and there over the years as it rose in popularity, but was totally unaware of the connection until after he received the VP nomination. To date, I have yet to hear him speak in any long-form way such as on a podcast, debate, or interview, so this book is the only insight I have into his life beyond some headlines and short clips. I am guessing he has changed some of his views or at least the way that he communicates things over the years, because the way the book is written is actually pretty inspiring, and I have seen him ridiculed in the media a lot over the past few weeks. He seems to be a great storyteller and has overcome a lot in his life. For someone like me who has pretty much only seen a sliver of this country, my worldview is incredibly limited. It is so easy to forget that my life and the opportunities I have had are not universal, and not even for someone in the US just a few states over. We live at an interesting time in the development of our nation where cultural values and the general zeitgeist have perhaps overshot certain goals and are due for a correction. Studying history, it seems that societies typically are not able to mean revert and correct for these excesses, and the trend is largely one way. I am excited for this election season as I am increasingly more impacted by the policy decisions made and I have become more informed about the overall process. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Vance’s life as it is relatively short and does not contain much fluff.
72. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Reflections:
Accidentally kept on theme with another fiction book that was post-apocolyptic. This was one of my favorite fiction books in a while due to the religious undertones. Not unlike those in A Wrinkle in Time, I was prompted to think through several of my beliefs and rationalize why I would take one side vs. another. Even more than in other works of fiction, the ability to imagine a full world with its own rules and history, and then develop a religion in that world is incredibly impressive. I had heard of Octavia Butler years ago, but had not moved to read any of her work. I am glad I did. It was also funny because the book began in this year (2024) and so was interesting to see what her predictions for an apocalypse that would change the world over the last 30 years or so. Much of my own creative thinking these days is tied to reality and forced to be practical, whereas I feel that the fiction and storytelling I used to engage in would imagine different worlds with different rules and customs. Books like this have inspired me to try and think from a first principles perspective why things are the way that they are, and what things would be like if there were different underlying assumptions or “givens.” I especially enjoyed the “quotations” from Earthseed, the book of the living - worth looking up if interested.
71. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Reflections:
A welcome break for fiction. I have not watched much TV in the past few years and movies are few and far between often with friends and family and usually rewatching classics. It was therefore nice to be transported to a different world and start to flex some of those creative areas of my brain which can go dormant and atrophy without use. I am always amazed at the detailed worlds and lives spun out by certain authors and the ability with which they are able to communicate these ideas in the written word. It is one thing to have vivid and exciting dreams, but an entirely different thing to be able to express those to someone else in a way that is engaging. I have narrowed down much of my reading list by going off of the recommendations of others, and this was a great example of a book I would not be likely to find on my own. Very glad I came across it.
70. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress Related Diseases, and Coping y Robert M. Sapolsky
Reflections:
After learning more about the power of our thoughts and evolution, this book was a helpful addition. Many of the lessons and stories I had encountered ins ome form previously, but as was the case in Determined (another of Sapolsky’s books), there was significantly more scientific detail surrounding the insights. I have seen enough data on the power of the mind to not dismiss it as trivial or ridiculous, but this book helped to hammer home the fact that it can be helpful to “believe” certain things, even if you know them to be false. Several lessons stuck with me. Specifically, emphasizing that psychology can modulate the pain response. Being able to talk to friends or having some outlet for emotions can improve subjective well-being. Having control modulates stress, including studies where you are given something you’re told controls stress (e.g. a button) will actually reduce stress even if you do not press it. In the work sphere, low demands and low control are psychologically worse than high demands and high control - I thought interesting because low demanding jobs would intuitively be objectively less stressful than high demanding jobs. Finally, perception that events are improving brings relief even if there are no objective changes to reality This last principle is one of several that should measurably improve subjective conditions simply by changing one’s mental state.
69. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
Reflections:
I thought this was a very good instruction manual for small businesses and entrepreneurs relative to many that I have encountered before. I am certainly not in the arena of running my own business, but the lessons can be applied to other areas of one’s life. I believe this is a book I will revisit over time with a notepad to make sure I crystallize some of the key points and guidance. The fact that we contain multitudes is a good reminder. An early example in the book was skinny guy and fat guy and how we go through these cycles where we make decisions or plans in one mindset or the other, but do not realize that future you is often different than the you making plans. This was similarly helpful in thinking through all of the different roles that a business owner may occupy and acknowledging that each role calls for its own personality, objectives, and tasks. In order to have a cohesive whole, it is critical to account for the differing viewpoints, time horizons, and operations for each of the component parts. The parts of the book discussing systemization particularly resonated with me given my experience with watching various organizations scale and seeing what happens when there are processes in place and when there are not. Definitely enjoyed and glad I came across this.
68. On the Origin of Species; Or; The Preservation of the Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin
Reflections:
This had been on my list for some time. I think the takeaways from Pulak Prasad’s book and the ideas in A Mind at Play pushed me over the edge into adding it to the queue now vs. another time. I was blown away by how much Darwin was able to cover and accomplish in his lifetime. There were really no established methods or reliable records for tracking down the origins of different species. He literally was examining fossil records himself, measuring pigeons, planting seeds in gardens, tickling ants with a piece of grass, and much much more all to try and probe deeper into the ideas of natural selection. Pushing against the status quo and Christian doctrine was clearly very difficult as he hedged most of his statements throughout the book. It is clear that he spent a lot of time in thought. Continuously making observations and extrapolations from what he has seen and read. Fascination with even the most seemingly mundane aspects of living creatures and utter curiosity. Aside from the investing lessons with respect to compounding, competition, and selection that are outlined in Prasad’s book, the biggest takeaway was the importance of first order thinking. Claude Shannon was similar in that he learned the foundational principles of different disciplines, and then when he encountered a problem, he could contextualize the foundational aspects and know whether or not a solution should exist prior to knowing what that solution was. Darwin would have a series of observations, understand basic principles, and then was incredibly prescient and assertive in that certain conclusions must be so. Diverging so radically from common wisdom must have been met with extreme resistance. As I see this is dragging on, the final comment I would make was my surprise that people commonly accepted being able to select for certain traits in domestic plants and animals for many generations, but the fact that natrue may be doing the same was absolutely novel.
67. The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World by David Robson
Reflections:
I have encountered elsewhere many of the studies and anecdotes mentioned throughout this book; however, it is always helpful to hear valuable insights and practically applicable findings repeated. It is easy to forget or trivialize important takeaways when repeatedly exposed to them. Hearing ideas in new contexts or after certain life experiences can often increase their impact. Such was the case in this book. I have often remarked how ubiquitous the ideas of manifestation and the power of the mind come up across seemingly disparate disciplines, and I have yet to put that realization into any action in my life. Time and time again I am awestruck by the power of placebo. It is seemingly one of the biggest hurdles for modern medicine to overcome in clinical trials of new drugs. Thinking about that is pretty incredible. Our best technology and research is often thwarted by the mind simply thinking that a sugar pill or saline injection is curing them. Across different domains of life such as health and nutrition, focus, exercise, and lifespan, your thoughts truly help to shape and direct reality. In an effort to take a simple idea and take it seriously, I am hopeful that I can leverage these tools to my advantage.
66. A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age by Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman
Reflections:
I really enjoyed this book based on the information presented and the significance of the developments that came about through one man’s life. There are many different takeaways for me and the way that I think about learning new fields or being curious in general, but I do not plan on rereading this book in its entirety anytime soon. It is amazing how little attention Claude Shannon receives given his massive influence on the way data is packaged and transmitted. He was in some pretty powerful places during revolutionary times of technological development and understanding, and crossed paths with some of the heaviest hitters of history in that regard. I would love to be a fly on the wall in some of these time periods witnessing the groundbreaking revelations that seem so obvious in hindsight. We take for granted many foundational theories across math and physics and can discount just how
65. Robin Williams: When the Laughter Stops 1951–2014 by Emily Herbert
Reflections:
I have finished several biographies, including a few comedians over the past year or so. This one was somewhat disappointing in that it mainly followed Williams’s professional career with small anecdotes from his personal life and various interviews. There was not much of a rich backstory or details that helped to bring him more to life, but it was more of a life compressed into public appearances and his various works and their receptions. It is tough when a biography is not an autobiography, and cannot even be informed by the person themselves, but overall I did come away with a greater appreciation for his work and career. I grew up watching Robin Williams in movies and in different talkshow appearances, but was not alive during the prime of his career. It is always interesting to hear about the origins of larger than life celebrities who passed their peak fame before I was born, because they all seem like inevitable successes. It is a good reminder that life can only be lived moving forward, and that setbacks or haters can either stump you or motivate you. Those types of lessons as well as a better understanding of his career were my bigger takeaways more than specific details or anecdotes about his private life.
64. Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers by James C. Humes
Reflections:
This book was relatively short but had many actionable and practical tips for having greater impact in communications. Similar to many of the books that discuss communication and body language, it feels almost alien to try and incorporate some of these methods into daily life. Many speakers throughout history were naturally endowed with some of these abilities simply through intuition, and others were meticulously planned down to the syllable. Especially when there are important communications that need to be delivered, it is important to keep the list from this book at hand in order to make sure the easy improvements are made, and the easy slip-ups are avoided. I will likely go back through this book and write down my key takeaway from each tip with the associated examples or scenarios that improve its salience. I always appreciate historical analysis of techniques that are ubiquitous in memorable situations, and think that the author’s work in drawing from different people, places, and contexts was entertaining.
63. What I Learned About Investing from Darwin by Pulak Prasad
Reflections:
This is a book that I will have to read again not only for its investing wisdom, but also for its scientific wisdom. Pop science books are sometimes good because while they may miss the trees, the forrest is usually good enough. An early lesson in this book I found interesting was about nature’s seeming preference with respect to types of errors. Type 1 and Type 2 errors, essentially commission vs. omission, have different outcomes in survival game theory. Although I have had many errors of omission in my investing career, I have had far fewer realized errors of commission. This gave me some comfort, but also made me reevaluate what game I was playing and what game I want to be playing. I really appreciated the intellectual humility of the author throughout the book and being open and honest about one’s relative strengths and weaknesses. I think it is easy to say but hard to do. The overarching theme that I admire is the cross-discipline thinking. Many of the books on this list will be from seemingly random fields, but my hope is that through this broad swathe of information, I will be able to develop connections across disparate domains and gain unique perspective on situations over time. Overall, very glad I encountered this one.
63. Tools Of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Timothy Ferriss
Reflections:
This was an absolute behemoth to get through, but I am glad I did. It is essentially a compendium of wisdom extracted by Tim Ferriss from his various podcast guests over the first 200 episodes. It is divided into sections on health, wealth, and wisdom which I think are probably the most important things to optimize for in life, in that order, as long as you can squeeze relationships in between health and wealth. One naturally leads to the next and the next. I am a fan of the podcast, and so it was helpful to see some of the lessons from episodes I have listened to written out in text. There is something different about written word and spoken word. Sometimes a sentence in a book does not hit me, but when I hear the author say it out loud, it becomes immediately clear to me. Similarly, a lesson in a podcast episode that is seemingly off the cuff will come across as far more profound when written in a book. For a good example of this, I think back to The Hard Thing about Hard Things which uses rap lyrics between each chapter. It is amazing how much poetry and truth can sometimes be right before your eyes in a rap song that is otherwise about committing crimes and making money. I really like those situations where you can take an example from one domain and then view it from a different perspective and extract a new and useful meaning. All in all, I took a lot of notes and have post-its strung throughout the book. I will be going back through and taking down some of the most important takeaways more thoroughly.
62. The Source: Open Your Mind, Change Your Life by Dr Tara Swart
Reflections:
This book is definitely bordering on woo-woo-ness, but if you know me, then you know that I kind of love that kind of stuff. There is this constant resistance in my logical mind to things like vision boards, manifesting, or the law of attraction. I find myself thinking, htis is so dumb, what if it doesn’t work? It is only recently that I have started to think, but what if it does? Time and time again I have heard people from disparate spheres tout the benefits of meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, positive self-suggestion, etc. and dismissed it as irrational. How many times do I have to hear something to actually give it a try myself? The answer seems to be one more time. Thinking about the cost benefit analysis, it is a no-brainer that I should actually try some of these principles. Take a simple idea and take it serious - maybe I should take that wisdom into account. Some unexpected principles from this book I think contain irrefutable truth are the concepts surrounding interroception. Gaining better awareness of our bodies in space and the various signal pathways that we have developed over eons can really give us a sixth sense and help us not only in physical danger, but in surprising other areas of life like emotions.
61. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
Reflections:
This was recommended by an intelligent and thoughtful decision maker who is far more “in the arena” than I will be anytime soon. Coupled with several of the books I have finished recently, It really helped to give me a new perspective on different parts of my life. It is heavily focused on scripture and specifically a Christian viewpoint, but I think that the lessons are pretty universal. “Love, joy, and peace are incompatible with hurry” is a quote that I will keep in my repertoire, hopefully, for my whole life. Another one was the observation that we all wish we had more time, but if we had more time we would probably just spend it how we spend our time now. Several specific interpretations from bible passages or from religious figures are bookmarked for me to go back and review in more detail later. I really appreciate people who think deeply about scripture or historical intellectuals and translate the meanings into modern-day language with relevant examples. The audiences of most historical texts are vastly different from today’s population, so the wisdom can easily get lost in translation. I would describe this book as a church homily on steroids because it was packed with actionable advice and wisdom that was easily digestible.
60. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
Reflections:
This is a book I had put off for several years, mainly because I thought it was one of those right-wing books that would yell into the void and present many strawman arguments. This was because I did not connect that the author was Jonathan Haidt whom I have heard on several podcast discussions. I have tried to read books and listen to podcasts from both extreme sides of the political spectrum since I find it helpful in understanding the arguments on each side and it gives me insight into how people may think and behave who espouse certain beliefs. Overall I really liked this book and will go and read other of Haidt’s work since he comes from an intellectually honest place trying to dig into problems from a first-principles approach to see how things evolved. I have increasingly enjoyed thinking through various changes and desires in our day-to-day life through the lens of evolution since it drives so much of how we think, feel, and act. I did not really appreciate how these evolutionary mechanisms could be hijacked in such short orders for nefarious means, and so I have a heightened sense of some of the triggers that exist and are exploited in many arenas of my current life. Definitely recommend this to anyone interested who may be turned off by the title.
59. The Dhandho Investor: The Low-Risk Value Method to High Returns by Mohnish Pabrai
Reflections:
This is a short book by Mohnish Pobrai whom I have enjoyed learning more about over the past few years. He is a proponent of cloning and simplicity and a Buffett disciple in the best sense of the term. I enjoyed learning more about the different anecdotes he mentioned to describe the principles of a Dhando investor, namely, minimizing downside and probability writhing various outcomes as a more holistic assessment of embedded risk. Taking the principles of investing outside of the world of actual stock market investing I think was even more helpful. Asymmetry is one of those meta concepts that I have encountered and am trying to seek out in all areas of my life. It is so powerful and often overlooked due to our inherently high levels of risk aversion. Especially as I ascend to higher levels of responsibility in portfolio management, I will take the principles of this book to heart, and have already begun using some of the sources and techniques mentioned.
58. Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins
Reflections:
This had also been on the list for a bit, but was relatively short and available on my library’s app. Really glad that I read this book since it is a healthy counter to a lot of the productivity optimizing books in the self-help and financial planning space. Some of my biggest takeaways were investing in experiences that pay a memory dividend earlier in life, and a reminder of the smoothing of consumption over one’s lifetime. Personally, I am quite frugal and averse to spending money, but I realize that as the number in the bank goes up, it does not really mean anything to me at a certain point. Certainly it is helpful to have more rather than less, but there must be a point where that ceases to be true. I have recently decided to overinvest in anything health related, anything charitable, and anything related to experiences with close friends and family. It really helps to be able to take a step back and think of things objectively with that “outside view” and analyze how our day to day decisions fit into the overall framework we desire for a happy life.
57. Life After Life by Raymond A Moody
Reflections:
I have had this book on my list for quite a long time. I am very glad I finally got to it as the stories are amazing. For anyone remotely interested in spirituality and near death experiences, it is a must-read. I am sure there are a lot of criticisms given its age and methodology, and there will always be explanations to counter findings that touch on anything slightly mystical, but this analysis and synthesis of experiences “after death” is pretty profound. I have been trying to come up with a unifying framework for spirituality and the general mind-body problem for many years, and so each work like this helps to tweak that framework. Some takeaways included the emphasis on love and knowledge, the perfect understanding of others prior to speech, people’s reason for being on earth, the emphasis on humor, how people can get called back from the afterlife, Plato’s views on birth and death, lack of heaven and hell, suicide/murder and its implications, and overall purpose of one’s life.
56. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Reflections:
Pretty short read. I have heard Seth on a few podcast episodes and have looked through his blog. This was his first actual book I decided to try mostly because it was free and available through my library. I am not currently a business owner nor into marketing per se, but the ideas in the book I think are transferable and have held up quite well over the past 20 years. One of the main takeaways I had was how safe can be risky. This is something that is often taken for granted in that the well-trodden path seems like a safe route, but can lead to mediocrity and lower returns over time. It is counterintuitive, but especially when the downsides are limited, taking a leap of faith can actually be safer. The premise of the book is how advertising and marketing have changed dramatically in the current world of abundance and the rise of social media. It takes different approaches in order to have anywhere close to the same impact that an old television marketing campaign would have had. Through the lens of this book, the prevalence and success of influencer marketing and the Tiktok shop make a lot of sense. The other primary takeaway I had was how remarkable is the opposite of very good. Almost by definition, if a product or service meets all of your needs very well, then there is nothing to talk about. It is only when something either dramatically under delivers or over delivers that it is worth sharing. I understand in the different arenas in life I currently operate in just how difficult it is to differentiate yourself when access to a vast amount of resources has been democratized.
55. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
Reflections:
I did not know much about Mr Rogers prior to starting this book. I have seen a few episodes of the show, have seen parodies in popular culture, and references to his legacy over the years. He definitely was not a foundational component of my childhood as I was in a different era, but I was pleased to know that many of the shows I watched in my childhood were either heavily influenced by his philosophy or from the same production company. Mr. Rogers definitely had a unique upbringing coming from an affluent family and being an only child. I was impressed with the thoughtfulness that went into every aspect of the show and the prioritization on the child viewer. Words and phrasing were paramount, with workers on the show referring to the language as “Fredish”. There are a lot of “reading between the lines” type of lessons for me in terms of how people perceived him and ridiculed him, how he structured his life, and where he failed/succeeded and why. Overall, I was not too interested in continuing once I got about halfway through, but was glad that I pushed through that period. Likely will not revisit.
54. A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains by Max Bennett
Reflections:
This was a top book of the year. Incredibly interesting and I have a full list of notes in my phone. This will be on my list of books to read again in a physical copy and highlight/take physical notes. I am not sure how accurate or sure we can be about all of these different assumptions but holy moly is it a compelling narrative. I am always interested in the why and how behind our wiring and proclivities, and Bennett did a wonderful job going from the earliest forms of intelligence to the modern day in an easy-to-follow narrative. This took many of my favorite elements from The Hour Between Dog and Wolf which I read earlier this year, and expanded upon them in detail. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning about the way our brains and the brains of other organisms have developed over time.
53. The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz
Reflections:
This book was pretty refreshing in the world of business/self help culture in that it says the quiet part out loud. Many books of this nature say seemingly very obvious things, and in doing so, contradict their own advice over time. It is hard to decipher in different situations what the best course of action is, and that nuance is exactly why the rewards are so huge for those who can successfully navigate and grow from adversity. A lot of people give advice as spectators or try to take their success from one domain and then proselytize about something completely different. I enjoyed the real-world examples and decisions that were made in the midst of uncertainty. I especially liked the rap quotes strung throughout the book. I realized that a lot of the songs I listen to regularly are actually very poetic if you can strip them away from the other context of the song.
52. Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables by Phil Vischer
Reflections:
I saw this on my library app and knew I had to give it a go. Especially with all of the very serious subjects that I have been focused on as of late, I thought it would be helpful to learn about Veggie Tales and its origin story/creator. I ended up really enjoying the story and took a way a surprising amount of business-book-like wisdom. Additionally, it was unique to hear God playing such a big role in the entirety of the book. I feel that most people do not discuss religion in books since it can be a polarizing topic. However, I feel as though a lot of people covered in biographies have certain religious convictions that help to contextualize their decisions and thought processes, so in their absence, it can be difficult to put the pieces together. Some of the main religious takeaways I had were that God and anything else is not greater than God alone, how God can give you everything you think you want just to take it away, and how you may think that XYZ action is doing the most good from a utilitarian perspective, but God does not use the same measurements that we use.
51. The Fiat Standard: Debt Slavery Alternative to Human Civilization by Saifedean Ammous
Reflections:
This is a follow up to The Bitcoin Standard and was actually pretty intellectually humble of Saifedean to produce. There are definitely some stretches here and there in terms of claims being made, and the author speaks very confidently and definitively. The premise is basically revisiting the emergence of fiat currencies and instead of dismissing them outright, seriously endeavoring to see why they have been so successful (success in this case is Darwinian in nature). The book along the way discusses how art, food, politics, and pretty much everything you can imagine has been impacted by the ubiquity of fiat currency in our society today. It sounds pretty far fetched that the currency of the world could have such far-reaching consequences, but he makes a pretty compelling case. Once the monetary system loses its ties to reality, it is easy to start to have warped incentives and lose your footing. I really enjoyed this book as a complement to The Bitcoin Standard, and am excited to read Principles of Economics next.
50. How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients by Jeffrey J. Fox
Reflections:
This was recommended by my boss and was a pithy book on how to be an effective salesman. There is not much to say in terms of impact aside from some quotes that stuck with me throughout the book. Generally, the book discussed what it takes to generate new relationships with clients, and maintain a high standing in relationships with existing clients. There are a number of tactics ranging from the general to the specific in how to accomplish this task. I am not yet in a position to put these tools into practice in a professional context, but I believe sales is a pretty good analogy for most relationships in life, and as such, I am able to tweak the ways I behave with family and friends to ensure I am being a good and trustworthy partner.
49. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, 3rd Edition by John Perkins
Reflections:
This is the type of book that everyone kind of thinks is happening, but vindicates so many conspiracy theories. Obviously the author has motive to embellish and sensationalize certain stories. We live in a complex world where there are so many moving pieces and it is impossible to say exactly the factors that go into any outcome. That being said, it is absolutely mind-blowing to hear some of the practices that are apparently just out in the open. The U.S. and other countries engage in these incredibly immoral plots and schemes essentially subverting democratic processes for questionable ends. I wonder if there is ever going to be an end to this type of behavior in the world. Time and time again I was shocked at the level of corruption and lack of empathy in these institutions. It is truly scary what one will do to maintain and increase power over time.
48. The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
Reflections:
This really made me think about the semantics of arguments. It sounds a bit pedantic to be worrying about the definitions of words or how different people see things differently, but it becomes especially important with development of AI, wording of laws, and just generally in operating in day to day life. Thinking about what truth is and means was quite profound. Specifically in that we can never know for sure that something is true, things just asymptotically approach certainty with repeated experiences and trials. Especially in the last chapter when he discusses the value of philosophy, I was struck by his explanation of philosophy existing in the abstract and then becoming a science over time. Physics and Psychology were examples given of how Philosophy made the jump from the theorized to the empirical. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but it was a bit heady to get through via audio, so I found myself slowing down and replaying many sections.
47. The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean Ammous
Reflections:
This had been on my list but pushed up because of fiat food. I think Saifedean is incredibly intelligent and persuasive in his arguments. I have followed him on Twitter (X) and have heard him on some podcast appearances. I always appreciate first-principles thinkers as they present arguments from the ground up and you can see very clearly if and when you disagree with any premises set forth along the way. I have read other books that cover similar topics, but you can tell that Saifedean has done his research across disciplines and time periods to formulate a cohesive argument in favor of Bitcoin. This is going on the list to re-read along with his other books.
46. Fiat Food: Why Inflation Destroyed Our Health and How Bitcoin Fixes It by Matthew Lysiak & Saifedean Ammous
Reflections:
Heard Lysiak discussing the book on a podcast and immediately bought the audiobook. Quite an insane story and premise, but the more you learn about it, the more you start to be convinced. I am a self-proclaimed sucker for a good conspiracy theory. Even with that in mind, I think there is a compelling argument to be made for a confluence of factors supporting the same general trends in food recommendations across different entities. I also have seen a lot of commentary anecdotal and otherwise that falls in line with the guidance from this book. An engrossing tale of how the government, religious organizations, and lobbyists conspired to influence the diets of Americans and more than likely contributed in a big way to the obesity epidemic.
45. Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders by Warren Buffett
Reflections:
Absolute behemoth to get through, but glad I did. This was a project on the back burner I had had for a while, but it was daunting to take on. When I had a gap between employment I decided to tackle it as I was not sure when I would have a similar period of time to do a deep dive. Although I am nowhere near close to understanding all of the accounting intricacies and much of the jargon that is used and the practical implications of what is said, I was able to glean a lot of useful information and things to look out for through context clues. I knew about Berkshire sort of at arm’s length going into the read which was helpful since I did not know how the different stories would play out. Being able to go back and read through decisions or different discussion topics during different financial periods was insightful. Obviously I am reading it with the knowledge that Berkshire made it through the ups and downs, but I was trying to project myself back to the time of writing and think about what I would be thinking as an investor and capital allocator. I will certainly be going back and revisiting my notes and highlights as I start to move into an investment manager role, and I will take the principles and lessons with me for the rest of my life, not only in business.
44. Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach
Reflections:
I enjoy many of the teachings and practices of Buddhism. I liked how the different concepts were illustrated through stories from her practice, and how real world challenges and feelings can be overcome through deliberate practice and meditation. More than anything, this helped to hammer home the idea that everyone you know is going through their own internal battles, and there is a way out. This is one of the many books that may push me to meditate on a more regular basis. Being alone with my thoughts and examining the feelings that come up at different times is a superpower in understanding myself and how I am wired.
43. Hell Yeah or No: what's worth doing by Derek Sivers
Reflections:
Heard about this book through Derek’s appearances on a number of podcasts and some other channels. I think that the basic concept of the book is understandable from the title. I had a number of pretty important decisions to make over the past several weeks, and this concept was a guiding principle in those choices. I was expecting the book to cover the concept in greater detail, but it ended up being a compilation of blog posts across various topics. I like Derek Sivers and his general approach to life. I am glad I encountered him through some different channels, and will look into some of his other short books.
42. The Trusted Advisor Hardcover by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, & Robert M. Galford
Reflections:
Went into this book (which was sitting around my house) thinking it would be applicable to my new job in the financial advising space. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the advice and guidance in the book was geared toward a number of different jobs, and really more so to life and relationships in general. I enjoyed The Speed of Trust, and felt that this book covered a lot of the same ground in that the key component to any relationship is trust. Relationships are incredibly important whether they be professional, familial, or amongst friends. The core principle to make effective relationships is trust, and it is amazing how many other seemingly important things are deprioritized in favor of trust
41. The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight by Satchin Panda PhD
Reflections:
I heard this book mentioned on the Huberman Lab podcast several times over the years and finally got around to it. This was a good reminder to me of the importance of our biology. It is easy to forget in our day to day lives that are overwhelmed with technology and divorced from the natural world, but we are animals at the end of the day that are products of evolution. This does not suit our needs in the modern world, and yet, there is nothing we can really do. Certain things surrounding our health and wellbeing are unfortunately tied to the way our bodily systems evolved when living in the savannah, and it is incredibly difficult to circumvent the things that fed into our wiring. Specifically the timing of light viewing, sleep, eating, and exercise and their spillover effects into pretty much all aspects of our health play an outsized role in how we should construct our daily rituals. I am wary of any science or protocol that claims to be the be all end all of health and longevity, but I think the author did a great job at explaining the underlying principles and mechanisms by which the systems in our bodies operate, and then building upon those with certain protocols. There are some specific recommendations in the book that I believe may be a bit outdated with more recent studies, but in truth, we don’t know all that much about how we operate. Focusing on the general themes and principles that are tested and make logical sense from an evolutionary perspective seems to be a sound operating system, and so for that reason, I am making some tweaks to my daily routines to incorporate the lessons from this book.
40. Of Wolves and Men by Barry Holstun Lopez
Reflections:
This book pretty much knocked it out of the park. Take a topic that I think is not interesting and bears pretty much no value to my life “wolves” and then almost immediately make me eat my words. Within the first chapter I was saying to myself, “wolves are pretty sick.” That is probably the best four word summary I could give to describe this book, and the medium of text to communicate it does not do it justice. I really enjoyed the storytelling in this book. The relationship between man and wolf is far more complex and significant than I would have thought. I have thought a lot recently about the interplay between humans and the natural world, specifically in what makes us similar or different from different types of animals. When looking through the lens of human supremacy, which I would imagine most all humans do, it can be easy to dismiss all animals of being less than. This was one of my first foray into the realm of human and animal relationship/evolution, and it will certainly not be my last.
39. Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's Mass Market by Ray Kroc
Reflections:
I had seen the movie The Founder years ago, but in all honesty did not remember much beyond thinking that Ray Kroc was kind of a scumbag. I will have to rewatch the film in light of the book and see if that judgment is still valid. The book itself was great. Quite short and yet packed with insights on business and entrepreneurship. It is inspiring to hear the tales of scrappy entrepreneurs from depression era roots and see how they overcame various challenges. It seems like a somewhat idealized world in some respects, and totally miserable in others. The fact that Ray Kroc would literally take trains city to city to look at different restaurant concepts or writing letters was so striking relative to today where almost all of the information you could ever ask for is at your fingertips. I wonder if these types of people would similarly thrive in today’s world or if they would succumb to the laziness and take-for-grantedness that is the status quo. I really love reading biographies or stories that are told through the eyes of successful people in their fields, almost irrespective of what that field is. There are clear toolkits and guidebooks out there for how to be successful in this world if I only look, and then of course put the lessons into practice.
38. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
Reflections:
I heard this book mentioned a few places over the past several years, and saw that it was available in the Audible catalog. It was a short read, but holy moly was it great. A totally new perspective on how we got to where we are today. The narrative is illustrative of the power of compounding and the importance of starting conditions. Looking at the developments of different societies and trying to honestly evaluate how they came to be from a first principles lens is one of the most valuable tools to understand a variety of domains. Much of what is discussed is a bit opaque at first, but when you dig into the details, it smacks you right in the face.The development of farming leading to more children, work specialization, government hierarchy, priests, wars, animal domestication which then leads to illness passing from animals to humans and then to other humans is such an obvious linkage that I had never before considered. Taking the lessons of history and then looking at where we are today can help provide clues as to where we may be going. Even in looking at inequality of opportunity for different demographics in the world today, this book helps to provide a framework for evaluating how different initial conditions in complex systems can lead to drastically different outcomes.
37. Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company by Andrew S. Grove
Reflections:
This was mentioned by my former boss and was available in the audible catalog so I gave it a listen. Reminiscent of the lessons from The Innovator’s Dilemma. Grove’s term for these moments where there are sea changes in industry in which companies must adapt or die is a Strategic Inflection Point. These are by nature more obvious in hindsight, but I believe that with experience it begins to become an exercise in pattern recognition. I am not currently in a leadership position where I have to make the types of decisions discussed in the book; however, I am an investor and can use the ability to identify these points as an advantage. Unfortunately, there are a number of these points in my lifetime that I have let pass me by. Fortunately, these were mistakes of omission vs. commission, so I do not fully grasp the missed opportunities (fortunately should be viewed with sarcasm). Shame on me if I do not heed the lessons of this book and my past failures to not capitalize on the next Strategic Inflection Points that come about during my lifetime.
36. Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
Reflections:
Arthur Brooks is one of my favorite guests on the different podcasts I listen to regularly. Last year I read his book From Strength to Strength and really enjoyed it although I was not the target audience. This book is written for anybody who is a human being, and so I found all of the lessons to be applicable to my life. I appreciate the intellectual humility and building up from first principles or inversion in order to arrive at conclusions and prescriptive advice. Prescriptive while at the same time being instructive so that you can think through the argument and decide for yourself if it warrants merit. The concept of happiness is often on my mind (if you couldn’t tell from many of the books on these lists over the years) so a lot of the topics discussed I have seen in other mediums prior. That notwithstanding, I still had valuable takeaways and appreciated the breakdown of happiness and life into different segments and extracting the big themes or principles to hone in on in order to take control of your emotional well-being. My life has been pretty great so far, but in those moments of difficulty, the lessons in this book are helpful for me to parse out what is and is not in my control and the levers to focus on in order to find a silver lining and escape from any rut. Oprah being a coauthor was interesting and I appreciated her commentary. It made me want to explore more of her content and revisit What I Know for Sure which was an early favorite in my reading journey.
35. Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger by Charles T. Munger, Peter D. Kaufman, Warren Buffett, and John Collison
Reflections:
I first heard of this book years ago and it has been on my list ever since. The older copies were pretty expensive, so I was glad to see it brought back into publishing and, more importantly, an audiobook version as well. This book is a compendium of different talks/lectures as well as some other commentary written specifically for this book, so it is good to hear it produced in a similar format that it was initially given in. Even though the talks were likely well planned and prepared, there is a different style when writing a book and writing for speaking aloud. I think that this book should be essential reading for people in most fields as it takes a holistic approach to learning and life. I probably gravitate more towards Munger than Buffett when it comes to personality types, and the stress on learning as widely as possible and using knowledge from different disciplines makes so much sense to me. The common theme across all of Warren and Charlie’s lessons is how practical and simple they are. They make so much common sense and yet are hard to apply. The aphorism and pithy quotes can be easy to overlook or roll your eyes out, but the more experience I have had, the more I realize how much wisdom goes into some of the simplest quotes that last for generations.
34. Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Dr. Becky Kennedy
Reflections:
A bit strange to read a parenting book, but I have heard/seen Dr. Becky on different podcasts and social media channels over the past few years, and feel that it is helpful to learn from leaders in different fields. I do not know anything really about parenting aside from what is available through pop culture and the experiences of my life, so it was actually eye-opening to see all of the types of challenges parents may face in raising kids. It made me go to my parents and ask questions about my tantrums or memorable stories/situations to see how they handled things. I do not remember in any vivid detail my tantrums or complaints, nor for that matter how my parents handled certain things. I remember various punishments and consequences for actions or other restrictions, but not in a deep-seeded psychological way which is somewhat comforting. Many of the lessons for dealing with children also apply to dealing with adults, and I think that even if you did not get parented in a certain way, you can almost retrain yourself to respond to emotions or situations in more adaptive ways with the knowledge of what may be more healthy psychologically. All in all, I think I will continue to read these types of books to help build out more general knowledge and cross-domain learning.
33. Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
Reflections:
This is not really the type of biography I typically gravitate towards. In fact, I ignored it being available at my library for several weeks until finally I pulled the trigger. I did not know much about Agassi going into the book other than knowing he was pretty good at tennis. I had no idea about the controversy or turmoil throughout his life, which was good in a way because it made me follow along the journey from scratch without having any preconceived notions of what may be going on behind the scenes. Now of course I am biased in the other direction as I only have his perspective and am not as aware of the public’s perspective of his life and actions over the years. The fact that people who are the best in the world at their craft openly (no pun intended) share all of the details of their lives and experiences is probably one of my favorite things about getting back into reading. It is one thing to hear someone as a guest on a podcast talking about specific anecdotes or having conversations, but a full book takes far more effort and coordination and as such contains a number of gems and takeaways even across different domains.
32. How Innovation Works: And Why It Flourishes in Freedom by Matt Ridley
Reflections:
This book/author have come up a lot over the years, most likely because they/he have had so much success. The style is reminiscent of Gladwell in that he takes a pretty well-known topic and then proposes a unique view of it that causes you to rethink assumptions. Then he provides a myriad of examples across different spheres of life to further prove his point. Purely from a history and general knowledge perspective, this was a good read. I have gotten away from these types of books that go through detailed examples of instances throughout history and cultures and found it interesting just in that respect. While the examples and detail after a certain point begin to become superfluous in terms of proving a point/argument, it was a refreshing step back towards nonfiction and I appreciated all of the research and effort that went into the book. I always try to be wary when so many examples are used in service of a singular agenda, because it is very easy to manipulate details or present them in such a way that they align with different viewpoints. All in all, I enjoyed it and was nice to listen to on a long plane ride.
31. Invested: How Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger Taught Me to Master My Mind, My Emotions, and My Money (with a Little Help from My Dad) by Danielle Town and Phil Town
Reflections:
I heard this book mentioned on a podcast and ordered it on a whim even though the title/description online is not something I would typically gravitate towards. I was pleasantly surprised because although the content wasn’t entirely new and the writing felt a bit patronizing at times, the message and the deliverer of the message I believe were helpful in explaining the deliberately obtuse financial concepts behind investing and taking control of one’s personal finances. I actually immediately lent the copy to a friend who was struggling to get started learning about personal finances and how to invest. It is an intimidating process especially for those not in the finance realm, and I liked how the author had that background of hesitancy and fear. It just goes to show that even people with successful and financially literate family members can still be intimidated and just as uncertain as anyone. Anything that promotes better financial literacy of the general public can get a thumbs up in my book.
30. The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Reflections:
Another book revisited from a prior assignment and continuing on my fiction kick. This story is far shorter than I remember, likely because it felt like it dragged on and on when we read it in school. I like Hemingway’s writing style and it is a great pallet cleanser since most of my reading tends to stay in the nonfiction realm. The imagery is great, but I think I most enjoy the reflections about life that come about organically through the characters. It impresses me when fiction writers are able to make you believe that the characters in the story would actually behave and think in certain ways since while their entire beings are fabricated, there is some underlying truth that comes through in a well-constructed character. There were probably a dozen or so instances of highlighting turns of phrase or descriptions throughout the book that I felt were worth revisiting. Great read and can be completed in a day.
29. The Martian by Andy Weir
Reflections:
As a former astrophysicist hopeful, I really enjoyed this book. I had seen the movie with Matt Damon years ago and never revisited it, but now feel like another watch would be warranted. Aside from continuing on my fiction kick, this also helped to take away from some of the moral lessons or reading between the lines of other fiction as it is moreso an interesting narrative surrounding a what-if future scenario that is more grounded in reality and less cerebral. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that the science in the book is actually pretty accurate, or at least was at the time of writing/the article. Nothing too much to say on the book content-wise as you can get the gist from reading a brief summary, but it did bring to mind an introductory class in astrophysics that I had. Some of the more interesting questions on exams were not dissimilar to the book - calculating how long you could survive in a rover with a radioactive element, calculating how long you would have until you passed out if sucked into a black hole - and so it was fun to be brought back into that “practical” problem-solving frame of mind.
28. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Reflections:
I read this in school at some point as assigned reading, and remembered enjoying it. I have not seen the movie adaptation, but probably through some combination of that movie and the book’s availability at the library (plus my momentary fiction kick), I ended up revisiting it. I enjoy a lot of these types of dystopian novels because they take an idea or a handful of ideas that most people have thought of, and then take them seriously. Oftentimes when I read some of these novels independently, the context within which they are written is unknown to me, and I therefore may lose the metaphors or allegories that the author is trying to express. I feel like in a way it is almost better to go in blind so that I can assess the thought processes and logical extensions on their own merit instead of being caught up determining whether or not the argument or claim is accurate. This book made me rethink what it means to feel, highs and lows of emotions, and ultimately consider how the human experience should best be defined.
27. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Reflections:
Not sure what drew me to add this to the list, but it was available at my library and I am glad I put it in the queue. The re-read somewhat inspired me to consider writing a fiction story as a way to flesh out ideas - have not done yet, but planted the seed of the idea. Ironically, a lot of what was discussed in the book as it relates to quantum effects, different ideas of perception/dimensions, and exploring the concept of God have been on my mind probably forever, but more so in the past year or two. The more I learn about our bodies, minds, phsyics, and different wisdom traditions, the more I gravitate towards esoteric theories of a unified whole or oneness. The idea to grapple with some of these concepts in a book primarily marketed toward children is an interesting approach to say the least. I felt it actually helped to cover some of the concepts because with a younger audience, you can deliberately be more vague and allow the imagination to wander. With many of the unproven concepts and theories in the realm of quantum physics and then religion more broadly, it is probably best to leave ideas vague and open to interpretation.
26. Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot by Matt Abrahams
Reflections:
This was more so a “filler” type of book that was popular at my library and became available while I was in between books, so decided to give it a go. I have mentioned before that it feels alien to cover a book like this where you learn about how to speak to others. Notably, this book hammered down the point that there is no shame in practicing effective communication and storytelling, because that is the way to actually get better at it without having to remember acronyms or deliberately try to fit together puzzle pieces. By studying narrative structure and effective communication, there will definitely be some alien-like conversations or moments where you have to think to the lessons learned in the moment, but over time, the real value comes from those tools flowing seamlessly into everyday life. Overall, I enjoyed that this book gave many examples of how to conquer being put on the spot in social situations, regardless of the context.
25. The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind by John Coates
Reflections:
This is immediately one of my favorite books of the year and a top book of all time. The core essence of the book surrounds decision making. The story is centered around stock trading as a way to elucidate the many different examples of how our bodies respond to information and react in situations of uncertainty, but the principles and lessons extend far beyond the trading floor. There are many psychology and neuroscience books I have covered over the past few years, and I can say this book certainly held its own among a tough crowd in terms of interesting insights and amalgamating information. I really love when you are reading a book and you know with certainty that the author is just smarter than you in every way on the topic at hand. The synthesis across domains and studies was incredibly interesting and I found myself stopping every so often to share the information with others. Easily could see myself going back to this one with a highlighter and a notebook in the near future.
24. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Reflections:
Although Dale Carnegie is a prevalent author in the self-help space, I think that some of the classic books of this ilk are classic for a reason and worthy of reading and re-reading. Reading 7 habits, How to Win Friends and Influence people, and others again will be part of my list over the next chunk of time as things settle down on the personal/professional front. I often hear that this advice is hackneyed and everyone already know it, or that it is obvious, and that is kind of the point. Carnegie even says something along the lines of “all of the instructions to live a good and happy life are out there, it is just a matter of adhering to the advice.” This could not be more true and ties back to the blog post I had earlier this year on the difference between simple and easy. A lot of the advice for living a happier life and overcoming adversity is quite simple, and yet, difficult to implement and put into practice. Constant reminders like reading and re-reading help to prepare you for improvement in between stimulus and response.
23. The Missionary of Wall Street: From Managing Money to Saving Souls on the Streets of New York by Stephen Auth
Reflections:
I met Steve over the several NYC missions that I did between 8th grade and senior year of high school. These were some of the best memories I made during that period, and definitely got me out of my comfort zone. I never heard Steve’s full story himself in terms of how he got involved in the missions, so it was good to get that perspective. Beyond that, it was great to hear a lot of the anecdotes relayed because it helped to bring me back to similar memories and stories I had during my missions. I was also participating alongside a lot of the missionaries mentioned in the book, so it was great to hear refreshers on some of the “big fish” from those days. I read the full book cover to cover on Easter Sunday between mass and family time, so it was a great reminder of the power of connection and humanity that can be brought about through simple actions. Perhaps if I end up living in or near NYC for this next phase in life I will look into rejoining some of the missions efforts.
22. [Partial Re-Read] The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Reflections:
Ordered the behemoth of a hard copy of this one after getting tantalized by the abridged audiobook from my library. Replete with anecdotes, statistics, and diagrams, this book did a great job at laying out the reasons behind various protocols and experiments, and then explaining the results and potential implementations into one’s daily routines and habits. There are probably a dozen or so principles from this book that I immediately incorporated into my life specifically across diet and exercise. It is definitely a blow to the ego to realize that you have not been operating in the most effective way, but across several domains of my life, this book helped to show that that was the case. If my goals in the gym are to get as strong as possible, or to lose as much weight as possible, or to look physically the best possible, then my training program should specifically be designed to do that. In this arena (and others) of my life, I realize that there is a lot of room for improvement, and much of the work and stress I am putting myself through is superfluous - which is humbling and somewhat embarrassing, but only if I was to continue my ignorance.
21. A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir by Colin Jost
Reflections:
Needed a break from the cerebral/business books and this book became available at my library at a perfect time. Funnily enough, met the author in a hilarious series of events years ago. I have enjoyed the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade which has guests each episode from the SNL cast or prior hosts. In particular, it is great to hear the behind the scenes stories of SNL since I have been a long time fan and secretly always have thought I’d end up on the show. This was great insight into the perspective of what it takes to get there, especially from someone of a somewhat similar background. Surprised to hear him mention Rincon, Puerto Rico a few times as I randomly happened to live there for half a year after graduation.
20. The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future by Sebastian Mallaby
Reflections:
This book was a detailed description of the rise of Venture Capital, packed with explanations of its history, inner workings, and major players along the way. Venture as an asset class has shaped so much of our world today, and I had never previously realized what a radical shift in investment style it was. It sounds like a cop-out, but the idea that in disruptive technologies you can’t forecast based on the past was a profound idea that will stick with me. The end of the book in particular I thought did a great job laying out the history of VC and where we are today. Books of this ilk are especially susceptible to the narrative fallacy, but I found Mallaby did a decent job at balancing perspectives, showing successes and failures. It is tough because so many of the failures are, by definition, not part of the dataset. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. VC is probably the most cinematic of asset classes given the absurd sums of money involved and the wide-ranging cast of characters.
19. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli
Reflections:
It is a shame that this book came at a later stage in my reading journey because I have heard many of the principles from other sources which took away from its impact to me specifically. In 100 short chapters, this book outlines the most common decision-making failures. Each chapter describes one of these cognitive biases and then gives examples and some surrounding principles to help in overcoming them. After taking a behavioral economics class called the Psychology of Decision Making and Judgement, reading Influence, Presuasion, Thinking Fast and Slow, Nudge, all of Taleb, Blink, Predictable Irrational, Super Forecasting, Thinking in Bets, and many more, it is hard to produce a concept that I have not come across in this sphere. Novelty aside, it is imperative to be reminded of these biases constantly in order to keep them top of mind in the hopes of curtailing their influence. I thought this was a great book to succinctly cover a broad swathe of these common lapses in judgement and would be beneficial to anyone ranging from an absolute beginner, to someone who has seen all of these concepts a dozen times.
18. Awareness: Conversations with the Masters by Anthony De Mello
Reflections:
Instant favorite. This book was mentioned on the Tim Ferriss podcast and I had had it on my list for a while. He mentioned it again in a recent episode, and it spurred me to download the audiobook. The book itself is a compendium of talks/lectures from De Mello who was an indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. My interest in the meeting of Eastern and Western traditions seem to culminate perfectly in his very being. I enjoyed the audio so much that I ordered a physical copy before I was half way through in order to take physical notes and highlight sections. I do not think that there is anything too profound about the book as a whole, but there are sometimes those little nuggets in a book that help you frame thoughts and assumptions in a different light. This book had at least a dozen such cases and I look forward to a re-read.
17. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Reflections:
This book deviated from the typical titles on my list, but I was really glad I added it. Ever since the movie was announced and I started seeing the book rise in popularity on various book lists, the title alone was intriguing. I read the blurb summarizing the plot almost a year ago and knew that I would get around to it at some point. I knew nothing going into this book which made it almost more like a historical fiction piece, but the fact that this all happened in the not to distant past makes it all the more gripping. I was never one to listen to true crime podcasts or watch those TV shows that have risen in popularity over the past several years, but after this book, I can definitely see the appeal. The massive amounts of corruption and lack of sophistication in terms of forensics and police protocols helped to increase the drama and mystery. As with almost anything involving the US government, the personal interests and overall power/sway that authority figures had seem almost cinematic (no surprise a film was made). Highly recommend for anyone whose interest is piqued by the book description.
16. Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg
Reflections:
Story and language are such foundational aspects of being human that in nearly any field, you can see the best communicators and storytellers able to rise above the crowd. Similar to many of the psychology-oriented books I have read, there is so much to be discovered underneath the surface in our everyday conversations, and by bringing the unconscious to the conscious, we can help to communicate more effectively no matter the relationship. In my life I have found myself having less and less conversations in person as work is primarily remote phone calls and interactions in public tend to be blocked out by headphones or smartphone usage. Figuring out what your objectives are in a conversation, as well as what the other participants objectives are, and then ensuring that they are in alignment is one of the most significant takeaways I had. I find myself in a lot of conversations having two separate discussions which ends up being frustrating and a waste of time.
15. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find - and Keep - Love by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
Reflections:
I have heard remnants of attachment theory through different books and podcasts that will gloss over some of the concepts or experiments at a high level, and so I thought it would be worthwhile to go through the book myself. I was not expecting to learn much from this book having essentially gotten the punchline ahead of time; however, I was surprised to find a lot of helpful examples and detail along the way that supported the theory. As the authors went through examples of each attachment style across different situations and types of relationships, I found myself achieving greater clarity in why certain relationships worked or did not work. The best thing about psychology or neuroscience findings in my opinion is when you can find words that map to an experience you could not previously explain. Being honest with myself, I have acted as each of the different attachment styles at different points in my life and in different types of relationships. It is helpful to keep attachment styles top of mind whenever there is friction in relationships to recognize the potential conversation beneath the conversation.
14. Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will by Robert M. Sapolsky
Reflections:
Immediate candidate for favorite book of the year. The note in my phone dedicated to this book is too extensive to cover in a short blurb, but suffice to say - holy moly. Quite long and thorough, this book did a tremendous job at going through the various defenses of free will and explaining the different arguments with a first principles lens. There are so many followups from this book that I find tremendously interesting to look further into, ranging from neuroscience to quantum mechanics. Felt close to peak nerdiness as I was excited and smiling in anticipation of returning to this book. I could not help myself from sharing with some friends and family while I was learning various things that I had never heard before that were just fascinating. Probably the most important topic to have an understanding of as it underlies all of our “decision-making” processes and planning that make up our everyday existence.
13. Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr
Reflections:
This book is often touted and referenced (sometimes mockingly) across various media channels that I have looked at over the past several years. It was available at my library and I thought it would be a good idea to look at the source. As with many great ideas, it is not so much that anything within this book was incredibly novel, I believe the popularity was more so a result of attaching language to the beliefs and systems/processes in order to hold yourself accountable to principles that are nearly impossible to disagree with. A lot of celebrity encounters and unexpected people came up in this book which add credibility to the arguments. Similar to Principles by Ray Dalio, the concepts seem so irrefutable that it makes you wonder exactly how they are implemented in practice. A solid leadership/management book that I would not mind revisiting if my situation warranted it.
12. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant
Reflections:
I am a fan of Adam Grant’s other books and his appearances on podcasts over the years. As usual, a lot of great anecdotes. The biggest takeaway for me at this point in my life was the fact that sometimes you need to regress in order to progress. When ascending the mountain, at times you will hit a dead end and have to retrace your path to find a better route up. The concepts of learning how to improve at improving, and having the nerve to embrace, seek, and amplify discomfort especially resonated with me. The metaphor of the compass giving you direction and not directions made it into my notes app. A very inspiring book that helps to shift the emphasis from the destination back to the journey, democratizing the access to greatness.
11. As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Reflections:
This is a classic and a super short read, so I would recommend it for anyone interested. Pretty amazing that this was written in 1902 and echoes a lot of the sentiments that continue to be expressed in the self-help genre, now flush with countless examples and studies that corroborate the ideas. James Allen’s book too is echoing ideas that have been percolating in Eastern parts of the world for thousands of years, stressing the interconnectedness of thoughts, actions, and the world. It is written in very simple language, and talks through some important lessons that are vital to remember as the world increasingly tries to take us away from moments of stillness and internal reflection.
10. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens
Reflections:
A pretty happy title, huh? I don’t believe I have read a book that is anti-God before, and so when I saw this title was popular at my library and available, I thought it would be worth a go. I have been reading the bible a chapter at a time over the past few months, trying to get cover to cover, and so many of the specific passages referenced were luckily in recent memory. I think it is generally a good idea to open oneself to as many different ideas and worldviews as possible. Somewhat counterintuitively, I believe that learning a lot about beliefs that run counter to what you may profess can actually strengthen your beliefs. Going to Catholic schools for K-12 and being raised in that faith tradition has skewed the way I view the world, so it is interesting to hear the perspectives of those who do not share those biases.
9. Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion by Daniel Goleman and Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Reflections:
I am interested in mindfulness and meditation and always like to learn more about the practices. I have yet to implement any sort of robust meditation practice/habit into my life, but I think that some of the tools offered in this book have given me a useful ramp to doing so. For those who have been bugged with my current hodge-podge cross stitch of the universe and spirituality, the part of the book that discusses the three “speed limits” we have: physical, mental, and energy/feeling; resonated strongly with me. It is sad to me how easy it is in the world today to not have moments of deep reflection or contemplation. I think that in moments of stillness, I find my mind spiraling or craving to check my phone, watch a video, or listen to a book or podcast. Throughout history, I know that men have struggled to do important work, and that is why monks and spiritual figures who seem to have overcome these impulses seem so other-worldly to us mere mortals. In an accessible way to Westerners, this book takes you through various meditation practices and also gives real-world examples and references studies for the various concepts.
8. The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter
Reflections:
I had never heard about this book before, I was scrolling through popular and available now at my library and stumbled upon it. I am very glad I did. I really enjoyed this story and had a lot of takeaways such as Misogis, the power of being bored, creativity, fractals in nature, the modern lack of lean times, happiness in Bhutan, and different/new stories of how humans have evolved. One specific fact that I had not heard, or at least had not appreciated before this book was the fact that carbs and fats together do not really occur in nature, and yet are present in nearly all of the hyper-palatable and highly processed foods today. This narrative was well-crafted bouncing back and forth from an intense excursion to the Alaskan wilderness to various scientific studies or reports on principles surrounding health and wellness. Several behavioral changes have already come about in my life on account of this book. Again, very glad I stumbled upon this book and would recommend it to anyone remotely interested in the title or anything mentioned in this paragraph.
7. [Re-Read] Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B Cialdini PhD
Reflections:
I took this on our family vacation and gave it a full re-read cover to cover with pen in hand. My goal at this stage in my life is to read as widely as I can and try to take notes on which books are worth revisiting. After I read a book I really like on kindle or on audiobook, I will buy the physical copy to go through more carefully and mark up. This was the first book that I had gone back through in such a fashion (aside from Meditations). The principles of Influence and the examples that Cialdini lays out are timeless and once you are aware of them, start to see them everywhere. I sometimes feel uneasy reading books like this that discuss how our psychology works because it almost feels manipulative. However, it is better to be aware of the tools that are employed by others, whether they are conscious of them or not, to be better armed to protect ourselves from falling into default patterns when they do not serve us. As Cialdini and many others have explained quite well, we evolved with automatic ways of thinking that have helped to reduce our mental burdens and in most cases lead to good outcomes. Yet, in the modern world, many of these evolved impulses and automated behaviors have been hijacked for other purposes, and so we must be hyper-aware of them if we hope to stand a chance.
6. Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel
Reflections:
I liked the Psychology of Money, and similarly liked Housel’s most recent rounds on podcasts touting this book so thought it was worth a try once it became available at my library. One of my favorite concepts from Charlie Munger is the concept of inversion, and I think that that is at the core of this book. Instead of trying to focus on what will change or how this or that will play out, it asks the question of what will stay the same. The biggest “mind-blown” moment by far was when he talked about the concept of parallel universes and the butterfly effect. I think that the infinite parallel universe theory is intellectually interesting to think about at a minimum, and I have often thought about the many different worlds where I decided to sleep in that day, or take a different route to work, or chose a different college, etc. I have never; however, thought about all of those different universes from the perspective of what would be the same in all of them. It seems so simple and obvious, and yet boom! Hit me like a ton of bricks. Would “universal goods” like truth or love still be as such in every possible universe? What would be? Definitely food for thought and maybe fodder for a future blog post.
5. The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Reflections:
Spoiler alert - this was just the audiobook, and I found out it was abridged! How lame! I am a big fan of Tim Ferriss and think he too has lived an incredibly interesting life. His podcast is really great, and I love that all of his content is pretty much freely accessible. I bought hard copies of this and one other book which are both 500 or so pages, and will likely be read cover to cover, and then returned to in piecemeal fashion. I don’t know if this book will reappear on this list later this year (I hope it does), but even in the abridged version, I learned a lot of concepts and principles that I can apply to my own life. I think one of the biggest things that I respect about Tim is that he recognizes the limitations of scientific studies. Especially as it relates to the body, I have felt in my own life that there are so many conflicting signals out there about X being good, and Y being bad, or taking this supplement, or that workout style. At the end of the day, there is still so much to be learned, and we won’t have all of the answers anytime soon. Even if we did, each person is different, so the best strategy is to experiment on yourself and see what works for you - using some guidance from underlying scientific principles or known mechanisms.
4. Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Reflections:
I heard Arnold making the rounds on podcasts talking about this book, and it was relatively short/available at my library so I gave it a go. I did not know much about Arnold’s life story before this book and the podcast appearances, but it is truly remarkable. I have read some biographies of people like Ben Franklin and Malcolm X and marveled at the seemingly many lives they were able to live during their respective times on Earth. Similarly, I am impressed with Arnold’s origin story and his relentless drive, ambition, and hard work that has gotten him to where he is today. The concept of “being useful” has also been helpful to me as I think about not only my career path but also what I am spending my time on each day. Nothing too groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
3. The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M .R. Covey
Reflections:
This has been on my list for a long time, courtesy of the TIP WSB podcast. It certainly did not disappoint. This was one of those books that once you read it, you start to see the principles all over in your life. Realizing how foundational trust is to almost everything in our society, and the various “dividends or taxes” that can come about due to trust or a lack thereof respectively, fundamentally has changed the way I think about the world. In environments of high trust, there is so much less friction and so many more possibilities enabled that it makes me intensely dislike instances where trust has been betrayed and the consequences that follow. One such instance that will probably always make me think of this book is airport security. Some nefarious individuals have permanently and irreversibly made traveling far more difficult for the vast, vast majority of people who have no bad intentions and have to still pay this trust tax with their time.
2. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Reflections:
I think my interest in Eastern thought should be relatively obvious looking at some of the books that I choose to read, but the Tao Te Ching is an oft-quoted short book that I had yet to read in its entirety, so ordered it around Christmas. My biggest takeaway was the concept of opposite forces and seeming contradictions. As the book jacket says, it can be read in “30 minutes, or over a lifetime.” This is one of those short books of wisdom that I think I will continuously go back to read certain quotes and sit with them. “When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.” Quotes like this capture simple wisdom that is echoed and said in different ways across many different media I have encountered since beginning this reading journey, and I think it is only after hearing concepts said in many different ways that I can get the most out of little snippets like this.
1. Broken Money: Why Our Financial System is Failing Us and How We Can Make it Better by Lyn Alden
Reflections:
This was a pretty long book to get through, but I think is a must-read for anyone interested in learning in relatively simple terms from first principles how we got to where we are today in terms of the current global financial system. The evolution of money and currency throughout time is incredibly interesting, and to be living at the dawn of cryptocurrencies and various advancements in technology and cryptography that have enabled their existence is underappreciated. I think Lyn Alden is extremely intelligent and a great communicator of ideas, and so once she spoke about this book, I ordered it soon after it came out. The world is in a pretty precarious position right now ever since the departure from the gold standard, and we have yet to see (in the US at least) the full pain that should naturally come about from the policy enacted over the last 50 years, which only seems to accelerate with each crisis. Highly recommend.
I have become increasingly interested in Bitcoin specifically over the past 5 years. My time and attention have been spent on learning more about layer one Bitcoin. Coming from an economics background and learning about financial history in college and more recently in Lyn Alden's new book "Broken Money", there are inevitable changes to come to the legacy financial systems, and the winner to date seems unequivocally to be Bitcoin. I am a voracious reader and love to learn and read widely. I think about different times in history when some massive technological advancements or discoveries opened the door to new possibilities that were previously unimaginable. Seeing the advent of blockchain technology, and the emergence of cryptocurrencies over the past decade has felt like one of those important inflection points in history - and I am excited to be witnessing it in real-time. Outside of the general excitement surrounding technological innovation, there are two more practical reasons why I have become so interested in learning more and participating in this unexplored frontier.
Born and raised in the US, I have a skewed perception of what economic opportunity looks like, and although our currency has been inflated over the years, it pales in comparison to other countries. The economic freedom provided by access to globally salable sound money that cannot be debased or controlled by any central entity is life-changing for many folks in developing countries who may otherwise have no way to preserve their purchasing power. This is one of the primary arguments that has made me more convinced of the viability of Bitcoin over the long term.
The second, and perhaps better, argument for why Bitcoin should exist comes from the energy standpoint. There have been a lot of misconceptions over the years related to Bitcoin's energy usage and how it is bad for the environment/can't scale/etc. One of the most exciting things in the space is seeing all of the innovation around Bitcoin mining and how it is flocking to cheap sources of energy and helping to stabilize energy grids or bring new investment into otherwise stagnant spaces. I am a firm believer that increasing access to energy across the globe as well as continuing to decrease the cost of energy is the best way to achieve progress. Bitcoin has the correct incentive structures in place to properly enable these developments, and we are at the early stages. Seeing developments in Africa tapping into geothermal energy, using mining rigs to heat homes/pools, and established energy grids using mining to increase efficiency are all very early on in terms of lifespan, and get me excited about what is to come. Market forces are very powerful, and I have seen enough parallels to other historical periods to know that there is immense opportunity for Bitcoin and the various developments happening on top of the base layer.