One of the annual practices I enjoy is reflecting on the books I read and sharing those I found to be most valuable. Many of these informed my perspective and/or include useful tools that might be interesting for folks in my network. Although I mostly focus on nonfiction for these lists, some of the entries are on here simply because they were so enjoyable. A theme that emerged across a number of these is tactics for engaging effectively with both the challenges and opportunities posed by the modern world and technology.
As always, I’d love to hear what you all think about these if you have a chance to read them, as well as any books which you enjoyed this year.
- The Anxious Generation. I was excited for Jonathan Haidt’s insight into the important topic of how electronics-based childhoods and overprotective parenting are affecting society, and especially children. While this book is hard-hitting, he outlines a structured path toward progress. There is beginning to be positive change (e.g. the new sage bans in Australia) and this book is credited with helping advance this cause. I’d also recommend Haidt’s earlier book, The Righteous Mind, it’s probably in my top 10 or 20 overall nonfiction books.
- Same as Ever. Morgan Housel encourages us to be skeptical of our attraction to seeking out the new. Much of what drives the world are forces of human nature or other systems which have been honed over a long time. It’s not a fatalistic attitude, but rather a nudge to work with people not against them.
- The Unconquerable Leader. My friend Nathan Tanner wrote this book this year, and it delivers an exceptional guide to navigating the complicated journey of self-management and leadership. From my personal experience, implementing just one of his strategies – specifically creating my own leadership operating manual – not only enhanced my effectiveness as a leader but also positively influenced my relationships with the people I work with.
- Cracking the Career Code. In his new book, Kevin John Delaney passes on many pieces of wisdom from his career spanning decades at many notable companies. He outlines many applicable tactics and presents them engagingly. There are many great take aways for anyone engaged with the working world, and for any earlier in career folks out there, this is a must-read.
- Outlive. This book argues the point that we should take our health much more seriously, much earlier in our lives. Too much healthcare intervention is focused on correcting chronic conditions after they have already been undermining health for decades. It definitely deals in hard truths, but there are lots of practical steps for what we can do better.
- Die with Zero. I love it when a book helps to change my perspective on an important topic and this one definitely did. Bill Perkins’s point is that too many people, especially those who are good at accumulating capital, defer utilizing their money for too long. Not just for themselves, but for those they wish to give to as well.
- The Black Count. A great entry in the genre of “narrative nonfiction”, a gripping but authentic account of an unlikely true story. It follows the life of the son of a French nobleman and a slave in Haiti. He goes on to become an incredibly decorated and then betrayed hero of Napoleonic era France. His son is Alexandre Dumas (the famous French author and playwright) and it’s likely that Alexandre based some events from the count of Monte Cristo on the experience of his father. I really got invested in this guy and his story.
- Slow Productivity. While it could be boiled down to the old truism that “slow and steady wins the race”, what I enjoy about Cal Newport’s writing is that he has a profoundly optimistic thesis about the potential for our relationships with our work. Modern knowledge work is alienating for many, but it needn’t be, and in this book Newport presents some concrete ways to make it meaningful and effective.
- How to Know a Person. A simple premise, well illustrated. The core thesis is that many features of modern life cause our relationships with others to be more shallow, which robs us of crucial social capital and fulfillment. Thankfully, it also provides strategies for countering this.
- On Liberty. I forget how this got on my radar this year, but I really enjoyed reading it. It’s fascinating when you encounter thinking from hundreds of years ago which is still relevant today, and this is one example of that. Lots of good thinking in here about how to cultivate a high functioning pluralist society, which is not an easy thing to do.
- Elon Musk. I’ve read most of the biographies Walter Isaacson has written and they’re all really well done. While Elon is a controversial figure for good reason, there’s no doubt about him being an interesting subject for a biography. And there’s some really powerful ideas in his approach to innovation. I read this in mid 2024 and so much has happened with Elon’s story even in the short time since then! I have to wonder whether Isaacson will be tempted to write an addendum at some point, Elon’s story is far from over.