2023 Bookshelf
Fiction / Personal Development
A few Saturdays ago my girlfriend and I were exploring the Western Slope of Colorado and popped into a local coffee shop. On my way to the bathroom an event being setup in the back grabbed my attention. When I got out I saw that it was a fundraiser and a book signing. I hesitated for a minute, and then walked over.
Personal Development
From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
Last week Peter Attia, MD drew me into an episode of The Drive with a title: The Science of Happiness. The podcast guest, Arthur Brooks, Ph.D., was new to me, but I enjoyed their conversation so much that I decided to read one of Dr. Brooks’ books, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.
Now contrary to what it may seem like, I actually wasn’t looking for advice on how to be happy and succesful in the second half of my life. I chose this book because it was the most reviewed of the 6 he’s written. And it’s a good thing I did, because as it turns out, according to Dr. Brooks, the sun has already started to set on the first half of my life.
Read more about this book and other takeaways from the podcast here…
Non-Fiction / Health
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger eloquently and decisively makes the point that the “riches” of modern civilization have led to a loss of community, purpose and increased feelings of isolation. As he puts it, “modern society seems to emphasize extrinsic values over intrinsic ones, and as a result, mental health issues refuse to decline with growing wealth.”
Increased rates of suicide, depression, PTSD and severe mood disorders abound with no signs of slowing down. Throughout the book he draws from studies, interviews and text to make the case that what we need is a renewed send of purpose and community.
Personal Development
Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones - James Clear**
Key Takeaways: I put off reading this book for awhile, dismissing it’s popularity as a fluke. But I bought a copy after listening to James Clear on a podcast and realized how closely I aligned with what he had to say. After reading Atomic Habits it became clear why the book is so popular. For me, it built on the concepts and knowledge I gained from The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, and it expanded on that book by also providing real world actionable items on how to improve your habits. I think when combined, these two books provide the necessary framework to re-route and build better habits.**
The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin*
Key Takeaways: I can best summarize this book as a great pep talk for any struggling creative (that’s me). Rick Rubin draws on his years of success as a creative and lets you into the workings of his mind to help you better understand what creativity does and does not entail.
Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder - Gabor Matè**
Key Takeaways: Scattered Minds builds on the lessons I learned from In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts (what really causes addiction). Attention Deficit Disorder is not what you think it is. In fact, nothing is what you think it is because our lives and who we are (or who we think we are) are all shaped by our life experiences and greatly impacted by the trauma we experience growing up and as adults. Every experience shapes you. After reading this book you’ll have a better understanding of human behavior, your own struggles with ADD/ADHD, and have greater sympathy for those you see struggling around you.
Key Takeaways: Healthcare is broken. Anyone that knows anything about healthcare knows that. I spent a decade working in the industry, so I’ve seen it firsthand, and it can be very depressing to think about. This book provided a glimmer of hope that we might soon be able to turn the page into a new age of healthcare, driven by big shifts in technology and ways of viewing our health. I loved this book, and although it was filled with loads of information it was well written and was an easy read. If you’re curious about what the future of healthcare might look like, and/or you want to know where the opportunities might be, then this is a great book to read.
Key Takeaways: First - Walking works. I was never a big believer of 10,000 steps a day (an arbitrary number that is not actually backed by any science). But after reading the emphasis that they put on walking in this book, I’ve made a real effort to walk and even stand more, and I can say that it’s made a difference. Physically I feel leaner and mentally I feel sharper. Second - Eat 800 grams of fruits and veggies per day. I thought I was easily hitting this number (about 6 handfuls), but I was coming up drastically short. For one, I was giving too much value to salad (greens). Two, my breakfast was very light. I now include 2 - 3 handfuls of veggies with all three meals, and I’ve limited fruits to mostly berries and an apple or banana here or there (just what I like). The difference I feel has been the most significant in a long time.
The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph - Ryan Holiday
Key Takeaways: I put this book down a couple of times before picking it up one last time and finishing it. My initial reaction was that the book contained a lot of fluff. But as I pushed past the first quarter of the book I realized I was growing more and more engaged with the message. As someone who consistently and deliberately chooses the harder path in life, I found this book inspiring. I also found it helped me making the right choice (that I wouldn’t have otherwise chosen) on a handful of occasions. If you’re new to Stoicism there is a lot to be gained by reading this book. If not, I think you’ll walk away motivated to continue pressing forward through the path less traveled.
Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey - AJ Jacobs
Key Takeaways: AJ Jacobs goes on a journey that, through his thousand interactions, brings your morning cup of coffee to life. It also provides all the reasons why you should be grateful for this delicious and legal drug.
Key Takeaways: I wish I read Buy This, Not That 15 years ago when I was just starting my career and knew nothing about finance, money or investing. I wish I read it 5 years ago when I left my job with a goal of achieving financial independence. I really think this book is a must read for anyone who is looking for a practical and informative guide on how to achieve independence and wealth. Sam lays out actionable items, provides clear real world examples, and he does it all in a way that is easy to understand and follow. For followers of the Financial Samurai blog and newsletter, this book wraps up all the lessons he teaches us each week with a nice little bow. I've already purchased an additional copy for my 16 year old nephew and I plan on buying a few more to hand out to people in my life who I know could benefit. Great book.
Same As Ever: Timeless Lessons on Risks, Opportunity, and Living a Good Life, Morgan Housel**
Key Takeaways: I actually enjoyed this book more than his first book, The Psychology of Money (which is also really good). While neither one o them are really about money and investing, Same As Ever offers more practical advice that can be used across all the different areas of your life. There were a handful of chapters, like Time Horizons and Trying Too Hard, which really hit home for me. This book and Buy This, Not That (read back to back) have both come at the exact right moment in my life, when after 5 years of hiatus, I’m starting to put the pieces of my life together and look to the future. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Biography or Non-Fiction
Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, Danny Meyer*
Key Takeaways: Being kind matters. Being thoughtful matters. Doing the right thing matters. Whether in life or in business. Danny Meyer has proven this time and time again through every one of his successful business ventures, and it’s the main theme of this book. An important read for just about anyone, especially those looking to get into business. You don’t have to be in the hospitality business to be hospitable in your business.
A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, Michael Pollan
Key Takeaways: Only Michael Pollan can bring building a writing shed to life, while also tying it to the environment, keeping you engaged, and teaching you some of the very important basics needed to build a structure. This book, like all of Michael Pollan’s has inspired me to keep reading, writing, and looking for the connections around us.
This is Your Mind on Plants, Michael Pollan
Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education, Michael Pollan**
Key Takeaways: If you consider yourself someone who has a relationship with nature, has spent their life working outside, in the garden, then this book is for you. Michael Pollan draws on his years of experience working in his garden and his grandfathers to make connections about our true relationships to nature. A wonderful book that had me laughing and in awe at the same time.
The Botany of Desire: A Plants-Eye View of the World, Michael Pollan*
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World, Mark Pendergast
Key Takeaways: Coffee (like most commodities) has a brutal past. This book reminded me a lot of the story told in The Fish That Ate The Whale (only the latter was about bananas). Deception. Greed. Governments being overthrown. These are all part of coffee’s history. But for all its miseries, coffee (and the business around it) has come a long way. The difference between what you see today at your local coffee shop or Starbucks and what’s described in this book will shock you and make you grateful for the ease at which we now consume our most important drug.
Key Takeaways: While SNAP (originally the food stamp program) started out simply as a way to get surplus produce, meat and dairy into the hands of people who needed it, it has since transformed into the most effective poverty fighting tool we have in America. Close to 50 million people per year rely on the SNAP program, and while there has been threats throughout it’s history to drastically reduce its funding or eliminate it all together, it seems clear at this point that it’s not going anywhere.
Key Takeaways: I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this one up. But as a health freak who for years has lived on salmon (mostly farmed, yikes) because of it’s reported health benefits, I had recently become really interested to learn more about the farmed salmon industry. As luck would have it, this book appeared not long after on a newsletter list of book recommendations.
The New Fish is a really well written piece of investigative journalism that dives into the farmed salmon and aquaculture industries, their practices, who holds influence over them, and what some people are doing to try and change it.
Everyone should know where their food comes from, and with 70 percent of the worlds salmon now coming from farms (aquaculture), it behooves all of us to learn what that means and what impacts it has.
This book is about farmed salmon, but the tactics used transcend across every industry. Salmon farming (fish in general), compared to livestock farming, is still in its infancy. It’s interesting to learn how an industry developed so quickly around something no one knew anything about. This is a great read.
Fiction
All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr**
Key Takeaways: A well written historical fiction book that takes places during WWII in France.
The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd*
Key Takeaways: We picked this book up after traveling through South Carolina. We wanted to learn more about the history of slavery in the area and this book provided that insight. Also historical fiction, The Invention of Wings takes you on a great journey where you’ll learn and come to really understand the atrocities that took place.
*denotes favorite