My Book Harvest — January 2024
A bit of sci-fi and a lot of the real world
Back in October, I wrote an article about How to Choose What to Read. Starting this year, I am starting to post brief overviews of the books I read. So without further ado, here are the books I read in January 2024 and my impressions:
Adrian Tchaikovsky. Children of Time (2015) and Children of Ruin (2019)
After focusing on classical fiction and serious non-fiction for the last few years, I finally decided to have some fun. I love sci-fi. I grew up reading books by Jules Vernes, H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Stanislaw Lem, and the Strugatsky brothers. So I was curious about more recent sci-fi books. The very first book I started reading this year, Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time — is brilliant. I immediately bought the second book and again, bravo! It is difficult to discuss these books without spoilers, but I’ll say this — the imagination and creativity of the author are something else. So much so that I don’t think you can make a good movie version of this story. Maybe an animated series.
The story is a juxtaposition of a human civilization with a civilization quite different in terms of physical and intellectual features. This, of course, does not sound that impressive — alien civilizations are part and parcel of the sci-fi genre. But the unique thing about Tchaikovsky’s books are descriptions of highly intelligent civilizations created by non-human species that we are familiar with here on Earth. These alternative civilizations and their ways of thinking are so different, that it makes for a fascinating exploration of their science, culture, philosophy, and society. The books are a mix of adventure with reflections on the themes of evolution, communication, human values, conflict, and power.
Brilliant. Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to reading Children of Memory, the third book in the series.
Cixin Liu, The Three-Body Problem (2008)
The second I heard that Netflix was adapting the books into TV series, I knew I had to read it before they ruined it. :) I have to say, I loved The Three-Body Problem even more than Tchaikovsky’s books. Very different. I don’t know how I can avoid spoilers. The book starts as a mystery and then switches into full-on sci-fi. This is a brilliant sci-fi story explored through the eyes of characters and the context of China.
I’d recommend you don’t read the summaries of the book, but just start reading. This is an exploration of human history, culture, strengths and weaknesses, our instincts, intellect, and emotions, all against the context of the unprecedented threat humanity faces, sort of a permanent Sword of Damocles. The story simultaneously gives you hope for a positive outcome and fear of a complete disaster. As you can imagine, there is plenty of food for thought, and exploration of philosophy, religion, politics, and culture.
Amazing. Highly Recommended. I’ve just bought the other books in the series — The Dark Forest and Death’s End. Since I could not put the first book down, I am sure I will have finished both very soon.
Vaclav Smil, How the World Really Works (2022)
Now, back to the real world. This book, I feel, has to be read by everyone who considers themselves an educated person. As a minimum, every person in a position of power should read it.
Smil’s sub-title is The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going. Simple, clear, and he does deliver. The chapters cover topics such as Energy, Food Production, Our Material World (focusing on cement, steel, plastics, and ammonia), Globalization, Risks to Humanity, Environment, and a chapter about the Future. Smil does a great job briefly explaining such complex topics and providing relevant statistics to back up his arguments.
One takeaway from this book is how little we understand about things that make our day-to-day lives possible. Smil invites us to be honest and humble. He cautions the reader against holding extreme views — for example, don’t be pro-fossil fuel or against fossil fuel. Let’s seek to understand the facts about the topic, the value of fossil fuels, their impact, both positive and negative, and how we can maximize the benefits while reducing the damage to the environment. His approach on other topics in the book is similar — look at the facts, let’s see how we can improve things rationally, and let’s not get hysterical one way or another. Smil tries to show how complex the world is, how things are connected, and how the dangers of unintended consequences are ignored when we seek simplistic solutions.
Excellent, excellent read. And not very long, at only 233 pages, the book is packed with a lot of interesting and valuable information.
Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny (2017)
I think everyone should read this book. EVERYONE. At only 126 pages, it is simple, yet profound. Snyder looks at the events of the twentieth century and offers 20 lessons on how to prevent tyranny from happening and how to fight it. There are exceptionally important messages in this book. Here is one: “You might one day be offered the opportunity to display symbols of loyalty. Make sure that such symbols include your fellow citizens, rather than exclude them”.
Or when he, in simple terms, presents a solution to the eternal excuse of those who support evil regimes — “I was just following orders”. Stick to your professional ethics. Whether you are a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, or a businessman — you can do your part in not letting tyranny take hold.
Or this one — beware paramilitaries. It “first challenges the police and military, then penetrates the police and military, and finally transforms the police and military”. Or — you need to stand by the truth and investigate when necessary. As Vaclav Havel said: “If the main pillar of the system is living a lie, then it is not surprising that the fundamental threat to it is living in truth”.
Here is another — Be a patriot. Snyder goes on to explain the difference between being a patriot and a nationalist. “A nationalist will say that it can’t happen here, which is the first step towards disaster. A patriot says that it could happen here, but that we will stop it.”
There is so much packed into this book, that I can keep going, but here is my favorite lesson — Practice Corporeal Politics. “Power wants your body softening in your chair and your emotions dissipating on the screen. Get outside. Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people. Make new friends and march with them”. “If tyrants feel no consequences for their actions in the three-dimensional world, nothing will change.” This one is for all the keyboard warriors out there.
Timothy Snyder, The Road to Unfreedom (2018)
I was so impressed with Snyder’s book On Tyranny that I looked into his other books. His book The Road to Unfreedom intrigued me and it did not disappoint. Another excellent work by Timothy Snyder. Anyone interested in politics, or international relations, or who just wants to understand the world better, should read this book. I have to warn you, this book is dense. Tough to put together a quick summary, but here we go.
The book’s subtitle is simple — Russia, Europe, America. So if you want to understand why there is a war in Ukraine, how Trump came to power, what caused Brexit, and the political dynamics in Russia, this book is an essential read. The book aims to persuade the reader that if we think that the failure of communism meant automatic victory for democracy (and capitalism), we are wrong. Authoritarianism is alive and well, even doing a decent job of poisoning the democracies of the world by weaponizing information and destabilizing institutions.
Snyder examines the influence of the 20th-century philosopher Ivan Ilyin on current Russian politics. I had never heard of Ilyin before and tracing how he gradually became a key figure in the openly expressed ideological narrative of today’s Russia is fascinating. Snyder goes over the events of the last two decades and identifies two problematic ways of thinking — politics of inevitability and eternity.
Essentially, this book should be like an alarm going off. It should make you uncomfortable and pessimistic enough to want to stay alert and at least to try and understand what is going on, if not to act.
Dacher Keltner, The Power Paradox (2016)
This excellent short book (164 pages only) is about how we gain, maintain, and lose power. As Keltner puts it, the book describes how “we gain the capacity to make a difference in the world by enhancing the lives of others, but the very experience of having power and privilege leads us to behave, in our worst moments, like impulsive, out-of-control psychopaths.” Or to put it shortly, power corrupts.
Keltner goes on to explain the purpose of power — that it is about making a difference in the world. That it is given, not grabbed. And that your power is only as good as your reputation. To successfully maintain power one needs to maintain the focus on others through social practices of empathizing, giving, expressing gratitude, and telling stories. But in many cases power makes us lose the very skills that enabled us to gain it.
The last chapters of the book focus on the concept of powerlessness — how it involves existing in a state of heightened sensitivity to threats and stress, affecting individuals’ health, well-being, and ability to contribute to society.
Keltner concludes with recommendations of staying aware of one’s power and the powerlessness around, practicing humility and respect, and making an effort to keep the focus on others.
Keltner has released a new book titled — Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Adding it to my list.
Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money (2020) and Same as Ever (2023)
The Psychology of Money always comes up on any list of recommendations for books about money and personal finances. I finally go around to read it. Quite a good book, as long as you manage your expectations. The book focuses on behavioral aspects of managing finances. Why do you want to have money? How much is enough? Is it worth being in this rat race of constantly wanting more? Housel explains that having the right behaviors is more important than any financial skill or intelligence.
It is important to save. Housel continuously emphasizes this. He quotes Munger: “I did not intend to get rich, I just wanted to get independent”. Frugality goes a long way, we need to be intentional and thoughtful about our financial decisions. Housel also expands on the power of time and compounding — perhaps the most important principle in wealth-building. Patience, consistency, and discipline over time are key. Housel explains the role of luck and that the markets are unpredictable, therefore saving and patience are the two key things one can do, and over time, the impact can be significant.
Very good book, a useful read to help you decide on the actions you need to take to achieve financial independence.
In his other book, Same as Ever, Housel explores how human behavior and the way we make decisions do not change that much. Here are some of the key messages. Chance and accidents dominate our lives, there are way too many variables (read Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s Black Swan and Fooled by Randomness for more on this). So rather than trying to predict what is going to happen, we should focus on improving our preparedness. We crave certainty, but we will never have it. Housel also goes on to describe how stories are more impactful than statistics, and how behaviors are affected by a powerful narrative. He also explains that we are more likely to believe our own experiences over facts.
Overall, interesting read, but can live without it.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (c. 161–180)
And of course — Meditations. I consider myself a practitioner of Stoicism and read Meditations a couple of years ago. Here is my article My 7 Takeaways from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.
After the first read, I went through several great books on Stoicism, including Massimo Pigliucci’s How To Be a Stoic, William B. Irvine’s A Guide to the Good Life, John Sellars’ Lessons in Stoicism, Donald Robertson’s Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, Ward Farnsworth’ The Practicing Stoic and That One Should Disdain Hardships, which is a collection of Roman Stoic Musonius Rufus’ lectures, and of course, Ryan Holidays The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, Stillness is the Key, Discipline is Destiny, Courage is Calling, and The Daily Stoic.
I also read two excellent books that help understand Meditations better — Pierre Hadot’s The Inner Citadel, and Donald Robertson’s How to Think Like an Emperor. Both are excellent books, reading which prompted me to re-read Meditations.
Every human being reflects upon what philosopher Thomas Nagel calls “mortal questions” — meaning, nature, and value of human life, making ethical choices, society, war, political power, personal identity, freedom, and coming to terms with death. In under 200 pages, Meditations does all that in the reflections of the most powerful man in the world in his time.
This second time around, different things stood out. We are, as the author puts it, “athletes in the greatest of all contests — the struggle not to be overwhelmed by anything that happens”. His most valuable advice on how to do this is: “Choose not to be harmed — and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed — and you haven’t been”. This time, thanks to Hadot’s and Robertson’s books, it was easier to understand where Marcus engages in spiritual exercises, where his tone is not that of pessimism, but a practice of considering the worst as part of his training of the mind, and the meaning behind his musings on death, escapism, reframing, determinism, duty, judgment, and, above all, the primacy of action.
I am sure I will read Meditations again in the future. Perhaps before I take up the Meditations for the third time I will finally tackle Seneca and Epictetus’ works.
Here you go. Ten books, of which nine I would strongly recommend. Pretty good harvest if you ask me. :) Hope these summaries can help you make good decisions about which books to add to your reading list. Enjoy!
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