2018 Reading List in Review
Starting in September of 2018 I made a goal to read at least one book a month. This was inspired by my friend, Jason, who started posting on Twitter about the books he was reading for his annual goal. I joined GoodReads to track my goal and my books. I ended up averaging two and a half books a month to finish off 2018. I read mostly non-fiction and here is what I read in order of my favorites.
Bad Blood, by John Carreyrou. Well written and documented Carreyrou takes you through the rise and fall of Theranos. The story is crazier than one might imagine and makes it hard to put down. From elaborate scams, corporate intrigue, magazine cover stories, ruined family relationships, and the demise of a company once valued at nearly $10 billion. This is a must read for everyone especially if you work in the tech or healthcare industry.
Factfulness, by Hans Rosling. I can’t say enough about this book. This is a must read for everyone. Do you think the world is in bad shape? Rosling goes into details based on facts and statistics about how much progress has been made across the entire world. Rather than the negative viewpoints we all have about the world based on our distorted inherent biases this book is a breath of fresh air and knowledge.
Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight. This is another delightful memoir from the creator of Nike. This is an honest tale of what it takes to succeed in business. It’s a messy, perilous, and chaotic journey riddled with mistakes, endless struggles, and sacrifice. It’s a real, honest, and engaging look at how an idea can become a billion dollar company with hard work.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, by Mark Manson. I had low expectations going into this one. As the title and description appear as a common sense self-help book. This book didn’t teach me much that I already didn’t know and practice daily, but it more so just reinforced my thought processes. If you struggle with giving too many fucks in life about too many things. Consider giving this a read.
The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America’s Deadliest Marksmen, by Brandon Webb and John David Mann. As close as any of us will get to know what it takes to become a navy seal sniper. This covers Brandon’s upbringing, how he qualified to become a navy seal sniper, and how he later shaped the entire force of navy seal snipers and their coursework.
Black Hawk Down, by Mark Bowden. This needs no introduction. This aligns with the movie quite well and in fact, will introduce you to some things that you won’t see in the movie. Like personal perspectives from the soldiers on the ground that day, and personal perspectives from the enemies fighting against the American soldiers.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster, by Jon Krakauer. Ever wonder what it takes to stand on top of the world? Krakauer describes it every step of the way on his journey to conquering the tallest mountain in the world. Not only that, but he also encounters a murderous storm that sets the stage to be one of the worst disasters on Mount Everest.
Educated, by Tara Westover. Tara never went to school or visited a doctor until she left home at 17. She grew up in a Mormon survivalist household in Iowa. In Tara’s memoir, she describes her bizarre upbringing and how she managed to give herself an education ultimately ending with a Ph.D. from Cambridge University.
Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson. Extrodinaringly well written and researched. This needs no introduction as it encompasses the entire life of Steve Jobs and all of his inventions and their impact on society.
Above All Else, by Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld. Dan is a world-famous competitive skydiver and coach. He takes you through tools and techniques to set yourself up for success. Dan survives a plane crash and comes out of a coma to become one of the greatest competitive skydivers in the world.
