LISTS OF LISTS OF BOOKS
17 DEC 2017
2017 has been a year of acknowledging addictions, new and old.
So far this month I have cut out coffee in the morning (except for today, but we had Candy Cane Eggnog Lattes, and life’s too short to pass that up) in hopes of curbing my caffeine addiction. Coffee, my old friend, is my longest standing addiction, one I trace back to late nights and early mornings in high school. Call me crazy, but it hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it would be. The David’s Tea Advent Calendar has definitely helped.
Secondly, I’ve been minimizing my carbohydrate intake and limiting the number of holiday cookies I consume. This has been way harder than coffee, surprisingly, but slow and steady wins the race. Looking towards a high-protein-low-carb diet in 2018.
Perhaps the most unexpected and dangerous addiction this year certainly took me by surprise. Library books.
Yeah, you read that right: literature, on loan, from public institutions. Who knew library cards could be such a vice?
Joking aside, the Toronto Public Library is a cornerstone of the city, and something I believe needs to be protected and cherished, along with all libraries. No one institution in the city is as democratizing and open to anyone from all walks of life. And getting a library card took me all of 45 seconds.
But, perhaps, I took things a little too far.
A word from the wise: you can put up to 100 books on hold (at TPL) at any one time, not including the ones you have out, and you can make them “inactive” so they don’t all suddenly show up for you at the same time. Either that, or rent a truck.
Going into 2018 in a few weeks, I’ve been reflecting and culminating my reading list from 2017, with thoughts and feelings on what I read (and didn’t read) and where I’m heading for the next year.
I’d love to hear what your favourites from this year were, what you’re planning to read next year, and how our lists match up. And I’m always open to recommendations.
With gratitude,
Brendan
Things I’ve Been Reading, by length:
Books to Base Your Life On (The Reading List) — Ryan Holiday [30 min] (4/5)
No matter your feelings on Mr. Holiday — I for one disagree with a lot of his opinions — it’s tough to disagree that this list is a masterclass in great literature.
Many of the books on this list I have read, many I have yet to read but want to, and many I’ve never heard of. That being said, I’ve never read a book recommended by Mr. Holiday that I didn’t enjoy or learn a great deal, so if you’re struggling with where to go for 2018, this is an amazing place to start.
Ryan puts it best when he says:
“Pick one of them up and let it lead you to another. And then when you come to a dead end, come back to the list.”
I would also highly recommend his monthly Reading List Email. Many of my favourite unexpected finds have come from it.
A Year of Book: 23 Book Recommendations from Mark Zuckerberg — Farnam Street / Wikipedia [20 min] (5/5)
If Mark Zuckerberg can start a book club, what’s stopping you?
23 wonderful book recommendations across a variety of genres, time periods and topics to add breadth and depth to any reading list. Despite being run throughout 2015, all of these books are still relevant — many of them, such as The Muqaddimah, Why Nations Fail, and On Immunity, will be timeless.
If Mark can run a public company and a social networking empire, in addition to his charitable efforts and family responsibilities, and still make time for reading a book every 2 weeks, what’s your excuse?
Even if you only get through 5 books this year, picking them off this list is a sure bet you’ll learn something and have your presumptions challenged.
7 Favourite Science Books of 2017 — BrainPickings [10 min] (4/5)
Maria Popova, and her brainchild BrainPickings, is one of the most prolific daily blogs on the internet today. Just based on sheer output, Maria Popova is a force of nature, and in spite of her near miraculous volume, she has a transcendent way of making otherwise dry, passable topics intriguing, if not captivating.
These 7 books are certainly not ones you’ve heard of before, or at least aren’t at the top of your list, but probably deserve to be. Yet again, BrainPickings brings the alternative and misunderstood to the forefront of our consciousness.
I guarantee there is at least one that peaks your interest. Or perhaps, picks your brain.
Reading at Work — Seth Godin [2 min] (4/5)
I recommended this last week, but it’s too good not to put in here again.
What if this year, instead of a company bonus or a holiday party, we started a book club? What could we, collectively, learn about the world, about ourselves, and about the organizations we are a part of? How might our posture shift?
Seth’s list is probably a good place to start.
BONUS: The Antilibrary — Farnam Street [2 min] (3/5)
Taleb remarks that the Antilibrary is a collection of books yet to be read, and is just as vital as keeping a library of books we have already consumed. The purpose of the antilibrary is to stand as a constant reminder of all of the things we have yet to learn, and that humility in the face of the endless body of knowledge is the key to mastery.
Besides, with all the books I’ve mentioned above, I suspect your antilibrary will grow quite a bit this year.
Happy reading.
Something I’ve been listening to:
Christmas Classics on Spotify (3/5)
Normally, I’m not a huge fan of holiday tunes, given that the vast majority of them are terrible covers of overdone pop hits. This collection however got me in the spirit of the season.
I put this on, took a long walk on a cold night through the downtown core and up past the university, and there was something magical about the combination of snow falling, lights twinkling, the bristling cold, and Frank Sinatra crooning softly in my ears.
I would recommend putting this on and going for a long evening walk, by yourself, or with someone you care about. It might change your feelings around the season.
Something I’ve Been Writing:
The Books I Read in 2017 [25 min]
My reading list, complete with short blurbs about each book, what I liked and didn’t like about it, and my overall rating. I’d love to hear what you agree and disagree with on this list.
Project I’ve Been Working On:
@brendanincomplete on Instagram
Still doing my best to post daily reflections on Bruce Mau’s Incomplete Manifesto for Growth until the end of the year!
