The Books I Enjoyed In 2019 And What I’m Looking Forward To In 2020
The Best Books I Read This Year
How To Build A Car, by Adrian Newey. By far the most interesting book I read in 2019. This memoir by the infamous Formula One designer and aerodynamicist stretches from his earliest memories of watching his father tinkering in the garage to his more recent days running Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology.
Even if you’re not into Formula One (I wasn’t) it’s a fascinating look into both the craziness of Adrian’s life and the complexities of designing cars; particularly the level of skill required to perfect the aerodynamics. The amazing book design and technical drawings don’t hurt either.
Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries, by Safi Bahcall. What does the science of phase transitions have to do with innovation and an organizations ability to embrace new ideas? According to Bahcall, as companies grow and structures shift and change, they begin to suddenly reject new ideas in the same way water suddenly transitions into ice. Sound similar to disruption theory? It is (although Bahcall claims it’s different). That said, Loonshots is a thought provoking and updated take on the concept and provides both interesting examples through great storytelling as well as actionable insights to remain open to wild new ideas.
Be the initiator, not the victim, of innovative surprise.
— Safi Bahcall
Deep Work, by Cal Newport. I’d heard nothing but good things about Deep Work and it had been recommended to me several times since it’s release in 2016, but I never got around to reading it until this year. It definitely lived up to the hype. Although I think Cal gets a little too rigid on certain topics, overall it’s an excellent look at the benefits of focusing on cognitively demanding tasks without distraction. And i’ve adopted several techniques and ideas from the book. If you’re someone who’s interested in the Maker vs Manager schedule, this is a solid read along those lines.
The Score Takes Care of Itself, by Bill Walsh & Steve Jamison. Yes, this biography and leadership manual, written posthumously by Steve Jamison and Bill Walsh’s son Craig, discusses the creation of the West Coast offense. But it’s primarily about how Bill took the 49ers from league worst to a dynasty in only a few short years by instilling new processes and his “standards of performance” across the entire 49ers organization. It’s definitely an interesting look at leadership from a non-corporate perspective through the lens of the world of sports.
Concentrate on what will produce results rather than on the results, the process rather than the prize. When you do that, the score will take care of itself.
— Bill Walsh
Farsighted, by Steven Johnson. I picked this up after reading an excerpt in the New York Times and am glad I did. It’s a very interesting look at the science of making tough long-term decisions. But it’s far from dry, as Johnson does a great job of interspersing the science and process parts of the equation with great storytelling. Tying in everything from Benjamin Franklin’s decision on whether or not to marry to modern day Intelligence Operatives making a call on whether or not to raid a Pakistani suburb based on inconclusive evidence of Bin Laden’s whereabouts.
After mapping variables, forecasting and building prediction models, and exploring alternative decision paths, at the end of the day it all comes down to making a decision. And that decision should be based on your most important values.
— Steven Johnson
Looking Forward To In 2020
As we move into 2020, I already have a healthy start on books I’ve either begun reading or am looking forward to.
Including these to start the year:
- Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight
- The Infinite Game, by Simon Sinek
- More Effective Agile, by Steve McConnell
- Sontag: Her Life and Work, by Benjamin Moser
Bonus: All the books to my daughter! As me and my wife are expecting our first child early this year, I’m very much looking forward to reading her both the classic children’s books of our youth (If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Goodnight Moon, Dr. Seuss) as well as the awesome selection of more modern books (Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls, Rosie Revere, Engineer, Papasaurus). She already has a crazy library and isn’t even here yet!
Here’s to a new year, new reads, and new ideas!
What books did you enjoy this year? And what are you looking forward to next?
