Reading in 2020

Photo by Road Trip with Raj on Unsplash

In 2019, at the end of January, I had read 5 books — Homegoing, Lord of the Flies, the 3rd Alternative, The Richest Man in Babylon, and Rich Dad, Poor Dad (last two, rereads). My goal for that year was 24, I think. I ended up reading 11 books. One better than the previous year. And that took a lot of effort.

At the beginning of 2020, I set a goal of reading 24 books. This was partly based on the number of books I read in January 2019. Strangely, I met my goal on December 22, after not reading for about 4 months. Yes, some of the books were pretty small (read 2 of those in a day). Below is a list of the books, and some notes on them.

2020 Top 3

Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John. Easily picks a spot in my top three for the year. Loved how the story was woven. The evolution of Dantala (because he was born on Tuesday. Can I call him Kwabena?) got me reflecting on how each action we take, especially when adrenaline is high, can make or unmake us.

The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life by Robin Sharma. Loved how the lessons were woven into an easy to read plot, making it easier to relate to than most self-help books.

Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler. This was easy to read and cracked me up. We’re definitely capable of going beyond our “limits” as humans.

The other 22 books I read are:

1. Think Big by Ben Carson. Details of Dr. Ben Carson’s journey. The benefits of having a team/family that believes in you and supports you in chasing your audacious goals, and how we’re capable of more than we believe.
2. The Stranger by Albert Camus. Second time reading this classic. Loved it more. Did a comparison of this and Shawshank Redemption on Gerald’s request. You can read that here.
3. The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by George Clason. Now, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read this financial literature gem. Highly recommend. Still looking for George Clason’s Gold Ahead.
4. Atomic Habits by James Clear. Self-help. Productivity.
5. The Now Habit by Neil Fiore. Productivity. Combined some hacks from this, Cal Newport’s Deep Work and Atomic Habits by James Clear here.
6. Be(com)ing Nigerian by Elnathan John. This was funny. Parts made me squirm, others reminded me about Ghana and most of it reminded me of Nana Awere Damoah’s I Speak of Ghana, which I recommend.
7. Mindf*ck: Cambridge Analytica and the Plan to Break America by Christopher Wylie. This book truly would fuck your mind up; from Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, to how much we expose ourselves on the internet without really knowing, and the power software companies (such as Facebook)/engineers wield. Recommend.
8. The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish. Want a good laugh? This is the book. I know you’re going to imagine Tiffany reading to you. So just imagine being there, sharing in each moment with her. Note: If you’re emotional, you will need tissue.
9. Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino. Another reread. Can’t get enough of Og Mandino. A goldmine that I keep going back to.
10. The Greatest Salesman in the World, Part II The End of the Story by Og Mandino. Imagine finding out there’s a Part II of one of your favorite books. Dive in!
11. Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctors Reflections on Race and Medicine by Tweedy Damon. Someone recommended this about four years ago. An intriguing read. Recommended especially for health professionals.
12. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday. Saeed recommended this. Enjoyed it. The obstacle is truly the way.
13. Caught in the Pulpit by Daniel C. Dennett & Linda LaScola. Now this book. I loved the first two or three chapters. After that, the book seems to lose its direction. It was intriguing to read about how some ministers lost their faith. Then I watched Spotlight. PS: Build your personal relationship with God. Don’t rely on your pastor. Shoutout to Gerald for recommending the book and movie.
14. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car by Fleming Ian, Berger Joe. I had to read this. I mean, it’s Ian Fleming (author of the James Bond series). Plus, I watched the movie as a kid with my sis a couple of times and I couldn’t help myself. PS: Please stick to just the book.
15. Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. Picked this too from Gerald. Recommend this if you’re stuck in a rut and don’t know what to do. I’ve come to realize this is true in my journey to become a full-stack web developer. Things I found difficult are becoming easier. Everything is figureoutable.
16. Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life by Jim Kwik. An interesting book. A lot to digest here. You’ll probably need three months to assimilate the knowledge here.
17. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated) by Timothy Ferriss. You’ve probably heard about it. If you’ve not and are interested in going remote, or being efficient, I recommend this book.
18. The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Gawande Atul. The essence of having a checklist, a set of goals, are clearly outlined in this book. And the stories that emphasize the essence of checklist. Gold. Recommended.
19. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams Reaching Your Destiny by Robin Sharma. It was a good read but not as good as the 5 AM Club. Felt disappointed.
20. Whatever you Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden. One of the two short reads. Power-packed.
21. It’s Not How Good You Are, IT’s How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden. The other short read. Another packed book. Both recommended if you’re running low on “motivation”.
22. Failing Up How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr. This was an interesting read. Ignoring fear, forging on with the possibility of failure, and trying again.

Left Behind

There are a few books I couldn’t bring myself to finish such as We Learn Nothing, The First 20 Hours, How to Fall in Love with the Man who Lives in the Bush, Meditations and A Little History of the World, for a number of reasons. God willing, next year, I’ll try to read those again.

For 2021, I believe 36 books is not the target. It’s the minimum target.

It’s 50 for 2021. And a wider array of books — religion, finance, self-help, more novels (action, thrillers, adventures). Also looking forward to reading Yaa Gyasi’s latest, Transcendent Kingdom.

What were your top three reads in 2020? What books are you looking forward to in 2021? Any recommendations for my 2021 reading list?