My 2018 book list
I read 45 books in 2018. That’s 5 more than in 2017 (see last year’s list here), probably because I read more fiction and books that were shorter on average. I’ve been trying to read more books outside of my favorite areas (history, war, politics), so that’s a start.
The ones I found most interesting and significant (in no particular order) were:
- Mary Beard, SPQR
- Eric Beinhocker, The Origin of Wealth
- Tony Judt, Postwar
- James Bloodworth, Hired (which I review here)
- Michael Lewis, The Fifth Risk
The most unusual books (in very different ways) are a satirical exploration of fictitious lands and an in-person exploration of humanity and sexuality. You should read both:
- Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels
- Gabriela Wiener, Sexographies
Best in fiction:
- Joe Haldeman, The Forever War
The most well-written (and also an excellent novel):
- Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad
The most disappointing read was Peter Wohlleben’s The Inner Life of Animals. I was expecting a thorough yet enjoyable study of animal behavior like Peter Godfrey-Smith’s Other Minds and found instead a series of anecdotes from a German forest.
The worst book I read was Niall Ferguson’s The Great Degeneration. It is poorly argued and preposterous. Look elsewhere for analyses on the post-2009 state of the West.
In 2019, I’ll read a few longer books that have been on my backlog for a while (e.g. Jarausch’s Out of Ashes), re-read some books I read years ago (e.g. Duggan’s La Forza del Destino), and generally continue the Zeno’s paradox that is my reading list: it will always be just a step ahead of my ability to get through it.
