I've read 38 books since I last shared what I've been reading. Here are some of my favourites. No particular order, just things I've enjoyed that you might want to add to your own reading list.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It follows Shackleton's incredible voyage to the Antarctic. It's a story of incredible resilience, courage, and leadership. If it were a work of fiction, it would be unbelievable.
Same as Ever by Morgan Housel
This book is about one of the main lessons we can learn from history: that we can't predict what will happen in the world, but we can predict how people will behave. An excellent follow up to one of my favourite finance books: The Psychology of Money.
Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
In the early pages of the book, Burkeman delivers the premise: "This is a book about how the world opens up once you realise you're never going to sort your life out." It's a book I needed to read. He's absolutely one of my favourite writers in the productivity space because he addresses reality head on.
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
This jibes nicely with the previous book. This is about how to cultivate a Deep Life. This more-or-less summarises how I think about productivity these days: how do I carve out time, a schedule, a workflow that helps me do deep work and create real impact with my work.
Dreyer’s English by Benjamin Dreyer
A grammar guide sounds dull, but this is anything but. Dreyer, Random House's copy chief, delivers a ton of useful and witty writing advice. He, like me, also dislikes the exclamation point:
Go light on the exclamation points. When overused, they’re bossy, hectoring, and, ultimately, wearying. Some writers recommend that you should use no more than a dozen exclamation points per book; others insist that you should use no more than a dozen exclamation points in a lifetime.
Very Good Copy by Eddie Shleyner
The tagline sums it up: 207 micro-lessons on thinking and writing like a copywriter. I thoroughly enjoyed this. The lessons are really interesting, but so is observing the way Shleyner writes. He's economical with words, a master at dialogue, and a great storyteller to boot.
Crypto Confidential by Nathaniel Eliason
I don't care much for crypto, but I picked up this book after reading Nat's blog for years. It tracks his obsession with crypto and how he made and lost a lot of money, while also doing a great job of explaining technical concepts. It reads like a thriller: quick paced and thoroughly engaging.
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald Robertson
This book is a wonderful introduction to one of history's greatest figures: Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius faced colossal challenges during his reign as emperor of Rome. This book explores how he used stoicism and self-reflection to guide himself through it all. Robertson, a cognitive psychotherapist, weaves in elements of CBT which pairs nicely with stoicism.
Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad
A fun introduction to the quirky world of Japan, from the YouTuber behind the channel of the same name. Japan's top of my bucket list, and this book only made me want to go more.
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
A short, beautifully written introduction to modern physics and our place in the universe. Rovelli makes complex ideas feel accessible and full of wonder. I read it in two days and I'm looking forward to reading it again.