Reading

2024

The Creative ACT: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin — This is a good book for anyone who feels either not creative at all or even the seasoned artist who has lost a little something or feels they need a nudge to the next level. Full of Rubin’s insights from his long, successful career as a record producer working with just about every type of music artist one can imagine, if anyone would be an expert on getting the best out of any and every artist it’d be him.

The 24-Hour Wine Expert by Jancis Robinson — Wine is a big subject with a lot of details and this book tries to squeeze the most important ones into digestible sizes. While I learned some things I still feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. The solution is likely to drink more wine.

Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore by Patric Richardson and Karin B Miller — You’d think a whole book about such a mundane task would be boring and a waste of time. You’d be wrong. In part, because the author is so obsessed and thrilled by the subject that it’s infectious. Plus, it will change the way you’ve likely been doing the task. I’ve kind of become obsessed with these books about the mundane and one might do them well. This is a good example of that.

How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by Kc Davis — A compassionate and easy read. I especially like that the author has intentionally made it easily skimable so, if someone is feeling truly overwhelmed it can be flipped through in about an hour and a half and the important takeaways can still be had. I loved that and think more such books could benefit from the same.

Julia by Sandra Newman — This book was incredible. As a fan of George Orwell’s 1984 I was a little concerned this would be a let down, but it turned out triumphant. This is the 1984 story as told by Julia, the lover of Winston Smith. The author does not simply tell the same story from her perspective but, instead, gives her a fully realized life the male dominated world in which Orwell (and thus, his writing) lived never did. Thus, we see a whole new perspective of the events of the first novel and what became of them both. If you are at all a fan of 1984 (and, I should give full disclosure at this point to tell you the name of my dog is Winston Smith) you will love this. It makes that novel now more complete.

Pew by Catherine Lacey — Perhaps this would have made a better short story than a whole book. This book was trying so hard to be interesting that it forgot to be clever. What the author missed was that if one is clever, they get the interesting for free. At about 60% through I decided to declare bankruptcy and just jump ahead to the last chapter which went exactly where I assumed it would (i.e. not clever).

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara — A fascinating and inspiring read from the former head of Eleven Madison Park. Especially enjoyable if you’re familiar with the Michelin Star restaurant scene in general. That said, the themes resonate for anyone in the service industry even if you may not consider your business a service business (maybe you should).

Useful Not True by Derek Sivers — A lovely and important short book about perspective that just might change yours — or at least how you choose to use it. It first explores the nature of perspective versus truth and then delves into exploring how to make this new understanding helpful and practical. I’m always delighted to read Derek’s unique insights and this did not disappoint.

Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport — I’ll be honest in telling you up front that I skimmed most of this book. This is no disparagement of the book or Cal’s ideas he sets for within. About 30 pages in I realized it is not written for me or my life. I just don’t have the same sort of “knowledge worker” career this book is catered to. And that’s OK. Not all books have to be “for you”. Skim them to find the things that might be, um… Useful… and then move on.

2023

The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid — The premise of the book — an examination of race/color interweaved with a love story — was compelling. That said, I found the writing/prose style a bit too, um… novel after a while.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole — My wife suggested I give this one a shot. “It’s like nothing you’ve likely read before”. And she’s right, a slow burn thriller with subversive food for thought.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow a book by Gabrielle Zevin — A simply sublime and brilliantly written book about friendship, work, love, loss, and forgiveness surrounding the lives of three friends in the gaming industry. Gaming in this case is a MacGuffin. It could be replaced with any collaborative creative endeavor and the story and characters would be just as compelling. So, if the setting and subject matter made you disregard or avoid this book, please don’t let it. You will fall in love with these characters and find yourself feeling like they are people you know or have known your whole life.

The January 6th Report by The Select Committee, David Remnick, and Jamie Raskin — It’s a whodunnit. I won’t spoil it for you. 😉

Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be by Steven Pressfield — I’m a big fan of Stephen’s past work. The War of Art is a must read for anyone practicing the creative arts. This one is up there too. Mainly, how to find the motivation and time to make your art a habit. A kick in the pants that really got me thinking about time in a new actionable way.

Make Something Wonderful by Steve Jobs— This is simply a wonderful collection of Steve Jobs’ own words. Compiled from interviews, emails, speeches, and notes to self. Full of his genius, insight, and humor. A real treat. The best way to read this book is in a web browser. Seriously.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann – An incredible piece of investigative journalism. So much important history revealed that I previously knew little about. Excited to see the movie now.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone – Simply fantastic. Such beautiful prose. A great romance set across universes. A universal tale told with deft slight of hand. Also, long time dear friends called out in the acknowledgments.

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler — This is the start of Butler’s future reaching Lilith’s Brood series. Taking place many hundreds of years after Earth is destroyed by a full out nuclear war, Lilith leap finds herself awaken from suspended animation aboard a spacecraft. She discovers that a herself and a small remnant of humanity have been rescued and preserved by a strange alien race called The Oankali. They have restored the Earth and are ready to return the humans to it but, as always, there is a price. Not sure I enjoyed it as some of Butler’s other works but it’s still great. Looking forward to slowly working my way through the series.

The Go-Giver, Expanded Edition: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann — It really is as it bills itself but the idea is really a set of five ideas and the application is for all of life, not just business. This is a quick, breezy, little read that could have been just an inspirational poster but worth the extra time spent all the same.

2022

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe — A gripping history book that reads more like a thriller. If you have any interest at all in the Troubles that gripped Northern Ireland for much of the later half of the 20th Century then this is an excellent exploration. Highly recommended and at times unputdownable.

Laserwriter II by Tamara Shopsin — This is a love letter. A love letter to Tekserve — A legendary Mac repair shop in NYC. A love letter to computing in the 1990’s. A love letter to the support geeks like me that fell in love with these machines, enough to spend time to learn what made them tick and, when the ticking stopped, how to get them back ticking again. For nerds like me, every page turn of this book is a nostalgic delight. I smiled the whole time reading it.
.
Subdivision by J. Robert Lennon — A strange and wonderful book that you’ll spend a lot of time trying to figure out until the very end. A young lady arrives at a guest house in a suburban neighborhood near a large city referred to as the Subdivision. Why she is there is murky, especially to her, but she knows it’s where important to do there. To say more would begin to give too much away but I certainly enjoyed the journey.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear — I feel I could have gotten the same amount out of it by simply reading the end of chapter summaries and the Kindle popular highlights.

Murakami T: The T-Shirts I Love by Haruki Murakami — A fun, quick read. The prolific author is an equally prolific t-shirt collector and gives us a tour through some of his faves. It’s a short, fun, read and very Japanese.

The Legacy of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson — It’s an OK wrap up to the trilogy. The fact that it often felt — forced? — is what kept it from being great. Had the sense while reading that the author’s heart was not fully in it. Loose ends tied, at least.

The Suitcase Clone by Robin Sloan — A fast paced novella that bridges the world of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore to Sourdough. Like all of Robin’s work, the writing is nimble and engaging and the story and characters fun. A satisfying quick read.

Indie Microblogging by Manton Reece — A great introduction that really could be two books. At times reads like a manifesto. At others, a how-to that is geared more towards the technical side of building, providing, and using such a service.

How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price — If you are already on board with the “why” behind this book, you can skip the first half and go straight to the second half and start the realistic and actionable break up plan. That plan starts with putting a date on your calendar to begin the process which I’ve done. I set my birthday (Oct. 1) and am pretty much finished. Some good tips that really do help with curtailing the use of those things that are not good about using a smartphone through mindfulness and intention.

The Future Library by Peng Shepherd — A compelling fictional novella that riffs off of the future of a very real project. A commentary on climate change and human nature. A quick fun read.

The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records by Ashley Kahn — Cogently written and full of fun facts and connections. Not just a detailed tribute to one artist but a whole age of American music.

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler — A re-read after many (20+) years. Wanted to read again before watching the new television series. Glad I did. So many details I’d forgotten.

2021

The Journal of Henry David Thoreau, 1837-1861 — Long time and/or keen eyed readers will notice that I actually began reading this one back in 2014. At the time, the plan was to read it less as a “book” and more as a filler of reading a few pages when between books. Well, I’d been doing that over these years but had only made it not quite half way through. The truth is, taking on the full book was daunting to me. 700+ pages mainly about his wanderings in nature loomed over me every time I cracked it open. As did the feeling I would never finish. But, as I stated in my reading plan for this year it was exactly the book I needed to start with. Ultimately, it was worth the time spent and I learned so much more about a man I’ve long revered.

The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long-Term Thinking — I think for many this book would be wonderfully informative and useful. If you are, like seemingly most in our society, not accustomed to thinking in very long terms/timelines (i.e. hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of years) then this book will help you not only see the value in doing so but help you cultivate the mental tools as well. As for me, well, if you’ve been following my work for a while you know I do this all the time. For example, my advocacy of using paper due to it’s proven longevity or my discussions of being a custodian versus being an owner. So, most of this book was simply validation for me and a fund myself skimming and skipping much of it. Not due to quality but simply due to familiarity. So, if you are someone who thinks long term as well then you can safely skip it. You already are a good ancestor.

The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson — It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it. It’s that it seems like two or three different books all shuffled together with no sense of which one it ultimately wanted to be. I liked the purely narrative parts about Mary, the main protagonist who is the head of the ministry of the books title. If it would have stuck to that and cut out the rest it would have been a fine book. But, he didn’t. Instead, there were riddle like diversions and side stories which were meant to world build but did nothing to advance the plot of the protagonist. It was just, kind of, an ambitious mess.

Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy: Annihilation; Authority; Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer — A really fun, weird, trippy read. Area X is really a MacGuffin because this is really about people — who they are, how they change, why they make the choices they do, and fundamentally the very idea of what “self” is. It’s a bold and sprawling work that doesn’t care if you can make sense of it. There is no “A ha!” moment at then end. Just the sense that you’ve gone on a journey and appreciated the time you spent and these imaginary people you’ve spent it with.

How to Live by Derek Sivers– This is an anti-self help book. A sly send up of what such books really are (including, perhaps, his own). A somewhat frustrating book really. Full of contradictory directives and confusing asides. Each thrown off in Derek’s blunt and highly efficient prose. Yet, I believe that’s kind of the point of the book. It is designed to challenge your view in one sentence then agree with it the next. To take you one direction but then leave you adrift floating towards another. I believe the point being that no one can tell you how to live. No book will provide you that answer. The only answer is the one that makes you happy. And that you have to figure out on your own.

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovich — Another fun entry of this detective mystery series with an added dose of magic. Picking up shorty after the first book, London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant is called in to investigate the murder of a jazz musician. These books are just pure pulpy fun. Hard to put down and fast to read.

Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers — The book you should read if you’re looking for someone to tell you how to live.

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman — This is, by far, the best book I’ve read on time management and productivity. That is because he gets straight to the truth and sticks there. That truth being: you can’t manage time (so stop trying) and your attempts to do so are actually keeping you from appreciating the very finite amount of time you have. Time simply is. Seriously, read this book and you can avoid the countless others on the topic.

2020

Why I’m no longer linking to Amazon for books…

I’m Telling the Truth, but I’m Lying: Essays by Bassey Ikpi — Memoir as a series of vignette style essays dealing with love, loss, displacement, and mental illness. Evocative prose that frequently falls into rhythm; likely due to the author’s background as a poet. Also, a refreshing perspective on many of these topics as Ms. Ikpi is a Nigerian-American immigrant.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi — Essential. Even as an African-American male I found it startling how much it forced reflection on my own beliefs and ideas about how I view the construct of race. If Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me is the story of how we got here as a country (and, more broadly, a world), then these are the instructions for getting out.

Parable of the Talents (Earthseed Books) by Octavia E. Butler — The second in the Earthseed books pick up several years from where the last left off. Lauren Olamina is finally settled and nurturing a small but growing community of followers. Things seem to be going well. But, what would a dystopian story be without tension — it can’t (and doesn’t) last long. Told in multiple voices, this book covers the remaining years of Lauren Olamina’s life. Butler is such an amazing world builder and word weaver.

How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell — A well written and researched book about reclaiming our attention. Could easily be summed up with my statement that “Saying no is saying yes to other things”. That said, Jenny Odell is an artist, bird watcher, and nature enthusiast and she uses that view to tackle the subject matter from interesting angles. Therefore, I was exposed to many artists and ideas I would not have been otherwise by reading this book. Worth the time spent.

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline — A rollicking adventure set in a dystopian future where Indigenous people are hunted, captured, and killed. Why? All other’s have lost the ability to dream and Native people have not — their dreams are in their bones. The marrow specifically. And those without dreams are willing to do anything to get them back again. The story follows a young native, having lost his family, connecting up with a ragtag band of other “Nish” and heading north to escape the hands of the “Recruiters”. A fun and fast read with much insight into Native culture and lore.

Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown — As the pandemic crisis was dawning, I started to have this feeling that I needed to re-read this book.I read it in 2018 and was both enlightened and mystified by it. It is the rare book that manages to not have any answers or have lots of them depending on the time and mind you are in when it comes to you. I’m glad I did because ideas around community, change-shaping, and collective action driven by small movements are all what I needed to be reminded of at exactly this time. I highlighted and marked it up furiously so that future visits in times of need will (hopefully) not require a complete reread. This is one I’ll return to again and again.

Lurking: How a Person Became a User by Joanne McNeil — Incredibly well written and researched. Part memoir and reflection of the author’s history of participation in various communities on the Internet, how we’ve lost collectively lost our way, and what needs to be done to get it back. I spent as much time marveling at the depth of the thinking as I did the sheer quality of the writing. This is one I’ll likely revisit again.

Weather: A novel by Jenny Offill — This is a strange a beautifully written work. Strange in the way it is formatted — a series of thoughts, wonderings, recollections, and vignettes. Not always connected. Like living in the mind of someone with a modern attention span. Almost seeming like it could have been written as a long Twitter thread. This made for fitting reading on my iPhone where I read large parts of it (yes, I do that sometimes). That said, it is a witty and smart story of a young librarian turned armchair shrink to her family and friends as she tried to navigate a life beset on all sides by concerns of climate change and survival. Very much a book for now.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead — Yet another astonishing work of fiction from Mr. Whitehead. One can easily see why it won a Pulitzer Prize. Engaging and heart-wrenching yet hopeful story of a Boys reform school. Nice twist at the end too. Can easily see this being made into a movie in a few years.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou — Yet another classic I had never read. A stunning and richly prosed autobiography. This covers Maya early years. She and her Brother growing up mostly down south being raised mostly by her Grandmother but occasionally sent back to her parents. Though definitely set in the segregated south, there are still many inequities spoken to that still are very much alive today.

The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson — I forgot I even had this book, picked it up on a whim, and read the first page and… Wow. This was so unputdownable! What a fun and rollicking adventure. Felt cinematic. Like, I could picture the movie version (which I’m sure is inevitable) as I was reading it. I don’t want to say too much more because it is worth knowing nothing at all about it going in. Let me just say that this was the most fun I’ve had reading in a while.

The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor by Gabriel García Márquez — A remarkably engrossing true account of a Columbian Navy Sailor who is accidentally washed overboard in the Gulf of Mexico and assumed dead. Ten days later, he shows up on a deserted beach. This is translated and adapted from Gabriel García Márquez’s newspaper series from that time. A harrowing edge-0f-the-seat read despite knowing the outcome.

Uncanny Valley: A Memoir by Anna Wiener — A female perspective on the Silicon Valley scene in the midst of this second bubble. I was challenged by this book for many reasons. For one, I’m an older Black male and so I had a hard time identifying from a generational, cultural, and sexual perspective. Yet, what is reading for if not to see (and, sometimes, force oneself to see) things through a lens that is not your own?

The Survival of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson — After the events at the end of in the last series, Molly finds herself just trying to settle into her new life. Like the first one, I really don’t want to go into any detail. Start with the first one and go in cold. You’ll have so much fun. These things are smart and fast paced.

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi — Ella has a Thing she can’t control. Her brother Kev ends up in situations he can’t control. Both love each other fiercely but don’t know exactly how to protect each other in a world beset on all sides against those that look like them… This was a really good read and thought provoking work. Elements of near-future dystopian sci-fi and magical realism. There’s a quiet fierceness and urgency to the writing that is palpable too. Looking forward to seeking out more from this author.

The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion by Margaret Killjoy — A punk traveler goes to a small town turned anarchist commune to try to find out about the death of a friend. What she finds there at first seems like heaven on earth but she quickly finds not all is what it seems. A fun and fast passed novella. The first in a series. I’ll be seeking out the next one for sure.

The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here by Hope Jahren — The best take on climate change I’ve yet read. Straight forward, down to earth, fact driven, empathetic, approachable, practical, and cautiously hopeful. The author states things plainly; where we are now, how we got here, and simply emphasizes the urgent need for something to be done about it.

Real American: A Memoir by Julie Lythcott-Haims — A smart memoir about the experience of growing up bi-racial in America. Much of it resonated with me despite not actually being bi-racial but being perceived as so due to my “light” skin color (both of my pants are Black).

A Mercy by Toni Morrison — A haunting and gripping work about the rough life of a young slave girl. Dark dream-like prose. Really wonderful despite the difficult themes explored.

The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel — Another one I don’t want to say too much about without giving too much away. This books follows the lives of many people over many decades both past and future mainly connected by a hotel in a remote part of western Canada. Rich character studies and really keeps one wondering where all of it is going until the very end.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson — A devastating examination of how a deeply entrenched system of caste arose in America, contrasted with similar systems in India and Nazi Germany. How it is interwoven into just about every facet of our society. Compellingly written and researched. It provides no easy solutions, it just lays out the case. A perfect, if not easy, book to read in a year that also laid bare our many failures and a road forward that is clouded with uncertainty.

2019

My reading year got off to a rocky start. I started so many and just lost steam. I found it hard to follow some parts of my reading plan. I simply could not find anything I wanted to finish. So I don’t believe I’ll end up hitting my normal number of books read for the year. I hit the reset button about mid February. But here’s what I can say I read through:

The Man Who Sold The Moon by Cory Doctorow — A band of hackers and makers find love and loss amid Burning Man while they build a robot to make 3D printed shelter panels and, eventually, structures for future spacefarers. A lovely and strangely hopeful vision of the near future grounded in real world constraints and consequences. This novella was included in the collection Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future, edited by Ed Finn and Kathryn Cramer. I read it in Instapaper for free at on Boing Boing (which is where the link points).

Lethal White (A Cormoran Strike Novel) by Robert Galbraith (a.k.a. J.K. Rowling) — The 4th in the series. This time, Robin and Strike are hired by a Parliament Minister to dig up dirt on the folks blackmailing him.Things don’t go exactly as planned… What a big, wonderful, crazy, fun, mess of a detective yarn. If you like a good whodunnit you should be reading this series. So very good.

So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance by Gabriel Zaid — A colorfully written treatise on the current state of publishing, why the book has yet to be replaced by anything else, and why small print runs matter even in the face of such overwhelming volume. Recommended in Robin Sloan’s excellent Year of The Meteor newsletter.

The Subtle Knife: His Dark Materials Book 2 by Philip Pullman — A rollicking adventure that continues the events set in motion in The Golden Compass without actually resolving any of them fully. We get an idea what “Dust” is, we get introduced to several new characters, we get even more background and understanding about what’s going on, but it is mainly further setup for the final book in the series (Book 3). Still, a very enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to the next.

Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon — An inspirational end to the three book series he began with Steal Like An Artist and Show Your Work. If you are an artist, writer, or creative you’ll find much here to give you a renewed sense of hope and purpose in these times that sometimes feel lacking. I have a special shelf I keep books that I return to when I need a push or a fresh perspective. All three hold a special place there.

Christodora by Tim Murphy — When my wife hands me a book and says, “You should read this next” she’s always right. Wonderful book. The character development and place making are top notch. I felt a genuine compassion for these characters living, using, dying, fighting in the era of AIDS. Especially resonates for those of us that actually lived or knew those who did around the Lower East Side of NYC in the 1980’s.

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport — Anyone who has followed my work for any length of time, especially that of my Minimal Mac days, know that I was already onboard this train long before it left the station. Therefore, I personally found nothing revolutionary within. That said, I feel like I’m not the target audience and for that audience I think there’s some great strategies in here for regaining a healthy relationship with technology.

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates — A devastatingly important book. I actually have so much to say about it that I can’t simply wrap it up in a succinct review. This is a book that requires broad, serious, and open-hearted discussion. This should be required reading in every American history class.

The Mueller Report — Yep. I read it. Like a book. Got a printed version. You should too. This is important.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee — Another classic that I’d somehow missed along the way. It’s everything my wife and daughter promised me it’d be. Wonderfully executed. There’s a reason this is considered one of the greatest novels of all time. Read it if you haven’t.

His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass (Book 3) by Philip Pullman — A decent finale to this classic series. Full of the thrilling adventure and fully realized world building Pullman is known for. That said, having now finished, I’m mixed a bit on the underlying message of the story. The first thought I had on closing the cover was, “This seems like a lot of work to make such a relatively straightforward statement.” The second thought was, “The characters sure went through a lot of trouble to seek the relatively simple ends they desired”. But, I suspect these are small quibbles on my part because, ultimately, it was great entertainment and exactly what a fantasy book series should be.

The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant — The lessons are a bit dated and seem especially so in today’s tumultuous times. That said, there is much to learn from the past and, if nothing else, this short volume does an excellent job of displaying that. It’s the sort of treatise about understanding history that should be a prerequisite for high school and college level history classes.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler — I now get what all the fuss is about. A well written and grounded dystopian novel about a young lady’s coming of age in the midst of societal breakdown. She also has a condition which allows her to physically feel the experiences of others. Oh, and she also invents a religion and becomes a kind of prophet along the way. This was a great read and it’s all I can do to keep from reading the next book in the series right away.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas — A young Black girl witnesses the unjust death of her friend at the hands of a white police officer and must deal with the aftermath. The book paints a very real and compelling portrait of the experience of African-American youth in these times. A wonderfully written book deserving of all of the awards and praise it received.

2018

My reading plan for this year is outlined here. This details why I read a lot of what I read.

Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck — A really great “road book” by one of America’s great writers. What’s not to love? I mean, A writer, a dog, a truck, a big wide country, and all of it’s weird, wonderful, strange, complicated, and beautiful people to explore. A classic.

Broken River by J. Robert Lennon — A really fun and unique thriller centering on a house just outside of a small upstate New York town. J. Robert is one of my favorite modern day writers. His deft hand with richly developed characters and fascinating observations of the human experience really shine here. Highly recommended.

How to Fight by Thich Nhat Hanh — This would be less provocatively called, “How to Make Peace”. Ultimately, that’s what this is about. First, how to make peace with yourself and forgive yourself for you own missteps. Then, by doing so, having the space needed to do so for others in times of conflict and anger.

The Stranger by Albert Camus — Another previously missed classic. An interesting character study of a directionless young man. One of those people who seem to just let life happen to them, floating in its tide. His Mother’s death sets off a rip in that tide. Was not quite sure how to feel about this at the end of it but I’m glad I read it.

The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman: Books —My continuing quest to read some classic books that I somehow missed in my earlier days. This one was heavily recommended by my wife. It did not disappoint. A steampunkish adventure with a smart young female lead and vivid world building. Though, it left more questions than it answers, that’s par for the course with the first book in a series and has done it’s job in leaving me with the desire to read the rest.

Way Out There: Adventures of a Wilderness Trekker by J. R. Harris — I picked this one up in a wonderful bookstore (Back of Beyond) in Moab, UT while we were on vacation. Already filled with wanderlust and the call of the wild at the tail end of hiking five national parks in as many days, it seemed to call out to me from the shelf. Books about hiking/treking/adventuring by African-American authors are very rare indeed so perhaps it was the friendly face on the cover against a mountain lake backdrop that was the same race and age as me that caught my notice. Regardless, this is an interesting a well written account of a dozen or so treks all over the world by the intrepid Mr. Harris. Inspiring.The right book at the right time for me.

The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich — A gift and recommendation from Mr. Sean Sharp. It’s a lovely collection of observations on the American West and life on the ranch. Beautifully written and richly evocative. Rewarding.

How to Read Nature: Awaken Your Senses to the Outdoors You’ve Never Noticed by Tristan Gooley — A nice little guide with exercises that aim to help us reconnect with nature. If one can pay close attention to the natural environment, it can be your clock and calendar, it can tell you much about the past and future, it can tell you about where you are and get you to where you want to go. This book helps one do that.

Magic, Madness, and Mischief by Kelly McCullough — My wife, daughter, and I took turns reading this out loud to each other, taking a turn each chapter. Kelly is a friend (and a long time friend of my wife) who’s adult aimed fantasy books I love. Therefore, it should be no surprise that this middle grade offering is such a hoot. The protagonist is the young Kalvan Monroe, a kind of strange kid going to a hippie Free School and dealing with having to bear the weight of his mother’s mental illness. A weird enough life that gets even more so when he accidentally conjures a giant snarky fire hare into existence and discovers he’s far more powerful than he knows or knows how to control. A fun, rollicking, adventure.

A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins — As you may be able to tell, I’m on a bit of a run with these “person decides to leave their normal life behind and go out and discover the “real” America and more than a bit about themselves along the way” books. Perhaps it’s driven by the times. Perhaps it’s my attempt to remind myself that there is more that unites us than divides us. That those things that unite us are the big things — the essential things. That the rest are small details that with humility and compassion we can come to some agreement on. This one, written in the early 1970’s captures the mood of that time well. It’s an America that was still trying to discover itself and, in too many ways, still is today.

How to Relax (Mindfulness Essentials) by Thich Nhat Hanh — Another fine short entry in this series. This one dwells heavily on mindfulness and meditation to reduce worry and appreciate the present moment in order to bring inner peace.

The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life by Joshua Becker. Good guide to decluttering and dealing with stuff with tons of implementable practical advice.

A Monk’s Guide to A Clean House & Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto — This book leans heavily on Japanese culture, homes, and tools but there is still plenty to take out of this in the west. Mainly, the deep connections between our care of the surroundings and our care of our inner beings. This book will resonate especially if you already are attuned to Zen mindfulness concepts.

Hiking Naked: A Quaker Woman’s Search for Balance by Iris Graville — Yet another “person goes off into the wilderness in search of their inner and outer world” books. I can’t seem to stay away from these. This one was given to me by my wife so even the universe and those around me seem to be conspiring to put these in front of me. This one was OK. Not great but a nice memoir of one woman’s journey to find meaning in her life and work.

Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984 by Duane Tudahl — Finished reading this amazing book which chronicles the most transformative years in the career of one of the greatest musical artists of all time. Lots of fun, well researched, details and anecdotes. An inside peek into the process and method of how Prince worked and involved (or not) those around him.

Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown (she prefers it lowercase)— On paper, this shouldn’t be a great book. It’s a collection of morning pages, loosely-joined notes, poetry, quotes, interviews, ideas not fully formed, and fan-non-fict of sci-fi author and visionary Octavia Butler. The author tells you up front that she doesn’t have any of this figured out and invites you along to help her do so, so don’t expect any answers at the end. In fact, the hidden secret is that the idea of Emergent Strategy itself has no hard boundaries (“answers” are boundaries) and depends on mass participation driven both e intentionally and organically by individual action. The book, is the author’s action and she’s suggesting ways that others may take theirs.

But, the whole time I was reading it, it was thrilling. Every few sentences I’d run into an idea that was electric. And the whole time I had the feeling the author is on the cusp of something big. That the idea of Emergent Strategy, once we collectively figure it out, could be the answer to so many things. That it could reshape lives and movements in fundamental ways. And, even if that’s not the case it was such fun to be a part of that energy that it’s easily the best book I’ve read this year (and, perhaps, in may years). One that I’ve marked up furiously (and that my wife marked up as she read it before me) and that we will be talking about, referencing, revisiting, and using as a guide for years to come.

Note: I’ve not been sticking very well to the plan. I should fix that or commit to not committing.

Siddhartha: A Novel by Hermann Hesse — A classic that I’d never read. This is a buddhist philosophical fable about a young man’s quest for self-discovery and meaning. Lyrically written and touching.

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown — A typically amazing and transformative book by Brené Brown. I’ve long loved her work on shame and vulnerability and how it plays a role in our lives and this one is no different. In this one, she gives practical advice on how to accept and lean into vulnerability in order to have the courage to dare greatly and how to pass such skills onto our children. This is important.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley — The classic dystopian/utopian novel about a genetically and industrially modified society and one outsider’s struggle to find a place within it. It’s a lot of fun and more than a bit unsettling in spots. I’m amazed some of this managed to be written at the time it was with less relaxed tolerance.

Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog–the Navy SEAL Way by Mike Ritland — Probably the best book on dog training I’ve read (and I’ve read a few). What I like most is that the first half of the book is more about training the human reading it than it is about the dog. And, in my experience, this is the best approach. Once you can learn how the dog sees the work then you can form the best relationship with your dog which will lead to better/easier training. I learned more than a bit from this one and it has already helped my dog Winston (and me).

2017

Most of the books on this year’s list have been generous gifts from readers like you form my Amazon Wishlist. I really, really, appreciate those who sent them.

Reinvent Yourself by James Altucher — I’ve enjoyed other books by James Altucher and this one is no different. It’s a series of things he learned from various interviews and observations about the act or reinvention and choosing oneself. That said, if you are looking for more of a how-to strategy guide then you would be disappointed. He does a bit of nuts and bolts work in the final chapters but it’s hardly complete.

Unsubscribe: How to Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distractions, and Get Real Work Done by Jocelyn K. Glei — I’m sure this book would prove true and useful to anyone who resonates with it’s basic premise — that everyone hates email. In fact, that declaration is the very first sentence of the book. Since, I’m an alien from another planet who loves email and does not feel overwhelmed by it and already has a long time system in place for handling and responding to it, much of this book was lost on me. There’s some good tricks, tips, and scripts for those not in that place. It’s well written and comes from a place of wanting to help.

Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living by Manjula Martin — A wonderful and diverse collection of essays and interviews with writers about the subject of making a living from the written word. It’s intentionally navel gazey and probably not for anyone not directly involved with or highly interested in the publishing world. That said, one could do a find and replace for writing/art and find that much of the advice, success, and heartache applies.

See Your Way to Mindfulness: Ideas and Inspiration to Open Your I by David Schiller — A simple but lovely little book full of exercises to help one find mindfulness in the every day. It mixes in some good quotes and lovely photos as well. It’s the sort of book you’d get to just keep out on a desk or coffee table and pick it up whenever you needed a bit of meditative inspiration.

[The Dissection Of Vertebrates: a novel by Shawn Mihalik] — I beta read this manuscript for Shawn. I did enjoy it and I enjoy Shawn’s work in general. That said, this was an early draft in need of some polish. I’m including it here mainly as a place holder and to note it among the full books I read.

What To Do When It’s Your Turn (And It’s Always Your Turn) by Seth Godin — If you are familiar with Seth’s work then you know what you are getting. His sage advice and inspiration for showing up and making change, some of which you’ve likely read before on his blog, but beautifully re-organized into a cohesive theme. What made this one a compelling buy for me was the packaging and the sales model. The book itself is more of a very high end magazine — large format with beautiful photos and layout. The sales model is this — buy one and he send you two; buy three and he send you five. The reason? He wants you to share it. This is a book he wants you to spread, organically. Send a copy to keep and and one to share facilitates that.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami — An excellent short memoir that explores Haruki’s life long passion for running and its symbiotic connection to his other passion, writing. Worth a read if you do either but especially resonant if you do both.

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder: — I did not dog ear a single page or highlight a single passage in this short but highly important book by a world renowned historian because I would have highlighted and dog eared every single page and word. This is a game plan for saving our fragile republic from the course that history time and time again has showed us it’s headed. My plan going forward is to buy more copies and give them away or leave them in random locations — a true gift to whomever may find it.

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson — This book is a modern classic for good reason, it’s funny and well written and provides a fascinating glimpse into a wilderness culture that few ever see. That said, when the writer is talking about his and his friends experiences on the trail, it’s great. But (there’s always a but), far too many times he takes the liberty to go off on a rant about any number of agencies and groups that he’s none too happy with. It’s at these points that the fun stops and it bogs down in facts and figures that, while interesting, take the fun out of reading what is otherwise a great story. I will say that this book was more than a bit responsible for getting me hiking regularly again so that’s an added bonus.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport — A well researched and written how-to guide to developing and maintaining the focus required to get the most meaningful work done. Lots of suggestions and strategies backed up with examples and studies. With the author’s academic background, this is could very easily have come off reading like a dry textbook but, instead, it’s warm and approachable. Many of the things suggested I’m already well versed in (if not a mediocre practitioner at times). That said, I still enjoyed the refresher and new insights. Well worth the time.

Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002) by David Sedaris — I’m a sucker for published diaries of interesting folks and this did not disappoint. Starting with the beginning of his keeping a diary and ending in the early years of his success, it is filled with his interesting observations of the world around him and deep insight into his own struggles. An entertaining read if you are a David Sedaris fan or even just a sucker for diaries like me.

Sourdough: A Novel by Robin Sloan — This was a very fun book. A pure delight to read. The premise may sound kooky to some; A software developer for a robotics startup becomes the caretaker of a magical sourdough starter and, well, hijinks ensure. If you are a fan of Sloan previous book, Mr. Penumbra’s 24 hour Book Store (one of my modern faves), you find this equally fun. Also, I dare you to get through this book without the urge to make bread. I’m not supposed to be eating the stuff but baked two loaves in the process.

But What If We’re Wrong?: Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past by Chuck Klosterman — What if everything we know — from the laws of gravity to the how current events will be viewed in the future to time itself — is wrong? That’s the premise of this book by journalist Chuck Klosterman. An entertaining read and interesting way to decontextualize the very nature of “truth”.

How to Walk (Mindful Essentials) by Thich Nhat Hanh — Despite the fact that I’ve written my own book about achieving mindfulness at anytime and anywhere, this book reminded me that it is perfectly possible and acceptable to practice walking meditation anytime and anywhere. It has caused me to slow down and pay careful attention to my steps and my breathing in the middle of Target or walking from my front door to my car. A wonderful, brief, lesson that peace can be found in every step.

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson — I finished my reading year with this massive biography of the renaissance genius that was a gift from my friend Shawn. This book is a detailed and rich account of Leonardo’s life and works. Like most biographies, it can be dry at times and, perhaps, too obsessed with details. That said, Mr. Isaacson’s love of the subject is obvious and that makes even the drier chapters palatable.

Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice by Thich Nhat Hanh — This book is less of a “how to” and more of a “why to” which is perfectly fine. Recognizing that mindfulness and meditation should start at home is important. Also covered are brief passages on eating mindfully and sleeping peacefully.

2016

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway — Part of my ongoing goal to read more classics. This was a very Hemingway book. The love affair with bullfighting, the fishing, the drinking, the womanizing, and the author’s famous taut prose — they’re all here. But, dig deeper, and you’ll find a story of friendship, honor, and the longing for lives wished and loves unspoken. It’s a fine book. Not Hemingway’s best, but certainly holds a place.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: Books — This is the engaging and fascinating definitive biography of one of America’s most misunderstood founding fathers. Hamilton is, perhaps, the most “American” of those that helped to form this country. His is a true immigrant story. Born to poverty on a tiny island in the West Indies, an orphan at too early an age, tragedy seemed to beset him on every side in his early life. But, he was an avid reader and fought through every setback with fierce determination. Eventually, making his way to New York City and in fairly short order becoming George Washington’s right-hand-man and trusted confidant. Much of how America runs today, and our interpretation and understanding of the constitution, is a direct and sole result of Hamilton. I started reading this, in no small part, because it is the inspiration for the current Broadway musical of the same name. We were going to be seeing the musical on Broadway so I wanted to “read the book first”. I’m so glad I did!

The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships by Neil Strauss — This is easily the best book about relationships I’ve ever read. It’s heartfelt, funny, more than a bit maddening. But, it also touched me in a very deep way and made me realize some truths about my (really pretty great) relationship I have with my wife. It helped me see why she and I work well together and made me take stock of how I can make an even greater commitment to her, the life we have built, and ways I can improve in order to continue to nurture and strengthen it. It helped me recognize and admit some flaws in myself that, if confronted, would lead to my being an even better partner to her. With all of that said, this is likely a book that many women will not find as rewarding (and they may even be put off by much of it). This is a “guy” who is clearly writing for other “guys” and the tone, subjects, and conclusions reflect that. But, hey, “guys” could really use a really great relationship book to knock some sense into them. Here it is.

Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter: Simplify Your Life One Minute at a Time by Erin Rooney Doland — This is a practical, actionable, and approachable book that is designed for people who have “lives”. So many other books in the space are written by 20 somethings with no kids and nothing but free time on their hands (I’m looking at you Ms. Kondo). But, for those of us with jobs and kids and schedules packed end-to-end, spending 15 minutes folding a single t-shirt to sit on end is just not going to happen. This book is different. The author understands a normal life because she herself has one that she juggles too. This book is written from that perspective and understanding. It’s the sort of thing that you can pick up, turn to just about any page, and find at least one easy organizing task to make your space a bit better using the time and energy you have at the moment. No matter if that is two hours or thirty seconds, there are dozens of tips and ideas to fit either. The connecting idea is that making just a little bit of progress is far more valuable and rewarding than making none at all. Also, it’s a start — thirty seconds here and 15 minutes there can clean up and organize a whole room. Seriously, get this book. If you even manage to do five of the small tasks it suggests it will be money well spent.

Career of Evil (A Cormoran Strike Novel) by Robert Galbraith — Another fantastic addition to the ongoing adventures of detective Comoran Strike. In this one, Comoran is on the hunt for a serial killer who has his sights set a bit too close to home. That’s all I’m going to say because, this is a whodunnit after all. Robert Galbraith (otherwise known as J.K. Rowling) does the usual stellar job of deftly sketching believable characters and setting evocative sense of place. If you’ve not been reading these you should run out right now and correct that error.

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan — I actually read this when it first came out but it was worth a revisit. Good, simple, common sense advice on what we know about eating well and the simple rules that will help one do it. This is one of those you should buy, read, and then pass around to everyone you care about. Consider buying two so you have one to revisit yourself.

Midnight Riot (A Peter Grant Book) by Ben Aaronovitch— The first in what looks like it’ll be a wonderful series. This was so much fun to me and I’m very thankful to the shopkeeper who recommended it to me. Peter Grant is an ordinary London cop who, as it happens, also has a few unusual abilities. That’s all I’m going to say as not to give it away. Let’s just say that if you like detective novels, history, architecture, theater, and magic, you’ll love this.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines — A gripping read about a young Black teacher in a small plantation town in 1940’s Louisiana who is tasked with the education of another young Black man on death row. Very well done.

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield — I’m already a big fan of Steven Pressfield’s work, especially his books on writing and the creative process, so I knew this would be good going in. In this one, Steven lays out the essential elements for all storytelling by looking back at his own career experiences. By doing so, he provides the framework that all stories need to be successful, whether it is fiction, non-fiction, advertising, screenwriting, and even porn. His treatise being that if one can figure out these essential elements first then getting the rest figured out will be that much easier. Like most of his books, this is one to mark up and dog ear as it’s chock full of wisdom and is in an easily digestible format.

The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd by Mary Rose O’Reilley — My friend Jason Rehmus gave this book to me for my birthday. He hadn’t read it — but knowing that I was a Buddhist and non-practicing Catholic who has always been moved and fascinated by the Quaker tradition and with my love and respect for farming he felt it would resonate with me. Boy, did it! So many shared places and spaces too… I have spent hermitage time at Pacem in Terris and have long wished to visit Plum Village. I’ve dog eared and highlighted so much of the book you’d think it was a craft project. This will go onto a special section of my bookshelf containing books with deep meaning and value that I wish to pick up and re-read again.

Particles: A Novel by Shawn Mihalik — This is a surprisingly gripping fever dream of compelling character sketches and loose connections. One of those books that I couldn’t stop reading even though I had no idea where it was going and, even by the final page, was still not entirely sure where I’d been. Yet, I was strangely still satisfied. In the end, it’s about the tenuous and often foggy connections within and between us all. Shawn is a very good writer and he’s especially good at scratching beneath the surface to reveal his character’s rich internal lives. Highly recommended — especially if you are looking for something beyond traditional narrative.

Night by Elie Wiesel — I’d never read it. Heartbreaking and harrowing. Never let us forget man’s capacity for cruelty towards his fellow man.

The Underground Railroad: A Novel by Colson Whitehead — A brutal but gripping novel about a runaway slave and the never ending search for freedom. Colton is a strong writer. This will likely be on many “Best of 2016” lists. The Narrative at times dips in and out of the surreal which, for a student of history in general and African-American history especially, was at times jarring to me. Perhaps that was his point. That said, it did not stop my enjoyment in reading.

Familiar by J. Robert Lennon — I don’t want to say too much about this as I don’t want to spoil it. I really enjoyed this story of a lady who finds herself somewhere unexpected in the midst of grief over the death of her teenaged son. Even though the story is satisfying I still found myself wanting more.

The Optician of Lampedusa: A Novella Based on a True Story by Emma-Jane Kirby — A moving and griping short novella about a regular guy in his fifties in a quaint seaside town who suddenly finds himself thrust into the Mediterranean refugee crisis. I’ve been fascinated lately by shorter published forms and this is a great example that one can tell a complete, fulfilling, and compelling narrative in just over 150 pages.

We’re Still Here Ya Bastards: How the People of New Orleans Rebuilt Their City by Roberta Brandes Gratz — Lessons and stories of survival and grit in post-Katrina New Orleans. The author has a deep understanding of what makes New Orleans so unique and why it is the people and community structure of this great city that are largely (if not wholly) responsible for the comeback it has achieved thus far. The author has a background in Urban Planning and Historic Preservation and so that expert lens is applied throughout to give the many anecdotes and examples a needed weight. It’s not all rosy, the heartbreaks and losses are well covered too. But the reasons laid out behind those further emphasize the many achievements. This was an excellent book that made me quite homesick.

2015

I did not read as much as I have in past years. While I feel a bit bad about that — and very much wish I had made time to read more — the fact is that the house rehab project as well as many other worthwhile, yet time-consuming, factors simply meant my focus was elsewhere. I hope that the coming year brings me more time to make reading the priority it has been in years past.

Here are the books I read this year in the order I read them with a short review of each.

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown — A wonderful book that explores the idea that living a whole hearted life means having the courage to love ourselves despite out shame about out imperfections. Great way to start the year.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg — This is one of the writing books. One of those widely considered the gold standard of books on writing. For good reason, it is wonderful. This is actually my second time reading it. The first time, a couple of years ago, I did not highlight or mark it up for easy future perusal. I read through it again mainly for that purpose. I plan on visiting this book and browsing through at least once every year.

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld — This was wonderful book. Two books, actually because… It is the story of an 18 year old debut YA novelist and each chapter about her is interspersed with the novel she write. So, you are reading two books at once, really. Sounds gimmicky but came together quite well. I’m not normally into YA but I highly recommend this one.

The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer — A must read for artists of all sorts. This is a delightful, and often very moving, combination of advice and personal memoir.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac — I’m trying to make it a personal goal to read more of the classics that, for one reason or another, I have missed. Reading this was near the top of that list. I’m glad I did because it is a classic for a reason. Kerouac has a voice all his own. It’s like reading improvisational jazz as interpreted by Woody Gutherie. It is at once relaxed and frantic.

The Circle by Dave Eggers — A ridiculous book, really. Contrived and clichéd in all of the worst ways. And, it went a long way towards finally convincing me that middle aged men are rarely good at writing young female characters. But I powered my way through. It makes its rather simple point about 20 pages in (i.e. Companies like Facebook and Google are evil and we should fear what they stand for) and then spends the rest of the book beating away at this thinly veiled point. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson — This was a really fantastic book. The first 2/3rds of it follow the total destruction of earth following a mysterious event that causes the moon to explode and fracture. Humanity must find a way to survive and very few do. The final third happens 5000 years later. It’s a gripping story of survival, ingenuity, and human nature. My only warning is that, like many of Stephenson’s books, he can at times get a little bogged down in the weeds of technical detail. Fascinating if you are interested, easily skimable if not.

The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna — Normally, when I read a non-fiction book I highlight key sentences and paragraphs to make it easy to find specific important thoughts skim through the book again in the future. It is rare that I will “dog ear” a page. Because, when I dog ear a while page it means everything on the page is important and not a single word is to be missed. I dog eared a lot of pages in this one. Several in a row in many cases. Unlike a lot of the “quit your job and follow your dreams” books, this one is rational, reasonable, and readily admits that jumping off such a cliff is not wise. Instead, it argues that if you can make the time to do the things you should do, you can make the time to do the things you must do. And it gives plenty of examples of those who have done just that. A particular favorite is composer Phillip Glass who continued to work as a plumber even as rave reviews of his work were being published in the New York Times. This is one of those books I now recommend to as many people as I can. Plus, it is beautifully illustrated. Worth getting for that alone.

Darkened Blade: A Fallen Blade Novel by Kelly McCullough — A fine wrap up of the series. Just as fun as all the rest. You should read them all (and look back at my past reviews of them if you’d like to know more).

Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover — This book will either completely piss you off in the first few pages or completely resonate with you. It’s one of those books. For me, it not only resonated but I found myself compiling a list of others I know who needed to read it. I sent one as a gift to a friend only half way though. I knew they would see themselves in there like I did. Tim Grover is a personal training coach to many top athletes — especially in the NBA. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and many other credit him with a large part of their success. His mission, taking players way past their perceived limits to be the very best. Not just the best in the game or the best playing today but the best of all time. He’s the best at what he does and he has the clients and results to back it up. He also makes no bones about that and gives zero fucks about what you think. He is arrogant, cocky, and tells it like he believes it is. In this book, he gets into the mindset and anecdotes of what it takes to play and live a life at that level, who has it (very few), who doesn’t (the vast majority). This is not a book that will teach you how to get there. This is not a how too guide. It will not teach you how to get into “the zone” and stay there. And, as he makes clear, if that’s what you want then you already don’t have what it takes so he can’t help you anyway. What it is is a litmus test. You will either recognize the qualities it takes to meet this kind of success or you will not. Very inspirational to the right person. Worthless hyperbole to most. But, some very interesting and entertaining anecdotes for the long time basketball fan.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel — Wow, this is a really wonderfully written book. Set both just prior and 20 years post-apocalyptic pandemic that wipes out most of earth’s population, it is a story of survival and hope. But not only in the ways one might expect from such fare. It’s really about relationship and connectedness and how even in the worst of times simply surviving is insufficient.

The Gypsy in Me: From Germany to Romania in Search of Youth, Truth, and Dad by Ted Simon — A wonderful account of one mans’ journey, mostly by foot, to trace his Eastern European roots. Along the way, he finds a deeper meaning of his own personal identity. Part travelogue, part memoir, with plenty of political and social inquiry, this book is a unique bird but an engaging read.

The Assured Expectation of Things Hoped For by Shawn Mihalik — A smart and beautiful coming-of-age story about a young woman growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness. This offers an interesting peek into a world many of us turn away when it comes to our doors. Shawn is a really good writer — especially in the shorter form of a novella.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald — The classic novel about a group of Long Island upper-crusters and one particular mysterious gentleman. The prose is beautiful and, at times, whimsical with a strong sense of time and place. At its heart, this is a novel about the stories we tell (and the ones that are told) about ourselves in an effort be strive to be better and how it keeps the world from being able it care about who we really are.

It’s Never Too Late: A Kids Book for Adults by Dallas Clayton — Full of wisdom and whimsy, it’s a short inspirational, “kids book” (i.e. with illustrations) meant for adults. Mainly about the value of time and living life to the fullest. This was a gift from my friend Garrick and it was timely and very sweet.

Books I’ve started…

(But have not yet finished.)

The Journals of Henry David Thoreau by Henry David Thoreau — I’m slowly working my way through this, the most reader friendly version of the original 7000 journal pages of one of my favorite writers and thinkers. At only 704 pages, it seems a breeze in comparison. This is something I pick up and read a bit more of when I’m between other books.

Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 by Eric Foner — This 750 page tome I’m reading as contextual research for a Big Book Project I’ve been (slowly) working on.

2014

The Authentic Swing: Notes from the Writing of a First Novel by Steven Pressfield — About golf and writing and the parallels between the two. Good, easy, book on writing from one of my faves. Some good behind the scenes on the making of the movie, The Legend Of Baggar Vance.

The Martian by Andy Weir — Fantastic and fun novel about an astronaut that gets stranded on Mars and his fight to stay alive and, hopefully, get home. Especially fun for space and science nerds.

Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon — Another wonderful manifesto from one of my favorite creative folks. Solid advice that had me nodding my head in agreement on every page. It was a mistake to go through this the first time without a highlighter and pen in hand. Going to go back through and mark it up. So much good.

Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh — A nice series of essays on finding and living everyday mindfulness by the honored Buddhist Teacher and Peace Activist. Deeply affecting and read at just the right time for me. This is now one of the books I will recommend when people ask me what to read to find out more about Buddhism.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel by Robin Sloan: — I had put this off for a while but then my wife read it and said, “You would love this”. Anytime my wife says that, a book moves to the top of my list. And I did love it. It’s a fun and engaging read about books, cults (both religious and business), mysteries, encryption, and immortality. Only took me a couple of days. Picked it up and spent every free moment reading it until the end.

Choose Yourself by James Altucher — Fantastic. I reviewed this in longer detail here before. This is a must-read survival book for the new economy. As someone who has “chosen himself” already, I’m often asked by those interested in doing so for books, resources, and my own writings on the subject that I recommend. I can confidently say that this book will now be at the top of that list.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed — Wonderful memoir. Evocative prose. The reasons this book was so popular was not lost on me while reading it. The Minnesota connections resonated with me. Also, gave me a strong sense of wanderlust. It was all I could do to keep from grabbing my ruck and heading out into the woods.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green — Simply beautiful book about a young woman with terminal cancer. A journey of love, loss, anger, pain, and what it means to be human and dare to dream despite it all. It is a really effortless read that still manages to carry a tremendous amount of emotional weight.

Lexicon by Max Barry — A thrilling and action packed novel about the power of words and the power of love. Could not put this down.

The Sketchnote Workbook by Mike Rohde — A wonderful “next step” followup to his first book. This time, he focuses on the actual practice of Skechnoting and the myriad of situations in which it can be employed. If you care about enhancing the quality and versatility of your note taking, you need this in your library.

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan — Smart and well researched investigation into the Life of Jesus of Nazareth by one of the foremost religious scholars of our time. By setting up the times, places, and conditions Jesus lived in — long before, during, and long after his death — Aslan creates a narrative that is vivid and persuasive. I wish he would have spent more time laying out exactly how in a crowd of people claiming the title and role of messiah, it was a dirt poor day laborer from a town of less than a hundred families that is now known and worshiped the world over. Perhaps that is worth another book entirely. Worth a read no matter your faith.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith(J.K. Rowling — The second novel about the adventures of Private Detective Cormoran Strike. As good as the first (better, likely) and a whole lot if fun. I can’t say too much dare I give anything away but, in this one, Cormoran is out to solve a bizarre murder in the London literary world. Highly recommended. Especially, though not required, if you have read the first book.

Babel 17 by Samuel Delany — You know a book will be a big win for me when the hero protagonist is a poet and the McGuffin is the power and complexity of language. This is a well written, taught, and compelling sci-fi thriller. Lots of fun to read.

The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore — Same name, same age, same neighborhood, similar family circumstances, but what makes one Wes Moore a Rohdes Scholar and the other a prison lifer. That is the not so easily answered premise at the heart of this book. A fascinating true tale that will give some food for thought to the problems facing so many Black youths today.

Indian Summer by Aaron Mahnke — A good New England thriller that follows the lives of seven childhood friends after one of them is killed in an accident. Steeped in the feeling of a coming northeastern fall and Native American lore.

Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant — Powerful insight packed into just a few pages. Read it in about an hour. It was an hour well spent.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman — Beautiful and sweet tale of a boy named Bod who, after a tragic event, grows up in a graveyard and his relationships with the various residents who have taken him under their care. The theme of growing up feeling between two worlds resonated deeply with me. As always with Neil, prepare for some of the most magical yet completely down to earth writing you have read in a while.

Drawn Blades (A Fallen Blade Novel) by Kelly McCullough — The fifth book in the series finds Aral tied up with his old girlfriend, his old Master, his new Apprentice, and a few Gods that just refuse to stay good and dead. Yet another fun read. I really enjoy these.

3 a.m. (Henry Bins Book 1) by Nick Pirog — A fun little whodunnit about a guy who, due to a rare narcoleptic condition, is only awake for one hour starting at 3am every day. A quick read that, as of this writing, is free on the Kindle.

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway — The brilliance of Hemingway lies in his ability to take a simple premise and, from that, create a narrative that is at once epic and sweeping yet personal and tightly told. In this case, it is one of Robert Jordan, an American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerrilla unit in the mountains of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. His job is to blow up a bridge but, he finds in the three days he spends with this unit, he builds more bridges than he destroys. There is a reason this is widely considered a masterpiece and the best of Hemingway’s work.

Evil Plans: Having Fun on the Road to World Domination by Hugh MacLeod — I’ve been a fan of MacLeod’s work for a while but had never read this one. He’s always good for a kick in the pants of life when needed.

The Financial Lives of the Poets: A Novel by Jess Walter — This book was a lot of fun to read. Wonderfully written, witty, and downright LOL funny in parts. It’s the story of Matt Prior, an out-of-work journalist at the dawn of the recession on the verge of losing it all — his wife, his home, his father, his kid’s school. One night, while out to the 7/11 for milk, he runs into a couple of young stoners and begins to hatch a plan to reclaim it all. This was a fun way to end the year.

2013

Here is a list of the books that I read this year. I try to post this up once a year as a reminder for myself that, despite my feeling like I did not read enough, I actually read more than I thought. There might even be a few I have missed recording but this constitutes the bulk of it.

Last year, I just gave a simple list of the books I read. This year, I added a short review to each. It was also my goal to read more fiction than I normally do. I think I did well with that goal but know I could (and want to) do better in the coming year. More on that later.

This also does not include some items I felt deserved a list or two of their own. More on these later too.

So, without further delay…

Broken Blade (A Fallen Blade Novel) by Kelly McCullough — First novel in a series that follows the exploits of Aral The Shadowjack (or Kingslayer). A fast paced mashup of fantasy and hard boiled detective noir. Great start, compelling story and characters, and leaves one wanting to jump right in to the next book.

The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? by Seth Godin — This one fell flat for me. Not quite sure why. I think it is largely because I’m already at where this book wants to encourage the reader to be. That said, it is likely great for those who need it.

The Sketchnote Handbook Video Edition: The Illustrated Guide To Visual Note Taking by Mike Rohde — The book I bugged Mike for years to write finally was released and it is better than I could have imagined. It makes the artform he pioneered accessible to every skill level to engage. So, so, good.

Designing Disney’s Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance by Karal Ann Marling — Fascinating. And confirmed many of my impressions about Disney World.

The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D. — Simply great. Real, science based actionable information. This gives you all the tools you need to build better willpower. Also, some surprising facts (like how much meditation and simply getting outside for a walk help).

Tenth of December: Stories by George Saunders — Brilliant and mesmerizing collection of short stories. I’d give more than one appendage to write this well.

Bared Blade (A Fallen Blade Novel) by Kelly McCullough — Part two in the continuing adventurers of Aral. This book is even better than the first of the series. In this round, Aral (and the rest of the books world) is on the hunt of a sacred ring that, if not found, could start a great war. Of course, this means that some would rather it not found. Lots of nice twists and turns. And, you can really feel the fun that Kelly is having writing these. Strongly recommended.

Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind by Jocelyn K. Glei, Scott Belsky — A nice roundup of various essayists on the subject of day/space/energy management for creatives. Some good nuggets here and there within a lot of ‘heard this before but could use a reminder’.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel by Neil Gaiman — It’s been a long time since I read a book so wonderful and sublime that I could not put it down, eschewed all other matters, and finished it in a day. This is just that good. Actually, it is better.

Crossed Blades (A Fallen Blade Novel) by Kelly McCullough — Another excellent entry in the series.

The Monk and the Riddle: The Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living by Randy Komisar — Best book I have read in a while. Finished in only a couple of sittings. Couldn’t put it down. Really resonated.

The Art Of Not Sucking by Hugh MacLeod — Another nice ass kicker and reality bringer from Hugh.

A Drive into the Gap by Kevin Guilfoile — A sweet true story about the author’s father suffering from Alzheimer’s and the mystery behind a historic Roberto Clemente bat. A real win for baseball fans especially.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (the pseudonym under which J.K. Rowling wrote the book) — One of the finest whodunits I have ever read. She has an amazing ability to sketch character’s quickly and confidence in her subject matter that you might swear she has written a hundred of these before. In fact, I would argue that the writing here is stronger than many of her Harry Potter books. Highly recommended.

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman, with Illustrations by Skottie Young — I read this to Beatrix and it is really wonderful. A fun story about a Dad who goes out to get a jug of milk and what happens to him along the way (or, at least, what he tells his kids). Not sure which of us loved it more. Not only a great read to a young kid but I’ve heard tell that the slightly older ones really enjoy it as well.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King — I actually read this once, but then had to go back through and read it again — mainly because I failed to highlight and furiously mark up the margins as I should have done the first time around. Easily in my top five books on writing. Certainly my favorite Stephen King book. This should be required reading for anyone interested in the craft.

Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink — Harrowing and angering account of what happened at Memorial Hospital (refered to by we NOLA folks as “Baptist”) in the days following Hurricane Katrina. I have not yet finished this completely but not sure how much longer I can continue. It is so hard and heartbreaking to read.

Freedom Is Blogging in Your Underwear by Hugh MacLeod — Yep… Seriously, Hugh is great and I try to read all of his stuff. This one is no exception. It is about doing what you love unapologetically and facing the fear that keeps you down.

137 Books in One Year: How to Fall in Love With Reading by Kevin D. Hendricks — though I hardly reached this lofty goal there are some good, practical tips in here about getting more books under your belt. The main takeaway: Replace your smartphone with a good book.

Delight is in the Details by Shawn Blanc — A manifesto on creative work by Mr. Blanc. A great read for any artist about the craft of creation.

Coffee Shop Contemplations eBook by Nick Wynja — Nice collection of essays from Nick’s website. Worth a read. Plus, an examples other online writers should follow (Take your best stuff and sell it to me as a book. I’ll buy it. Others will too.).

MacSparky Field Guides — To call these mere books is to not do them full justice. These are multimedia experiences that are well worth the cost. They use the full power of Apple’s iBook technology to show off just what a modern book reading experience can be in the digital age. I read every one released this year and they are all fantastic.

2012

Here, in no particular order, are the books I have read in 2012 (and I may even be missing a few):

• Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology (P.S.) — Eric Brende

• What We Say Matters: Practicing Nonviolent Communication — P.T. Judith Hanson Lasater Ph.D., Ike K. Lasater

• A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams — Michael Pollan
• Seven Summits — Dick Bass, Frank Wells, Rick Ridgeway
• Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself — Rich Roll
• Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age — Douglas Rushkoff, Leland Purvis
• Anything You Want — Derek Sivers
• Do the Work — Steven Pressfield
• Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life’s Work — Steven Pressfield, Shawn Coyne
• Poke the Box — Seth Godin
• Steve Jobs — Walter Isaacson
• Hamlet’s BlackBerry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age — William Powers
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking — Susan Cain
• The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World — Marti Olsen Laney Psy.D
• We Are All Weird — Seth Godin
• One Way Forward: The Outsider’s Guide to Fixing the Republic (Kindle Single) — Lawrence Lessig
• The Flinch — Julien Smith (The one is free on the Kindle and worth your time)
• Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People who are Poking the Box and Making a Difference — Seth Godin (This one is free too)
• Self-Reliance — Ralph Waldo Emerson (This is one I read regularly and this edition is a fine one)
• The Hand of Andulain — Aaron Mahnke
• Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative — Austin Kleon
• Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity — Hugh MacLeod
• Freedom Is Blogging in Your Underwear — Hugh MacLeod
• All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House — David Giffels
• Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman
• Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware (Pragmatic Programmers) — Andy Hunt
• Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other — Sherry Turkle
• This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life — David Foster Wallace
• Frictionless Freelancing — Aaron Mahnke
• Paperless — MacSparky
• For the Win: Cory Doctorow: Amazon.com: Books
• The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal — Jim Loehr, Tony Schwartz
• The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains — Nicholas Carr
• The Information Diet: A Case for Conscious Consumption —Clay A. Johnson