In February, I read 6 physical books and listened to 4 audio-books. In this post I will share the titles of the books along with a summary and who I would recommend the book for.
Physical Books
1. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature by Abraham Maslow
Genre: Psychology
Abraham Maslow - most famous for his concept of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs - was a famous American psychologist. In this work, Maslow thoroughly dissects the idea of “peak experiences” or moments of complete rapture, bliss, ecstasy or realization. Maslow claims that for human’s to achieve self-actualization, they not only have to satisfy basic needs such as safety, belonging and respect, but also they must also satisfy virtues that help them reach their fullest potential. Maslow is an extremely uplifting and optimistic psychologist whose work inspires me to find my passion and perform at optimal levels.
I recommend this book to: Anyone interested in psychology and self-improvement. Maslow unpacks what exactly humans are striving for and the various ways in which they satisfy that need.
2. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
Genre: Personal Finance
Ramit Sethi is a personal finance blogger whose personal finance philosophy is geared toward helping the millennial generation. What I like about Ramit's strategy is that he does not advocate for an overly restrictive budget as a means to achieve financial success. Some of the topics of this book include: strategies for paying off debt; automating investing and savings processes; and the importance of long-term investing.
I am extremely passionate about the topic of personal finance; however, I stopped reading personal finance books after the 10th one because the information was becoming repetitive. Sethi’s book, however, was a completely innovative, engaging and informative refresher on the fundamentals of wealth accumulation. Sethi provides a framework for thinking about money that alleviates stress and allows us to concentrate on our long term financial goals. Rather than being a finger-wagging disciplinarian who berates his readers for spending money, he encourages a flexible-budgeting approach that encourages you to spend money on what you love and avoid spending on crap that annoys you.
I recommend this book to: Everyone. Having a fundamental understanding of personal finance is a key component of living the best stress-free life you can imagine. It pains me to know how many people struggle with their finances due to a lack of education on the topic. The good news is that in 300 pages - whether your understanding of personal finance is expert or novice level - you can understand the central tenets of personal finance and how you can take back control.
3. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Genre: Self-Improvement
This book was a highly motivating and engaging study on the topic of grit. I like to think of grit as the trait of displaying determination, resolve and consistency to accomplish daring goals in the face of obstacles. Duckworth dispels the myth of the “natural born genius” by explaining how grit is far more indicative of the success one will achieve in life. Duckworth believes our cultural admiration for “naturals”, or people we perceive to be born with special talents is both wrong and demotivating. Duckworth explains that what separates high-performers from their non-high performing counterparts is a resolve and persistence that extends far beyond natural ability. Gritty individuals love the process of achieving success and are never satisfied with their achievements.
I recommend this book to: Those looking to change their perspective on determination, achievement and perseverance. This book will help provide a mental framework for achieving results at work, in the gym and in the classroom.
4. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Genre: Religious Fiction
This is a fictional Christian work by C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia. The premise of this satirical tale is that a senior demon, Screwtape, is advising his nephew, Wormwood, on how to guide human’s into temptation and away from a relationship with God. In this work, Lewis is morally instructive, witty and imaginative. Reading Lewis is a great spiritual reminder to focus on being present and to honestly assess my thought processes and motivations. This work also offers an interesting philosophical viewpoint on Christianity.
I recommend this book to: Christians or those who are open-minded about spirituality.
5. Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Amy Wallace and Edwin Catmull
Genre: Business/Biography
This book was written by President of Pixar and Disney animation studios, Edwin Catmull. While a PhD in computer science with expertise in technology, Catmull also had a profound love and respect for storytelling and animation. In his work, Catmull explores the challenges and central tenets of running a creative organization. He explains some best practices for overcoming the fear of exploring uncharted creative territory. Additionally, he shares the feedback processes instituted in Pixar that allowed directors and producers to make their creations as great as possible. Pixar’s focus on creating truthful, timeless narratives through sincerity and cutting edge technology is something I profoundly admire. As a lifelong lover of Pixar, it was incredibly fascinating to learn about all the effort that went into making the movies from a creative, technological and business perspective.
I have read two business biographies this year (the other being Principles by Ray Dalio). There seems to be a common theme among successful organizations of leaders being receptive to criticism and having a sincere desire to champion the best ideas. Too often in organizations (sports teams, companies, religious groups etc.), inflated ego’s get in the way of achieving results and inspiring positive change.
I recommend this book to: People who love Pixar movies, as well as those interested in running a creative organization someday.
6. Surprised by Joy by C.S Lewis
Genre: Religion/Autobiography
I greatly enjoyed Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters so much that I picked up his autobiography from the library. Lewis, who at one point was an atheist, explains how the experiences of reading literature and unanticipated feelings of peace converted him to Christianity. I am fascinated to see what sort of philosophical paradigm shifts caused the change from a strong atheist to a strong religious adherent. Lewis explains his first experience of, “Joy”, which he describes as a feeling in which, “happiness felt not settled but everlasting”. Lewis spent his whole life chasing this feeling through various intellectual pursuits before concluding that Joy was something that he could only find through spiritual means. I enjoy both Lewis’s perspective on life and his eloquent writing style.
I recommend this book to: Those who haven’t read anything by Lewis before. I would not recommend starting with his autobiography. If you are interested, start with his other more popular fiction or his nonfiction writings about Christianity before diving into his autobiography.
Audiobooks
1. 12 Rules for Life by Dr. Jordan Peterson
Genre: Self-Improvement/Psychology
Jordan Peterson is a Canadian psychologist who shares self-help advice based on religious mythology, literature and philosophy. This was my second time reading this book in the past year and it was of tremendous value to me. What I like about Peterson is that he is completely different from most self-help authors and content creators. I find that other self-help authors repeat the same messages in uninteresting and hollow ways. Peterson, however, approaches the self-improvement genre from a more scholarly approach. His background in clinical psychology provides him first-hand experience analyzing the suffering and inner workings of the human psyche.
Of Peterson’s 12 rules, my favorite rule is: “Do what is meaningful, not what is expedient”. Peterson highlights that many people today are advocating pursuing “happiness” as life’s aim. Peterson finds this to be misleading and potentially dangerous. Rather than pursuing fleeting moments of elation, our lives should have a noble meaning where we must constantly strive and sacrifice to make a positive impact on the world. I like how Peterson confronts the sense of hopelessness and nihilism that is confronting the world today with rational and uplifting message.
I recommend this book to: Those interested in self-improvement and psychology. As a warning, the book does have some potentially controversial political content towards the end of the book (I am not endorsing any sort of political views expressed by the author).
2. The Millionaire Mind by Dr. Thomas Stanley
Genre: Personal Finance
This is a follow-up to the book, The Millionaire Next Door, which is a personal finance book I highly recommend. Dr. Stanley has built his writing and research career off of the study of millionaires in America. In this book, Stanley demystifies the average millionaire by sharing data about their vocation, average yearly income, academic experience and other factors that have contributed to their wealth.
At the heart of Dr. Stanley’s argument is that the typical millionaire in America is actually a rather “average” person. For the average millionaire, building wealth had very little to do with extraordinary genius. The typical millionaire displays grit (see Physical Book 2 above) and takes the time to educate themselves financially.
Another key distinction that Dr. Stanley makes is the difference between those who are Income Statement Affluent (IA) vs. Balance Sheet Affluent (BA). Essentially, those who are IA spend their time trying to maximize how much money they earn without strategizing ways to utilize their income to buy more incoming producing assets (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, etc.). While Stanley is not demonizing those who earn a high annual income, he is merely pointing out that it is nearly impossible to build wealth without utilizing money for saving/investing purposes. Those who are BA utilize the income from their jobs to purchase those assets. They make sure that investing and saving is factored into their budget and they try to minimize expenses with a frugal lifestyle.
I recommend this book to: A similar crowd as I Will Teach You to be Rich. To be completely honest, I found the book to be rather repetitive and too long. If the topics mentioned in the summary interest you, I recommend reading The Millionaire Next Door.
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Genre: Self-Improvement
This book is the best 250 page crash course in political diplomacy that was ever written. This is my third time reading this powerful and personality-transforming book. This book provides timeless proven wisdom on the art of working effectively with people. In my personal and professional life, this book has provided the best guidance for avoiding confrontation and keeping relationships intact. I give it to my best friends (who have all read it multiple times) and we regularly discuss (using the name of the book as a verb) how we can be better at “How to Win Friends and Influence People-ing”.
Prior to reading this book, I was a stubborn jerk who used force to exert my points. While I am not perfect in the previous regard, I make a much more concentrated effort to use tact, patience and wisdom to work on my relationships with friends, family and colleagues.
I recommend this book to: Everyone. Everyone should read this book more than once.
4. The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hahn
Genre: Buddhism/Mindfulness
Thich Nhaht Hahn is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who runs a monastery in France. Fun fact about Hahn: Martin Luther King Jr. once nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
This is the fifth book by Thich Nhat Hahn that I have read and it was equally as great as the rest. His books cover the topic of mindfulness and how it can be incorporated into our busy everyday lives (i.e. when we are doing the dishes, going for a walk outside or speaking to a loved one). He also covers some of the central fundamental topics of Buddhism which provide a great introduction to the topic. This book talks a lot Buddhist’s outlook on mortality which is extremely peaceful and scientific.
Whenever I read something by Thich Nhat Hahn, my life is noticeably more peaceful and calm. I am frequently being swept up in a tornado of my ambitions and responsibilities that only mindfulness can help me escape from. This makes it difficult to enjoy the simple but miraculous things that are taking place all around me. The topics discussed in this book help bring me back down to center.
Whether you choose to read this book or another, any book by Thich Nhat Hahn is an essential read!
I recommend this book to: People who suffer from stress or anxiety. Additionally, you would also enjoy this book if you are interested in Buddhist philosophy. While I greatly enjoyed this book, I would recommend starting with Nhaht Hahn‘s book, No Mud, No Lotus. It is a more digestible introduction to the centeal ideas of Buddhism.
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