Inspired by Nick Cammerata’s and Patrick Collison’s bookshelves.
Highly Recommend:
Alan Watts – I haven’t actually read any of Alan’s books, but I’m putting him here anyway because I’ve listened to so many of his lectures on YouTube over and over again.
Confessions of an Advertising Man, David Ogilvy – [thread]
Lives of a Cell, Lewis Thomas [thread]
Surely You’re Joking, Mr Feynman! – Richard Feynman’s curiosity and playfulness is infectious
48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene – This book changed my life dramatically. I read it roughly when it came out, and there was a line
Animal Farm, George Orwell – first read this in school. It was such a short and simple read, and it so effectively conveyed so much about how power works. I also really like several of Orwell’s essays, including Politics and the English Language, In Front Of Your Nose, and Why I Write.
The Body Keeps The Score, Bessel van der Kolk [book thread]
Sideways Look At Time, Jay Griffiths
Tribe, by Sebastian Junger [book thread]
Antifragile, Nassim Taleb – I read it when it first came out, and I remember thinking over and over again that I was such an idiot.
The Courage To Be Disliked [book thread]
Stuff Matters, by Mark Miodownik [book thread] – I really enjoy Mark’s storytelling style.
Debt, by David Graeber [book thread] – very mind-expanding re: money.
The Nasty Bits, Anthony Bourdain – collection of essays.
Soul Made Flesh, Carl Zimmer – about the discovery of the human brain. Zimmer is a fantastic storyteller.
The Checklist Manifesto – honestly, you can compress this entire book into a tweet: If you need to do things, make lists, and check them off. Medical professionals who do this literally save more lives than those who don’t. Airplanes crash less when people do this.
The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier – read as a child
Lost Illusions, Balzac – read in NS
The User Illusion, Tor Norretranders – read in NS
His Dark Materials – read as a child
The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls – read on a long bus ride to Genting with friends
Satan Burger, by Carlton Mellick – bizzaro, surreal
The News: A User’s Manual, by Alain de Botton –
Made To Stick, Dan and Chip Heath – improved my marketing and messaging skills significantly