My rankings and comments are in the table below. I know certain books meant more to me because of when I read them – your stage of life has a funny way of driving meaning from books.
I try not to be a snob about reading. I don’t finish every book. I read physical books and listen to audiobooks… and consider both “reading”.
The desktop version is “cleaner” than mobile. If you have comments/questions/concerns – my email is always open: matt@mattreustle.com
| Year | Book | Genre | Author | Rating | Finished | Foundational Reading | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.016 | 100 Baggers | Business | Mayer | 8 | Yes | Subtly altered my personal investing strategy. Very valuable (for me) for what the data showed, BUT I don’t think it applies to institutional investing. Read this on honeymoon in 2016 and declared “own one 100 bagger” on my bucket list. | |
| 2.020 | 1980s Inflation Beaters Investment Guide | Business | Malkiel | 1 | Yes | I wanted to get into the mindset of the inflation era 70s. This book did not get into the weeds of history – very high level. | |
| 2.011 | 4 Hour Body | Life | Ferris | 6 | Yes | Read this at age 23 and it may have seeded my interest in thinking beyond conventional wisdom. Introduced me to Ferris and life-hackers. Honestly, I bet it holds up well. | |
| 2.022 | A Curious Mind | Life | Grazer | 4 | Yes | Some great parts. Some idealistic parts. I prefer books written during the journey rather than retrospectives that may include hindsight bias. | |
| 2.017 | A Man for All Markets | Business | Thorp | 8 | Yes | There are few people who seem to have succeeded BOTH in their business and personal life. Ed Thorp is one. Insightful ideas about spotting math opportunities in various corners of the market (of which there are plenty today). | |
| 2.026 | A Swim in the Pond in the Rain | Writing | Saunders | 9.3 | Yes | Writing | A great analytical approach to writing. Basically case study style with short stories and exploring page-by-page. |
| 2.025 | Acceptance (Book 3) | Sci-Fi | VanderMeer | 5 | Yes | I started to tail off here. But don’t regret reading it. | |
| 2.024 | Advanced Portfolio Management | Business | Paleologo | 6 | Yes | Investing | Great foundational education for portfolio management via quantitative analysis. Very niche for those in investment industry. |
| 2.019 | Against the Gods | Business | Bernstein | 0 | No | I know I started this at some point. Too risky to read 😉 | |
| 2.010 | Ahead of the Curve HBS | Business | Broughton | 4 | Yes | Read when I was considering MBA at age 22. I think that’s the only use case for reading it. | |
| 2.023 | Airframe | Fiction | Crichton | 8 | Yes | Non traditional Crichton but a fun change-up. I don’t think it’s as dramatized as some many think. | |
| 2.021 | Albert Einstein | Business | Isaacson | 5 | No | Good example of turning myth into man. Einstein sure did go on a research heater – and I wonder if we will ever have a similar person. All of that said, I had a hard time sticking with the book. It bounced between theory and personal life in a weird cadence. | |
| 2.020 | Alchemy | Business | Sutherland | 6 | Yes | Very hyped book before I read it. I think listening to Sutherland so much took it down a notch for me. But great for those who aren’t familiar with Rory. More stodgy business types should read it. | |
| 2.021 | Almanack of Naval | Life | Jorgenson | 7 | Yes | Life | Great tableside book. I find your perception of Naval is a great Rorschach test. |
| 2.006 | Alphabet of Manliness | Life | Maddox | 4 | Yes | Read in college. Probably offensive male humor but it got me to start appreciating spicy food. That counts for something. | |
| 2.017 | Am I Being Too Subtle | Business | Zell | 7 | Yes | Investing/Business | Fun and authentic biography. Zell was a treasure. There are “feel good” business books that will give you a sense of independence – just don’t overlook the hustle. |
| 2.026 | American Assassin | Fiction | Flynn | 7 | Yes | Mitch Rapp is the Lebron of special ops prospects. | |
| 2.022 | American Flannel | Business | Kurutz | 7.8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Great history of American Manufacturing and the challenges. Woolrich story should be studied. |
| 2.021 | American Kingpin | Business | Bilton | 7 | Yes | I am a sucker for these books – especially when I know less about the story. Notable that he is out of prison after… contracting to have people killed? I know it didn’t go to trial but the evidence here seems… pretty strong. | |
| 2.007 | American Psycho | Fiction | Easton Ellis | 3.5 | Yes | Saw the movie first. Great satire. Book didn’t match up for me. | |
| 2.022 | Ametora | History | Marx | 8.6 | Yes | Very informative read on Japanese impact on fashion but also broader Japanese/American dynamics. Easy to forget post WWII vibes that have gone away for current generations (me included). | |
| 2.024 | Anathem | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 0 | In Progress | Started this one but realized it will take a commitment. I had a hard time following the start. | |
| 2.023 | Andromeda Strain | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 9.2 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Incredible Crichton. Perfect amount of character depth, science, and thrill. |
| 2.025 | Annihilation (Book 1) | Sci-Fi | VanderMeer | 8.5 | Yes | Loved the vividness from Vandermeer. Very different than the movie, but still the same uniqueness. | |
| 2.017 | Antifragile | Life | Taleb | 7 | Yes | The book stuck with me. I can spot antifragile, but find it’s incredibly hard to build. | |
| 2.019 | Art of Learning | Life | Waitzkin | 8.5 | Yes | Life | Very hyped but lives up to the billing. This book sticks with me because certain concepts click years later. It makes you appreciate how working on the small things show up subconsciously in the future. |
| 2.021 | Art of Science and Engineering | Business | Hamming | 6 | Yes | Honestly a great foundational book. It’s not an easy read but useful in a tactical way – and opens your brain up serendipity and systems. | |
| 2.019 | Art of the Good Life | Life | Dobelli | 1 | No | Didn’t click | |
| 2.021 | Artemis | Sci-Fi | Weir | 3 | No | I could never finish it. Always felt like a struggle versus Project Hail Mary | |
| 2.026 | Artifact | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 7 | Yes | Fun thriller. | |
| 2.025 | Artifact | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 6 | Yes | Good, mindless sci-fi thriller. The autism angle has a level of detail that really signals how the author feels about it. | |
| 2.017 | AstroPhysics for People in a Hurry | Science | Tyson | 2 | Yes | Nothing stuck with me. Read it randomly | |
| 2.019 | Atlas Shrugged | Fiction | Rand | 6 | Yes | I read this in scattered fashion. Preferred the Fountainhead but can understand why it influences so many young (moldable?) minds. Amazing how it holds up though. | |
| 2.020 | Atomic Habits | Life | Clear | 8.3 | Yes | Life | I can be contrarian but there are many popular things that live up to their billing. It’s a healthy read with practical steps. |
| 2.025 | Authority (Book 2) | Sci-Fi | VanderMeer | 6 | Yes | Similarly vivid and dark. You want it to move faster but respect the author | |
| 2.025 | Autopsy of a Merger | Business | Miller | 9 | Yes | Investing | Great case study on the in’s and out’s of a merger. The human element and how legal dynamics are not black and white. Great look at Jay Pritzker and early days of Jack Welch. |
| 2.019 | Bad Blood | Business | Carreyrou | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Sucker for these books. Theranos has a lot of lessons but most notably, don’t rely on pharmacies as credibility drivers. Hot Take: I think 99% of people who said they would have never fallen for this and invested….would have invested. |
| 2.017 | Barbarian Days | Life | Finnegan | 7.1 | Yes | Took me a while to read this one, years between me picking it up. But fun for those who appreciate surfing and a lifelong hobby that brings you around the world at different stages of life. | |
| 2.023 | Battle of Ink and Ice | History | Harman | 3 | No | I couldn’t stick with it but may revisit | |
| 2.021 | Ben Franklin | Business | Isaacson | 8 | Yes | It’s nice to read a book that converts myth into man. Plenty of wisdom, but how about Franklin being a low-key horndog. Didn’t expect that threadline. | |
| 2.022 | Beneath the Scarlet Sky | Fiction | Sullivan | 7 | Yes | Great entertaining read. A little disappointing that the story isn’t as true as we thought. Gave me new perspective on Italy in WWII. | |
| 2.015 | Beyond Buffett | Business | Lowenstein | 0 | In Progress | I still need to read it. | |
| 2.017 | Big Brown | Business | Niemann | 6 | Yes | Very useful history of UPS. Not the cleanest writing. | |
| 2.021 | BirdsEye | Business | Kurlansky | 0 | Not Started | I need to read about this guy. Inventor of frozen food! | |
| 2.017 | Black Edge | Business | Kolhatkar | 7.8 | Yes | Investing | I know many investors thought this book was mediocre. I enjoyed it! Clearly the people who made Billions did too! Give me your conviction on a 1-10 scale! |
| 2.023 | Black Planet (Sonics) | Sports | Shields | 2.1 | Yes | Whoa boy. This book was an uncomfortable read. I loved those Sonic teams. | |
| 2.012 | Black Swan | Business | Taleb | 5 | Yes | Good first few chapters and then incredibly repetitive. Still worthy of a read for basic foundation of risk. | |
| 2.021 | Blockchain and the Law | Business | Wright | 3.6 | Yes | Dense book. But DAOs seem durable | |
| 2.023 | Blood in the Garden | Sports | Herring | 3 | No | Great era of Knicks basketball but I couldn’t get into it | |
| 2.023 | Bone in the Throat | Fiction | Bourdain | 0 | Not Started | On the bookshelf for a reason. Bourdain in his fiction days pre Kitchen Confidential! | |
| 2.022 | Born a Crime | Life | Trevor Noah | 2 | Yes | Others may enjoy this more – I was expecting a bit more late life Noah so that threw me off. | |
| 2.022 | Born Standing Up | Life | Steve Martin | 3.1 | No | I don’t know why I couldn’t stick with it. | |
| 2.020 | Born to Run | Sports | McDougal | 7.1 | Yes | Entertaining with questionable science. A good running book. | |
| 2.016 | Boys Among Men | Sports | Abrams | 2 | Yes | Loved the idea but the book didn’t land. Not enough “ah hah” insights. | |
| 2.022 | Boys Will Be Boys (Cowboys) | Sports | Pearlman | 7 | Yes | Sports | Source material is endless here. My takeaway, this dynasty was talent based! |
| 2.015 | Breaks of the Game | Sports | Halberstein | 6 | Yes | Sports people love this one. It was a little tough for me but I did enjoy it. Not as iconic to me as others see it. | |
| 2.020 | Breath | Life | Nestor | 4 | Yes | Innovative thinking but feels like the science didn’t quite match? Made me think about breathing more | |
| 2.012 | Bright Lights, Big City | Fiction | McInerney | 7 | Yes | Fondly remember reading this on an iphone during a day trip to Boston for investor meetings around 2012. Finished it in less than 48 hours. | |
| 2.021 | Bringing up Bebe | Life | Druckerman | 7.6 | Yes | Life | My favorite book on parenting. Based on logic which speaks my language. |
| 2.025 | Buffett and Munger Unscripted | Business | George | 0 | Not Started | I look forward to reading it. | |
| 2.017 | Business Adventures | Business | Brooks | 5 | Yes | I know Buffett recommended it. Some good chapters in there but forgettable for me. | |
| 2.020 | Cable Cowboy | Business | Robichaux | 8 | Yes | Investing | I don’t know how investors were so obsessed with investing alongside Malone after reading this one. |
| 2.021 | Caesar’s Palace Coup | Business | Frumes, Indap | 9 | Yes | Investing | My credit background made this hit home. It REALLY captures the pain and hustle and a world of zero sum investing – fighting for pennies in a pie that is there to divide. And the personality it takes to accomplish it. Also good reminder, many LBO’ed businesses are good company / bad balance sheet. |
| 2.024 | Cage of Souls (Tchaikovsky) | Sci-Fi | Tchaikovsky | 0 | Not Started | It’s on the list for some future winter next to a fireplace | |
| 2.020 | Can’t Hurt Me | Life | Goggins | 6 | Yes | Makes you think what the body is capable of. I’ve got nothing but respect for Goggins. | |
| 2.026 | Cancel Me if You Can | Non-Fiction | Portnoy | 7.8 | Yes | Fascinating read about the history of Barstool. | |
| 2.017 | Capital Returns | Business | Chancellor | 8.1 | Yes | Investing | I appreciated the unique approach. I remember thinking it was easier said than done – but in hindsight, it was right in front of me with the sector I was researching. It might be better documented by now so not as enlightening to others. |
| 2.020 | Carolina Way | Sports | Smith | 1 | No | Gave up on this one fast | |
| 2.025 | Change Agent | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 6.8 | Yes | Great ideas on where CRISPR gene editing is heading. Even if it doesn’t go full “Face Off” mode, there’s a lot hear to think about. | |
| 2.025 | Change Agent | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 5 | In Progress | CRISPR dystopian. Suarez knows how to be dark. | |
| 2.017 | Changing How The World Does Business (FDX) | Business | Frock | 6 | Yes | Useful history of FedEx. | |
| 2.016 | Chasing Perfection | Sports | Glockner | 8 | Yes | Love the examination of talent vs development. Kerr shooting is crazy | |
| 2.024 | Children of Time | Sci-Fi | Tchaikovsky | 9.1 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Great perspective on evolution. Makes you think about the human race…and AI (despite that not being the subject at all) |
| 2.019 | City of Thieves | Fiction | Benioff | 10 | Yes | Writers | This book resparked my love for Fiction. THIS is how you write a story. I still get bummed that Benioff left for TV. His books had urgency, dialogue, history, and fun. I can remember reading this in Vietnam and enjoying every second of it, being disappointed that it ended. He somehow humanizes Stalingrad while keeping all of the dehumanizing elements. |
| 2.023 | City on a Grid | History | Koeppel | 8.7 | Yes | I have a weird obsession with the grid system in NYC. This is for history + NYC lovers and probably few others. You will never look at NYC streets the same! | |
| 2.021 | Cod | Business | Kurlansky | 8 | Yes | Opened my eyes up to historical importance of food, navy, etc. | |
| 2.023 | Comfort Crisis | Life | Easter | 5 | Yes | Good read. Somewhat of a sales pitch for rucking. | |
| 2.019 | Common Stocks and Common Sense | Business | Wachenheim | 8 | Yes | Investing | Author is a treasure. His framing for investing in the opening of the book is gold for any early career investor |
| 2.019 | Common Stocks and Uncommon Performance | Business | Fisher | 5 | Yes | Investing/Business | The foreword by Fisher’s son is scorching with angry son vibes. Very weird |
| 2.006 | Confederacy of Dunces | Fiction | Kennedy Toole | 8 | Yes | Writers | Read in college. First book that made me laugh out loud. |
| 2.023 | Congo | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 9.2 | Yes | Sci-Fi | In the peak Crichton category for me. I also want to work for something like ERTS |
| 2.015 | Court Vision | Sports | Berkow | 1 | No | I couldn’t get into it | |
| 2.020 | Crashing Through | Life | Kurson | 0 | Not Started | Don’t remember buying this but interesting premise | |
| 2.019 | Creating Shareholder Value | Business | Rappaport | 5 | Yes | Good textbook-like writing for investors. Foundational education. | |
| 2.019 | Creation: Life and How to Make It | Business | Grand | 9.9 | Yes | AI | My favorite book that relates to AI. Complex systems evolve themselves. We can create the ingredients but rarely are systems truly controlled. Dense but worthy. Picked it up when I saw Bezos recommended to his early Amazon staff. Still applicable today. |
| 2.023 | Creative Selection | Business | Kocienda | 0 | Not Started | It will call for me from the bookshelf some day | |
| 2.020 | Creativity Inc | Business | Catmull | 4 | Yes | The hype was so high about this one. It felt full of extrapolation. I DO respect Pixar but this one was a let down for me. | |
| 2.021 | Cryptonomicon | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 0 | No | Stephenson requires a commitment that I just can’t give him at the moment. | |
| 2.025 | Daemon | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 9.5 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Incredible sci-fi thriller with good thought-provoking ideas about AI and cybersecurity potential. Style is similar to Crichton with modern science. |
| 2.026 | Damascus Station | Fiction | McCloskey | 7 | Yes | Humanizing special ops thriller. | |
| 2.023 | Dark Matter | Sci-Fi | Crouch | 8 | Yes | Very good and scary multiverse epic. Read before TV show was released | |
| 2.020 | Data Driven | Business | Dearborn | 0 | Not Started | Not sure I will ever get there | |
| 2.024 | Decline and Fall of Roman Empire | History | Gibbon | 0 | Not Started | One day I will read this one… it was too cliche before. | |
| 2.019 | Deep Survival | Life | Gonzales | 7.5 | Yes | Life | Some interesting takeaways for surviving a catastrophe. |
| 2.021 | Deep Work | Life | Newport | 5.5 | Yes | Useful book to read at the right moment in life. Good for solo entrepreneurs. | |
| 2.015 | Defending Jacob | Fiction | Landay | 6.7 | Yes | Stole this from my wife’s book club. Glad I read this one before having kids | |
| 2.020 | Delivering Happiness | Business | Hsieh | 0 | Not Started | Bought this before the awful Hsieh events. Haven’t felt energy to read it. | |
| 2.025 | Delta-V | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 5 | Yes | Some interesting space ideas that I can’t validate but intrigued me. The characters feel awfully similar to the tech tycoons of today. | |
| 2.023 | Destiny of Republic (Garfield) | History | Millard | 7 | Yes | I learned A LOT. She is excellent and covering these stories. Garfield the reluctant president! | |
| 2.024 | Devolution (Sasquatch) | Sci-Fi | Brooks | 6 | Yes | Entertaining format. I enjoy books with prepper dynamics. | |
| 2.017 | Dhandho Investor | Business | Pabrai | 4 | No | Some good pieces in but did not finish | |
| 2.021 | Digital Minimalism | Life | Newport | 2.2 | No | Felt forced as a book. | |
| 2.023 | Disclosure | Fiction | Crichton | 6 | Yes | More mystery novel than sci-fi, but interesting to see how it aligned with some bad workplace dynamics in the future. Crichton female characters have a hilarious stereotype (attractive, confident, high-achievers). | |
| 2.022 | Draft No 4 | Business | McPhee | 4 | Yes | Not my favorite writing book. But others love it. | |
| 2.023 | Dragon Teeth | Fiction | Crichton | 1 | Yes | It didn’t do it for me. It required more character development or something. | |
| 2.019 | Dream Team | Sports | McCallum | 7 | Yes | What a cast of characters. Fun book that captures the elite NBA players behind the game. | |
| 2.020 | Drive (Larry Bird) | Sports | Ryan | 4 | No | Crazy to think of Larry Bird coming from nothing and hurting his back doing household work in the offseason. But I stalled out. | |
| 2.026 | Drug of Choice | Non-Fiction | Crichton | 5.5 | Yes | Cool to see an author’s writing before they go big. Raw talent and typical thriller, but some messy aspects. | |
| 2.020 | Dune | Sci-Fi | Herbert | 2 | No | I needed the movie. | |
| 2.025 | Dungeon Crawler Carl I | Sci-Fi | Dinniman | 2 | No | People love it but not my style. Funny writing but storyline doesn’t tie to my interests. | |
| 2.025 | Earthcore | Sci-Fi | Sigler | 6.6 | Yes | The mining angle was intriguing to me. Good mystery/suspense. It gets really sci-fi as the book goes on, but I was hooked by then. | |
| 2.023 | Elegant Puzzle | Business | Larson | 0 | Not Started | Something I will read some day | |
| 2.023 | Elements of Eloquence | Business | Forsyth | 7 | No | Writers | I should really finish this one…especially if I plan to write and do a podcast! |
| 2.020 | Eleven Rings | Sports | Jackson | 1.7 | Yes | Pearlman books were better | |
| 2.021 | Elon Musk | Business | Vance | 7 | Yes | Good understanding of Elon’s backstory. Never feel like I get enough from Elon books, articles and anecdotes always feel more valuable. | |
| 2.023 | Empire of the Summer Moon | History | Grann | 8 | Yes | Really great history of land seizing, oil, the FBI, and greed. Preferred the book to the movie | |
| 2.020 | Endurance (Shackleton) | History | Lansing | 10 | Yes | Life | I will make sure my kids read this one. The incredible story of Ernest Shackleton. I enjoyed the history around this book and why it took so long to takeoff (because the expedition was considered a failure). |
| 2.024 | Eruption | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 1.2 | Yes | Lacked the same science and excitement of peak Crichton | |
| 2.021 | Everyone Culture | Business | Kegan | 1 | No | Did not finish | |
| 2.019 | Everything Store | Business | Stone | 8.5 | Yes | Investing/Business | Excellent deepdive on the Amazon story. Bezos was an animal that borrowed from Rockefeller. It’s easy to forget Amazon’s beginnings. |
| 2.024 | Exhalation Short Stories | Sci-Fi | Chiang | 7 | Yes | Entertaining but preferred the Stories of Your Life collection. | |
| 2.016 | Expectations Investing | Business | Mauboussin | 8 | Yes | Investing | Foundational education for investors |
| 2.023 | Expeditionary Force 1 | Sci-Fi | Alanson | 6 | Yes | Great audiobook narration. Pure entertainment and humor | |
| 2.023 | Expeditionary Force 2 | Sci-Fi | Alanson | 2 | No | Couldn’t stick with it despite great first book | |
| 2.016 | Family Inc | Life | McCormick | 8.5 | Yes | Personal Finance | Must read for personal finance and managing household income/equity. |
| 2.017 | Financial Shenanigans | Business | Schilit | 8.8 | Yes | Investing | Very niche but an excellent resource for forensic accounting. I CTRL + F when I find questionable accounting things to see if it showed up here. |
| 2.021 | Finding Ultra | Life | Roll | 5 | Yes | Good book on overcoming addiction (or finding new addictions). I felt a bit jealous that the author was blessed with good genetics. | |
| 2.024 | First Lie Wins | Fiction | Elston | 1 | No | I don’t know how I ended up starting this but not my genre. | |
| 2.025 | Five Years After (Book 4) | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 3.3 | Yes | Repetitive and predictable storylines at this point. | |
| 2.021 | Fountainhead | Fiction | Rand | 9 | Yes | Took me a while to read but timeless characters that capture the world. Yes, characters are extreme stereotypes, but still lessons in there. | |
| 2.022 | Four Thousand Weeks | Life | Burkeman | 6 | Yes | Felt like a great blog post that turned into a solid book | |
| 2.025 | Freedom | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 8.5 | Yes | The 8 has to pair with Daemon. It’s a strong sequel to the original novel. One of my favorites in recent memory. | |
| 2.025 | Freedom | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 6 | Yes | Good follow-up to Daemon. Less scientific and more philosophical, but enjoyable. Loved the line “Humans can’t create complex systems. We evolve them.” | |
| 2.023 | Gentleman in Moscow | Fiction | Towles | 8 | Yes | Writers | Understandably epic novel. You will laugh, you might cry, but incredible work of art. |
| 2.022 | Genuine Authentic Ralph Lauren | Business | Gross | 0 | Not Started | There’s a small chance I read this and don’t remember it! | |
| 2.023 | Get Out Screenplay | Business | Peele | 8.8 | Yes | Writers | If you want to read a screenplay to understand how director’s think… this is great. It’s not for everyone but opens your eyes into everything that goes into a GREAT movie. |
| 2.015 | Girl on the Train | Fiction | Hawkins | 3 | Yes | My wife’s (then girlfriend) book club was on a roll until this one. | |
| 2.025 | Going Broke: Chrysler | Business | Moritz | 6 | Yes | DEEP dive on auto industry. Good if you are looking for that specifically. I was trying to get into the brain of Moritz pre-Sequoia. | |
| 2.015 | Gone Girl | Fiction | Flynn | 8 | Yes | WHAT A TWIST. It was mildly disturbing when I realized my wife read this on our honeymoon. Recommended from her book club. | |
| 2.020 | Good to Great | Business | Collins | 4 | Yes | Very hyped book before I read it. Some good case studies but left me wanting more | |
| 2.026 | Grave Descend | Non-Fiction | Crichton | 5.5 | Yes | Fun entertaining and similarly neat to read Crichton before he went big. | |
| 2.021 | Great Mental Models Vol 1 | Business | Parish | 5 | Yes | Nice coffee table book | |
| 2.023 | Great Train Robbery | History | Crichton | 5.3 | Yes | Honestly, great investigative work. The heist required an insane amount of effort. Makes you wonder if they just dedicated themselves to something valuable! | |
| 2.020 | Greenlights | Life | McConaughey | 6.8 | Yes | Audiobook should make you think about talent. MM oozes charisma in a way I can’t fathom. Greenlight! | |
| 2.023 | Heat 2 | Fiction | Mann | 7 | Yes | If you enjoyed Heat, they do a nice job converting it to book form as a sequel | |
| 2.023 | Hello Molly | Life | Shannon | 2.5 | No | Not sure how I picked it up, but heavier than I was looking for in the moment | |
| 2.023 | High Growth Handbook | Business | Gil | 0 | In Progress | Let me be in a situation where this is what I need | |
| 2.023 | Highway Men | Business | Auletta | 8 | Yes | Great business history on the media/tech evolution of the 1990s | |
| 2.017 | Hillbilly Elegy | Life | Vance | 7.5 | Yes | Well…. reading this now has a different meaning! But I found it a good education for coastal elites when it was released – and many of the drug problems exist everywhere, my hometown experienced it firsthand (without the poverty that makes it exponentially worse). | |
| 2.020 | How to Get Rich | Business | Dennis | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Genuine honesty in this book. Entertaining even if it doesn’t have major business lessons |
| 2.017 | How to Make Money in Stocks | Business | O’Neill | 1 | Yes | I don’t remember anything | |
| 2.019 | How to Win Friends and Influence People | Life | Carnegie | 4.5 | Yes | Everyone should read it in high school or college. | |
| 2.025 | I am Legend | Fiction | Matheson | 4.1 | Yes | I know people hated the movie, but the book was a little rough too. I didn’t make it through many other short stories included in the collection. | |
| 2.006 | I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell | Life | Max | 5 | Yes | Entertaining when I as in college | |
| 2.025 | I Want My MTV | Business | Marks and Tannenbaum | 8 | Yes | Media | Great insights (and nostalgia) about everything that made MTV special. |
| 2.026 | Infected | Sci-Fi | Stigler | 5 | Yes | Reading this during winter flu season impacted my rating. | |
| 2.024 | Infinite | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 3 | No | Interesting concepts to start but lost me midway. | |
| 2.021 | Infinite Jest | Fiction | Foster Wallace | 0 | In Progress | One day I will finish this book. Foster Wallace is a special person | |
| 2.019 | Influence | Business | Cialdini | 7 | Yes | Life | Thought-provoking and worthy of a read. Some core principles that feel timeless. You can also pickup on how others may be trying to influence you – perhaps even more valuable. |
| 2.020 | Inner Game of Tennis | Life | Gallwey | 5.2 | Yes | Good but not groundbreaking (which others seem to find it) | |
| 2.021 | Inventing Money LTCM | Business | Dunbar | 5 | Yes | I don’t remember much vs When Genius Failed (which I read first) | |
| 2.022 | Is This Anything | Life | Seinfeld | 1.8 | Yes | The format didn’t work for me. | |
| 2.023 | It’s Better to Be Feared (Patriots) | Sports | Wickersham | 7 | Yes | Sports | Great reminder that Brady was average for a long time (even after winning Super Bowls) before being great. Great investigative work. |
| 2.025 | ITT Wars | Business | Araskog | 8.9 | Yes | Investing | A nice pairing with Predator’s Ball. Captures the peak of corporate raiders and LBOs. Author is biased, but some good details on Jay Pritzker and Felix Rohatyn. |
| 2.021 | Journal of a Novel | Life | Steinbeck | 4 | No | Couldn’t stick with it, but love journals | |
| 2.023 | Journals of John Cheever | Life | Cheever | 9.6 | Yes | Life | Brutal to read. One of the rawest personal accounts that you really never get from anyone (even those closest to you). I actually felt a bit of guilt reading this because I wondered if he really wanted them published. |
| 2.020 | Julian Robertson | Business | Strachman | 3 | Yes | There wasn’t much in the book. Pretty disappointing. | |
| 2.023 | Jurassic Park | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 9.9 | Yes | Sci-Fi | It’s so good. Character development in the novel gives you so much more than a movie can offer |
| 2.023 | Kingdom of Prep (J Crew) | Business | Bullock | 8.4 | Yes | Investing/Business | Incredible nostalgia and business history. J Crew has a murderer’s row of alumni. The eras are fascinating. And great insight on the industry |
| 2.021 | Kitchen Confidential | Life | Bourdain | 10 | Yes | Writers | Incredibly raw and effective writing. That’s how you tell stories |
| 2.019 | Lake Success | Fiction | Shteyngart | 3.2 | Yes | Over-the-top novel that captures a finance person. | |
| 2.020 | Last Train to Paradise (Flagler) | Business | Standiford | 8.3 | Yes | Investing/Business | Recommended by Wes Edens on a random conference call. Incredible story and detail on Henry Flagler (the OTHER Standard Oil guy) |
| 2.020 | Laughing at Wall Street | Business | Camillo | 1 | Yes | I did not laugh. I did not learn. | |
| 2.021 | Leonardo da Vinci | Business | Isaacson | 9 | Yes | Life | Italy in the 1400s was a wild place. The undertones of that era are notable. Da Vinci is a 1 of 1 and a true polymath. This one stuck with me. |
| 2.007 | Less Than Zero | Fiction | Easton Ellis | 8.8 | Yes | Read in college. Admittedly messed up story but man Easton Ellis had some demons | |
| 2.022 | Lessons from Titans | Business | Davis | 7 | Yes | Great case study book for industrials and cyclicals | |
| 2.019 | Lessons of History | History | Durant | 7 | In Progress | I should really dedicate time to reading this with focus | |
| 2.020 | Let My People Go Surfing | Business | Chouinard | 6.8 | Yes | Investing/Business | A worthy read for everyone |
| 2.017 | Letters to My Son | Life | Nerburn | 5.1 | Yes | I need to revisit this one. Read it years before being a parent | |
| 2.010 | Liar’s Poker | Business | Lewis | 8 | Yes | Investing | Classic. I know Lewis said he did not expect this to shine a spotlight and attract talent, but that feels obvious |
| 2.020 | Life of Elbert H Gary | Business | Gary | 0 | Not Started | Old book sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. | |
| 2.022 | Life on the Line | Business | Achatz / Kokonas | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | If you enjoy the anxiety of The Bear, you will get it here. You will also get an incredible story of humans redefining things. |
| 2.021 | Liftoff (Space X) | Business | Vance | 7 | Yes | Investing/Business | Harsh reality of “what it takes” for capital intensive greatness |
| 2.023 | Lincoln Highway | Fiction | Towles | 6 | Yes | Least favorite of the Towles books but that’s a high bar. I like authors who have a throughline of characters. Also brilliant idea for finding opportunistic areas by tracing population growth. | |
| 2.017 | Little Book That Beats the Market | Business | Greenblatt | 8.5 | Yes | Investing | Every investor should read for foundational education |
| 2.026 | Little Heaven | Fiction | Cutter | 6 | Yes | Hybrid of thriller and horror. The supernatural elements were grounded with vivid writing. Gripping storyline that was slow in spots but overall enjoyable. | |
| 2.022 | Live from New York | Business | Miller | 6 | Yes | Media | SNL history is great. I did get bored given the crazy length |
| 2.022 | LL Bean American Icon | Business | Gorman | 5 | In Progress | Interesting history. I put it down as I lost momentum. | |
| 2.022 | LL Bean The Man and His Company | Business | Witherel | 0 | In Progress | Need to start this one. | |
| 2.000 | Loose Balls | Sports | Williams | 5.2 | Yes | There is a reality with this book. The stories about basketball are wildly entertaining – Williams shooting/killing his limo driver was a terrible tragedy/event. | |
| 2.020 | Lords of the Realm | Business | Heylar | 8.5 | Yes | It’s a tomb and textbook like. But damn will you learn alot about unions and sports leagues. | |
| 2.017 | Losing My Virginity | Business | Branson | 6 | Yes | Entertaining and gives you an idea of how billionaires are different | |
| 2.018 | Luxury Strategy | Business | Bastien | 7.7 | Yes | Investing/Business | Reads like a textbook but very good distinction on something previously hard to define. Luxury vs premium |
| 2.025 | Madhouse at the End of the Earth | History | Sancton | 6 | Yes | Good shipwreck and survival story. | |
| 2.024 | Madly Deeply | Life | Rickman | 8 | Yes | I wouldn’t recommend this to many because it’s a scratchy journal. But boy do I love this style of book. Rickman was a fascinating person and some great human insights here. | |
| 2.023 | Make Noise | Business | Nuzum | 7.6 | Yes | Media | Great for podcasters that want to add more science. |
| 2.020 | Making of Prince of Persia | Business | Mechner | 9 | Yes | I might not recommend it to everyone but this captured the brain of a creator so well. | |
| 2.020 | Man’s Search for Meaning | Life | Frankl | 8 | Yes | Life | Foundational reading on the importance of living for more than yourself. Not a comfortable read. |
| 2.009 | Margin of Safety | Business | Klarman | 4 | Yes | Opened interesting but I found this one and it’s scarcity to be more steak than sizzle. | |
| 2.016 | Master Algorithm | Life | Domingos | 1 | No | It lost me, can’t remember it well | |
| 2.021 | Master and His Emissary | Life | McGilchrist | 0 | Not Started | This book stares at me | |
| 2.023 | Masterpiece in Progress | Life | Delaney | 5 | No | I think this would be valuable to many people. Didn’t click for me but that might be on me. | |
| 2.023 | Masters of Doom | Business | Kushner | 5 | No | I need to finish it. Something always sidetracked me. Fascinating history of video games | |
| 2.023 | MCU Reign of Marvel | Business | Robinson | 8.1 | Yes | Media | Great case study on Marvel. Kevin Feige goes down in history. IP requires great people. |
| 2.020 | Meat Market | Sports | Sandow | 8.2 | Yes | Sports | The NIL rules make this book about a different time. But great insight into the wild world of SEC football and recruiting. |
| 2.021 | Medium Raw | Life | Bourdain | 6 | Yes | Doesn’t hold a candle to Kitchen Confidential, but Bourdain can write | |
| 2.024 | Men and Style | Life | Coggins | 4 | No | Easy to read | |
| 2.021 | Midrange Theory | Sports | Partnow | 2 | No | Love Seth but couldn’t stick with this one | |
| 2.023 | Mindbody Prescription | Life | Sarno | 6 | Yes | Interesting theories but I never did my own work to see how science does or does not validate | |
| 2.024 | Money Games (Korea Deal) | Business | Shan | 7.5 | In Progress | Investing | Great insider look at a big time transaction. Bonderman featured heavily. It gives me PTSD reading about the negotiations and I never touched anything with this level of government complexity. |
| 2.024 | Money Masters of Our Time | Business | Train | 8 | Yes | Investing | The various personalities of the profiled (great) investors are all fascinating. |
| 2.012 | Moneyball | Sports | Lewis | 9 | Yes | What feels cliche now was not the case when this was released. There are opportunities on the margins everywhere. Baseball is a sport where one team is crowned champion, life has many winners and is not zero sum | |
| 2.026 | Mountain Man | Sci-Fi | |||||
| 2.024 | Mr. Classic | Life | Unknown | 5 | Yes | Coffee Table Book with some over-the-top gentleman stuff in there | |
| 2.023 | Musk | Business | Isaacson | 0 | Not Started | Isaacsons podcast circuit after writing the book put this on the back burner. | |
| 2.020 | MVP Machine | Sports | Lindbergh | 8.6 | Yes | Investing/Business | VERY interesting approach to breaking through athletic limitations. Makes me think of where else this could be applied. |
| 2.026 | Neuromancer | Non-Fiction | Gibson | 9 | Yes | I am in awe of him writing this in the 1980s. Such a unique writing style – grungy but world creating. It held up incredibly well reading it 40 years later. | |
| 2.020 | Never Eat Alone | Life | Ferrazzi | 1 | Yes | Recommended to me, it didn’t click | |
| 2.020 | Never Split the Difference | Business | Voss | 5.5 | Yes | Investing/Business | Good negotiation book. I might be contrarian for contrarian’s sake not ranking it higher, but it’s firmly in the “good” category for me. I am a believer negotiation is a muscle, which gets trained with repetition, and those that negotiate a lot, win more often. Yes “negotiate a lot” can mean within a single negotiation. |
| 2.023 | Next | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 4 | Yes | Right down the fairway Crichton | |
| 2.025 | Nexus | Sci-Fi | Naam | 6 | Yes | I was intrigued by the concept “drug that links mind to mind”. The techno-thriller style started strong. But it became a bit “traditional story” after that strong start. | |
| 2.025 | Night Fall (Book 3) | Fiction | Demille | 4.5 | Yes | Solid beach read. John Corey is a legend. | |
| 2.017 | Ninety Percent of Everything | Business | George | 5 | Yes | Pairs with the Box. Didn’t stick with me | |
| 2.020 | No Bull | Business | Steinhardt | 1 | Yes | Major letdown. That’s okay. | |
| 2.025 | No Country for Old Men | Fiction | McCarthy | 9.3 | Yes | Insanely good, deep, dark. Unique in spots relative to the movie. There is a special class of books where great writers are essentially writing screenplays (see: Jurassic Park). | |
| 2.020 | Nobody Wants to Read Your Shit | Business | Pressfield | 9.2 | Yes | Writers | My favorite book on writing. Something worthy of re-reading. |
| 2.015 | Not a Game (Iverson) | Sports | Babb | 3 | Yes | Love Iverson. I learned a bit | |
| 2.022 | Novelist as a Vocation | Business | Murakami | 7 | Yes | I came for some thoughts on writing but Murakami’s own story took the show | |
| 2.025 | Nowhere Man (Book 2) | Fiction | Hurwitz | 5 | Yes | Good but you know the drill at this point. | |
| 2.026 | NPC | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 8 | Yes | Great thriller that hits on a symbolic topic. | |
| 2.024 | Nuclear War | Science | Jacobsen | 7 | Yes | Harsh reality of nuclear threat. | |
| 2.021 | Of Wolves and Man | Life | Lopez | 0 | No | Didn’t get far enough | |
| 2.018 | On Garden Style | Life | Williams | 9.5 | Yes | Life | Laugh at me here. I always loved gardens and good landscaping but it took Bunny Williams to explain the design in simple ways. Very simple. Great coffee table book. |
| 2.021 | On Writing | Life | King | 5 | Yes | Not my favorite book on writing. Read it when I was younger, it stuck more the second time | |
| 2.025 | One Second After | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 9.1 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Great way to learn about EMPs in a realistic portrayal. |
| 2.020 | One Summer | History | Bryson | 0 | Not Started | I should read more Bryson | |
| 2.025 | One Year After | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 6 | Yes | Good follow-up to the first book. | |
| 2.021 | Only the Paranoid Survive | Business | Grove | 0 | Not Started | I should probably read this one | |
| 2.017 | Onward (Starbucks) | Business | Schultz | 2 | Yes | I learned some good history on Starbucks. Didn’t enjoy the rest. | |
| 2.020 | Open Agassi | Sports | Agassi | 7 | Yes | Raw and hopefully honest. A good “this is what it takes” story. | |
| 2.025 | Orphan X | Fiction | Hurwitz | 6 | Yes | Thrilling in a Jack Reacher/Gray Man way. | |
| 2.023 | Outlive | Life | Attia | 5.5 | Yes | Good read but if you know Attia, you will know a good portion. (Editing update: I did not fully know Attia with that comment) | |
| 2.019 | Path of Least Resistance | Life | Fritz | 7 | Yes | Life | Good book for the right time in life. Eliminate the hidden obstacles that are stopping you. |
| 2.023 | Path to Paradise (Coppola) | History | Wasson | 1.7 | No | I thought the documentary was easier to consume. | |
| 2.023 | Pathless Path | Life | Millerd | 5 | Yes | Useful for the right person at the right point in their life. | |
| 2.023 | Picasso’s War | History | Eakin | 6 | No | I couldn’t finish but man is art a fascinating industry. Good insight here. | |
| 2.023 | Pieces of the Action | History | Bush | 0 | Not Started | I haven’t gotten to it but am very intrigued | |
| 2.025 | Pines | Sci-Fi | Crouch | 6 | Yes | Page-turner and good mystery. It drags a bit but the mystery keeps you going. | |
| 2.025 | Playworld | Fiction | Ross | 4 | In Progress | I like the Manhattan era it captured through the eyes of a teenager, but I faded midway. I will revisit in the future | |
| 2.025 | Plum Island (Book 1) | Fiction | Demille | 6.2 | Yes | I’m partial to The Gold Coast, but Demille captures coastal town vibes insanely well. | |
| 2.025 | Point Nemo | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 7 | Yes | Fun and gripping storyline around extraterrestrial invasion. I learned some things about mushrooms! | |
| 2.026 | Point Nemo | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 5.3 | Yes | Reminded me of Annihilation but more playful. | |
| 2.017 | Poor Charlies Almanac | Business | Munger | 7 | Yes | If you don’t know Munger, it’s a good read. | |
| 2.022 | Power of Story | Life | Loehr | 8 | Yes | Life | I read this at the right time. Energy > Time was a major epiphany. |
| 2.020 | Pre | Sports | Jordan | 6.3 | Yes | Pre was a legend. Inspirational for anyone and everyone | |
| 2.020 | Predators Ball | Business | Bruck | 9.3 | Yes | Incredible book. Crazy to think how Milken was atop the world. The LBO era was truly wild. | |
| 2.024 | Prelude to Foundation | Sci-Fi | Isaac A | 0 | Not Started | Not sure I will ever get there | |
| 2.023 | Prey | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 5.3 | Yes | Read this while my wife delivered our second baby (days before and after). Very weird thing to read at that moment! | |
| 2.021 | Private Empire Exxon Mobil | Business | Coll | 0 | Not Started | I will read it some day | |
| 2.020 | Project Hail Mary | Sci-Fi | Weir | 9 | Yes | Audiobook is pure entertainment | |
| 2.020 | Psychology of Money | Business | Housel | 7 | Yes | Personal Finance | I will give this to my kids to read when they are ready for financial education. Everyone can take something away from it. |
| 2.022 | Quality of Earnings | Business | McKinsey | 0 | Not Started | Glaring hole in my reading | |
| 2.022 | Ralph Lauren Man Behind the Mystique | Business | Trachtenberg | 8.1 | Yes | Good snapshot in time. RL was not always a success. Fragrance saved him. The man never stopped. Impressive | |
| 2.020 | Range | Life | Epstein | 5.1 | Yes | Torn on this book. I agree with the premise but it feels very open-ended. | |
| 2.019 | Rational Optimist | Life | Ridley | 1 | No | Didn’t click | |
| 2.023 | Ready Player One | Sci-Fi | Cline | 7 | Yes | Great book for introductory sci-fi. A bit more spicy than I expected with the social commentary | |
| 2.023 | Rebel Without a Crew | Business | Rodriguez | 8.9 | Yes | Investing/Business | Inspiration for any startup founder. Rodriguez knew how to do it. Great tale of a past time. |
| 2.023 | Recursion | Sci-Fi | Crouch | 6 | Yes | A step down from his other books, but fun in a Limitless way. | |
| 2.020 | Red Notice | Business | Browder | 4 | Yes | Entertaining but I don’t have the same affinity others do. | |
| 2.023 | Reflections on Art of Living | Life | Campbell | 0 | Not Started | Not sure when it will be the time. I am tired the genre at the moment. | |
| 2.026 | Relic | Fiction | Preston and Childs | 8 | Yes | Very fun. Similar to Chrichton, the movie does the book no justice. | |
| 2.026 | Reliquary | Fiction | Preston and Childs | 4 | Yes | Couldn’t hold a candle to Relic, a good effort though. | |
| 2.023 | Reverence for Wood | History | Sloane | 8 | Yes | Woodworking but valuable to understand wood…if you are into knowing weird things | |
| 2.021 | Ride of a Lifetime | Business | Iger | 3.5 | Yes | Some interesting history on Iger and his struggle to the top. Second half weaker than first | |
| 2.016 | River of Doubt | History | Millard | 10 | Yes | Life | Incredible writing. Incredible story |
| 2.023 | River of Gods | History | Millard | 0 | In Progress | Need to revisit, forgot when I put this down. | |
| 2.007 | Rules of Attraction | Fiction | Easton Ellis | 7 | Yes | Another college read. Enjoyed it at the time. | |
| 2.023 | Rules of Civility | Fiction | Towles | 8 | Yes | My favorite of Towles books mostly due to its NYC focus. I can’t believe he was in the investment business before writing novels. | |
| 2.022 | Running with a Purpose (Brooks Running) | Sports | Weber | 4.8 | Yes | Good not great business book. A bit vanilla and high-level. | |
| 2.020 | Running with the Buffaloes | Sports | Lear | 7 | Yes | Sports | Season on the Brink style that teaches you a lot about running |
| 2.016 | Sailing Alone around the World | Life | Slocum | 0 | No | I started it but put it down quickly. Saving for retirement. | |
| 2.016 | Sapiens | Life | Harari | 8 | Yes | It’s cool to hate on this book. It introduced some concepts which made me think deeply – what is real versus what is an accepted concept amongst people. The author was slanted on a lot, but I still found it a pleasure to read. | |
| 2.026 | Savage Son | Fiction | Carr | 7 | Yes | Jack Carr is a damn good writer. | |
| 2.026 | Savages | Fiction | Winslow | 2.5 | Yes | Really rough read for me. The attempt to capture the young beach-grown entrepreneurial mentality just felt off. | |
| 2.023 | Scaling People | Business | Hughes Johnson | 7 | No | Good foundational resource for managing people. Find your own style but use this as a proxy. | |
| 2.017 | Scar Tissue | Life | Kiedis | 8 | Yes | Over-the-top biography of a rockstar. Good to read in college | |
| 2.024 | Science of Storytelling | Life | Will | 0 | No | Started but can’t remember it | |
| 2.024 | Service Model (Tchaikovsky) | Sci-Fi | Tchaikovsky | 3 | No | Couldn’t get into it | |
| 2.015 | Seven Seconds or Less | Sports | McCallum | 5 | Yes | Funny to look back at this one. A fun team | |
| 2.016 | Shoe Dog | Business | Knight | 7.1 | Yes | Entertaining. A bit eye-opening in how founders break the rules | |
| 2.022 | Shop as a Soulcraft | Business | Crawford | 2 | No | I couldn’t stick with it. | |
| 2.024 | Shopkeeping | Life | Miller | 6 | Yes | Nice book to have on the table/desk | |
| 2.019 | Short History of Nearly Everything | History | Bryson | 5 | No | Gave up but not sure why | |
| 2.021 | Singularity is Near | Life | Kurzweil | 0 | In Progress | I should revisit | |
| 2.019 | Six Easy Pieces | Science | Feynman | 0 | No | I haven’t read enough Feynman. | |
| 2.020 | Sixth Man | Sports | Iguodala | 2 | Yes | I enjoy Iguodala but I was hoping to solve why he is so mysterious. I didn’t get much | |
| 2.018 | Skin in the Game | Business | Taleb | 3.7 | No | Again, simple concept that did not require a book | |
| 2.021 | Snow Crash | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 8 | Yes | Took me a while – Stephenson is not one for brevity – but crazy how he sees the future | |
| 2.015 | Snowball | Business | Schroeder | 0 | In Progress | I am embarrassed I have not finished this book. | |
| 2.020 | Social Chemistry | Life | King | 5 | Yes | Interesting but it didn’t stick with me | |
| 2.023 | Sphere | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 8 | Yes | I saw the movie first which was admittedly awful. Don’t let it stop you from this one. | |
| 2.019 | Start-up Nation (Israel) | Business | Singer | 0 | Not Started | I am fascinated by Israel startups, yet I can’t find myself time to read it. That’s on me | |
| 2.023 | State of Fear | Fiction | Crichton | 8.7 | Yes | Well written novel to prove the complexity of scientific arguments and the reality of money behind the scenes | |
| 2.023 | Station Eleven | Sci-Fi | St. John Mandel | 7 | Yes | More philosophical than sci-fi. Good characters and storyline | |
| 2.022 | Status and Culture | Life | Marx | 9.4 | Yes | Modern take on status which effectively separates timeless vs cyclical things | |
| 2.024 | Stories of Your Life and Others | Sci-Fi | Chiang | 8 | Yes | Some really thought-provoking stories. More philosophical than science for me. | |
| 2.020 | String Theory | Sports | Foster Wallace | 0 | Not Started | I pick it up but never take the plunge | |
| 2.017 | Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fk | Life | Manson | 5 | Yes | I think many people would benefit from reading | |
| 2.022 | Super Founders | Business | Tamaseb | 5 | Yes | Insights can be boiled down into a blog post, but it’s interesting. Basically “most conventional wisdom about founders is nonsense and not proven out by data” | |
| 2.020 | Super Pumped | Business | Isaac | 6 | Yes | Entertaining but feels heavily biased by certain sources. The less you know about Uber history is likely better. | |
| 2.016 | Superforecasting | Business | Tetlock | 5.1 | Yes | Very hyped book. Takeaways were not surprising to me? | |
| 2.020 | Superthinking | Life | Weinberg | 1.5 | Yes | Another mental models book | |
| 2.024 | Table for Two | Fiction | Towles | 0 | In Progress | Love Amor Towles so saving this one | |
| 2.020 | Tanking to the Top | Sports | Weitzman | 7 | Yes | Good insights on The Process | |
| 2.023 | Tender Bar | Life | Moehringer | 4 | No | The ghost writer of your favorite memoirs (e.g. Shoe Dog). I couldn’t stick with it. | |
| 2.025 | Tender is the Flesh | Horror | Bazterrica | 8.8 | Yes | Don’t judge me for the rating. I wouldn’t recommend reading this unless you enjoy very dark stories. I’d love to know what goes on inside this author’s brain because this was as disturbing as it gets. | |
| 2.023 | Terminal List | Fiction | Carr | 8 | Yes | Very entertaining and fun read | |
| 2.024 | Terminal Man | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 5.2 | Yes | Solid Crichton | |
| 2.024 | Termination Shock (Stephenson) | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 0 | Not Started | Every Stephenson novel is a commitment | |
| 2.026 | The 6:20 Man | Fiction | Baldacci | 3.5 | Yes | Perfectly fine beach read. Maybe no one has figured out the financial analyst thriller yet for a reason. | |
| 2.024 | The Act of Creation | Life | Rubin | 6.8 | Yes | Good book for the desk. Inspiration. | |
| 2.015 | The Art of a Beautiful Game | Sports | Ballard | 6.3 | Yes | Enjoyed this one. | |
| 2.022 | The Beach | Fiction | Garland | 8.4 | Yes | I actually liked the movie which most people hate but truly shaped my life. There is no paradise without an agreeable community. Pain and sacrifice are required in life. | |
| 2.024 | The Believer | Life | Coggins | 8.8 | Yes | Great book regardless of whether you care about fly fishing. | |
| 2.023 | The Big Picture | Business | Fritz | 6 | Yes | Good details on the Sony hack and shift of power away from actors / the death of monoculture. | |
| 2.023 | The Big Score | Business | Malone | 0 | Not Started | Something I will read some day | |
| 2.024 | The Blade Itself | Sci-Fi | Abercrombie | 0 | Not Started | On the shelf for a future day | |
| 2.010 | The Book of Basketball | Sports | Simmons | 7 | Yes | If you are a basketball freak, this is great. If you’re not, you need to be crazy to read it | |
| 2.022 | The Boron Letters | Business | Halbert | 4.5 | Yes | Found the author insufferable. Yes, there are valuable insights but most border low-integrity sales process. | |
| 2.017 | The Box | Business | Levinson | 7.6 | Yes | Investing/Business | It will open your eyes about what shipping did for the world. Poor Malcom Mclean walking away with so little. Also, standardization increases market TAM!!! |
| 2.015 | The Breaks of the Game | Sports | Halberstram | 5 | Yes | Good not iconic for me | |
| 2.026 | The Cartel | Non-Fiction | Winslow | 9 | Yes | Building on the first part of the series and even more intense. I am sure there are inaccuracies but it feels like it captures the brutality properly | |
| 2.017 | The Decision Book 50 Models | Life | Krogerus | 1 | No | Another model book, if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. | |
| 2.024 | The Diamond Age | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 7 | Yes | Thought-provoking framing of LLM era | |
| 2.016 | The Domino Effect | Business | Braziel | 8 | Yes | Energy | One of the better books on oil and gas |
| 2.026 | The Fifth to Die | Fiction | Barker | 6 | Yes | Might be the weakest of the three but still a page turner. | |
| 2.025 | The Final Day | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 4 | Yes | While stretching towards repetition, still thought-provoking about lingering problems that would exist. | |
| 2.021 | The Founders | Business | Soni | 0 | In Progress | I like to pick this up and read through it from time to time. I should probably dedicate a sit down. | |
| 2.026 | The Fourth Monkey | Fiction | Barker | 7 | Yes | Thriller mystery that I enjoyed enough to read the trilogy. | |
| 2.019 | The Frackers | Business | Zuckerman | 8.2 | Yes | Energy | Oil and gas is a rare mix of really advanced science, really crazy personalities, and really serious implications. I thought this was a pretty darn good history lesson on the US shale evolution. Honestly, we take for granted what freedom that has given us. While investors may look at all of the capital that was destroyed, it got us really valuable independence. Is it so bad that Main Street won at the expense of Wall Street? |
| 2.023 | The Freaks Came out to Write (Village Voice) | History | Romano | 7.3 | Yes | Great history of a media business with tons of perspective. | |
| 2.005 | The Game | Life | Strauss | 0 | Yes | I was a freshman in college. I am sure this didn’t age well. The sleep training was something I will always remember. | |
| 2.024 | The Goal | Business | Goldratt | 7.4 | Yes | Investing/Business | It’s good foundational stuff for operations. A bit childish in the method it’s delivered? |
| 2.024 | The Gold Coast | Fiction | DeMille | 9.1 | Yes | Writers | Fun and easy read. Nothing groundbreaking but entertaining characters and social conversation |
| 2.021 | The Great A&P | Business | Levinson | 0 | Not Started | Popped open a few times but never got the urge to read. Will eventually | |
| 2.020 | The Hard Thing About Hard Things | Business | Horowitz | 8.3 | Yes | Investing/Business | Raw and honest read about business culture |
| 2.017 | The Jordan Rules | Sports | Smith | 9.3 | Yes | Sports | Consider a world where Jordan was years into career and not considered a winner. This book is great for opening your mind on how narratives change |
| 2.025 | The Lions Game (Book 2) | Fiction | Demille | 5 | Yes | Solid beach read. John Corey evolves from man to legend. | |
| 2.024 | The Lost World | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 6 | Yes | A fun follow-up to Jurassic Park but not much new | |
| 2.020 | The Man Who Solved The Market (Simons) | Business | Zuckerman | 2.5 | Yes | I was hoping for so much more. If anything, I walked away with more skepticism and questions than I had before | |
| 2.020 | The Money Game | Business | Smith | 7.9 | Yes | Investing | Amazing how this still feels as valuable today |
| 2.023 | The Odyssey | History | Homer | 0 | Not Started | Downloaded audio book which seems like the right approach. | |
| 2.020 | The Operator | Business | King | 9 | Yes | Investing/Business | Heard Rich Paul had this as his bible. Geffen was a bad mf’er. Author lost access to him while writing book which made me want to read it even more. |
| 2.023 | The Optimist | Life | Coggins | 9 | Yes | Life | Great book regardless of whether you care about fly fishing. |
| 2.021 | The Order of Time | Life | Rovelli | 6 | Yes | I probably need to dedicate more time to Rovelli. Hard to read without a clear mind | |
| 2.016 | The Outsiders | Business | Thorndike | 7.8 | Yes | Investing | Great case studies. I think more idiosyncratic takeaways but it can open up your eyes to capital allocation. |
| 2.020 | The Perfect Mile | Sports | Bascomb | 7.1 | Yes | Sports | We only remember Bannister. Incredible that he was in med school!!! |
| 2.024 | The Power Broker | Business | Caro | 9 | In Progress | Investing/Business | I haven’t even finished but believe this is the best book on power. Caro seemed to skate on thin ice at many periods of his life. In some ways, it seems like luck. |
| 2.024 | The Power of Fastenol People | Business | Kierlen | 7.9 | Yes | Investing/Business | Simple yet excellent book on business and culture. |
| 2.026 | The Power of the Dog | Non-Fiction | Winslow | 8.4 | Yes | First of three part series on Mexico/US drug trade – feels similar to The Wire in how it is captured. | |
| 2.015 | The Prize | History | Yergin | 6 | Yes | Energy | Read this before joining Energy Credit role. It’s a tomb with the history of oil and gas. It’s a big book and is good for history and context. I can’t say it was that meaningful to me for investing purposes. |
| 2.012 | The Real Estate Game | Business | Poorvu | 7 | Yes | Investing | I was told this was “the book” for real estate investors. It won’t knock your socks off but good foundational material. And I did buy a real estate investment shortly after…and it worked well! |
| 2.025 | The Revolt of The Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium | Business | Gurri | 8.4 | Yes | Media | Predicted the evolution of media and the power shifting towards individuals. The most unique insights were around “swarms” attacking issues and the importance of authenticity. Also how takedowns/cancellations are easy but not the alternatives. |
| 2.022 | The Road | Fiction | McCarthy | 8 | Yes | Some deep stuff. | |
| 2.020 | The Road Ahead | Business | Gates | 0 | Not Started | I will read Gates books someday | |
| 2.021 | The Score Takes Care of Itself | Sports | Walsh | 5 | Yes | Very hyped book before I read it. It felt a bit surface level. Maybe I am missing it! | |
| 2.026 | The Secret of Secrets | Fiction | Brown | 6 | No | I’m 75% through but straining to finish. I like the concept. The cliffhangers get tiresome. | |
| 2.020 | The Shipping Man | Business | McCleery | 6 | Yes | Hilarious fiction that is 100% reality for people in shipping | |
| 2.026 | The Sixth Wicked Child | Fiction | Barker | 7 | Yes | 4MK is quite the villain. | |
| 2.024 | The Snakehead | History | Radden Keefe | 7.4 | No | Very interesting history on the Chinese US evolution. | |
| 2.020 | The Startup | Business | Kaplan | 9.8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Excellent history of a business from start to finish. It captures the hysteria of markets. Great stories with Gates and Bill Campbell. Old IBM. And Apple post Gates. |
| 2.023 | The Status Game | Life | Storr | 4 | Yes | I read Marx Status and Culture first and preferred that one. Many overlapping concepts. | |
| 2.023 | The Stranger in the Woods | History | Finkel | 8.6 | Yes | My inner-skeptic was thinking “how can this be a true story?!”. It is. Imagine someone being able to stay off-the-grid for that long. | |
| 2.026 | The Troop | Fiction | Cutter | 8.3 | Yes | Intense version of Lord of the Flies. Not overly supernatural. Really dark but if you can deal with horror, recommended. | |
| 2.021 | The Upside of Stress | Life | McGonigal | 7 | Yes | Life | It partially reframed my view on stress. It’s not a magic pill that makes anxiety a good thing, but you have greater appreciation for the energy. |
| 2.023 | The Wager | History | Grann | 8 | Yes | Great shipwreck writing | |
| 2.024 | The Work of Art | Life | Moss | 7 | Yes | Good coffee table book. Good for inspiration. | |
| 2.024 | The World for Sale | Business | Blas | 8.5 | Yes | Investing/Business | GREAT history on the commodities trading houses. |
| 2.026 | There is No Antimemetics Division | Sci-Fi | qntm | 8.3 | Yes | Dense and intense. This felt very new and fresh,. | |
| 2.019 | Think and Grow Rich | Business | Hill | 1 | Yes | I thought I was taking crazy pills when reading this book. Then I looked into Napoleon Hill. | |
| 2.017 | Thinking Fast and Slow | Life | Kahneman | 4.1 | Yes | Very hyped before reading. I still love Kahneman | |
| 2.020 | Thinking in Bets | Business | Duke | 5 | Yes | I would have liked to have read this when younger. | |
| 2.022 | Those Guys Have All The Fun | Business | Miller | 8 | Yes | ESPN history is crazy with the lack of long-term founder. | |
| 2.023 | Three Body Problem | Sci-Fi | Liu | 3 | No | This taught me my American brain had a hard time tracking international names. | |
| 2.021 | Three Ring Circus (Lakers) | Sports | Pearlman | 7 | Yes | Good perspective on Kobe the teammate. | |
| 2.020 | Tiger Woods | Sports | Benedict | 9 | Yes | Sports | Holy moly Tiger had an interesting life |
| 2.020 | Timeless: Classic American Architecture | Life | Ahern | 7.9 | Yes | Surprising insights from an architect and amazing coffee table book. But his look is what I love. | |
| 2.023 | Timeline | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 4 | Yes | I didn’t get hooked despite it having the makings of a great Crichton story. Others may enjoy it more than me | |
| 2.022 | TinderBox | Business | Miller | 8 | Yes | Media | HBO is a great case study for media |
| 2.019 | Titan | Business | Rockefeller | 8.2 | Yes | Investing/Business | It’s long and took me a long time (several revisits rather than one straight read). There is a lot to learn about JDR and you will see how he has influenced many after him. |
| 2.022 | To Catch and Kill | Business | Farrow | 6 | Yes | I asked myself “Do I want to be reading this?” throughout the book. Good documentation of bad people. | |
| 2.015 | Toughness | Sports | Bilas | 1 | Yes | I respect and admire Jay Bilas, but this book didn’t click. | |
| 2.020 | Tribe | Life | Junger | 5 | Yes | Good book on the importance of people. | |
| 2.017 | Tribe of Mentors | Life | Ferris | 5 | Yes | Good tableside book for ideas | |
| 2.020 | Trillion Dollar Coach | Business | Schmidt | 2.2 | No | Felt like the Campbell stories in The Startup really captured him well | |
| 2.020 | Underdogs | Sports | Berman | 7 | Yes | Only for Eagles fans. Love ZB | |
| 2.017 | Undoing Project | Life | Lewis | 8 | Yes | Lewis can write. Two incredible subjects. Great perspective on economic theory. | |
| 2.023 | Unreasonable Hospitality | Business | Guidara | 6 | Yes | Others love this one. I definitely enjoyed certain pieces but felt it overlapped with Danny Meyer’s book | |
| 2.023 | Victory Machine | Sports | Strauss | 5 | Yes | Good behind the scenes of the Warriors dynasty. I think I would have enjoyed reading this 10 years later – being so close to the event felt redundant which hurt the score. | |
| 2.023 | Visual Display of Quantitative Information | Business | Tufte | 9.8 | Yes | Investing | Everyone would benefit from reading this and thinking about how they present data. Great book to keep on your desk. I laugh remembering my wife finding me reading this bed. Good presentation is not easy but can be so powerful to communicate information. |
| 2.020 | Vulture Investors | Business | Rosenberg | 5 | No | When I read this it felt very dated, but maybe viewing it as history of a different era would change my opinion | |
| 2.020 | Wait Till Next Year | Sports | Goldman | 5 | Yes | Fun and entertaining for any fan. I am sure you’d enjoy it more as a Mets fan. | |
| 2.023 | Walk in the Woods | Life | Bryson | 6 | In Progress | Hilariously entertaining | |
| 2.023 | War of Art | Business | Pressfield | 5 | Yes | Good Pressfield | |
| 2.022 | Warrior’s Creed | History | Sparks | 2.5 | Yes | Author is choppy but I’d expect military folks would enjoy this one | |
| 2.025 | Wayward Pines (Part 2) | Sci-Fi | Crouch | 3.5 | Yes | Less of a page-turner but still entertaining. I couldn’t suspend disbelief as long in this one. | |
| 2.023 | We Are Legion (We are Bob) | Sci-Fi | Taylor | 3.9 | Yes | Solid but didn’t hook me | |
| 2.018 | What I learned Losing a Million Dollars | Business | Moynihan | 1 | Yes | Felt like the author just wanted to make some money with a mediocre story | |
| 2.023 | What Makes Sammy Run | Business | Schulberg | 7 | Yes | Media | All encompassing fictional business story that captures life pretty well |
| 2.021 | What Technology Wants | Business | Gates | 0 | Not Started | Look forward to reading old Gates books someday | |
| 2.020 | What You Do is Who You Are | Business | Horowitz | 3 | Yes | High expectations after The Hard Thing About Hard Things may have weighed on my experience | |
| 2.023 | What’s Our Problem | Life | Urban | 0 | Not Started | Pre-ordered but never read. I enjoy Urban | |
| 2.010 | When Genius Failed | Business | Lowenstein | 7 | Yes | Investing | Great foundational book for investors. |
| 2.023 | When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead | Business | Weintraub | 5 | Yes | Entertaining but not much stuck with me | |
| 2.022 | When Pride Still Mattered (Lombardi) | Sports | Maraniss | 5.1 | Yes | A bit slow but another person who broke out after years of operating in the system. | |
| 2.019 | When the Nines Roll Over | Fiction | Benioff | 2 | No | I need to revisit | |
| 2.020 | Where the Money Was | Business | Sutton | 6.5 | Yes | Hilarious book. Impressive bank robbery details. | |
| 2.023 | Who is Michael Ovitz | Business | Ovitz | 7 | Yes | Media | Some unintentional comedy but the perceptive reader will learn a lot about the industry and the evolution |
| 2.020 | Why We Sleep | Life | Walker | 5 | Yes | Another interesting health book but I never traced the science. | |
| 2.020 | Winner Within | Sports | Reilly | 1 | No | I don’t know what Pat Reilly was going for…but no | |
| 2.020 | Working | Life | Caro | 6 | Yes | Caro is a curious cat. I admire him. | |
| 2.023 | World Travel | Life | Bourdain | 0 | Not Started | One day | |
| 2.024 | World War Z | Sci-Fi | Brooks | 8.9 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Loved the format. The rich prepper that invited influencers sticks with me. |
| 2.017 | Writing That Works | Business | Roman and Raphaelson | 9.9 | Yes | Investing | Ogilvy recommended it and it’s a must read for anyone with a corporate role (or any professional communication). I should re-read this often. I am as guilty as anyone and letting these lessons slip my mind but damn is it effective when you stick to these principles.. |
| 2.017 | You Can Be a Stock Market Genius | Business | Greenblatt | 8 | Yes | Investing | Book is good for an investor’s foundational education |
| 2.024 | You Don’t Know Jack or Jerry | Business | Babcock | 9.5 | Yes | Investing/Business | One of the best detailed accounts on building a software business that REALLY stood the test of time. Despite spanning decades, and skipping from year to year, you can still feel the ups and downs in this one. |
| 2.023 | Your Table is Ready | Business | Cecchi Azzolina | 8 | Yes | Excellent for NYC people. It’s over the top but captures the life of “front-of-house” restaurant folks pretty well | |
| 2.016 | Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance | Life | Pirsig | 9.1 | Yes | Life | Hardest thing I’ve read become of density. I really had to take my time. A special piece of writing. |
| 2.025 | Zero Day | Sci-Fi | Heller | 4 | Yes | I was intrigued by the cybersecurity angle. It was fine, but didn’t hook me. | |
| 2.022 | Zero to One | Business | Thiel | 7.3 | Yes | Investing/Business | Foundational reading for any entrepreneur with major aspirations. |
