My reading list, rankings, and comments are in the table below.
This is a personal ranking system based on:
- entertainment
- education
- inspiration
- my memories when reading the book.
I am not judgmental about reading. I don’t finish every book I start. I read physical books and listen to audiobooks and consider both “reading”.
I also included some purchased but unread books. Why? I think it’s healthy to keep some things on the bookshelf so you can strike when the iron is hot.
If you have comments/questions/concerns – my email is always open: matt@mattreustle.com
The desktop version is cleaner than on mobile.
Year | Book | Genre | Author | Rating | Finished | Foundational Reading | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.019 | Creation: Life and How to Make It | Business | Grand | 10 | Yes | AI | A book that has stuck with me. Complex systems evolve themselves. We can create the ingredients but rarely are systems truly controlled. Very dense read but very useful guide to thinking about AI. Written many years ago. Picked it up when I saw Bezos recommended to his early Amazon staff. Still applicable today. |
2.019 | The Frackers | Business | Zuckerman | 8 | 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? |
2.016 | The Domino Effect | Business | Braziel | 8 | Yes | Energy | One of the better books on oil and gas |
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! |
2.023 | Visual Display of Quantitative Information | Business | Tufte | 10 | 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. |
2.017 | Writing That Works | Business | Roman and Raphaelson | 10 | 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.. |
2.025 | 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. |
2.021 | 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. |
2.017 | Financial Shenangians | Business | Schilit | 9 | 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. |
2.025 | ITT Wars | Business | Araskog | 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. |
2.017 | Little Book That Beats the Market | Business | Greenblatt | 9 | Yes | Investing | Every investor should read for foundational education |
2.017 | Black Edge | Business | Kolhatzkar | 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! |
2.020 | Cable Cowboy | Business | Robichaux | 8 | Yes | Investing | I don’t know how investors were so obsessed with investing alongside Malone after reading this one. |
2.017 | Capital Returns | Business | Chancellor | 8 | 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. |
2.019 | 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 |
2.016 | Expectations Investing | Business | Mauboussin | 8 | Yes | Investing | Foundational education for investors |
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 |
2.024 | Money Masters of Our Time | Business | Train | 8 | Yes | Investing | Read this for the subtle insights about the investors behaivor. |
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 | Money Games (Korea Deal) | Business | Shan | 7 | 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. |
2.010 | When Genius Failed | Business | Lowenstein | 7 | Yes | Investing | Great foundational book for investors. |
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. |
2.020 | The Money Game | Business | Smith | 8 | Yes | Investing | Amazing how this still feels as valuable today |
2.016 | The Outsiders | Business | Thorndike | 8 | Yes | Investing | Great case studies. I think more idiosyncratic takeaways but it can open up your eyes to capital allocation. |
2.020 | The Startup | Business | Kaplan | 10 | 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. |
2.019 | Everything Store | Business | Stone | 9 | Yes | Investing/Business | Excellent deepdive on the Amazon story. Bezos was an animal that borrowed from Rockefeller. It’s easy to forget Amazon’s beginings. |
2.023 | Kingdom of Prep (J Crew) | Business | Bullock | 9 | 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 |
2.020 | Last Train to Paradise (Flagler) | Business | Standiford | 9 | 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 | MVP Machine | Sports | Lindbergh | 9 | Yes | Investing/Business | VERY interesting approach to breaking through athletic limitations. Makes me think of where else this could be applied. |
2.023 | Rebel Without a Crew | Business | Rodriguez | 9 | Yes | Investing/Business | Inspiration for any startup founder. Rodriguez knew how to do it. Great tale of a past time. |
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. |
2.024 | 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 World for Sale | Business | Blas | 9 | Yes | Investing/Business | GREAT history on the commodities trading houses. |
2.024 | You Don’t Know Jack or Jerry | Business | Babcock | 9 | 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. |
2.022 | American Flannel | Business | Kurutz | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Great history of American Manufacturing and the challenges. Woolrich story should be studied. |
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. |
2.020 | 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 |
2.022 | 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. |
2.018 | Luxury Strategy | Business | Bastien | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Reads like a textbook but very good distinction on something previously hard to define. Luxury vs premium |
2.017 | The Box | Business | Levinson | 8 | 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!!! |
2.020 | The Hard Thing About Hard Things | Business | Horowitz | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Raw and honest read about business culture |
2.024 | The Power of Festenol People | Business | Kierlen | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | Simple yet excellent book on business and culture. |
2.019 | Titan | Business | Rockefeller | 8 | Yes | Investing/Business | It’s a tomb and took me a long time. There is a lot to learn about JDR and you will see how he has influenced many after him. |
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. |
2.020 | Let My People Go Surfing | Business | Chouinard | 7 | Yes | Investing/Business | A worthy read for everyone |
2.021 | Liftoff (Space X) | Business | Vance | 7 | Yes | Investing/Business | Harsh reality of “what it takes” for capital intensive greatness |
2.024 | The Goal | Business | Goldratt | 7 | Yes | Investing/Business | It’s good foundational stuff for operations. A bit childish in the method it’s delivered? |
2.022 | Zero to One | Business | Thiel | 7 | Yes | Investing/Business | Foundational reading for any entrepreneur with major aspirations. |
2.020 | Never Split the Difference | Business | Voss | 6 | 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. |
2.019 | Common Stocks and Uncommon Performance | Business | Fisher | 5 | Yes | Investing/Business | The foreward by Fisher’s son is scorching with angry son vibes. Very weird |
2.021 | The Upside of Stress | Life | McGonical | 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. |
2.020 | Endurance (Shackleton) | History | Lansing | 10 | Yes | Life | Incredible story of Shackleton. Crazy history around this book and why it took so long to takeoff. I will make sure my children read this one. |
2.023 | The Stranger in the Woods | History | Finkel | 8 | 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. | |
2.023 | Journals of John Cheever | Life | Cheever | 10 | 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. |
2.018 | On Garden Style | Life | Williams | 10 | 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. |
2.016 | River of Doubt | History | Millard | 10 | Yes | Life | Incredible writing. Incredible story |
2.019 | Art of Learning | Life | Waitzkin | 9 | 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 subconciously in the future. |
2.020 | Atomic Habits | Life | Clear | 9 | 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. |
2.021 | Leonard 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. |
2.023 | The Optimist | Life | Coggins | 9 | Yes | Life | Great book regardless of whether you care about fly fishing. |
2.016 | Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance | Life | Pirsig | 9 | Yes | Life | Hardest thing I’ve read become of density. I really had to take my time. A special piece of writing. |
2.021 | Bringing up Bebe | Life | Druckerman | 8 | Yes | Life | My favorite book on parenting. Based on logic which speaks my language. |
2.020 | Man’s Search for Meaning | Life | Frankel | 8 | Yes | Life | Foundational reading on the importance of living for more than yourself. Not a comfortable read. |
2.022 | Power of Story | Life | Loehr | 8 | Yes | Life | I read this at the right time. Energy > Time was a major epiphany. |
2.021 | Almanack of Naval | Life | Jorgenson | 7 | Yes | Life | Great tableside book. I find your perception of Naval is a great Rorschach test. |
2.000 | Loose Balls | Sports | Williams | 5 | 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. | |
2.019 | Deep Survival | Life | Gonzales | 7 | Yes | Life | Some interesting takeaways for surviving a catastrophe. |
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. |
2.019 | 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. |
2.019 | 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 | Make Noise | Business | Nuzum | 8 | Yes | Media | Great for podcasters that want to add more science. |
2.023 | MCU Reign of Marvel | Business | Robinson | 8 | Yes | Media | Great case study on Marvel. Kevin Feige goes down in history. IP requires great people. |
2.022 | TinderBox | Business | Miller | 8 | Yes | Media | HBO is a great case study for media |
2.023 | What Makes Sammy Run | Business | Schulberg | 7 | Yes | Media | All encompassing fictional business story that captures life pretty well |
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 |
2.022 | Live from New York | Business | Miller | 6 | Yes | Media | SNL history is great. I did get bored given the crazy length |
2.016 | Family Inc | Life | McCormick | 8 | Yes | Personal Finance | Must read for personal finance and managing household income/equity. |
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. |
2.023 | Jurassic Park | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 10 | Yes | Sci-Fi | It’s so good. Character development in the novel gives you so much more than a movie can offer |
2.023 | Andromeda Strain | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 9 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Incredible Crichton. Perfect amount of character depth, science, and thrill. |
2.024 | Children of Time | Sci-Fi | Tchaikovsky | 9 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Great perspective on evolution. Makes you think about the human race…and AI (despite that not being the subject at all) |
2.023 | Congo | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 9 | Yes | Sci-Fi | In the peak Crichton category for me. I also want to work for something like ERTS |
2.025 | Daemon | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 9 | 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. |
2.025 | One Second After | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 9 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Great way to learn about EMPs in a realistic portrayal. |
2.024 | World War Z | Sci-Fi | Brooks | 8 | Yes | Sci-Fi | Loved the format. The rich prepper that invited influencers sticks with me. |
2.017 | The Jordan Rules | Sports | Smith | 9 | 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 |
2.020 | Tiger Woods | Sports | Benedict | 9 | Yes | Sports | Holy moly Tiger had an interesting life |
2.020 | Meat Market | Sports | Sandow | 8 | Yes | Sports | The NIL rules make this book about a different time. But great insight into the wild world of SEC football and recruiting. |
2.022 | Boys Will Be Boys (Cowboys) | Sports | Pearlman | 7 | Yes | Sports | Source material is endless here. My takeaway, this dynasty was talent based! |
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. |
2.020 | Running with the Buffaloes | Sports | Lear | 7 | Yes | Sports | Season on the Brink style that teaches you a lot about running |
2.020 | The Perfect Mile | Sports | Bascomb | 7 | Yes | Sports | We only remember Bannister. Incredible that he was in med school!!! |
2.019 | City of Thieves | Fiction | Benioff | 10 | Yes | Writers | This book brought me back to fiction. This is how you write a story. Damn Benioff for leaving to 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. |
2.021 | Kitchen Confidential | Life | Bourdain | 10 | Yes | Writers | Incredibly raw and effective writing. That’s how you tell stories |
2.020 | Nobody Wants to Read Your Shit | Business | Pressfield | 10 | Yes | Writers | My favorite book on writing. Something worthy of re-reading. |
2.023 | Get Out Screenplay | Business | Peele | 9 | 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. |
2.024 | The Gold Coast | Fiction | Deville | 9 | Yes | Writers | Fun and easy read. Nothing groundbreaking but entertaining characters and social conversation |
2.006 | Confederacy of Dunces | Fiction | Kennedy Toole | 8 | Yes | Writers | Read in college. First book that made me laugh out loud. |
2.023 | Gentleman in Moscow | Fiction | Towles | 8 | Yes | Writers | Understanably epic novel. You will laugh, you might cry, but incredible work of art. |
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! |
2.022 | Ametora | History | Marx | 9 | 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). | |
2.023 | City on a Grid | History | Koeppel | 9 | 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 | 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. | |
2.007 | Less Than Zero | Fiction | Easton Ellis | 9 | Yes | Read in college. Admittedly messed up story but man Easton Ellis had some demons | |
2.020 | Lords of the Realm | Business | Heylar | 9 | Yes | It’s a tomb and textbook like. But damn will you learn alot about unions and sports leagues. | |
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. | |
2.012 | 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 | |
2.020 | Predators Ball | Business | Bruck | 9 | Yes | Incredible book. Crazy to think how Milken was atop the world. The LBO era was truly wild. | |
2.020 | Project Hail Mary | Sci-Fi | Weir | 9 | Yes | Audiobook is pure entertainment | |
2.023 | State of Fear | Fiction | Crichton | 9 | Yes | Well written novel to prove the complexity of scientific arguments and the reality of money behind the scenes | |
2.022 | Status and Culture | Life | Marx | 9 | Yes | Modern take on status which effectively separates timeless vs cyclical things | |
2.024 | The Believer | Life | Coggins | 9 | Yes | Great book regardless of whether you care about fly fishing. | |
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. | |
2.017 | 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). | |
2.023 | 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 | 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. | |
2.016 | Chasing Perfection | Sports | Glockner | 8 | Yes | Love the examination of talent vs development. Kerr shooting is crazy | |
2.021 | Cod | Business | Kurlansky | 8 | Yes | Opened my eyes up to historical importance of food, navy, etc. | |
2.023 | Dark Matter | Sci-Fi | Crouch | 8 | Yes | Very good and scary multiverse epic. Read before TV show was released | |
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 | |
2.015 | 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. | |
2.023 | Highway Men | Business | Auletta | 8 | Yes | Great business history on the media/tech evolution of the 1990s | |
2.017 | Hillbilly Elegy | Life | Vance | 8 | 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 firstshand (without the poverty that makes it exponentially worse). | |
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. | |
2.022 | Ralph Lauren Man Behind the Mystique | Business | Trachtenberg | 8 | Yes | Good snapshot in time. RL was not always a success. Fragrance saved him. The man never stopped. Impressive | |
2.023 | Reverence for Wood | History | Sloane | 8 | Yes | Woodworking but valuable to understand wood…if you are into knowing weird things | |
2.023 | Rules of Civility | Fiction | Towles | 8 | Yes | My favorite of Towles books mostly due to it’s NYC focus. I can’t believe he was in the investment business before writing novels. | |
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. | |
2.017 | Scar Tissue | Life | Kiedis | 8 | Yes | Over-the-top biography of a rockstar. Good to read in college | |
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 | |
2.023 | Sphere | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 8 | Yes | I saw the movie first which was admittedly awful. Don’t let it stop you from this one. | |
2.024 | Stories of Your Life and Others | Sci-Fi | Chiang | 8 | Yes | Some really thought-provoking stories. More philosophical than science for me. | |
2.023 | Terminal List | Fiction | Carr | 8 | Yes | Very entertaining and fun read | |
2.022 | The Beach | Fiction | Garland | 8 | 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. | |
2.022 | The Road | Fiction | McCarthy | 8 | Yes | Some deep stuff. | |
2.023 | The Wager | History | Grann | 8 | Yes | Great shipwreck writing | |
2.022 | Those Guys Have All The Fun | Business | Miller | 8 | Yes | ESPN history is crazy with the lack of long-term founder. | |
2.020 | Timeless: Classic American Architecture | Life | Ahern | 8 | Yes | Suprising insights from an architect and amazing coffee table book. But his look is what I love. | |
2.017 | Undoing Project | Life | Lewis | 8 | Yes | Lewis can write. Two incredible subjects. Great perspective on economic theory. | |
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 | |
2.021 | 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. | |
2.017 | Antifragile | Life | Taleb | 7 | Yes | The book stuck with me. I can spot antifragile, but find it’s incredibly hard to build. | |
2.017 | Barbarian Days | Life | Finnegan | 7 | 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. | |
2.022 | Beneath the Scarlett 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. | |
2.020 | Born to Run | Sports | McDougal | 7 | Yes | Entertaining with questionable science. A good running book. | |
2.012 | Bright Lights, Big City | Fiction | McInerney | 7 | Yes | Fondly remember reading this on an iphone during a daytrip to Boston for investor meetings around 2012. Finished it in less than 48 hours. | |
2.015 | Defending Jacob | Fiction | Landay | 7 | Yes | Stole this from my wife’s book club. Glad I read this one before having kids | |
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! | |
2.019 | Dream Team | Sports | McCallum | 7 | Yes | What a cast of characters. Fun book that captures the elite NBA players behind the game. | |
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. | |
2.024 | Exhalation Short Stories | Sci-Fi | Chiang | 7 | Yes | Entertaining but preferred the Stories of Your Life collection. | |
2.020 | Greenlights | Life | McConaughey | 7 | 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 | |
2.022 | 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 | |
2.022 | Novelist as a Vocation | Business | Murakami | 7 | Yes | I came for some thoughts on writing but Murakami’s own story took the show | |
2.024 | Nuclear War | Science | Jacobsen | 7 | Yes | Harsh reality of nuclear threat. | |
2.020 | Open Agassi | Sports | Agassi | 7 | Yes | Raw and hopefully honest. A good “this is what it takes” story. | |
2.017 | Poor Charlies Almanac | Business | Munger | 7 | Yes | If you don’t know Munger, it’s a good read. | |
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 | |
2.007 | Rules of Attraction | Fiction | Easton Ellis | 7 | Yes | Another college read. Enjoyed it at the time. | |
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. | |
2.016 | Shoe Dog | Business | Knight | 7 | Yes | Entertaining. A bit eye-opening in how founders break the rules | |
2.024 | Shopkeeping | Life | Miller | 6 | Yes | Nice book to have on the table/desk | |
2.023 | Station Eleven | Sci-Fi | St. John Mandel | 7 | Yes | More philosophical than sci-fi. Good characters and storyline | |
2.020 | Tanking to the Top | Sports | Weitzman | 7 | Yes | Good insights on The Process | |
2.024 | The Act of Creation | Life | Rubin | 7 | Yes | Good book for the desk. Inspiration. | |
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 | |
2.024 | The Diamond Age | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 7 | Yes | Thought-provoking framing of LLM era | |
2.023 | The Freaks Came out to Write (Village Voice) | History | Romano | 7 | Yes | Great history of a media business with tons of perspective. | |
2.024 | The Snakehead | History | Radden Keef | 7 | No | Very interesting history on the Chinese US evolution. | |
2.024 | The Work of Art | Life | Moss | 7 | Yes | Good coffee table book. Good for inspiration. | |
2.021 | Three Ring Circus (Lakers) | Sports | Pearlman | 7 | Yes | Good perspective on Kobe the teammate. | |
2.020 | Underdogs | Sports | Berman | 7 | Yes | Only for Eagles fans. Love ZB | |
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. | |
2.020 | 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 | 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 | 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. | |
2.017 | Big Brown | Business | Niemann | 6 | Yes | Very useful history of UPS. Not the cleanest writing. | |
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 | 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. | |
2.017 | Changing How The World Does Business (FDX) | Business | Frock | 6 | Yes | Useful history of FedEx. | |
2.021 | Deep Work | Life | Newport | 6 | Yes | Useful book to read at the right moment in life. Good for solo entrepreneurs. | |
2.024 | Devolution (Sasquatch) | Sci-Fi | Brooks | 6 | Yes | Entertaining format. I enjoy books with prepper dynamics. | |
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-acheivers). | |
2.023 | Expeditionary Force 1 | Sci-Fi | Alanson | 6 | Yes | Great audiobook narration. Pure entertainment and humor | |
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 | 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.” | |
2.025 | Going Broke: Chrystler | 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-Seqouia. | |
2.023 | Great Train Robbery | History | Crichton | 6 | Yes | Honestly, great investigative work. The heist required an insane amount of effort. Makes you wonder if they just dedicated themselves to something valuable! | |
2.023 | 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 | Losing My Virginity | Business | Branson | 6 | Yes | Entertaining and gives you an idea of how billionaires are different | |
2.025 | Madhouse at the End of the Earth | History | Sancton | 6 | Yes | Good shipwreck and survival story. | |
2.021 | Medium Raw | Life | Bourdain | 6 | Yes | Doesn’t hold a candle to Kitchen Confidential, but Bourdain can write | |
2.023 | Mindbody Prescription | Life | Sarno | 6 | Yes | Interesting theories but I never did my own work to see how scienece does or does not validate | |
2.025 | One Year After | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 6 | Yes | Good follow-up to the first book. | |
2.023 | Outlive | Life | Attia | 6 | Yes | Good read but if you know Attia, you will know a good portion | |
2.023 | Picasso’s War | History | Eakin | 6 | No | I couldn’t finish but man is art a fascinating industry. Good insight here. | |
2.020 | Pre | Sports | Jordan | 6 | Yes | Pre was a legend. Inspirational for anyone and everyone | |
2.023 | Recursion | Sci-Fi | Crouch | 6 | Yes | A step down from his other books, but fun in a Limitless way. | |
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. | |
2.015 | The Art of a Beautiful Game | Sports | Ballard | 6 | Yes | Enjoyed this one. | |
2.023 | The Big Pciture | Business | Fritz | 6 | Yes | Good details on the Sony hack and shift of power away from actors / the death of monoculture. | |
2.024 | The Lost World | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 6 | Yes | A fun follow-up to Jurassic Park but not much new | |
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 | |
2.020 | The Shipping Man | Business | McCleery | 6 | Yes | Hilarious fiction that is 100% reality for people in shipping | |
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. | |
2.023 | 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 | Walk in the Woods | Life | Bryson | 6 | In Progress | Hilariously entertaining | |
2.020 | Where the Money Was | Business | Sutton | 6 | Yes | Hilarious book. Impressive bank robbery details. | |
2.020 | Working | Life | Caro | 6 | Yes | Caro is a curious cat. I admire him. | |
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. | |
2.012 | Black Swan | Business | Taleb | 5 | Yes | Good first few chapters and then incredibly repetitive. Still worthy of a read for basic foundation of risk. | |
2.017 | Business Adventures | Business | Brooks | 5 | Yes | I know Buffett recommended it. Some good chapters in there but forgettable for me. | |
2.025 | Change Agent | Sci-Fi | Suarez | 5 | In Progress | CRISPR dystopian. Suarez knows how to be dark. | |
2.023 | Comfort Crisis | Life | Easter | 5 | Yes | Good read. Somewhat of a sales pitch for rucking. | |
2.019 | Creating Shareholder Value | Business | Rappaport | 5 | Yes | Good textbook-like writing for investors. Foundational education. | |
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. | |
2.021 | Great Mental Models Vol 1 | Business | Parish | 5 | Yes | Nice coffee table book | |
2.019 | How to Win Friends and Influence People | Life | Carnegie | 5 | Yes | Everyone should read it in high school or college. | |
2.006 | I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell | Life | Max | 5 | Yes | Entertaining when I as in college | |
2.020 | Inner Game of Tennis | Life | Gallwey | 5 | 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) | |
2.017 | Letters to My Son | Life | Nerburn | 5 | Yes | I need to revisit this one. Read it years before being a parent | |
2.022 | LL Bean American Icon | Business | Gorman | 5 | In Progress | Interesting history. I put it down as I lost momentum. | |
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 | |
2.024 | Mr. Classic | Life | Unknown | 5 | Yes | Coffee Table Book with some over-the-top gentleman stuff in there | |
2.017 | Ninety Percent of Everything | Business | George | 5 | Yes | Pairs with the Box. Didn’t stick with me | |
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 | |
2.023 | Pathless Path | Life | Millerd | 5 | Yes | Useful for the right person at the right point in their life. | |
2.023 | Prey | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 5 | Yes | Read this while my wife delivered our second baby (days before and after). Very weird thing to read at that moment! | |
2.020 | Range | Life | Epstein | 5 | Yes | Torn on this book. I agree with the premise but it feels very open-ended. | |
2.022 | Running with a Purpose (Brooks Running) | Sports | Weber | 5 | Yes | Good not great business book. A bit vanilla and high-level. | |
2.015 | Seven Seconds or Less | Sports | McCallum | 5 | Yes | Funny to look back at this one. A fun team | |
2.019 | Short History of Nearly Everything | History | Bryson | 5 | No | Gave up but not sure why | |
2.020 | Social Chemistry | Life | King | 5 | Yes | Interesting but it didn’t stick with me | |
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” | |
2.016 | Superforecasting | Business | Tetlock | 5 | Yes | Very hyped book. Takeaways were not surprising to me? | |
2.024 | Terminal Man | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 5 | Yes | Solid Crichton | |
2.015 | The Breaks of the Game | Sports | Halberstram | 5 | Yes | Good not iconic for me | |
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! | |
2.020 | Thinking in Bets | Business | Duke | 5 | Yes | I would have liked to have read this when younger. | |
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 | |
2.023 | 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. | |
2.020 | 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 | War of Art | Business | Pressfield | 5 | Yes | Good Pressfield | |
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 | Yes | A bit slow but another person who broke out after years of operating in the system. | |
2.020 | Why We Sleep | Life | Walker | 5 | Yes | Another interesting health book but I never traced the science. | |
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. | |
2.010 | 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. | |
2.006 | 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. | |
2.021 | Blockchain and the Law | Business | Wright | 4 | Yes | Dense book. But DAOs seem durable | |
2.020 | Breath | Life | Nestor | 4 | Yes | Innovative thinking but feels like the science didn’t quite match? Made me think about breathing more | |
2.020 | 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. | |
2.017 | Dhando Investor | Business | Pabrai | 4 | No | Some good pieces in but did not finish | |
2.022 | Draft No 4 | Business | McPhee | 4 | Yes | Not my favorite writing book. But others love it. | |
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. | |
2.020 | Good to Great | Business | Collins | 4 | Yes | Very hyped book before I read it. Some good case studies but left me wanting more | |
2.021 | Journal of a Novel | Life | Steinbeck | 4 | No | Couldn’t stick with it, but love journals | |
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. | |
2.024 | Men and Style | Life | Coggins | 4 | No | Easy to read | |
2.023 | Next | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 4 | Yes | Right down the fairway Chrichton | |
2.020 | Red Notice | Business | Browder | 4 | Yes | Entertaining but I don’t have the same affinity others do. | |
2.021 | Ride of a Lifetime | Business | Iger | 4 | Yes | Some interesting history on Iger and his struggle to the top. Second half weaker than first | |
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. | |
2.022 | The Boron Letters | Business | Halbert | 4 | Yes | Found the author insufferable. Yes, there are valuable insights but most border low-integrity sales proceses. | |
2.025 | The Final Day | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 4 | Yes | While stretching towards repetition, still thought-provoking about lingering problems that would exist. | |
2.023 | The Status Game | Life | Storr | 4 | Yes | I read Marx Status and Culture first and preferred that one. Many overlapping concepts. | |
2.017 | Thinking Fast and Slow | Life | Kahneman | 4 | Yes | Very hyped before reading. I still love Kahneman | |
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 | |
2.023 | We Are Legion (We are Bob) | Sci-Fi | Taylor | 4 | Yes | Solid but didn’t hook me | |
2.007 | American Psycho | Fiction | Easton Ellis | 3 | Yes | Saw the movie first. Great satire. Book didn’t match up for me. | |
2.021 | Artemis | Sci-Fi | Weir | 3 | No | I could never finish it. Always felt like a struggle versus Project Hail Mary | |
2.023 | Battle of Ink and Ice | History | Harman | 3 | No | I couldn’t stick with it but may revisit | |
2.023 | Blood in the Garden | Sports | Herring | 3 | No | Great era of Knicks basketball but I couldn’t get into it | |
2.022 | Born Standing Up | Life | Steve Martin | 3 | No | I don’t know why I couldn’t stick with it. | |
2.021 | Digital Minimalism | Life | Newport | 3 | No | Felt forced as a book. | |
2.025 | Five Years After (Book 4) | Sci-Fi | Forstchen | 3 | Yes | Repetitive and predictable storylines at this point. | |
2.015 | Girl on the Train | Fiction | Hawkins | 3 | Yes | My wife’s (then girlfiend) book club was on a roll until this one. | |
2.023 | Hello Molly | Life | Shannon | 3 | No | Not sure how I picked it up, but heavier than I was lookig for in the moment | |
2.024 | Infinite | Sci-Fi | Robinson | 3 | No | Interesting concepts to start but lost me midway. | |
2.020 | Julian Robertson | Business | Strachman | 3 | Yes | There wasn’t much in the book. Pretty disappointing. | |
2.019 | Lake Success | Fiction | Shteyngart | 3 | Yes | Over-the-top novel that captures a finance person. | |
2.015 | Not a Game (Iverson) | Sports | Babb | 3 | Yes | Love Iverson. I learned a bit | |
2.024 | Service Model (Tchaikovsky) | Sci-Fi | Tchaikovsky | 3 | No | Couldn’t get into it | |
2.018 | Skin in the Game | Business | Taleb | 3 | No | Again, simple concept that did not require a book | |
2.020 | The Man Who Solved The Market (Simons) | Business | Zuckerman | 3 | Yes | I was hoping for so much more. If anything, I walked away with more skepticism and questions than I had before | |
2.023 | Three Body Problem | Sci-Fi | Liu | 3 | No | This taught me my American brain had a hard time tracking international names. | |
2.022 | Warrior’s Creed | History | Sparks | 3 | Yes | Author is choppy but I’d expect military folks would enjoy this one | |
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 | |
2.017 | AstroPhysics for People in a Hurry | Science | Tyson | 2 | Yes | Nothing stuck with me. Read it randomly | |
2.023 | Black Planet (Sonics) | Sports | Shields | 2 | Yes | Whoa boy. This book was an uncomfortable read. I loved those Sonic teams. | |
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. | |
2.016 | Boys Among Men | Sports | Abrams | 2 | Yes | Loved the idea but the book didn’t land. Not enough “ah hah” insights. | |
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. | |
2.020 | Eleven Rings | Sports | Jackson | 2 | Yes | Pearlman books were better | |
2.024 | Eruption | Sci-Fi | Crichton | 2 | Yes | Lacked the same science and excitement of peak Crichton | |
2.023 | Expeditionary Force 2 | Sci-Fi | Alanson | 2 | No | Couldn’t stick with it despite great first book | |
2.022 | Is This Anything | Life | Seinfeld | 2 | Yes | The format didn’t work for me. | |
2.021 | Midrange Theory | Sports | Partnow | 2 | No | Love Seth but couldn’t stick with this one | |
2.017 | Onward (Starbucks) | Business | Schultz | 2 | Yes | I learned some good history on Starbucks. Didn’t enjoy the rest. | |
2.023 | Path to Paradise (Coppola) | History | Wasson | 2 | No | I thought the documentary was easier to consume. | |
2.022 | Shop as a Soulcraft | Business | Crawford | 2 | No | I couldn’t stick with it. | |
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 | |
2.020 | Superthinking | Life | Weinberg | 2 | Yes | Another mental models book | |
2.020 | Trillion Dollar Coach | Business | Schmidt | 2 | No | Felt like the Campbell stories in The Startup really captured him well | |
2.019 | When the Nines Roll Over | Fiction | Benioff | 2 | No | I need to revist | |
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. | |
2.019 | Art of the Good Life | Life | Dobelli | 1 | No | Didn’t click | |
2.020 | Carolina Way | Sports | Smith | 1 | No | Gave up on this one fast | |
2.015 | Court Vision | Sports | Berkow | 1 | No | I couldn’t get into it | |
2.023 | Dragon Teeth | Fiction | Crichton | 1 | Yes | It didn’t do it for me. It required more character development or something. | |
2.021 | Everyone Culture | Business | Kegan | 1 | No | Did not finish | |
2.024 | First Lie Wins | Fiction | Elston | 1 | No | I don’t know how I ended up starting this but not my genre. | |
2.017 | How to Make Money in Stocks | Business | O’Neill | 1 | Yes | I don’t remember anything | |
2.020 | Laughing at Wall Street | Business | Camillo | 1 | Yes | I did not laugh. I did not learn. | |
2.016 | Master Algorithim | Life | Domingos | 1 | No | It lost me, can’t remember it well | |
2.020 | Never Eat Alone | Life | Ferrazzi | 1 | Yes | Recommended to me, it didn’t click | |
2.020 | No Bull | Business | Steinhardtt | 1 | Yes | Major letdown. That’s okay. | |
2.019 | Rational Optimist | Life | Ridley | 1 | No | Didn’t click | |
2.017 | The Decision Book 50 Models | Life | Krogerus | 1 | No | Another model book | |
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 Napolean Hill. | |
2.015 | Toughness | Sports | Bilas | 1 | Yes | I respect and admire Jay Bilas, but this book didn’t click. | |
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 | |
2.020 | Winner Within | Sports | Reilly | 1 | No | I don’t know what Pat Reilly was going for…but no | |
2.019 | Against the Gods | Business | Bernstein | 0 | No | I know I started this at some point. Too risky to read 😉 | |
2.024 | Anathem | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 0 | In Progress | Started this one but realized it will take a committment. I had a hard time following the start. | |
2.015 | Beyond Buffett | Business | Lowenstein | 0 | In Progress | I still need to read it. | |
2.021 | BirdsEye | Business | Kurlansky | 0 | Not Started | I need to read about this guy. Inventer of frozen food! | |
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! | |
2.025 | Buffett and Munger Unscripted | Business | George | 0 | Not Started | I look forward to reading it. | |
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 | Crashing Through | Life | Kurson | 0 | Not Started | Don’t remember buying this but interesting premise | |
2.023 | Creative Selection | Business | Kocienda | 0 | Not Started | It will call for me from the bookshelf some day | |
2.021 | Cryptomnicom | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 0 | No | Stephenson requires a committment that I just can’t give him at the moment. | |
2.020 | Data Driven | Business | Deaborn | 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. | |
2.020 | Delivering Happiness | Business | Hsieh | 0 | Not Started | Bought this before the awful Hsieh events. Haven’t felt energy to read it. | |
2.023 | Elegant Puzzle | Business | Larson | 0 | Not Started | Something I will read some day | |
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 | High Growth Handbook | Business | Gil | 0 | In Progress | Let me be in a situation where this is what I need | |
2.021 | Infinite Jest | Fiction | Foster Wallace | 0 | In Progress | One day I will finish this book. Foster Wallace is a special person | |
2.020 | Life of Elbert H Gary | Business | Gary | 0 | Not Started | Old book sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. | |
2.022 | LL Bean The Man and His Company | Business | Witherel | 0 | In Progress | Need to start this one. | |
2.021 | Master and His Emissary | Life | McGilchrist | 0 | Not Started | This book stares at me | |
2.023 | Musk | Business | Isaacson | 0 | Not Started | Isaacsons podcast circuit after writing the book put this on the back burner. | |
2.021 | Of Wolves and Man | Life | Lopez | 0 | No | Didn’t get far enough | |
2.020 | One Summer | History | Bryson | 0 | Not Started | I should read more Bryson | |
2.021 | Only the Paranoid Survive | Business | Grove | 0 | Not Started | I should probably read this one | |
2.023 | Pieces of the Action | History | Bush | 0 | Not Started | I haven’t gotten to it but am very intrigued | |
2.024 | Prelude to Foundation | Sci-Fi | Isaac A | 0 | Not Started | Not sure I will ever get there | |
2.021 | Privae Empire Exxon Mobil | Business | Coll | 0 | Not Started | I will read it some day | |
2.022 | Quality of Earnings | Business | McKinsey | 0 | Not Started | Glaring hole in my reading | |
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. | |
2.023 | River of Gods | History | Millard | 0 | In Progress | Need to revisit, forgot when I put this down. | |
2.016 | Sailing Alone around the World | Life | Slocum | 0 | No | I started it but put it down quickly. Saving for retirement. | |
2.024 | Science of Storytelling | Life | Will | 0 | No | Started but can’t remember it | |
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. | |
2.015 | Snowball | Business | Schroeder | 0 | In Progress | I am embarassed I have not finished this book. | |
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 | |
2.020 | String Theory | Sports | Foster Wallace | 0 | Not Started | I pick it up but never take the plunge | |
2.024 | Table for Two | Fiction | Towles | 0 | In Progress | Love Amor Towles so saving this one | |
2.024 | Termination Shock (Stephenson) | Sci-Fi | Stephenson | 0 | Not Started | Every Stephenson novel is a committment | |
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 | |
2.021 | 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. | |
2.005 | 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. | |
2.021 | The Great A&P | Business | Levinson | 0 | Not Started | Popped open a few times but never got the urge to read. Will eventually | |
2.023 | The Odyssey | History | Homer | 0 | Not Started | Downloaded audio book which seems like the right approach. | |
2.020 | The Road Ahead | Business | Gates | 0 | Not Started | I will read Gates books someday | |
2.021 | What Technology Wants | Business | Gates | 0 | Not Started | Look forward to reading old Gates books someday | |
2.023 | What’s Our Problem | Life | Urban | 0 | Not Started | Pre-ordered but never read. I enjoy Urban | |
2.023 | World Travel | Life | Bourdain | 0 | Not Started | One day | |
Foundational Reading |