One goal I have every year is to read 1-2 books a month. I’m proud to say I’ve finished 22 books this year and have learned a great deal from doing so. Here is a list of them all, with the most important takeaway from each for me.
1. Average is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation
Cowen attempts to give his perspective on the economic growth of The United States compared to the population and technological advancements in recent years.
Biggest takeaway: Technology will start taking the “mediocre” jobs, but there will always be room for those that do exceptionally well in their fields. Technological advancement is society is good, but it’s even better when the advancement is gradual.
2. Cabin Porn: Inspiration for Your Quiet Place Somewhere
This book was inspired by the Cabin Porn Tumblr. I started following it years back and it’s amazing to see the community that has transpired from it.
Biggest takeaway: Building something is extremely rewarding (and beneficial). Whether it’s a website, necklace, book, or cabin—we should all be building something.
3. In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
I read this book because the movie came out in 2015 (which I enjoyed). We all know the story of Moby Dick, but I didn’t know how true the story was, and how intense the journey was for the men aboard the Essex.
Biggest takeaway: The town of Nantucket had an entire culture around whaling, and men were practically required to travel the ocean hunting whales for years at a time. If they came back empty handed, their family didn’t eat.
4. The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success
I’m not too into stocks or Wall Street, but this book was a great read about eight CEOs and their process for taking their companies to the top.
Biggest takeaway: No business is the same, and what works for one might not work for another. There is no one shortcut or secret to success when it comes to big business.
5. A Night to Remember
Similarly to “In the Heart of the Sea”, I had no idea that the entire story of the Titanic was so intense. There’s so much more to the story than I had thought.
Biggest takeaway: Crisis brings out the best in people. This strong account of what happened during the final hours of the Titanic sinking shows how far people are willing to go to help each other out.
6. The Liberator: One World War II Soldier’s 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
This book reads very well, and gives a great account of WW2 as it happened from officer Felix Spark’s perspective.
Biggest takeaway: As a leader, sometimes it’s okay to not know. The important thing is to appear confident for your team. Spark’s encountered many challenges that he wasn’t prepared to face. In each of these situations his men looked up to him. He didn’t tell them he had no idea what to do. Instead, he acted like a leader and led his men confidently.
7. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
This book was a top 3 book for me this year. 2016 was the first year I started implementing a GTD system for myself using Omnifocus, and it’s increased my productivity and ability to focus a lot.
Biggest takeaway: Our minds have a finite amount of space, and in order for us to get the best use of our minds, we need to store our projects, tasks, and thoughts in a trusted system. When we do this, we allow for complete focus on our task at hand.
8. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
Ryan is a huge inspiration, and this was the first book I read by him. For me, this was an introduction to stoicism and how we can take issues and flip the script.
Biggest takeaway: We can’t control what oppositions or issues come at us, but we can control how we react to them. Every obstacle can be turned into an opportunity.
9. The Secrets of Consulting
This book is a top 3 for me for 2016. It was recommended to me by a coworker, and I can’t thank him enough. If you are in the business of consulting (which is everyone, by the way) this is a must read. It’s full of practical and solid advice.
Biggest takeaway: “Never forget they’re paying you by the hour, not by the solution”. Also, “Every consultant complains about resistance, but if you think resistance is bad, consider the alternative: It’s frightening to encounter a client who doesn’t resist your ideas, because that places the full responsibility on you to be correct at all times”.
10. The Sorrows of Young Werther
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
This classic story from 1774 goes through the thought process of a man who falls in and out of love, gets depressed, and deals with his problems in an intense way.
Biggest takeaway: If someone doesn’t want you, move on—someone who appreciates you will come along.
11. Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
This was the shortest book I read in 2016, but I count it because it was full of great advice for anyone who works in the creative space.
Biggest takeaway: The life of a project isn’t always perfect. In fact, most of the time it isn’t. I actually took a photo of this page on my phone because it was such a relief to see I’m not the only one who deals with projects that look like this.
12. The Death of Ivan Ilych
This was the first book I ever read by Tolstoy, which is surprising because he’s so good. This story follows a successful, middle-aged man who gets news that he’s dying. The story dives into his mind and thoughts and turns out to be a great examination of life and what’s actually important.
Biggest takeaway: At the end of the day, everyone has a time to go. The question is, when you go, what will you leave behind? The answer to that question should directly reflect what you do today and tomorrow.
13. Dreams from Bunker Hill
This is the second book I read by John Fante and I think he is becoming one of my favorite writers. The way he writes just reads so well—it’s almost impossible to put down any novel by him.
Biggest takeaway: Life is weird, and if you let it it can take you to strange places. Sometimes you just need to ride the wave and take opportunities as they come.
14. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
This is a top 3 book for me for 2016. Cal Newport dives into the importance of focusing on a single task at a time, and how distracting technology can be for deep work.
Biggest takeaway: In order for you to excel in your field, it’s required that you can disconnect and work on projects for hours at a time. If you can’t do this, you won’t be as successful as you can be. Simple as that.
15. Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace
This was a weird one, but I’m kind of obsessed with workspaces/office spaces. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone random, but if you are into workspaces it’s a really interesting (but dry) read on the evolution of the modern workplace.
Biggest takeaway: Racial tension, social tension, and male/female tensions have a lot to do with the modern office, and how people work today. A more practical takeaway: if you work at an office on a daily basis, it would make sense for you to take a hard look at your setup and optimize it to suit your needs best.
16. Enough
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
I’ve been reading Patrick’s blog for a few years now, and his books are just as good. This book is designed to make you take a strong look at what you need in your life, and what you want.
Biggest takeaway: You don’t need the latest technology—more than likely, the thing you have now can do the job just fine.
17. Looking for Alaska
Technically, this is considered a young adult novel, but I think it’s much more than that. This is a story that looks at a group of friends who are struggling with becoming adults, learning responsibility, and dealing with real-life situations. I think there are a lot of great takeaways from this book (and it’s a great story).
Biggest takeaway: You never know when someone’s last day on this Earth can be. Cherish those you love, and always let them know how much you appreciate them.
18. Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronaut’s Journey to the Moon
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
This book was an amazing first-hand account of an astronaut who orbited the moon alone while his team explored the surface. Such an amazing read.
Biggest takeaway: Politics are everywhere (even NASA). Just focus on doing your job as best you can, and try to stay away from the politics that come with it.
19. The Art of Money Getting: Golden Rules for Making Money
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
This book was a practical read with very strong tips on saving money, and budgeting.
Biggest takeaway: When it comes to the necessities, we don’t need that much to live. Figure out how much that amount is, and challenge yourself to save the rest for meaningful purchases or for a rainy day.
20. Asylum
I wrote my thoughts on this book earlier this year which you can read here.
This book was a first-hand account from a writer and alcoholic who turned himself into an insane asylum to cure his addiction.
Biggest takeaway: Drinking a lot doesn’t make someone an alcoholic. Instead, it’s the reason for drinking that makes someone an alcoholic. If you’re constantly “needing a drink”, or drinking to escape, you might have a problem. Don’t drink when you need it, and you won’t have a problem.
21. I Pity the Poor Immigrant: A Novel
This story is a really interesting account of how the author became involved in a mob scene without knowing it. It is about the gangster, Meyer Lansky, and Israel’s denial of his citizenship after he tried fleeing America. I wish it read a bit better, but it’s an interesting story nonetheless.
Biggest takeaway: You never know what you might find by doing some digging around your family history.
22. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
This is the last book I read in 2016, and it was also the longest. After reading, “The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey” last year, I knew I had to read more about Teddy. This book was a long read, but I learned so much about the history of Teddy and the United States. I would consider this a must-read if you are into American history.
Biggest takeaway: They don’t make them like Teddy anymore. It’s incredible reading about all this man accomplished in his life:
- Published over 35 historical books
- Studied law
- Elected as the police commissioner of New York
- Elected as assistant secretary of the Navy
- Became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Spanish-American war and creating the ‘Rough Riders’ who were an essential part of America winning
- Elected as the Governor of New York
- Elected as the Vice President of The United States
- Elected as the President of the United States
- Doubled the quality and amount of national parks in the United States
- Helped raise a family of 7 (6 kids)
When I think about the last few Presidents, their list of accomplishments seems… slim to none.
I published a similar post last year on the books I read in 2015 which you can read here if you’re interested.
Anyways, if you’re looking for something to read I hope I gave you some good ideas. Happy New Year!