My best (and worst) reads of 2023

2023 was an odd year for me. I wasn’t much of a reader before. I’ve read more books this year than I did my entire life. Some recommended by friends and family, others I just liked their cover so much I couldn’t help but pick them up from the bookstore. However, not every book is worth reading and in this short post I’ll share my opinion on which ones I found most helpful. I want to mention that my usual reading style is listening to the audio book while also following up on the e-book version.

The GOATS

Usually, when a book gets too hyped, I get skeptic about it. But these 3 books fully deserved their fame and after reading them, I was left wondering why I haven’t read them till now.

Many innovations fail because consumers irrationally overvalue the old while companies irrationally overvalue the new.

Hooked - By Nir Eyal

Ever wonder why you check your phone every 2 minutes? Or more particularly why you check Instagram for likes and follows or your snap to check whatever people do in that app (never used that thing so how can I know). This book explains a process product designers use to make users form habits around their products and get them ‘Hooked’. A fantastic read by all measures. If you haven’t already, then just go out there and start reading it. Now.

Unscripted - M.J. DeMarco

This one might not be for everyone. MJ is the kind of guy that tells you what you need to hear not what you want. His book has no sugar coating and no softening the blow just pure words of high-pitched advice on entrepreneurship and starting up a business. The book is very detailed touching on almost all aspects of business giving tips on how to navigate obstacles every step of the way. Oh and it’s got a ton of F bombs so if you’re up to that, give it a shot.

The Courage To Be Disliked - Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga

This great book comes over from Japan and has a conversational style whereby a young lad and an old wise man are having a strong discussion. The two meet up after days and sometimes weeks, continuing their discussion where they left it last. Which also happens to be the chapter structure of the book. The core point? It talks about an unpopular but very promising school of thought in psychology — Adlerian Theory — and answers the young man’s several life questions regarding his job, family life, relationships etcetera. It revolves around the question: why the man is unhappy and tries to give simple direct answers that seem, at times, too good to be true. I for one am an advocate of having multiple theories and approaches popularized. This book shows that there are alternative view points that challenge and even contradict what’s commonly taken to be the status quo and I really appreciate that.

Silver Medalists

The second best always get overlooked but sometimes one man’s trash (in this case, average) is another man’s treasure. If any of these books are within your interest then feel free to check them out.

Money that is easy to produce is no money at all, and easy money does not make a society richer; on the contrary, it makes it poorer by placing all its hardhearted wealth for sale in exchange for something easy to produce.

(In Progress) The Bitcoin Standard - Saifedean Ammous

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you’ve probably heard about bitcoin. Either that it’s a revolutionary distributed currency or that it’s just a very popular scam, depending on who you’ve heard it from. Whichever side you are one, bitcoin has reached a stage where you can not ignore it’s existence. I believe everyone needs to educate themselves on this topic, and this book is an excellent starting point.

12 Rules for Life - Jordan Peterson

After some of the past years controversies, everyone knows JP. He is a clinical psychologist with, among other things, a deep insight on biblical stories and what lessons to draw from them. I read this book after listening to some of his lectures on YouTube. While his book is not as enticing as his videos, it’s much more educational and leaves you with a richer understanding of his view on life. The only reason I put it here and not on the GOATs list is because JP fails to keep his readers hooked in to the book long enough for them to take the lesson. If you don’t get bored easily and are willing to go through some uninteresting pages to get to the gem, then this is definitely a good read for you.

48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene

I was drawn into this book because of the repeated appraisals (and warnings) I received from my friends. The way I was informed about it, as a sort of a mythical book that uncovers the dark arts of manipulation, made my experience with it a bit dull. A number of laws mentioned here are common sense, but some leave you wondering how many chances you’ve let pass you just because you were not aware of other perception. Also, the way Robert mentions historical figures to support his claims makes it all the more interesting. If you’re going to read this one, remember, best things are saved for last. Be sure to finish it and mark the last works of the author.

(In Progress) How the World Works - Noam Chomsky

This one is a highly specialized book on politics, foreign policy and international relations. It shades light on the dark sides of US foreign relations. For those interested in these topics, as I am, this is a no-brainer. Besides, I have a feeling that those people already know the guy and have either read his book or they have it in their wishlist.

Not my cup of tea

While this is highly subjective, some books are just not worth the time. When I find myself uninterested in a book I started, I look at my progress and try to set a ratio. If I didn’t find most of the book interesting thus far, then I simply quit. I don’t believe in the idea of finishing every book you start just because.

Range: Why generalists triumph in a Specialized World - David Epstein

I went into these after wanting to write on why specialization is the better alternative for most people. I wanted to challenge my thought and this book seemed to be exactly what I am looking for and it did indeed change my view on the topic just after reading the first few pages. Why then did I dislike it? Well, after the first chapter which is fantastic, the author goes on to describe the difference in IQ between the “modern” man and traditional communities claiming the very nature of their lifestyle makes the former highly superior. I tried to force myself through some of the pages, but ultimately his reasoning and the conclusions he arrives at just kept making me lose interest.

For the most part of my life, I thought books were boring products filled with unnecessary details. I believed that you can get the best compressed thought of intellectual individuals through their speeches and videos. I now think I was wrong. If those videos were highlights books are the actual match. What’s boring are not the matches themselves, but the rigorous training players have to go through when getting ready for a game. Just like football, in preparation of one book a good author researches, analyzes and prepares a very efficient piece that summarises his thoughts without skipping on necessary details and context.

Not every book is worth reading, but if you take the time to pick the right one and read it, you will come out as a brighter and more mature version of yourself.