Welcome to Bookaholics—a free monthly publication of curated books I’ve been reading (non-fiction and fiction) that might suit your fancy.
I can’t believe how quickly March blew by. And yet, somehow at the same time, it feels like it’s been five years since February. Despite the world being on fire 🔥, I’ve somehow still managed to read quite a few books (brag much Josh?). If you are stuck inside, there are certainly worse things to do than occupying your time reading. Take some time to learn new things and reflect on your values and how you want to live your life.
Here’s what I’ve been reading —
Non-Fiction:
Becoming Leonardo by Mike Lankford
When you think of who’s the perfect example of a Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci is likely the first person to come to mind. I’ve had Becoming Leonardo on my to-read shelf for quite some time now, but I’m so glad I decided to finally dust it off and read it. If you’ve ever been curious about the life of Leonardo, Becoming Leonardo is an excellent place to start. The writing is exceptional and makes you feel like you are tagging along Leonardo’s life journey. This is also the most grounding book about Leonardo I’ve read and a must-read for any renaissance human. Mike makes a great case why Leonardo wasn’t necessarily a ‘Genius’, rather, someone just like you and me, but who happened to live outside the system of what was deemed ‘normal’. And with an insatiable curiosity, Leo built his skills from the ground up.
tiny review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins
Money is one of those essential life skills that often gets overlooked or under-taught. The Simple Path to Wealth is a clear and thoughtful book on how to think about money and how to build wealth. I wish I had read this sooner (and might have avoided some financial pitfalls I’ve been recovering from the last few years). Here is a small preview of the topics explored:
Debt: why you must avoid it and what to do if you have it
The importance of having f-you money
How to think about money and the unique way of understanding this is key to building your wealth
Where traditional investing advice goes wrong and what actually works
What the stock market is and how it really works
tiny review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is an interesting book about combatting our sedentary tech lifestyles the majority of us have nowadays. Dr. Eric Goodman walks you through simple movement and breathing practices to help realign your body to its natural positions and in so doing, potentially heal chronic pain. If you’re curious, here’s a youtube video walking through some of the foundation practice.
tiny review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike: Phil Knight
Shoe Dog took me a while to finish (only because it was a book I read only while in the sauna 😆). But I enjoyed every second of Phil Knights' narrative of creating Nike. The memoir is the thrilling journey of building a tiny start-up in his parent's house into one of the most recognizable brands in the world. For me, two big takeaways were:
1. How a small idea can potentially (if fortune smile’s upon you) become a massive hit very quickly with hard work, grit, and perseverance.
2. Surrounding yourself with a team of likeminded individuals all pursuing the same (or similar) goal as you will elevate you to success much quicker than trying to do everything by yourself.
If you need some motivation to start or reinvigorate your brand or idea, give Shoe Dog a read.
tiny review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue by Ryan Holiday
Conspiracy is a page-turner. It’s the story of Peter Thiel, PayPal founder, and billionaire investor decided to conspire to take down the media giant Gawker after they slighted him (and many others) with gossip and scandal. The story itself is engaging, but my favorite part is how Ryan interweaves the philosophy of conspiracy and other historic tales of conspiracy throughout the book.
tiny review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you are looking for ways to expand your observational skills and ability to see the world around you in unique ways, The Art of Noticing is a great book to pick up.
tiny review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction:
The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy) & The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy Book 2) by S. A. Chakraborty
I straight up mainlined these books. This fantasy series feels like such a breath of fresh air. The Egyptian / Arabic is a culture I’ve always been fascinated with, but I haven’t explored much. (Disney’s Aladdin doesn’t count.) Great setting. Great cast of characters. (Nahri is B.A.) Here’s a short description from Amazon:
“On the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman of unsurpassed skill. She makes her living swindling Ottoman nobles, hoping to one day earn enough to change her fortunes. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she learns that even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.”
If you need some magic in your life, I highly recommend. The final book in the series, The Empire of Gold, is hitting the virtual shelves on June 30, 2020.
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What have you been reading lately? Any of these books catch your eye? Feel free to email me back and start a conversation.
If you enjoyed this edition of Bookaholics, please like and subscribe if you haven’t and share it with a book-loving friend or two.
Also, check out my other monthly publications Considerations and Practices. Considerations is about creative inputs, Practices is about creative output.
Be Well,
Josh