2021 Reading List

Introduction

Each year I put together a reading list to record what I’ve consumed in the past 12 months. Here are the lists for 2018, 2019, and 2020.

The original goal was to have an easy access list of books lying around my house to send to friends for recommendations. However, over the past 5 years the list has become a big part of cataloging my biases in genres and author nationalities.

In 2020, I read more (and listened to more audiobooks) than any year of my life. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown had a lot to do with this, as did a definite focus to spend more ‘spare’ time exercising, reading, or writing code in R.

This year I want to document more of what I’m reading — adding my brief two cents on key messages I got out of the text, and how I can apply the lessons to my life. Some of the best texts I read last year came from unusual places — and I think chronically my changing perspective will provide long term future benefit. I often find myself reflecting on past opinions, trying to pinpoint the moment I changed views. Hopefully this newsletter will allow me to reflect on my past perspectives with better accuracy. Failing that, at least I will have a 2021 reading list.

Biography+Autobiography

David and Goliath — Malcolm Gladwell

I find Gladwell hard to place. Delightful voice, thoroughly researched anecdotes, yet sometimes the conclusions seem a bit arbitrary. Sure he makes a compelling argument, however there is little ‘ringfencing’ against equally valid counterfactuals. Perhaps this is a byproduct of his ‘revisionist history’ style - but sometimes I find the arguments too ‘neat’ to hold true. The key premise of the book explains how underdogs frequently have unusual advantages due to their incongruent thinking. This is something I’m a big believer in - and something I’m keen to see documented more. Links up to the whole ‘constraints breed creativity’ school of thought.

Greenlights — Matthew McConaughey

One of the best narrations I’ve heard in the audiobook format.

The Happiest Man on Earth — Eddie JakuInvent and wander — Jeff Bezos and Walter Isaacson

This is essentially just a collection of everything Jess Bezoz has written publicly (mainly annual reports) - but it’s fascinating. His long term thinking… as well as his view on markets growing and shrinking is unique. I got a lot out of what I though was going to be a boring audiobook.

The Wim Hof Method — Wim HofRogue Son — Nazeem HussainThe Anthropocene Reviewed — John Green

Perhaps the best piece I have read this year. A nuanced, thoughtful, and raw reflection on human impact on the world - as well as a bit of the back story of how we got here. There’s a bit on climate change etc… but it’s more than that. More bespoke… if anything after reading it I felt helpful. Humans are the most fascinating creatures to ever live - what’s not to be hopeful for?

Shackleton’s Way — Margot Morrell and Stephanie CapparellQuarterly Essay 82: Exit Strategy — George Megalogenis

There’s a bunch of interesting C’wlth policy anecdotes in this QE - but the history parts between Treasury and the PMO was the most interesting. Also the analysis on ‘power’ shifting from Melbourne back to Sydney from 1980-2008 is fascinating.

Quarterly Essay 59: Faction Man — David MarrQuarterly Essay 65: The White Queen — David MarrQuarterly Essay 83: Top BlokesQuarterly Essay 70: Dead RightWorking Class Man — Jimmy BarnesFinding Q: My Journey into QAnon — Nicky WoolfCan’t Hurt Me — David GogginsDaring to Fly — Lisa MillarThe Storyteller — Dave GrohlWindswept & Interesting — Billy Connolly

Kept coming back to this one over a period of weeks. The audiobook format really added something extra - such an iconic storytelling style.

Will — Will Smith

Economics/business/politics

Debt: The First 5000 Years — David GraeberFooled by Randomness — Nassim TalebCribsheet — Emily OsterHow Innovation Works — Matt RidleyZero to One — Peter Theil

This wasn’t my first reading (maybe 3rd?) but Zero to One has to be one of the best business books ever written. It takes a fresh perspective on ‘true’ innovation, rather than tweaking with he current systems and ‘rearranging the blocks’. This is the type of innovator I want to be - someone who creates real new value, rather than restructuring existing value chains.

Mission Economy — Mariana MazzucatoSkin in the game — Nassim TalebHow to win an election — Chris Wallace

Military

Extreme Ownership — Jocko Willink & Leif BabinRogue Forces — Mark WillacyNever Enough — Mike Hayes

A pretty classic rah-rah book on Navy Seals - however a good companion while driving Tweed Heads to Melbourne.

33 Strategies of War — Robert Greene

Leadership/psychology

The Obstacle is the Way — Ryan Holiday

I started this book around the new year, then put it down for almost 8 months. Actually, I’ll be honest… I lost it… then found it in my car 8 months later. I’m not really a Ryan Holiday fan… but for some reason this book actually got me. Essentially the central thesis is ‘incorporate all the shocks into your story’ rather than bashing yourself against a wall with every obstacle you face. Simple enough - but he incorporates thousands of years of history and anecdotes which is helpful.

The Resilience Project — Hugh van Culenburg

This is one of those rare books I read twice, about a month after the first reading. I thought it was fantastic. Told from a personal viewpoint, rather than an academic high and might perspective. Super applicable tips. One of the things I don’t know if I picked up from this book but have begun doing is the ‘oranges, lemons, and starfruits’ of my day. Sitting down and thinking through the highlight, lowlight, and also something surprising or something I learnt.

Relentless — Tim S Grover and Shari WenkGive and Take — Adam GrantThink Again — Adam GrantPower Moves — Adam GrantThe Culture Code — Daniel Coyle

There’s a bunch of great ideas in this book - but the one that stuck with me is that the biggest determinant of success in a team is random cross pollination from knowing what problems people around you are trying to solve. Rather than agile or sprint management structures or different information flows… just knowing what the people around you are working on (ideally shoulder to shoulder) is the biggest determinant of whether you help one another. Is this a rebuttal against remote work…? Maybe. Only maybe.

Option B — Sheryl Sandberg & Adam GrantThe Power of Now — Eckhart TolleUnfuck Yourself — Gary John BishopThe personal MBA — Josh Kaufman

History/science/climate

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster — Bill Gates

Getting to Zero (Australia’s Energy Transition) — Alan FinkelThe Bomber Mafia — Malcolm Gladwell

This is a relatively interesting story… but I found it less insightful that Gladwell’s other works. Perhaps just because the character names were difficult to keep up with.

Dr Karl’s Little Book of Climate Change Science — Dr Karl KruszelnickiSo You Think You Know What’s Good for You? — Dr Norman SwanSand Talk — Tyson Yunkaporta

Fiction

Where the Crawdads Sing — Delia OwensThe Speech Writer — Martin McKenzie-Murray

I laughed out loud at this book. Multiple times. While camping in the darkness and silence. It was nice. I also bought a copy for my mate Jack - I think he loved it too. Funnily enough, when I was queuing up in Brunswick for tailored jeans (I know, I know) the authors cousin saw me reading it and came up to say hello. Strange world. I love Melbourne.

Still — Matt Nable

I’m not too much of a fiction guy but I loved this audiobook. A good reflection on cultural values of Australia in the 60’s. The central ‘theme’ or ‘cause’ of all the conflict I found to be slightly… typical? But it was packaged up really well with all the loose ends coming together. Reminded me of a similar book called ‘The Dry’.

The Ministry for the Future — Kim Stanley RobinsonThe Arsonist — Chloe Hooper