Whilst not an overly voluminous year of reading, I read some amazing books. Some old, some newer, some disappointing, but most of them were worth it.
How to be Perfect – Michael Schur
From the guy that brought you The Good Place, this is an outstanding read if the show got your interest piqued in ethics at all. It is gives an overview of where different philosophical thought has come from, with some background on the show and Michael’s career. I found in very interesting, and only a tiny bit preachy. (If you have seen the show then you may know the topics that he likes to get preachy about).
Whilst I am not able to fully articulate the names and birthplaces of the three main ethical arguments he covers, I have a fair idea and that works well enough for me. (That says more about me memory for the finer details than it does about the quality of the book).
Michael is an excellent and humorous writer.
Tuesday’s with Morrie: An old man, a young man and life’s greatest lesson – Mitch Albom
The best book I have read this year. I have a habit of coming late the party on many great books, but better late than never. Originally published in 1997, the book outlines the last few interactions that Mitch had with Morrie Schwartz who was dying. It is a real look at death, the injustice and undignified nature of it, and how we can find hope in its tragedy.
Definitely one I will read again.
The Bomber Mafia – Malcom Gladwell
In true Gladwell style, this is an excellent story about World War 2, the changing nature of warfare, ego, and the impossible question of how to end a war well – quickly and brutally to save lives or humanely? I should also add the nature of unintended consequences.
I admit that I am kind of getting saturated with content on historical wars, but this is definitely worth your time, as all good historical commentaries should be.
Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World – Michael Lewis
Building on the Big Short (which I haven’t read), this book revisits the impact that the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08 had on other financial crisis experienced by banks/countries outside of America. From the Greek government debt crisis to the Icelandic financial crisis, Lewis educated me on some of the financial challenges the world faced when I was looking elsewhere.
A fascinating look into our recent financial history narrated in a way that only Michael Lewis can do. 2025 will require more Michael Lewis reading methinks.
In Too Deep – Lee Child and Andrew Child
Probably my quickest read this year as well. I found this book at the Varanasi airport on my first leg of my journey back home, and by the first night in my own bed I had finished it.
The newest in the Jack Reacher series, and whilst not the best one, a pretty darn good read.
Scary book of the year:
Commander and Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump – Rick Reilly
It would be a really amusing read if not for how the US election went last November. Rick is a sportswriter who has garnered a number of stories of those that have played golf with Donald Trump over many decades, and the stories are all the same.
If you believe that how you do anything is how you do everything, it’s quite scary for what the future may hold.
The Generosity Guy 