The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932 by William Manchester – Sometimes while reading Manchester, I’m wondering if I bit off a bit more than I can chew; other times I can’t put it down. I don’t think Churchill took a breath that Manchester didn’t capture, but the result is one of the most fascinating profiles of one of the most interesting men in history, plus plenty of history and commentary on Victorian and post-Victorian culture and politics (yes, and the more things change, the more they stay the same). Don’t think for a second that todays politics are any worse than they have been in the past!
Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson – Part of the magic of Isaacson’s biographies is that they are so immersive I really feel like I got to know Albert Einstein. While some of Einstein’s science was just outside my intellectual grasp, Isaacson did a commendable job of bringing it as close to the level of understandability as anyone. But where he really shines is in the portrait of the human being that we revere as Einstein. I really felt a loss when the book ended, like I had to say goodbye to a new friend.
Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
Foundation by Isaac Asimov – Ok, if you’ve never read any science fiction, start here! Absolutely masterful! And now I see strains of Asimov in every sci-fi movie and story I’ve ever loved. No so much sci-fi as an epic tale about empire building. While I’ve never been a big science fiction reader, I can’t believe I didn’t know these stories. Devoured them.
Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov – Ditto.
Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov – Ditto.
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan – My summer beach reading. The kind of life I’m glad I didn’t live, but fascinated to read about!
Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien – What can I say that hasn’t been said? I think this is my 3rd go around with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. As good this time as the very first time.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do by Charles Duhigg – I’d seen this book all over every airport bookstore for a year or more and have wanted to read it ever since Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow. I’m really fascinated by all of the behavioral research based on brain science and Duhigg’s book takes research to a really practical level. This was a fantastic read. I’ll probably pick it up again in a year.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius – The amazing thing about Meditations is that the historical references, science and technology notwithstanding, this could very well be a contemporary self-help book. I was constantly reminded that people haven’t really changed that much throughout the ages even though the canvas of culture has.
Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command by Sean Naylor- It’s been a few years since I’ve been into military books. After Black Hawk Down came out, I went through a military phase and read several books about a few of the elite covert ops units, but Relentless Strike kind of brings the timeline together from the botched Iran hostage operation (Eagle Claw) in the late ’70s and how that sparked the Joint Special Operations Command. If you’re into special ops, this is foundational reading and provides the scaffolding to build on with mission specific books.
Talking to Humans: Success starts with understanding your customers by Giff Constable – What a novel idea, particularly if you’re a startup organization trying to find that profitable, sustainable market!
In the cause of architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright: Essays – I’m not necessarily recommending this book. It’s a beast. But if you want to understand the thought process of Frank Lloyd Wright, then go to the source. Massive, weighty, erudite, difficult to understand and, in some cases, to follow. Only for folks with a hardcore interest in architecture and the master.
