The past few years, I have developed a habit of writing a year-end blog highlighting the most interesting books I have read. It's the time of the year when I intentionally reduce my mental activities and try to be more reflective and creative.
Here's a roundup of some of the most impactful reads from this year:
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
This profound memoir explores Frankl's experiences as a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist. Through painting a picture of his and other prisoners' experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, Frankl poses that the most important thing in life, even for the person going through extremely challenging circumstances, is to find meaning—meaning for your existence or suffering.
It’s a great book, particularly for people feeling empty or lost, questioning their life, or feeling like they have nothing to look forward to.
A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the “why” for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any “how”.
Viktor E. Frankl—Man's Search for Meaning
Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
Dr. Maltz, a renowned plastic surgeon, noticed that some of his patients experienced significant positive life changes after cosmetic procedures, while others did not despite the physical improvements. This observation led him to explore what he describes as the “self image”, the mental picture an individual holds of themselves.
In the book, he argues that our behaviours, feelings, and even physical health are deeply influenced by this "self-image". If one sees oneself as confident and capable, they are more likely to exhibit those qualities in their actions. On the contrary, a negative "self-image" can act as a barrier to success.
Throughout the book, Maltz uses scientific research and people's stories to emphasise the power of the mind in shaping one's reality. He also provides practical techniques for building a positive "self-image".
You will act like the sort of person you conceive yourself to be.
Maxwell Maltz—Psycho-Cybernetics
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
If you are a fan of Friends, one of the best sitcoms, this book is both insightful and heartbreaking. It's Matthew Perry's (Chandler) memoir, focusing on his devastating and relentless battle with addictions to drugs and alcohol from a young age through to his adulthood.
It's difficult to give a summary of this book without making it long. But I would say that it’s one of the most raw and authentic memoirs you’ll ever read, filled with stories of wins, losses, love, heartbreaks, friendships, abandonments and many other relatable themes. The book is insightful even for non Friends fans or drug addicts because it gives you a good perspective of what other people (friends or family) who struggle with this addiction go through. It's also an easy read.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson
This compilation distils the wisdom of an entrepreneur and great thinker, Naval Ravikant. The book is divided into two themes: wealth creation and happiness.
Naval’s philosophy centers on the idea that true wealth is the freedom to do what you want, when you want, with whom you want. And that this comes from pursuing meaningful experiences, zeroing in on things you enjoy doing that feel like so much work for other people when they try. The Almanack puts time and attention as the ultimate resources we need to invest wisely. The book also talks about the power of compounding in various aspects of life—doing little bit of something compounds over time.
The hardest thing is not doing what you want—it's knowing what you want.
Eric Jorgenson—The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
The second part of the book is about the pursuit of inner peace and happiness through self-awareness and mindfulness. It provides guidance to understand ourselves, embrace gratitude, and cultivate a sense of presence in the moment.
This book is now one of my all-time favourites, and a good recommendation for all young people.
The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett
If you are familiar with the Diary of a CEO (DOAC) YouTube channel or podcast, then you probably know Steven, and you'll be familiar with most of the stories and lessons in the book. DOAC is one of my favourite YouTube channels. I particularly appreciate the level of detail and effort the team puts in to make such high quality videos in visuals, content and guest list—something he talks about in the book too.
The book outlines Steven's journey as a young entrepreneur and CEO, and distills key lessons from personal experience and many brilliant guests he has interviews at DOAC. He also provides insights on personal development, leadership and the challenges of building great businesses.
One part that stood out the most for me is the idea of mastering the self by filling the five buckets: reading ferociously and learning to accumulate (1) knowledge, which, after repeatition, builds into (2) skills that you can use to help others and buid a (3) network. A strong network will in turn provide you with valuable (4) resources and ultimately help you develop a good (5) reputation. Steven also points out that all great results come from years of investing time and effort filling these five buckets in that order.
How the Internet Happened: From Netscape to the iPhone by Brian McCullough
In this book McCullough traces the evolution of the internet, exploring key moments and innovations that shaped the digital landscape in the 1990s and early 2000s.
I have written about this in separate blogs this year so I will not go into the details (check here). I enjoyed this book so much and learnt a lot. I would recommend it to anyone interested in entrepreneurship, technology innovation or venture capital.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Another one of the internet revolution, innovation and entrepreneurship books. Horowitz, a seasoned entrepreneur and venture capitalist, shares his personal experiences, lessons learned and practical advice for navigating the tumultuous journey of entrepreneurship.
The book does not romanticise entrepreneurship; instead, it provides a realistic and gritty portrayal of the struggles that leaders encounter. It’s a compelling read for anyone aspiring or involved in business. It offers not only practical advice but also a sense of camaraderie for those facing the hard realities of building and leading companies.
I hope you found something you resonate with or are interested in. Happy new year!
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