The 10 books that helped me reach my heights in 2019

Note to reader: I am big into self-development, wellness and growth. That means I pretty much exclusively read non-fiction, mostly around wellness, science, human beings, career growth, the brain, and spirituality. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you'll probably enjoy this list.....

Last year I managed 40 books thanks to my newfound hack of giving up public transport, and pretty much exclusively using Audible. This year, I managed 47 - still not quite a book a week, but it's not bad going. I was gifted a Blinkist subscription too, but I've not given it a go yet... perhaps I'll see what it's like in 2020.

My major 'hack' this year was listening between the 1.3 and 1.5 mark. I found that any more than that, it was too hard to retain info. Some books, however, I had to resort to 1x as they were too interesting/information-dense.

Anyway - if you're reading this, you'll want me to crack on, so let's get to it.

Number 10: Waking Up, Sam Harris

I describe myself as 'spiritual but not religious' and have done for the last 7 years, but I feel like had I read this book prior to my own belief that the two things can be separated, it might well have been closer to the number 1 spot. It's a compelling and well-articulated account from an expert meditation teacher and neuroscientist Sam Harris who gleefully shares his rather extreme story of finding spirituality in Eastern Culture, what psychedelic drugs taught him about spirituality in western culture and a lot in between. There's a reason he's widely considered to be one of the great thinkers in modern society.

Number 9: Sex at Dawn, Christopher Ryan

No, not my autobiography, honest. This is a remarkably compelling look at the reason why infidelity happens, how we really REALLY aren't wired to be monogamous at all, and is frankly, above all else - the most pro-feminist book I've read all year. It's funny, completely scientifically sound, really compelling, thoroughly enjoyable and might even give you a legitimate hall pass when things get boring with your partner. I both do and don't want my wife to read this, cos once you know, you can't un-know, but I imagine it's doubly liberating once you've read it from a female perspective.

Number 8: This is going to hurt, Adam Kay

I know, I know, I'm SO behind the times, but my God this really is a masterpiece. It's excruciatingly funny, I kept rewinding it just to laugh at the same joke over and over. At the same time I definitely cried, was so emotionally drained and couldn't possibly have ended this book with any more respect for the amazing heroes that work in the NHS saving lives every day.

I finished this book with one brilliant takeaway that's been especially meaningful - an entrepreneurial life pales in comparison to the dedication, pain, little glory and sheer passion that medical workers have.

Number 7: Evolve Your Brain, Joe Dispenza

This book starts off in the most ridiculous fashion, with Joe's personal story going from a chiropractor to neuroscience X spirituality leader filling out stadiums on tour as a public speaker. By employing some pretty powerful mind techniques in order to beat paralysis following a life-threatening crash, he embarks on a life of dedication and purpose, and explains how all of this is possible if you understand how your brain works, why it does what it does, and how to make it work for you. Intense, long, but very powerful!

Number 6: The Body, Bill Bryson

As someone who now reads scientific journals every week to write the Heights 'Sunday Supplement' brain health newsletter, this book was a much needed welcome relief. Insightful, funny, easy to understand and even easier to remember relevant snippets to sound smart at dinner parties, Bryson does what he does best - tell a quirky story in a way you want to keep coming back to, but this time it's all about the story of you!

Not only deconstructing what goes on in every different part of your body, and the various life stages, he also documents the key players, their amazing discoveries, debunks loads of familiar myths you may have heard and never stops making you laugh whilst you learn. Classic Bryson.

Number 5. The everything store, Brad Stone

It's hard not to read this book in pure admiration of a genius at work, despite the clear misgivings of a maniacal single-minded leader who follows in the same footsteps as the greats before him; he is yet another brilliant tyrant. No surprises there then, but what is totally incredible about this journey is his repetitive single-minded focus from day 1 to 2013 when it ends on the answer always being 'the customer'. The humble beginnings and rapid changes that come with the rise of this behemoth demonstrate the utter genius and drive of one of the true greats. Fun fact that blew my mind - he was in the first-ever angel investment round of Google. Yup, cos he isn't rich enough anyway right? ??

Number 4: Into the magic shop, Jim Doty

Well, how often will I get my photo taken with an international best selling author? I even got to hang out and record a podcast with him, but enough about me. Jim came from poverty, met his mentor in a magic shop, learned the power of meditation & focus, blagged his way into uni to study medicine, became the CEO of a billion-dollar company, lost most of his fortune, gave the rest away, and is now a practicing neurosurgeon and founder of the center of Compassion Studies at Stanford Medical School, where the Dalai Lama is his mate and patron of the school. The book is totally inspirational, a page turner, and pure magic.

Number 3: Atomic Habits, James Clear

Though he's not the OG of habit-forming psychology, he acknowledges Charles Duhigg but in my view does a possibly even better job of explaining some key components towards creating a better life. Mostly how to get rid of negative habits, and how to create healthy new ones. Nothing he says is so totally revolutionary that your mind is blown yet it's all so well articulated, well demonstrated by examples from his own life and most importantly, expertly put together so you have a roadmap for building your own set of habits, which as the title suggests, from making tiny changes, will create remarkable results. Fun fact, he's also brilliant to follow on twitter https://twitter.com/JamesClear

Number 2: How to change your mind, Michael Pollan.

I'll admit, I've read many books on psychedelics, but this is by far the best, because Pollan is just such a lovely writer, you are taken on a journey of history, mystery, neuroticism, and neuroscience all at the same time. Crucially, Pollan had never taken any psychedelics before writing this book, meaning it's a purely literary endeavor, and he approaches each experience with exactly the type of trepidation you'd expect any rational person to, when stepping into the unknown, and though he describes his experiences as 'ineffable' , the beauty of the journey is less about what he feels when taking them, and more the many characters, incredible colourful history, and indeed absolute miracle how they were discovered, why they were banned, and why they are making such a comeback in the fight against mental health diseases in modern medicine today, being fast-tracked by the FDA who has finally accepted that they might do considerably more good than harm. Soz Nixon.

Number 1. Red Notice, Bill Browder.

Probably the bravest book I've ever read - it is in every possible way a death wish. In case you ever felt like you wanted proof that Putin is pure evil - this book will remove any doubt. The term 'stranger than fiction' is true here - it's almost impossible to believe this isn't an elaborate film that feels a little too far fetched to be real, but believe it or not, this is indeed the memoir of one of the world's most successful self-made men, who became so successful he actually managed to become Putin's public enemy number 1.

When that would make most men shake in their boots, he decides to double down on justice, what's right, and risks everything - his family, his fortune and definitely his own life to fight for what he knows is right, and to bring Putin to justice. Phenomenal.

5 honourable mentions that just missed the cut:

11. The Source by Dr. Tara Swart

The power of visualizing the future you want told from a neuroscientist's point of view. I actually think this book is brilliant, and should arguably be in the top 10, the reason it's not is simply that I read it after about a year of writing my brain health newsletters, and as they are such overlapping topics, I had read most of the science from her book already, which is why when we met, we got on so well, and she joined my new company Heights as our Chief Science Officer.

12. Trillion Dollar Coach by Jonathan Rosenberg and Eric Schmidt

The brilliant account of the most respected coach in Silicon Valley, Bill Campbell. He coached all sorts from Steve Jobs to Jeff Bezos, and this account is an unusual account of the life of someone with relatively unusual tactics at times but when all is said and done, to Bill, it was always about the person, never the company, which is what made him so loved.

Think of it as a 'help others book' in a world of self help books.

13. Superior by Angela D Saini.

As a respected science journalist, the follows up the brilliant 'inferior' (about the discredited role of women in science through the ages), with this study of how racism has prevailed in biology and is still present today. It's not quite a page-turner but it is extremely compelling - she's clearly a master of her craft and her work is so important, she is so articulate, and another person who is brilliant to follow on twitter; https://twitter.com/AngelaDSaini

14. The age of surveillance capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff

The themes explored here are simple - 'we used to search google, now google searches us'. Zuboff is big on the notion that big tech cant be trusted, we are all doomed, and should stop being such moronic slaves to the obvious data-mining exercise working against us, and stop favouring convenience for privacy before it's too late. This one isn't an easy read, it's complex, detailed and at times repetitive, but she is a lady on a mission, and she delivers it loud and clear. To be fair, I now use Duck Duck Go as a result!

15. Why we sleep by Matthew Walker

I know I know, you probably think this should be my number 1. Well, I've had insomnia for 5 months, so frankly reading the science behind why we sleep after the fact, to be told that I'm probably as a result going to die about 5 years early isn't exactly the most uplifting read - especially when, on the contrary, there's no evidence proving that happens to sleep-deprived parents over non-parents, so there are parts of this I take issue with. However, most of the book is compelling, important, hit a nerve in society at the right time, and is well written.

Still looking for inspiration?

Here was last year's top 10 list.

So, what do you think of these? What have you already read? What should I read next? Tell me in the comments below and I'll get right to it!

Thanks ??