2019 Reading Highlights

The answers are not in the books. I get it. But reading gives you new frameworks to interpret the world and change your life for the better. In 2019, I continued with my goal of 12 books in 12 months including various different topics such as business management, politics, social sciences, Brazil and others.

I'd like to share a few highlights and opinions about the pages I've read in 2019:

• Fire and Fury (Politics): Let me start by saying I did not vote for Trump. I have very different opinions than his core supporters. But I believe that in order to criticize his presidency, I had to first understand his points of view and patterns of behavior. This book brings clarity to the populist beliefs of Steve Bannon, the role and aspirations of Trump's family in government, the narrative of China as the enemy, the threats to North Korea with fire and fury and details on the bizarre style of management practiced by the president. As a foreigner trying to understand America and the American culture, this read was highly informative.
• Principles (Business): You may ask.. what can you learn from another old white billionaire from NYC who decides to write a book? Honestly, I do not relate to Ray Dalio on any level. I didn't go to Harvard, never worked in finance and I'm not an investor. But I've been craving for business advice and Principles is a masterclass of work ethic and high performance systems in a corporate world. There is so much to learn from Bridgewater Associates' office dynamics and culture. I highly recommend this book and I was very intrigued by the author's concepts of idea-meritocracy, believability levels and extreme transparency at work. As a matter of fact, meaningful work with meaningful relationships. 

• Basic Economics: I've realized that If I were to go back in time and choose another degree, it would be PPE or Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Nowadays I firmly believe that the study of the great works of social, political and philosophical thought can have a transformative effect on our lives and are at the core of what it means to be an educated person. So I've decided to take on the study material and follow the program structure from Oxford University. I've started with Basic Economics to revise the fundamentals including prices and markets, commerce, work and pay, investments, government finance and international trade. This is a long and technical read that will help you paint the big picture of a global political economy. 
• Maps of Meaning (Philosophy): A dense and challenging read that covers different topics from science to religion. Jordan Peterson is a master of the English language and a great resource for the study of philosophy. In this book, he attempts to create a connection between rituals, myth and religion to prove his point that we don't see the world objectively. Maps of Meaning will teach you about stories of the bible, political revolutions, the origins of religion and the value of social interactions.  
• The Righteous Mind (Politics): In an attempt to connect Philosophy, Politics and Economics, I decided to read a book from Jonathan Haidt, professor of ethical leadership at NYU. I wanted to understand what a renowned social psychologist thinks of morality, politics and religion in relation to reasoning, justice and cooperation. This book explains in detail the central perspectives of liberals, conservatives and libertarians. It describes how to interpret levels of openness and what it means to be on the 'Left' or 'Right' of the spectrum. I recommend this book to anyone interested in public philosophy or political science.
• Strategic Marketing (Business): If there is one area in business that I'd like to master in my career, it is strategic marketing. I am fascinated by brand stories, product positioning, customer engagement and delivering value. This book is a collection of articles from Harvard Business Review magazine covering key concepts such as NPS Net Promoter Score, building brand communities, the power of the female economy and how to create unique consumer experiences. The in-depth case studies are highly informative and share many details on what successful global companies are doing in branding and marketing strategies. 

• Financial Literacy for Managers (Business): I remember when Warren Buffett once said in an interview that "accounting is the language of business". MBAs are also full of accounting case studies. It's about the numbers, after all. Reading this book helped me interpret financial statements and look for connections between numbers to ultimately make better business decisions. The goal is to be familiar with terms such as Debt-to-Equity, Net Profit Margin, Cash Reserves, Earnings per Share and Return-on-Equity before even identifying the industry that the company is in. A key message here is to switch from interpreting a business through words and language to using the power of numbers, models and statistical tools. 
• Starting a Business (Entrepreneurship): I have finally made the decision to start a business. Something small, a private lab of ideas to put my work experience to test and take my chances in a market full of opportunities. It has been essential to have a reference guide to each step, from the conception of the idea to the opportunity in numbers. I recommend this book as a very detailed guide to organize your thoughts and learn how to present a business proposal to future investors in a professional way. 
• Todo dia é Segunda-feira (Politics): I was born in Rio, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But my country is no joke, seven out of the twenty most violent cities in the world are in Brazil due to a constant rise in urban violence and organized crime. I want to understand it. I want to know why. This book describes an epic attempt of the government to reclaim territories from criminals and drug gangs and establish the rule of law via Pacifying Police Units or UPP's. 
• Trillion Dollar Coach (Business): It is not uncommon to find former athletes and coaches in business. The transition is even more intense from the military branches into business. This book shares the contributions of Dave Campbell, a former football coach who turned into a top advisor in Silicon Valley and how he guided CEOs to build and manage teams, gain operational efficiency and create high performing teams and cultures. An insider perspective on some of the largest tech companies in the world (Google, Apple and Intuit) highlighting the importance of teams and team dynamics that helped create well over a trillion dollars in market value.
• What They Teach You at Harvard Business School (Business): The idea that you can learn the Harvard program by reading a book is hilarious, but this is a former MBA student sharing his experience of the entire program, course by course with specific case studies, group dynamics, ethics, guest speakers and all. I was not only entertained but also thrilled to learn about the life and moral debates of some of the world's most influential graduates. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a better understanding of HBS and its MBA program.

I welcome all your comments and opinions about any of these books.

Cheers, Gus Menezes.