2022 Books from my personal reading list

#booksreadin2022

1)??? Jack Reacher series – Lee Child

Started the year a little late and with a category that I don’t usually prefer to read. One of the rare occasions that I pick up popular fiction series but picked up a few books from Jack Reacher series after being introduced by the Amazon Prime TV series. Lee Child is a good author and keeps the reader engaged with a nice plot.

?2)??? The Last Battle - Lewis, C.S.

I was so glad to wrap the Narnia series and get my son off my back for not finishing the series. I am so grateful for the Lewis’ works and have enjoyed reading his books every year.

?3)??? Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence - Goleman, Daniel

I did not finish this book, but it is a good follow through from Goleman’s original book on EQ.

?4)??? On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books - Prior, Karen Swallow

Not sure how I stumbled into this book, but a good one with tips and tricks on how to get most of the classics.

?5)??? Seven Brief Lessons on Physics - Rovelli, Carlo

This one was recommended on “The After Hours” HBR podcast and appreciate Carlo’s efforts to distill some of the important concepts on Physics to any reader.

?6)??? Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam - Ramaswamy, Vivek

Little did I know that Vivek would run for the POTUS job when I picked up the book. Did not finish the book, but with the keen analysis of his recent debates and media appearances, I can understand Vivek’s insights and perspective on this topic.

?7)??? Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption - Hillenbrand, Laura

This one was on my reading list for a long time. I am glad I had not seen the movie; as with many others, movie cannot do justice to a great book, and the movie in this case misses the mark by miles.

?8)??? You Are Not Special: ... And Other Encouragements - McCullough, David Jr.

I stumbled on a YouTube video of McCullough’s [https://tinyurl.com/4pe5cvbt] speech at a high school graduation, who is the son of a late great historian, David McCullough, and decided to pick up this book. I think the commencement speech is more impactful than the book, since the McCullough’s writing style attempts to present the same impact as his speech and not as effective. I am sure McCullough Jr.’s history classes are fun and engaging at the high school he teaches. The irony is that I dreaded history when I was in high school, but I love it now, and I just hope that my kids shake-off their dismay of history quicker than me.

?9)??? Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith - Krakauer, Jon

I had seen the movie “Into the wild” that was very impressive and not connected the dots to Krakauer until recently. There is now a TV series based on this book on Hulu, but I am not sure the series can portray the depth of Krakauer’s research. This is a controversial book, but Krakauer does a great job staying neutral in his observations on the history of Mormons. This book stirred me up to validate my faith in God and improved my prayer life to ensure I am validating my understanding of God from the scriptures.

?10) The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War - Gladwell, Malcolm

Wrapped the year with Gladwell’s latest book and a nice follow through to “The Accidental President” that portrays the difficult decisions that leaders to make in wars. I think this book by Gladwell is quite good in presentation of two different approaches to war, regardless of which one prevailed.

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Please add comments on any suggestion for non-fiction here, as I am at a phase of life where my time to read is shrinking, and I got to be very selective.