2022 - Lessons in the Pages

**For the spreadsheet in which I chronicle all of my reading and classes, go here .**

I keep three floating shelves behind me in my office. The middle one is not for books. The one on the left says "Done" on it and reflects the books I have completed. The one on the right says "To Read" and holds some of those books I have not yet read (not all of them - it's not big enough to do that).

Today is January 16, 2023. It is the dawn of a new year and I am taking stock of the last year of reading in my life. The longest streak I have maintained for the last couple of years has been my reading. I have read for 701 days in a row. Of all things I have thrown myself into, reading has stayed steady amidst running (which was great til the weather turned cold) or French lessons on Duolingo (outside of Emily in Paris episodes, I find myself lacking a real reason to use it) or other habits that fell by the wayside.

On January 10, 2022, I published an article on LinkedIn titled "2021 - Did I do anything besides reading and studying?" . The answer, by the way, was yes, as I am still a parent of two, working many hours a week, with a coaching business. This year, my coaching business took a back seat as I started a new job at Pinterest - but my second child was far more demanding of my attention, I created GroanUp (a company dedicated to simplifying life skills into an empowering, easy to understand format), and I added new learning goals (a five-class Positive Psychology certification from Upenn on Coursera and two Asian-focused leadership accelerators).

?

As I look back upon 2022, there was a lot going on. And I learned a few things about my learning and reading:

1.) If I like something, I read it or finish it quickly.

I started rating all of the courses and books I completed. A book I rated a 9 out of 10 took me 26.2 days to finish. A rating of 6 took me 60.67 days. Similarly for courses, a rating of 9 took me 16.67 days and a rating of 5 took 143 days.

I use a simple rating system in my spreadsheet:

• 10 - One of the best books I’ve ever read/courses I've ever taken. Would recommend immediately to virtually everyone.
• 9 - Excellent book/course. Made an impact on me.
• 8 - Very good. Worthwhile read/learning.
• 7 - Good. No regrets in reading/taking.
• 6 - Not as useful or compelling as I would have hoped.
• 5 - I don’t regret reading/taking this but I didn’t love it. Would not recommend.
• 4 - Some nuggets of wisdom or joy but otherwise not enjoyable or helpful.
• 3 - Crap.
• 2 - Why did I read or take this?
• 1 - Horrible. Wish I could have that time and energy back.
• 0 - Didn’t even finish.

?

2.) The format matters.

An audiobook takes me an average of 23 days to read, a Kindle book 57.6 days, and hardcover or paperback 82-86 days. Similarly a LinkedIn Learning course is done in 29,5 days vs. nearly 100 for MasterClass (reflecting MasterClass's longer courses) and 55 for Coursera.

?

3.) I read about a lot of different things.

Of the 60 books I read, 23 were about the world and society at large, 10 were professional/business in nature, 8 pleasure, and the rest across categories like Food/Drink, Home, Travel, and Career. I also read several coffee table books - which proves you can learn a ton from these mammoth, heavy-ass books that normally line your built-ins, bookshelves, or, yes, your coffee tables.

Without further ado, here is what I read and learned in 2022, starting with the reading:

What I read in 2022

• San Fransicko
• Our Man in Charleston
• Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking : Likely the closest I will ever come to being a chef (especially a French-trained chef), but a fascinating adventure into uprooting one's family and oneself and learning a wildly new trade)
• Less
• Man's Search for Meaning : Viktor Frankl's experience as a Nazi prisoner reveals struggles you and I likely won't ever be able to replicate or truly comprehend - but we can try. And we can learn from history and the experiences of others on how to bring purpose and meaning into our lives.
• Beyond Diversity: 12 Non-Obvious Ways To Build A More Inclusive World
• The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space : Very much an informational resource, this book will provide some much needed education on how to look at designing your home.
• More Memories of Growing Up in San Francisco's Chinatown
• Van Conversion Guide : No, I do not aspire to actually convert a van to a liveable space. But do I want to take a trip in an RV? Yep.
• The Wake Up : It helps that Michelle Kim and I have met a couple times (she's friends with a bunch of my ex-colleagues) and that her writing is so sharp and powerful. Her example of how one's value in consulting is based on your billable rate rang true to me since we were both Deloitte consultants for a time - and this book should be on your list.
• 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think : This now sits on a very small list of life-changing books. A cynic would look at this title and think it presumptuous - and yes it's not a short book. But reading this book will leave you with at least one (if not many) different ways of looking at life.
• Master Your Next Move, with a New Introduction: The Essential Companion to "The First 90 Days"
• Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys : Super fascinating to see how the grocer we all love came to be.
• Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections
• Watches: A Guide by Hodinkee : I'm obsessed. Deal with it.
• Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin: A Cookbook : Kenny Shopsin died a couple weeks before I was headed to New York for work, so when I went to his eponymous restaurant in the Essex Street Market, I was deprived of his crass, direct nature. But I was the beneficiary of his delicious food - and this book showcases what a personality he was. And an incredible number of recipes from his kitche.
• ?Buen día, buenas noches! Palabras de ánimo para mí y para tí (Spanish Edition) : I opted to read Lin-Manuel Miranda's book of poems in Spanish, which is why it took me way longer to finish this than I would have liked. So many beautiful moments and cleverly written words should surprise no one, considering this man is a lyrical genius. Maybe try the English version and see if it's as cute as the Spanish version!
• The Splendid and the Vile : To understand life in London during the Blitz, one must read this book. And imagine how people struggled to live their lives while under constant threat of Nazi bombs destroying everything around them.
• So You Want to Talk About Race : Excellent red for anyone who is afraid to ask questions and wants to begin their journey.
• Golden Gates
• Range : This book sat on my shelf for way too long and must be on the foundational list for anyone working professional or student. I highlighted so many thoughtful passages that I'm having trouble picking from all of them to share with you. Seriously. GO READ THIS TODAY.
• The 1619 Project : Should be required reading for all students and provides an exceptionally researched set of articles and writing
• Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show : How many different books can I read about the clown show that was the Trump administration? Apparently many, including Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and an Epic Trail of Destruction , John Bolton's "The Room Where it Happened ", Targeted: The Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower's Inside Story of How Big Data, Trump, and Facebook Broke Democracy and How It Can Happen Again , and Peril . It's as if each book has revealed a NEW set of ways in which our former president attempted to subvert democracy. All powerful reads and Jonathan Karl's text adds to a list of things you should be aware of.
• Diversity in the Workplace: Eye-Opening Interviews to Jumpstart Conversations about Identity, Privilege, and Bias
• Home Repair and Improvement : This is definitely more of a reference book than a read straight-through kind of book - but that didn't stop me from reading it straight through. I also retained very little of it, but that's why it's a reference book. A ton of useful information in here if you give it time to sync on and go back to repeated readings.
• The Confidence Game
• How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Calmer, Happier Parent : Despite a humorous title, do not go out and buy this book. Not helpful in the slightest.
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck : Moments of brilliance in this book don't last til the end. Still worth a read.
• Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being : If you don't want to take Marty Seligman's course, this book will be a good start on positive psychology and happiness.
• Nimitz at War : If you're a World War II buff like me, reading about the American admiral (with whom we have a family connection and owe a great deal) will be well worth your time.
• Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well : Might be the best business book I've read in a long time, and a skill that LITERALLY everyone should be working to build. HIGH recommendation.
• Greenlights : Get this book on audio, if you want to read it. Somehow Matthew McConaughey's voice makes the words and his life experiences so much better - and yes, I am likely biased since his sleep story on Calm is my go-to sleep meditation.
• Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last
• Lonely Planet Kauai 4 (Travel Guide) : I mean, a travel guide? Seriously? Hell yes I am. Kauai now stands atop the list of my favorite Hawaiian Islands, and I would go back in a heartbeat. This guide is super easy to read and breakdown the parts of the island that you need to visit - and then making it even easier to figure out where to eat/sleep/drink/rest on the island.
• The Making of a Manager
• The Obesity Code : A lot of intense science here but also some powerful questions that I would hope would spread throughout the larger medical and scientific communities about how the body processes sugar, fats, and proteins - and also asking how previous and current dietary standards are influenced by large industry.
• Stuck: Why Asian Americans Don't Reach the Top of the Corporate Ladder
• The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future
• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally : A critical read for any DEIB practitioner but also for all to read so that we can be better colleagues, family members, friends, etc. And I say this as both the son of a paraplegic mother and as the father to an Autistic child. Understanding others' experiences is critical in life - and disability doesn't always get the attention it deserves.
• The Man Who Broke Capitalism : Jack Welch earned a reputation as an incredible businessman, manager, and executive for his time at General Electric. Well prepare to break yourself of all of these notions. When you begin to understand how horrible Welchian management is, you start questioning why this man ever was considered a great leader.
• We Were Dreamers : Simu Liu is awesome.
• Humans of New York : Your faith in the goodness of people will be restored.
• The Biggest Bluff
• World Travel: An Irreverent Guide : It's important to understand that although this is Anthony Bourdain's last book, it's not entirely his writing. And it's more a guide than it is irreverent. That said, it makes me miss his contributions to food and travel.
• Satisfaction Guaranteed: How Zingerman's Built a Corner Deli into a Global Food Community : Ideally you read this book with a rugelach or pastrami sandwich nearby. But if you don't, that's okay. Reading about the history of Ann Arbor's famed deli and how it survived the pandemic is quite a tale.
• A Man & His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them
• Code Girls : The contributions of women to the codebreaking efforts of World War II are both incredible and deserving of your awareness.
• The World Atlas of Coffee: From beans to brewing - coffees explored, explained and enjoyed : You will only enjoy this book if you are obsessed with coffee and enjoy a very technical reading experience.
• Fast. Feast. Repeat.: The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don't Deny? Intermittent Fasting--Including the 28-Day FAST Start : A fascinating dive into the world of intermittent fasting, especially after reading Jason Fung's The Obesity Code (above).
• Walk with Me New York : Have you noticed a few different books on my reading lists related to New York? Well by now, hopefully, you know how much I love New York City. To the extent that I can read coffee table books about that city all day long. This one is not quite that heavy but allows you to explore different storefronts, homes, and locations in Manhattan that bring me a ton of joy.
• Zabar's: A Family Story, with Recipes : More Jewish deli books, more delicious recipes and moments. It's also a history of the family and how its iconic orange font and iconography have defined a brand that is synonymous with New York City.
• Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles
• Leading Without Authority: How the New Power of Co-Elevation Can Break Down Silos, Transform Teams, and Reinvent Collaboration
• Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation
• California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What It Means for America's Power Grid : If you're not from Northern California, you might not know what Pacific Gas and Electric is (or represents). Every region in America has a utility that everyone depends on and likely no one loves - similar to Comcast or AT&T. But having also consulted at PG&E in 2015 and seen some of the dysfunction internally, I have a particular axe to grind with the people who ran this company. And once you read this book, you will too. Definitely worth a read.
• No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work : Another of my top reads of the year, Liz Fosslien and Mollie Duffy West mix charming animated visuals with concepts around the workplace that will have you nodding along in agreement or asking yourself how you can make your work experience better or different.
• Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home
• Greetings from New Nashville: How a Sleepy Southern Town Became "It" City : Having lived in Nashville from 2010-2012, I got to know the city BEFORE pedal taverns and high rises dominated the scene. This compilation of essays and articles will help you to understand more about how this city blew up in the 2010's and how much it has changed since the 1990's.
• Agent Josephine : Whoa. This story about the famed American actress and singer Josephine Baker will blow your mind. An African American star who both rose to fame in France after unrelenting racism in the US pre-world war II AND became the most photographed woman in the world was also…wait for it…a spy for the Allies. Read it. Good god, read it. It's amazing. She was amazing. … It was amazing.
• The Alchemist, 25th Anniversary: A Fable About Following Your Dream : Much like 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think , this book now sits on my list of the best books I have ever read. Though a simple parable on the surface, this story of an Andalusian shepherd boy raises questions as powerful and difficult to answer as the meaning of life itself.

?

?

What I Studied/Learned

I spent 91 hours, 20 minutes (according to the durations of the courses) taking these 39 courses. Some were super long (see the two Coursera courses on Positive Psychology - Positive Psychology: Martin E. P. Seligman’s Visionary Science (1 of 5) and Positive Psychology: Applications and Interventions (2 of 5) ). Others took a mere half hour.

What I really learned about learning though was that I need to become more selective in which classes I take - even if they're short. I took a lot of classes that - while interesting - weren't as useful to me as I already knew the content or did not find it as applicable to my situations.

?

• MasterClass: Jessie Krebs Teaches Wilderness Survival
• LinkedIn: Creating a Leadership Development Program
• MasterClass: Gordon Ramsay (Teaches Cooking II: Restaurant Recipes at Home) : I mean watching Gordon filet or grill is just magical. This follow on to his first MasterClass was equally enjoyable - and scrumptious.
• LinkedIn: Learning Canva
• LinkedIn: Introduction to Quantum Computing : Do I remember a whole lot from this course? Nope. But I do remember finishing it feeling that I felt smarter for having taken it. Also the material is presented in a very easy-to-understand format.
• LinkedIn: Learning Your Nikon DSLR Camera : It was funny to take this 11 years after I bought my camera and then to both sell this camera and move to mirrorless - but that said, this was a superb class. Very helpful and methodical.
• MasterClass: Hans Zimmer Teaches Film Scoring : Hans Zimmer's music is awesome but this course was just so-so. The individual soundtracks and scores are pretty compelling though.
• LinkedIn: Introduction to NFTs: Non-fungible Tokens
• MasterClass: Gabriela Camara Teaches Mexican Cooking : Get hungry!
• LinkedIn: People Success: Employee Assessments
• LinkedIn: Unlocking Authentic Communication in a Culturally-Diverse Workplace : Besides being a practical and thoughtful course, Jonathan Wilson is a super engaging speaker who makes it easy to access some of these key ideas. HIGHLY recommended.
• LinkedIn: Fair and Effective Interviewing for Diversity and Inclusion
• LinkedIn: A Guide to ERG's (Employee Resource Groups)
• LinkedIn: How to Speak Up Against Racism at Work
• MasterClass: Elaine Welteroth Teaches Designing Your Career : Elaine Welteroth is amazing, but the course doesn't land with the same impact as her career. While her lessons are impressive and make a lot of sense, this topic is better served by talking to a career coach who can help you apply these elements directly (instead of abstractly).
• LinkedIn: Becoming an Ally to All
• LinkedIn: Strategies for Your First 90 Days in a New Job
• LinkedIn: Mel Robbins on Confidence
• LinkedIn: Inclusive Instructional Design
• LinkedIn: Organization Design : Very practical introduction to org design. Great for aspiring HR professionals or consultants.
• LinkedIn: Staying Positive in the Face of Negativity
• MasterClass: Roy Choi Teaches Intuitive Cooking : This and the next course by Jeff Weiner are my two favorite courses of the year. Roy's style of engaging (swearing, being authentically who he is, loving what he does) is incredibly fun - and his dishes look amazing.
• LinkedIn: Jeff Weiner on Leading like a CEO : Bias alert - yes, Jeff was my CEO during my tenure at LinkedIn and I admire him. But this course could benefit anyone in business and I guarantee you'll learn SOMETHING new.
• LinkedIn: Creating a Top Talent Program
• LinkedIn: Make the Move from Individual Contributor to Manager : A really thoughtful course that ranks high on my lifetime list of LinkedIn Learning courses. Super easy to follow, especially if you haven't managed before - and if you have, you'll still learn something.
• LinkedIn: New Manager Foundations
• MasterClass: Massimo Bottura Teaches Modern Italian Cooking
• MasterClass: James Suckling Teaches Wine Appreciation : James Suckling clearly knows a ton - and I was hoping to learn a lot from this course, but wine is something that can't be experienced virtually. If this were paired with a box of wine at your house, would be amazing.
• LinkedIn: A Manager's Guide to Inclusive Teams
• Positive Psychology: Martin E. P. Seligman’s Visionary Science (1 of 5) : Martin Seligman is the father of positive psychology, and while this course is time intensive, it was incredibly interesting for anyone looking to better understand the field of positive psychology.
• LinkedIn: Learning How to Shoot Video at Home : Very practical advice on how to shoot better video, which in this day and age is vital to effective communication.
• LinkedIn: Disagreeing with Someone Senior to You
• LinkedIn: Cultivating Cultural Competence and Inclusion : This course was quite helpful for me as I think it does a great job of grounding students in the concepts around cultural competence. I think it's useful for DEI practitioners and employees alike!
• Positive Psychology: Applications and Interventions (2 of 5)
• LinkedIn: Advancing a DIBs Strategy in Your Organization
• LinkedIn: Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers
• LinkedIn: Having Difficult Conversations: A Guide for Managers : Taking this course won't make it easy to have tough conversations - but it will make it easier. I would recommend this for all managers, but also for all individual contributors as well.
• MLI AMA : This is the McKinsey Asian Management accelerator, and for anyone who is thinking about taking it, it is valuable if you've not gone to business school or been a consultant. If you've done either (and especially if you've done both), you will find it a waste of time outside of the networking - which doesn't happen very often.
• LinkedIn: Become a Manager Your Team Loves

?

Conclusion(s)

I read a record number of books (60, topping my 2021 record of 59. I studied way fewer courses (39 in 2022 vs 62 in 2021) but they were longer and more complex. But the more important lesson than the content in these books was that I have come to look upon reading time as "me time." It's my time to shelter from the storm and block out the world. It helps start each day off with a little reading (via audiobook) as I take my son to school. It helps to end the day reading while my daughter falls asleep beside me.

A physical book doesn't let me scan notes or retrieve info quickly, but it doesn't strain my eyes like the iPad does. A physical book can't help me when I need the lights off so my daughter can fall asleep. But above all else, a physical book can transport me to places both real and imagined, far off and close by. For that reason, I'll be reading more physical books in 2023.

?

Further Reading

If you'd like to read any of my other posts on reading, have a gander:

• 2021 - Did I do anything besides reading and studying? (January 10, 2022)
• 2020 - A Year of Reading and Learning in Review ?(January 4, 2021)
• Oh how I hated learning as a kid ?(May 21, 2019)
• Why I have a "To Learn" list vs. a "To Do" list ?(February 8, 2019)
• On the Importance of Reading and Learning ?(August 17, 2018)
• If you'd like to see the full, up-to-date list of everything I read or learn in courses, feel free to browse?my Google spreadsheet .?