Books, books, books!

When lockdown ended in London, my first trip was not to a restaurant or barber – it was to my bookshop around the corner. I picked up a copy of Siddartha by Hermann Hesse and spent an evening re-reading one of my favourites over a glass of Argentinian Malbec. I have to say, it was a refreshing experience that was long overdue.

I have always considered myself a ‘bookworm’. My love for reading started early in life in Austria while riding trains to and from my swimming practices. In this pre-internet era, books were the means to explore worlds unknown – and the more I read, the more my thirst for knowledge grew.

Today’s youth often digest information in a wider variety of ways such as podcasts, YouTube and Wikipedia. However, I’ve found these mediums often don’t provide the full context of a beginning, middle, and end that books typically offer.

In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg posted on Facebook that he set a goal to read one book every two weeks with an emphasis on learning about different cultures, beliefs, histories and technologies. He said, “Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today.”

I so agree!

Books are a tried and tested way humans can connect to one another across the boundaries of time and space. Books allow you to delve into the head of another person and understand precisely what they’re thinking.

I think Galileo said it best more than 400 years ago:

“With what admiration the reading of excellent poets fills anyone who attentively studies the invention and interpretation of concepts. And what shall I say of architecture? What of the art of navigation?

But surpassing all stupendous inventions, what sublimity of mind was his who dreamed of finding means to communicate his deepest thoughts to any other person, though distant by mighty intervals of place and time! Of talking with those who are in India; of speaking to those who are not yet born and will not be born for a thousand or ten thousand years; and with what facility, by the different arrangements of twenty characters upon a page! Let this be the seal of all the admirable inventions of mankind…”

Reading is one of the most powerful ways the world’s greatest and boldest minds are inspired.

• Warren Buffet reads 5-6 hours per day of different newspapers and financial documents. He recently told an investment class at Columbia University of the importance of reading: “That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.”
• Bill Gates tries to read 50 books a year – his favourites are non-fiction titles around public health, disease, engineering, business, and science.
• Elon Musk said in a Rolling Stones article that he was “raised by books”. There were periods in his life where he was reading 10 hours a day with a specific passion for science fiction. He has since transformed mobility both on the earth, in space, and one day perhaps even on Mars.
• Jack Ma has said that he reads voraciously as a window into other worlds, businesses and industries.
• Oprah calls reading her “personal path to freedom” and has led her iconic book club since 2004.

The more I read throughout my life, the more I “connect the dots” of human history through the past, present, and future.

As many of us are moving into the summer holiday period, I wanted to share a few of my favourite book recommendations – many of which are in the photo above:

• From Good to Great by Jim Collins. This is my favourite business book of all time. It is deeply grounded in data and written very succinctly. His Level 5 leadership model is off the charts.
• 1984 by George Orwell. Written in 1949, you’ll be surprised at how relevant this book is in 2020. The notion of “big brother is watching you” is more relevant than ever.
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. The more than 700 pages will test your patience but reward you with tears and emotion as you explore a story of the limits of human endurance.
• The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. The story of Holden, a young man’s coming of age story. This is a classic that I would recommend to all of Gen Z (and their parents!).
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. A fable about Santiago, a young Spanish shepherd searching for his purpose.

Good books are an irreplaceable way to inspire people young and old alike. Now, get a new book, take time off, and get lost in the written words of a beautiful piece.

Have a wonderful summer.

PS: Comment below, I would love some of your favourite book recommendations!