The Books I Read in 2018

I set a goal to read 50 books in 2018. I fell spectacularly short of that goal.

But all is not lost—I learned a lot, was inspired to action, explored new worlds, gained valuable insight, and am motivated to read even more in 2019. Here’s a list of all the books I’ve read this year (in general order of when I read them), with some commentary, a quote from the book, and my own rating on a scale of 1-5 to go along with it:

Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio

Somewhat of a disappointment—was hoping to get a lot more out of this book considering the author and the hype around it. Most of the advice was either not applicable or common sense. Perhaps that’s the lesson of the book…?

A phrase I highlighted: That brings me to my first principle: Think for yourself to decide 1) what you want, 2) what is true, and 3) what you should do to achieve #1 in light of #2... and do that with humility and open-mindedness so that you consider the best thinking available to you.

Rating: 2

Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends by Martin Lindstrom and Chip Heath

The title of this book really grabbed my attention and I had high hopes for getting something out of this read, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. Still, some good nuggets in there—and a good reminder to look at all the data, not just the big stuff.

A phrase I highlighted: This is the paradox of online behavior. We’re never truly ourselves on social media, and when we communicate anonymously, the result lacks any context that our offline lives might provide and enrich. Online, what we leave behind is largely considered and strategic, whereas the insides of our refrigerators and dresser drawers are not, as they were never intended for public exhibition.

Rating: 2

How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg

Wow—this one was a clear winner. GREAT book which really shifted my thinking. As a creative who always shied away from math, this one opened my eyes to the art of math and how it can be used every day without necessarily dealing with numbers. Highly recommended.

A phrase I highlighted: Dividing one number by another is mere computation; figuring out what you should divide by what is mathematics.

Rating: 5

Cibola Burn (The Expanse Book 4) by James S. A. Corey

I used to read a TON of SciFi back in the day, and The Expanse series has been successful in bringing me back to the genre. Sad to see the TV Series live a short life, but the books don’t disappoint. Love the characters and the detail.

A phrase I highlighted: He hadn’t seen everything, but he’d seen a lot. Enough to know he’d probably never see everything. And enough to recognize that how he reacted to a crisis was more about the people on his team than with the crisis itself.

Rating: 4

The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Book 1) by Robert A. Caro

This book is a masterpiece. I was a huge fan of Robert Caro’s biography on Robert Moses (The Power Broker) and this book was a joy to read. Caro has an uncanny ability to transport you back in time and paint the whole picture. This book is just as much about the TIME of Lyndon Johnson as it is about the LIFE of him.

Rating: 5

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker

This book was a game-changer—probably the most impactful book I read this year. Well-written, well-researched—an easy read that made you sit up and take stock of how important sleep is. This book forces you to embrace a new mindset around ensuring you get enough sleep. A must-read.

A phrase I highlighted: After thirty years of intensive research, we can now answer many of the questions posed earlier. The recycle rate of a human being is around sixteen hours. After sixteen hours of being awake, the brain begins to fail.

Rating: 5

Dear Client by Bonnie Siegler

With over 25 years of experience as a creative myself, I read this book more to see if Bonnie’s opinions matched my own views (which they do), but Bonnie found an incredible way to organize those ideas into clear actionable principles. If you’re a creative, buy this book for your clients… and if you work with creatives, you’ll get your best work from them if you take the words in this book to heart and action.

A phrase I highlighted: We only ask that you be as open-minded with our ideas as you’d like us to be with yours.

Rating: 4

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson

I was not a fan of this author’s biography of Steve Jobs, and am sad to say, wasn’t a huge fan of this one either. Don’t get me wrong—the book is well written and provides incredible detail into da Vinci’s life and the world as it existed at that time. I found it informative and interesting (learned a lot about da Vinci obviously) but can’t say I relished or enjoyed the read (especially as compared to Robert Caro’s work which I discuss in a bit).

A phrase I highlighted: Skill without imagination is barren.

Rating: 3

The Intelligent Investor, Rev. Ed (Collins Business Essentials) by Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig, and Warren E. Buffett

Good read—came recommended from Bill Gates who mentioned it in his intro to Capitalism without Capital (see below). Really key important concepts here that anyone can and should embrace. Perhaps the second most important book about money that I’ve read (the first was Rich Dad Poor Dad).

A phrase I highlighted: Obvious prospects for physical growth in a business do not translate into obvious profits for investors.

Rating: 4

The Creative Curve: How to Develop the Right Idea, at the Right Time by Allen Gannett

Another book I had high hopes for. Sadly, it didn’t deliver. Way too much flowery research with little to show for it, and little “big impact” moments to go with that investment of time. The more books I read about how people think they’ve “cracked” what it means to be creative, the more I believe it can’t be done. Move along, nothing to see here.

A phrase I highlighted: Familiarity does not make us like things more. Rather, it makes us fear things less.

Rating: 2

Nemesis Games (The Expanse Book 5) by James S. A. Corey

Not as good as Cibola Burn (Book 4) but still, a whole lot to love about this series. Perfect SciFi getaway for the mind, especially considering how easy it is to imagine this is actually how the future is going to play out.

Rating: 3

Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital Future by Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson

Digital transformation isn’t a buzz word—understand it and you’ll grasp the changes our world is going through at a back-breaking pace. You can’t change it, but the more you understand it, the more you can learn to adapt to it and ensure you’re prepared for what’s coming. Written well, and important for anyone to read.

A phrase I highlighted: The ultimate standard for adopting a decision-making system—whether based on machines, on humans, or on some combination of the two—cannot realistically be perfection. Any system is likely to make mistakes and have biases. Instead, the goal should be to choose an approach that minimizes biases and errors, and that allows them to be easily and quickly corrected.

Rating: 4

Discover Your True North by Bill George and David Gergen

While a lot of this read is common sense (or at least it should be), this book is really good for self-reflection. I did think the author played too much "Monday Morning Quarterback" trying to justify failures or successes after the fact to fit what he was trying to teach. Still. there’s a great workbook that goes along with this book. The workbook is actually far more valuable in my opinion, if you dedicate the time to honestly go through it all and do the exercises. You should make time for it.

A phrase I highlighted: The reality is that no one can be authentic by trying to be like someone else. You can learn from others' experiences, but you cannot be successful trying to be like them. People will only trust you when you are genuine and authentic.

Rating: 3

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

Fascinating overview of human history. Less about how things started, but more so around how global events and circumstances along with social behaviors lead us to where we are today. The biggest “a ha” of the book is around how human imagination drives us—our beliefs—arguably the one concept that both divides us and unites us. Very enjoyable and insightful read.

A phrase I highlighted: Sociological research has shown that the maximum ‘natural’ size of a group bonded by gossip is about 150 individuals. Most people can neither intimately know, nor gossip effectively about, more than 150 human beings.

Rating: 5

Capitalism without Capital: The Rise of the Intangible Economy by Jonathan Haskel and Stian Westlake

This was one of the books Bill Gates recommended this year. A slow read for me, probably only because I’m living in midst of this revolution and perhaps am more aware of it. Can’t say I learned anything new, but a good reminder as the global economy continues to evolve.

A phrase I highlighted: This is not so much innovation, but innervation—the process of a body part being supplied with nerves, making it sensate, orderly, and controllable.

Rating: 3

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown

Along with Why We Sleep, this was one of the most impactful books I’ve read this year. I’ve seen Brené’s TED talk before, but her writing is even better. I wish I would have read this book 20 years ago—enjoyable to read even though the material was often somewhat uncomfortable to read (especially if you take the opportunity for self-reflection along the way). I purchased her new book, Dare to Lead, and it’s on my list of first books to tackle next year.

A phrase I highlighted: That’s the paradox here: Vulnerability is the last thing I want you to see in me, but the first thing I look for in you.

Rating: 5

Means of Ascent (The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Book 2) by Robert A. Caro

This book picks up from where The Path to Power left off. It’s fascinating to see how technology or world events have such impact on politics and the world. For example, we take for granted how easy or mindless it is to travel, but Johnson’s use of a helicopter was key to his win in his bid for Senate.

Rating: 5

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker

This book was a pleasant surprise. As someone who both attends and organizes all kinds of meetings and offsites, this book was an awesome departure from the usual “how to run a great meeting” kind of stuff you see from HBR and the like. Applicable for both business and personal gatherings, this book is a fun enjoyable read and highly recommended.

A phrase I highlighted: Stewart and Tsao’s big idea is that every meeting should be organized around a “desired outcome.” When a meeting is not designed in that way, they found, it ends up being defined by process. For example, a meeting to discuss the quarter’s results is a meeting organized around process.

Rating: 4

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) by Seth Godin

Seth doesn’t disappoint in this short book—which I somehow missed when it came out back in 2007. Good balance of insight and actionable inspiration. A different twist on time management, Seth provides a good framework to use when deciding what to keep working on and what to stop.

A phrase I highlighted: Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations.

Rating: 5

So, what’s up for 2019?

Well first, I’ve set a more realistic goal of 30 books. I’ve also loaded up my kindle with a few books and will see if I can complete the next two books of Robert Caro’s The Years of Lyndon Johnson and a few more in The Expanse series. I also have a book on Dunkirk sitting on my shelf. Let’s see how it goes!

What are you reading?