The Books I Read in 2020

This is the third time that I’m sharing a list of the books I’ve read this past year. My goal is to get to 50 books in a year, and I’m inching towards getting there: I read 19 in 2018, 26 in 2019, and 27 this year in 2020. Baby steps!

I consider that quite an achievement since I usually do most of my reading at 35,000 feet zipping from coast to coast, and that wasn’t in the cards this year. It took intention to make time for reading, and I would have read even more, but put blame squarely on Seinfeld, Cobra Kai, and For All Mankind.

One interesting note: I was surprised to see that about half the books I read this year were paper versions and not Kindle ones. Apparently, I took some comfort in completely unplugging and relishing the real world a bit more in 2020?

But let’s get to the list (in no specific order), with the usual commentary and my rating (1-5 where 5 is the best).

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner

Rating: 5. This book was gifted to me by my colleague Neil Edde and it was one of the best reads of the year. This book opens your eyes to the world of water that most have no idea about -- the power it wields (both in terms of electricity and political power and wealth), the way it shaped our history and our present day, the immense engineering feats that humans have built to harness and control it, and how all of that will shape our future. I honestly now want to plan a trip to visit all the major dams and waterworks projects in the USA one day.

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond

Rating: 5. The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (who sadly passed this year) mentioned this book in an article he wrote. I wonder how I've never come across this classic before. Especially after reading Jill Lapore's These Truths last year, this book opens your eyes to how world history really transpired.

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

Rating: 4. After reading Guns, Germs, and Steel, I had to follow up with another classic from author Jared Diamond, and this one doesn't disappoint. Spoiler alert: we best take climate change seriously. Great read.

J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets by Curt Gentry

Rating: 4. Good biography about the man who built the FBI and the power he wielded. The book is written well and my eyes were opened to topics that are sure to influence future books on topics like racism, surveillance, JFK, and more.

Akiba: Scholar, Saint and Martyr by Louis Finkelstein

Rating: 3. Akiba was one of the premiere Talmudists and this biography helps paint a picture of his time and his influence. Akiba lived through the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70AD and the Bar Kochba revolt in 135AD.

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

Rating: 5. Fantastic read. Entertaining peek into how Phil Knight built and grew Nike to the giant it is today. Highly recommended.

A phrase I highlighted: The world was the same as it had been the day before, as it had always been. Nothing had changed, least of all me. And yet I was worth $178 million.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Rating: 4. There are lots of books out there about habits, but this one stands out as one of the really great ones. Well written, relatable, and spurs you to take action. I'd heard from others how good of a read this was and they were all right.

A phrase I highlighted: If you show up at the gym five days in a row—even if it’s just for two minutes—you are casting votes for your new identity. You’re not worried about getting in shape. You’re focused on becoming the type of person who doesn’t miss workouts.

Why Are We Yelling?: The Art of Productive Disagreement by Buster Benson

Rating: 2. This is a topic I'm passionate about, so was hoping this one would be better, but sadly, it didn't deliver. Still happy I read it though because we can never spend enough time learning how to engage in productive disagreement.

A phrase I highlighted: Assuming we’re stuck with each other, how can we best get along?

How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers by S?nke Ahrens

Rating: 1. I had high hopes for this one. I am in the process of trying to find ways to take better notes. But I'm going to assume that taking notes in a business setting is very different than what works in the academic world.

A phrase I highlighted: If you want to learn something for the long run, you have to write it down. If you want to really understand something, you have to translate it into your own words. Thinking takes place as much on paper as in your own head.

The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger

Rating: 5. What a gem this book is! I've always believed that each day we make choices on how to show up, but this goes to an entirely different level. The author recounts her experience in surviving the holocaust and coming to the US. Read this book, and keep a box of tissues nearby.

A phrase I highlighted: ...also want to say that there is no hierarchy of suffering. There’s nothing that makes my pain worse or better than yours...

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

Rating: 4. Good read. There isn't a ton of advice from Bob in this book, but it's loaded with stories and inside-info on topics like how Disney ended up acquiring Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. On second thought, there is some good insight into strategy here.

A phrase I highlighted: “I know why companies fail to innovate,” I said to them at one point. “It’s tradition. Tradition generates so much friction, every step of the way.”

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry

Rating: 4: Read this book as Bill Gates had recommended it early this year when COVID-19 took center stage in our lives. Reading it helped me adjust my mindset as things developed. Perhaps most importantly, it helped me realize that patience was going to be important and that this isn't something that's going to disappear as quickly as any of us would hope. I also appreciated the historical context in terms of the advances we've made in medicine over the last decade.

A phrase I highlighted: A specialty among public relations consultants has evolved in recent decades called “risk communication.” I don’t much care for the term. For if there is a single dominant lesson from 1918, it’s that governments need to tell the truth in a crisis. Risk communication implies managing the truth. You don’t manage the truth. You tell the truth.

Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life — in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There) by Sarah Hurwitz

Rating: 4. I enjoyed this book. The author was the speechwriter for Michelle Obama and she shared relatable stories and spoke of her spiritual journey in a way that helped me see a different perspective to a religion that I've embraced since birth.

A phrase I highlighted: The secular world is not great at helping us cope with big life transitions like getting married, starting a family, or losing someone we love. Instead of supporting and comforting us, it often does the opposite, scaring the living daylights out of us and then selling us products it claims will alleviate our fears.

Am I Overthinking This?: Over-answering life’s questions in 101 charts by Michelle Rial

Rating: 2. This is a fun little book that has cute charts. The family likes to peruse it just for a quick chuckle or an interesting twist on how to look at ordinary life. If you're a design or appreciate charts and graphs, it's a witty fun read.

The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading by Bobby Herrera

Rating: 4. A gift from another colleague, Susan Williams, this book was a short worthwhile read. Good reminder of the things that matter in life and leadership wrapped up in good relatable stories.

“Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman

Rating: 3. This book is packed with fun stories about the famous theoretical physicist. You get a different look at things like life on campus, the Manhattan Project, and life in general from another time. It's written exactly like Dick Feynman speaks, which took some getting used to.

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox

Rating: 4. I'm usually not one who reads celebrity books, but I saw this at Costco and in a moment of weakness grabbed it. I'm happy I did! I love Michael J. Fox and this book is a real intimate look at his life and his outlook. I found it inspiring, refreshing, and fun. It's a quick read and worth it. Do it.

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

Rating: 4. This was definitely a year to spend time learning more about Black history in America. I found this book difficult to read only because it highlighted just how much bias is built into an incredibly complex political system, and urges one to think deeply about decisions we make that can have irreversible consequences in the future.

Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones

Rating: 5. I grew up with Sesame Street and The Muppets, so reading this book was a joy in learning about how everything came together under the brilliance of Jim Henson. A well-written biography with lots of detail. I wasn't aware of how Jim died, and I got a lot out of reading this book.

A phrase I highlighted: Jim’s faith in his fellow man was unbounded, too. Jim rarely, if ever, locked his car—and if anything were ever stolen, he would simply shrug and say “someone must have needed it.”

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Rating: 2. I can't remember exactly where I saw this book referenced (it may have been Jill Lepore's These Truths that I read last year). The most interesting aspect of this read was reading about things we talk about today that obviously people were talking about 200 years ago.

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin

Rating: 4. The classic from the master. Seth is always a worthy read and this old gem doesn't disappoint.

A phrase I highlighted: The post-consumption consumer is out of things to buy. We have what we need, we want very little, and we’re too busy to spend a lot of time researching something you’ve worked hard to create for us.

How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life by Caroline Webb

Rating: 4. A great book with lots of relatable stories and usable advice you can apply immediately. I appreciate how the book is organized. The author is McKinsey consultant and the results show. Proof the book is a good one? My daughter asked if she could borrow it.

A phrase I highlighted: we miss a big opportunity if we simply let the day happen to us.

Edison by Edmund Morris

Rating: 4. Another great biography about a man that literally helped change the world we live in. The approach the author took to write this book was interesting, starting with Edison's last years and then working backwards.

On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

Rating: 4. Excellent book on writing... a topic which I'm extremely passionate about. In today's world, which relies so much on e-mail, writing is the one skill you can never get enough learning and practice in.

How to Measure Anything: Finding the Value of Intangibles in Business by Douglas W. Hubbard

Rating: 3. The book was recommended by the Stice brothers (instructors on LinkedIn Learning) and the main focus is on learning how to measure things that you believe can't be measured. If you run a business or a large team, it's worth the read.

A phrase I highlighted: You don’t try to run a spreadsheet in your head.

The Content Trap: A Strategist’s Guide to Digital Change by Bharat Anand

Rating: 5. I read this book when it first came out, but decided to re-read a majority of it this year (a new edition was published). I will probably read this book a few more times — I have 130 highlights from this book.

A phrase I highlighted: Railroad companies recognized a decade ago that they were worth more for the fiber rights alongside their tracks than for the railroad themselves.

Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age by Brad Smith

Rating: 4. The author, Brad Smith, is one of the heads of Microsoft. This was an interesting read and contained lots of stories about events that Microsoft was either involved with or had unique insight into. Sets good context as well to better understand the importance of technology partnering with governments and global law.

So that's my list!

What books have you read this year? Let me know in the comments!