My Top Five Books in 2020

After a couple years of not reading more than 3-4 books each year, I read more than 25 books this year. Over time, my reading habit had reduced to mostly reading articles and I am glad that I got back to reading more books again. I continue to be committed to physical books and enjoy turning the pages, making notes in the margins, and underlining important points.

Out of all the books I read this year, here are my top five recommendations. I hope you like them and learn from them as much as I did.

1. 'Range' by David Epstein: This is a fantastic, well researched and written book on the generalist vs. specialist argument and articulates the value that generalists bring to the ‘wicked’ problems, scenarios that can benefit from taking a page out of some related or unrelated discipline to craft an approach or a solution. And such scenarios abound. This book also underlines the importance of ‘exploration’ and learning for the sake of learning vs. the ‘market forces’ driven education modality that we have seemed to become captive to.

2. 'The Messy Middle' by Scott Belsky: An absolutely delightful read (yes, I know I am talking about a business book). I loved how it brings to forefront what core factors drive sustainable success as we move from a start-up/concept stage to running a scale business. I have made focus on data, structure, and process, almost a personal mission in a world where many times the launch event gets more management attention than what must happen behind the scenes to shape the product and its long-term success roadmap. So this book serves validation for folks like me, it is precise, humble, and full of insights with wide reaching applications from building products to leading teams.

3. 'Edge' by Laura Huang: An insightful book on how to turn any perceived disadvantage to an advantage at work and even in life. These disadvantages could be anything, for example not having a pedigree or a background that naturally finds a fit in a specific circle. This book talks about how we build on our strengths and think of any perceived weakness in terms of what we have to offer as unique individuals. I found the book to be very well structured with practical guidelines and the framework as well as author's own narrative resonated quite well with me.

4. 'Choice' by Dr. Edith Eva Eger: As Bill Gates noted in his review, it's partly a memoir and partly a guide to processing trauma. While her own life experiences can count among the most horrific one can encounter, Dr. Edith states that there is no 'hierarchy of suffering', and any of us can have any experience or event that is impactful enough to leave a mark. It's of no significance how big or small it may be per anyone else's yardstick. She narrates her own personal life experience and insights to show that there is a path out of any despair or trauma, without discarding the parts of us that hold that experience and are shaped by it. It is truly a remarkable book on living and living well despite anything that life throws at us.

5. 'Optimism Over Despair' by Noam Chomsky: A collection of interviews with Chomsky, very informative reading on historical events, decisions and policy making that has shaped some of the current economic and political scenarios, and Chomsky's perspective on where do we go from here. In his words, "We have two choices. We can be pessimistic, give up and help ensure that the worst will happen. Or we can be optimistic, grasp the opportunities that surely exist and maybe help make the world a better place. Not much of a choice."

Other interesting books from this year include 'How Will You Measure Your Life' by Clayton Christensen (a re-read), ‘Myth of Sisyphus' by Albert Camus, 'The Forever Transaction' by Robbie Kellman Baxter, 'Vital Signs' by Gregg Levoy, and 'Greenlights' by Matthew McConaughey.

There is also a small discard pile, the highlight of that being 'Measure What Matters' by John Doerr, a highly rated and recommended book. I personally couldn't find enough substance in it and didn't go past the first few pages and a skim through the chapter outline. The chart outlining the core concept & framework was enough.

I am finishing the year with 'On the Shortness of Life', a collection of Seneca's stoic writings. Stoicism has provided answers for the long-standing questions of 'why', 'why me' and 'now what', that I had from a very young age. I did find similar answers in 'Bhagavad Gita' and Buddhist teachings much earlier, but they seemed somewhat 'super human' to practice at the time. Stoic writings on the other hand have stuck with me and I have been drawing on them to fill the gaps in my core, so to speak, and solidify who I want to be as a person and as a professional.

I will be starting the new year with 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear, seems a perfect follow on to the previous reading about not wasting the time that has been gifted to us. I plan to continue reading more and more in the new year and would love any recommendations, any books that have made an impact on you and you would recommend.

And finally, my best wishes for 2021 to all. Whatever it may bring, may we all continue becoming better versions of ourselves.