My Top Reads of 2023

One of the annual practices I enjoy is reflecting on the books I read and sharing some I found to be most valuable.? These evolved my perspective and/or include useful tools that might be generally useful for folks in my network.? They’re listed in the order I read them.

1. Deep Work .? I valued Cal Newport’s exploration of the impact of focus on work quality.? There are thought-provoking ideas there for any of us in knowledge work fields.? However, one of the most impactful things from this book in my opinion is his passionate take on knowledge work as a craft.? It’s an antidote to the alienation that often affects people in these fields and I’ve tried to consciously build more of that into how I work and lead.
2. An Immense World .? I consider myself pretty well informed on scientific matters, and this was still a trove of new information.? It felt like a new fact on every page, and engagingly presented.? But the real payoff is in the expansion of perspective that comes along with the subject matter.? Short version is that there are many more ways to perceive the world than the 5 or so senses we typically think of.? The collection of senses used by any given creature in turn profoundly shape their worlds.? The interplay between within and between species is really amazing to think about.? It reminded me of first exploring the limits and errors of our own perceptions when learning about cognitive psychology.? Many implications beyond biology, for example as we are seeing new manifestations of artificial intelligence.
3. Digital Body Language . In an age of mass digital communication, tools for mastering it should be more widely taught.? This book serves as a timely source of advice on this subject, outlining ways we can use the modern forms of communicating to keep interactions human and effective.? I’d recommend this for any folks who regularly use digital tools to get work done (probably almost everyone reading this), and definitely a must if you lead teams in this sort of environment.
4. The Goodness Paradox .? One of the key variables distinguishing humans from even our nearest relatives is our relatively peaceful moment to moment interactions with other animals, including other humans.? This is surprisingly uncommon in the wild, for example chimps from different family groups will attack each other if put in the same enclosure.? However, we humans also have vast capabilities for premeditated violence toward each other.? This book explores how these traits came about and how they’ve shaped how we live together today.
5. From Strength to Strength .? A great primer for how to think about evolving your life as you get older.? It builds on the truism of “what got you here won’t get you there,” showing how hanging onto our ways of operating in earlier years can in fact hold us back from being happy as we age.? The good news is it also has strategies for what to do about this.
6. The Comfort Crisis .? As a society, we’re experiencing more symptoms of distress, in particular as it relates to mental health.? The author explores how this may have to do with us being under-challenged, especially as it relates to many of the tasks we evolved to do.? Walking, carrying things, spending time outdoors, and generally seeking out challenges as growth experiences may be a big part of living a more fulfilled life.
7. Going Infinite .? In my estimation, Michael Lewis never fails to deliver insightful and engaging work when he covers a story.? I therefore eagerly anticipated his dive into the story of FTX.? I learned a lot about it and came away with a more nuanced perspective on the events and people involved.

I hope some of these prove interesting and valuable to you too.? I’m also always in the market for good recommendations, so would love to hear about books you enjoyed in 2023 or are looking forward to in 2024.? Here’s wishing you all a 2024 filled with good health and good fortune, and of course, good books!