What I Read in 2019

At the beginning of the year, I committed to reading 6 books each month.

But I didn't just want to read for the sake of reading. Traditionally, I've consumed mostly non-fiction and business books, so I decided that my main focus would be to intentionally include more fiction and diverse authors - in hopes of sparking more creativity and giving myself permission to step back from the day-to-day grind of start-up life. (Here are some of the other everyday personal sustainability habits I focused on building this year).

To make sure my reading was balanced, I tracked information about each book such as the author's gender and nationality and the book type. And I actively sought out titles and recommendations when I saw that my reading was becoming unbalanced. I'm happy to report that my reading achieved a decent variety and broad exposure. Here is the projected breakdown:

• 34 fiction (47%) vs 38 non-fiction (53%)
• 11,351 pages across 23 hard copy books and 9 e-books (over 30 pages on average per day)
• 378 hours across 40 audiobooks (about an hour on average per day)
• 42% female authors
• 19 author nationalities represented

I'm on track to finish all 72 books and want to share my favorite 20 reads. (If you want to see my full list, check out my reading tracker here.)

Entrepreneurship Thrillers

Launching my first start-up this year has been full of ups and downs, but things have not been nearly as dramatic as the stories of these other founders.

• Bad Blood (John Carreyrou) - A cautionary tale of not overselling a product you haven't built yet.
• Billion Dollar Whale (Tom Wright & Bradley Hope) - A fascinating look into how a financial criminal bluffed his way to steal billions from governments, throw parties for top celebrities and even bankroll a Hollywood film.
• Monk of Mokha (Dave Eggers) - An inspiring story of a young entrepreneur from the diaspora returning to a war-torn Yemen to connect with the origin of coffee and launch a social enterprise.
• Mastermind (Evan Ratliff) - A can't-believe-this-happened account of a internet tycoon who dove head first into the world of mercenaries, drug lords and cyber crime.

Classic Philosophies Revisited

It was helpful to step back and reflect on several timeless frameworks and stories to see what might influence (and challenge) my approach and views towards business and politics.

• The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) - A classic following the ups and downs of an architect's life based on this relentless refusal to compromise on this design principles and purpose.
• Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand) - A timeless story in the railroad era when wealthy industrialists, facing pressure from government regulation and labour movements, go on strike themselves.
• Richest Man in Babylon (George Clason) - An old lesson in financial planning told through a story set in an ancient city.
• Art of War (Sun Tzu) - Tips from an ancient Chinese general that apply to not only modern warfare but also serves as great framework for business strategy.

African Stories - Old and New

Having worked across the African region for the past 7 years, I usually include a healthy intake of Africa-related content. And I'm excited to continue to read even more novels by African authors next year - this seems like a great list to work from.

• Segu (Maryse Condé) - Set in the 1790s in modern day Nigeria during a time of upheaval by the introduction of Islam from the East and the new slave trade from the West, this story follows the lives of a village elder and his four sons.
• Children of Blood and Bone (Tomi Adeyemi) - Set in a magical kingdom, two sets of siblings from different worlds fight to keep magic from being forgotten forever.
• Homegoing (Yaa Gyasi) - An incredible story that starts with the split of two sisters in Ghana, and spans their parallel generations from the the eighteenth century to modern day, giving vivid glimpses into each era and place.
• The Longest March (Fred Khumalo) - An inspiring journey set in 1899 in Johannesburg at a time when the city was just a new mining boom town.

Memoirs - Looking Inside Yourself By Reading About Others 

There's something about reading other people's self-told life-spanning stories that facilitate personal reflection. Reaching the age of 30 this year made some of these memoirs were particularly thought-provoking.

• Born a Crime (Trevor Noah) - My favorite comedian tells the story of growing up in South Africa.
• Becoming (Michelle Obama) - The former First Lady provides a glimpse into the path to and life in the White House.
• Shortest Way Home (Pete Buttigieg) - An interesting insight into the youngest American presidential candidate.
• Educated (Tara Westover) - An eye-opening story of a girl growing up in a religious family in deep rural America.

Useful Perspectives - New Ways at Approaching Others 

I've always been a business/economy/management/productivity junkie, and this year was no different. Several stood out particularly:

• Never Spilt the Difference (Chris Voss) - A top hostage negotiator provides highly-practical tips for persuasive conversations.
• Bullshit Jobs (David Graeber) - An alternative categorization of jobs that have continued to exist despite predictions of automation.
• Tribe of Mentors (Tim Ferriss) - A huge collection of advice via interview summaries with successful celebrities and experts.
• Radical Candor (Kim Scott) - A now well-known approach to workplace feedback and culture.

So, what did you read this year?