A year in books - my top 5

It’s that time of the year again… time to say goodbye to 2022 and say a warm welcome to 2023. It’s usually also the time I sit down and reflect on the year gone by – with gratitude to my family, my colleagues and the people I met over the year who made the year memorable. It’s also the time I look back at the books I read and share some thoughts on what they meant to me this year. I want to thank all of you – my connections and friends on LinkedIn. You all made a positive impact on me through your content and I have enjoyed spending this year with all of you virtually. Look forward to many more!

This year I managed 22 books – looks like I finally got into rhythm of reading despite a return to travel! Here are my top 5 books that really made an impression on me by making me pause and think and caused a positive change in my outlook -

1.    Invent and Wander – Jeff Bezos. This is a collection of the annual shareholder letters Bezos has written over the years. Clearly shows the foresight and vision of the man who created Amazon. I loved the “Day One” concept which I am trying to copy for my business.

2.    The 1619 Project – several authors. I am always intrigued by the history of the places I visit, and more so for our adopted country – the USA. This book is a must read if you want to understand the current political and race-driven undercurrents in the US – it is said that “to understand the present you have to understand history”. And this book does that well.

3.    Mindset – by Dr. Carol Dweck. The book that started the discussion on “Growth Mindset” vs. “Fixed Mindset” is also a very well written and articulated book. The trouble with quite a few so-called self-help books are that they are preachy and non-practical, but Dr. Dweck manages to make her book very practical and her ideas worth adopting. Quite a few companies are doing that as well.

4.    The Bomber Mafia – Malcolm Gladwell. I love Malcolm Gladwell’s style – fact based and brings in an interesting perspective. He doesn’t disappoint with this book and brings in an interesting perspective of the origins of the bomber squadrons in the air force

5.    Code Breaker – Walter Isaacson. This was an eye opener for me. The author recounts the story of the invention of the field of bioinformatics and gene editing – converting a real-life story into a racy thriller in the process. I happened to be in Boston while I was reading the book and I was amazed to see the ecosystem around bioinformatics in that city around MIT there. Definitely worth a read

Honorable mentions –

1.    My remarkable Journey – Katherine Johnson. The inside story behind the movie “Hidden Figures”. Made me grateful that I live in times that allow us to do our best because we are not prevented from it! Also shows how grit and perseverance are needed along with intelligence to make a mark and that true success is never easy

2.    Make your Bed – Admiral McRaven. I was recommended this book by a friend and this is one of the books that I finished in one sitting (“lying down”). Impressive life lessons by someone who has had a phenomenal training and is an amazing leader.

One book that disappointed is Will Smith’s autobiography “Will”. I read the book before his infamous “slap” at the Oscars, however he came across as an egotist through his book and the way he narrated his life story. I admire him for his talent but for him to say he “planned it all” was a little too much for me!

Well, there it is – books are a window to perspectives we may not get in our normal life. Books allow us to not only listen and possibly learn from someone else’s perspective, but some books can also transfer us into another realm through stories well told. Thank you for reading through. I invite you to connect with me on Goodreads for us to benefit from each others’ reading lists. Have a happy new year 2023!