2024 Reading List (1 of 4)

I got in my vehicle recently and immediately needed to crank the air conditioning. Winter has left us. That means it's time to check in on our reading lists. 

Below are the 23 books I have read so far this year with my rating for each (5 being the best) and a brief review. Most books get a three as an average and then I adjust from there. The author or publisher provided me with any book without a number rating. Click the link on any title to see the Amazon link for it.

1. Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes (2). I was stoked to read what is considered the first great novel, but ultimately, I couldn't fall in love with the story. It's humorous sometimes, but it felt far too redundant without ever going anywhere.
2. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (3.5). My son read this for a class and I decided to read it after him. I found this book sadly beautiful and it offers a meaningful look at dying.
3. Where'd You Park Your Spaceship by Rob Bell (5). This book is weird and totally different from other Rob books and I'm here for it. The characters' conversations are even more profound than the unique story Rob puts them in.
4. Know My Name by Chanel Miller (5). It's not a fun read but incredibly moving and much-needed. I found myself tearing up numerous times. Chanel writes about her experience of being sexually assaulted on a college campus by a high-profile athlete. 
5. Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (4). I read this book many years ago and decided to revisit it. It holds up. A great creative look at the history of philosophy.
6. The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann (5). This was my twelfth read through the book and the first for 2024.
7. Worst Ideas Ever by Daniel B. Kline (3). This was a fun read exploring cultural flops. The book is nine years old at this point and I would have loved more recent examples.
8. Wittgenstein's Poker by David Edmonds (2). This entire book is about a ten-minute conversation between two philosophers that doesn't even get seriously addressed until the last forty or so pages. Perhaps a bit too creative an approach.
9. How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald J. Robertson (3.5). I've been getting more into Stoicism and this book is a great primer on Marcus Aurelius. 
10. Making Sense of Wine by Matt Kramer (2). Originally written in 1989, this updated version is a great overview on enjoying wine.
11. Don't Keep Your Day Job by Cathy Heller (2). This is a good shot in the arm for anyone looking to dive into their passion and take it to the next level.
12. Humility by Michael W. Austin. Mike is a philosophy professor and I had the chance to interview him on my podcast about his book. Dives into some of the practical aspects of following Jesus.
13. What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (1.5). This had a creative approach but the story was ultimately too difficult too follow and the angle felt forced after a while.
14. Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon MacKenzie (5). I really enjoyed this book about letting your unique creativity out. It encourages people to be more of themselves regardless of how the world responds.
15. Permission to Screw Up by Kristen Hadeed (3.5). Kristen explores what she's learned about leading through sharing her mistakes. It's super relatable and encouraging.
16. Happy People are Annoying by Josh Peck (4). Josh is one heck of a writer and his humor makes this an enjoyable experience. He tells about his journey reaching Hollywood at a young age and then trying to mature in the years that followed.
17. Primed to Perform by Neel Doshi (2). This was a bit dry for me but I appreciated the breakdown on the different ways to motivate people and which ones work better than others. It often feels like a sales pitch for what he calls the Total Motivation (ToMo) Factor.
18. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (1). I wanted to like this book and was sad when I didn't. I felt like the characters were hollow and the plot was lifeless.
19. Kingpin by Kevin Poulsen (3). This was an interesting story of a hacker who took on the government as well as other hackers too. 
20. The Clockwork Universe by Edward Dolnick (4.5). I enjoyed how the author mixed the historical views of both theology and science. We've evolved a lot in our understanding of science but haven't moved much from old religious ideas.
21. Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg (4). Few would argue we don't need massive help communicating better with one another, especially when we disagree. This book is a great way to dive into the skills to do this better.
22. I Thought it was Just Me by Brené Brown (4). This is primarily written for women working through shame but I found these ideas helpful. We all deal with shame and it sucks. Brené's ideas help.
23. Ghost Town Living by Brent Underwood (5). The author bought an abandoned ghost town in California to bring it back to life. Not only is the story fascinating but he also makes you bolder in approaching your own dreams.

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