This post serves as my public reading list for 2024. I mostly listen to books so this is really an audiobook listening list.
March 2024
- Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman Amazon
I think I first read this book in college based on my cousin’s recommendation. Over the years, I reread it several times and understood different aspects of Feynman’s personality and the arguments he presented in the book. This time, I pondered on the book’s ending, where he highlights the problems in the experimental methods in psychology. These problems exist even today! For example, in 1985, he highlighted the reluctance of psychologists to replicate past findings, which, even in 2024, stays the same.
- Wool by Hugh Howey Amazon
If you watched the first season of Silo on Apple TV Plus and now can’t wait for the second season to drop, read this book! Silo has been quite faithful to the original book, Wool. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so that I won’t discuss anything specific. However, the book is intriguing, and I plan to read/listen to the next book in the series soon.
- Tyranny of the Minority by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt Amazon
Seth MacFarlane recommended this book to his Instagram followers. The book is mainly about the minority rule in the US politics. It is a well-researched book and compares the US with several democracies around the globe. The book ends on an optimistic note, which I used to find jarring as a pessimistic person. However, a couple of years ago, I realized that I tend to have a defeatist outlook, and consequently, I am more often wrong about the pace of change. The book also pointed out that radical social changes in the US did not happen quickly but took decades of work by many people. As such, maybe in my lifetime, I will see a US president elected based on majority rather than electoral votes.
- The Power of Saying No by Vanessa Patrick Amazon
This book was my gift to the UTSA marketing Ph.D. students last year. I had bought an extra copy to read, but my father, who was visiting us from India, took it with him to read on the flight. Luckily, I found the audiobook in the city library. I enjoyed Vanessa’s writing style, which mixes personal anecdotes with her research findings. I learned a few things, which I am putting into practice now.
- And Thereby Hangs a Tale by Jeffrey Archer Amazon
This is another short story collection by Jeffrey Archer. I liked it less than Tell Tale but it is still a lovely collection.
- The Frackers by Gregory Zuckerman Amazon
Greg Zuckerman is a Wall Street Journal reporter and a bestselling author of The Man Who Solved the Market and The Greatest Trade Ever, so this book was on my list for a long time. The book chronicles the history of fracking and how it made the US an exporter of natural gas and oil.
- Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky Amazon
Clay Shirky is one of my favorite authors because he has an uncanny ability to describe and predict the consequences of technology adoption. In this book, he argues that technology creates a massive cognitive surplus by allowing collaboration among people. This book was published in 2011, so we can now look back and see how much he observed and predicted turned out to be true. This book is relevant even today.
February 2024
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Amazon
This is a very popular book about personal finance. I was not aware of the central thesis of the book before buying it on Audible. Although I enjoyed the book, I know most of the research Morgan Housel cites in this book. Therefore, it did not bring new insights to me. However, it is an excellent book if your knowledge about personal finance is limited and you want to start off with an easy read on this topic. As the name suggests, it doesn’t get technical about finance.
- How I Built This by Guy Raz Amazon
There are hundreds if not thousands of books written on entrepreneurship so adding one more to that list may not be a great achievement. Yet, Guy Raz brings so many new insights to the world of new ventures. What I found super interesting was the practical takeaways that deviate sharply from the advice many experts throw around while romanticizing entrepreneurship. For example, people commonly assume that entrepreneurs are supposed to give up everything and just focus on their start ups. However, this books argues that steady income from a second job may free up an entrepreneur rather than hindering their progress. It gives several examples of successful companies including Airbnb.
- The Body by Bill Bryson Amazon
Our bodies are extremely complex and full of mysteries. I, for one, barely studied human anatomy having given up biology for computer science in the 11th grade. Therefore, this book brought tremendous insights. I will probably listen to it once more in a few months as it is difficult to retain so much new information in a totally unrelated field.
- Tell Tale by Jeffrey Archer Amazon
I love Jeffrey Archer’s short stories, and this book doesn’t disappoint although a couple of stories have expected endings if you know his style. This was my second time listening to it, so there were no real surprises. Yet, the story “A Road to Damascus” made me emotional.
- Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis Amazon
This is the first book by Michael Lewis, which made his famous. He is an exceptional storyteller. This book chronicles Lewis’s stint at the Solomon Brothers, which went downhill relatively quickly because of mismanagement at the top and missed opportunities. Although I have read several books about Wall Street firms, it still amazes me how brazen these folks are. I guess when Uncle Sam is acting as a backstop for your losses, everyone can be a risk taker!
- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein Amazon
This is my second time listening to this book. This book influenced me enough to start a new research project.
January 2024
- Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke Amazon
Although this is a nice little book, I knew most of the research and arguments she brings to the table.
- Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar Amazon
This book is a classic so I don’t think you need my recommendation for it. It’s a very long book (22 hours of listening!) and yet kept its grip on me all throughout. I always wanted to listen to it and it’s been in my Audible wishlist for years.
- Hidden Potential by Adam Grant Amazon
This is a short but nice book. I generally like feel good books and this is one of them.
- The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend by Rob Copland Amazon
I really loved this book as it is well-researched and well-narrated. I did not know much about Ray Dalio or Bridgewater before, so I learned a lot.