Books I have read in 2020 — Part 1
I love reading books. I usually read 15–20 books on average every year (at least for the last 4 years). Thanks to Covid 19, I went overdrive and completed 30 books, as I had more free time. This year, I have tried to expand my reading into as many different areas as possible and also areas I am unfamiliar with, like Blockchain technology and Bitcoin. I have summarised all the books I have read this year (in 2 parts). Here goes part 1…
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
1) Atomic Habits by James Clear
One of the best books I have read this year. James Clear focused on writing a book that goes deep into every single step of habit creation from a practical point of view. Lots of practical takeaways from this book. Personally, 2 things I follow religiously after reading this book. 1) Environmental design — How our environment indirectly influences lots of our behavior. 2) Accountability Partner — how it plays a crucial role while building a new habit. MUST-READ.
2) You’re not listening by Kate Murphy
This is an easily readable, enjoyable, and thought-provoking book.
At work, we’re taught to lead the conversation.
On social media, we shape our personal narratives.
At parties, we talk over one another. So do our politicians.
We’re not listening.
And no one is listening to us.
Anyone reading this book will come away as better listeners or at least become more aware of how we are listening to others. MUST-READ
3) 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Gary Provost
I picked up this book as I was trying to become a better writer. It helped me with key pointers which I always keep in mind while writing.
FICTION
1) Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben
It's an easy and fun read. Decent thriller. The best part is the lead detective, Myron’s witty sense of humor and sarcasm.
2) No Comebacks by Frederick Forsyth
Forsyth is one of my favorite authors when it comes to thrillers. I am a huge fan of his classics The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Devil’s alternative. This book is a short story collection. A couple of good suspenseful stories. Nothing else. Below average for Forsyth’s standard.
3) The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
It's not as great as his book, Magpie Murders (one of my fav thrillers). But still a highly entertaining murder mystery.
Auto Biographies
1) That will never work by Marc Randolph
Marc Randolph, the first CEO of Netflix gives an in-depth look into a nice, short, and informative read about the founding and initial stages of development of Netflix.
A lot happened to get this giant company started and it was great getting insights into what makes and break a start-up. Culture of course is a huge part of it, but what more is drive and determination. If you have ever wondered what went into making Netflix what it is today, this is a perfect read.
2) The ride of a lifetime by Robert Iger
When I start reading this book, I was confused about all the hype it's getting. In the first half of the book, nothing much happens other than Rober Iger’s career graph in ABC Corp. The interesting stuff starts when he starts convincing the board about his candidature for Disney’s CEO. The narratives of the Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm acquisitions were all fascinating. The best part is the summary at the end of the book, which can be used as a reference for anyone in a leadership position. MUST-READ.
3) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
It's a gem of a book. It's the best memoir I have ever read. Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight share the inside story of the company's early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world's most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands. Phil Knight is an excellent writer and a storyteller. The book is absolutely astonishing not only by the inspiring story it tells but also by its abundance of useful information for experienced and inexperienced entrepreneurs. Unlike other memoirs, he talks about the founding members of Nike like Johnson, Bowerman, etc in detail and how much they contributed to the success of Nike. MUST-READ.
Non-Fiction — Real events
1) Endurance by Alfred Lansing
A captivating and inspiring tale of exploration, human endurance, and survival. It's the tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole, one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age.
In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men. When their ship was finally crushed between two ice floes, they attempted a near-impossible journey over 850 miles of the South Atlantic’s heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization.
If this were a work of fiction, you’d barely believe it. It’s not fiction, and you can’t help but find yourself in a perpetual state of awe over these men and their optimism, faith, humor, determination, and endurance.
2) Red Notice by Bill Browder
A real-life political thriller about an American financier, Bill Browder in the Wild East of Russia, the murder of his principled young tax attorney, and his dangerous mission to expose the Kremlin’s corruption. The book talks about how Bill Browder became the main force behind the Magnitsky Act. passed in 2012 against human rights violators in Russia.
3) The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre
It's a thrilling cold war story about a KGB double agent. It's a riveting and unputdownable book. Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction, and that is certainly the case of Oleg Gordievsky, KGB double agent whose valuable intel helped shape the Cold War. MUST-READ
To be continued…………….
