Read More

This is one that I’ve been able to do some work on, but not enough to be neccessarily proud of.

I’ve read maybe 8 books this year? I was hoping for something inthe neighborhood of 2 a month, but I guess this will have to do. I still have time though.

First off I want to say thanks. The last two blog posts have been some of the best recieved ones to so far. I’m really proud of them and I’m incredibly thankful to all the people who were awesome and shared and commented. You guys are the best. Thanks so much!

Read more! So this is one goal that I was able to actually do something about. I was shooting to read two books a month. As you can see I didn’t get anywhere near that, but I read quite a bit more than I had anticipated. Here’s a quick rundown of what I was stuffing my eyeholes with this last year

In no particular order:

Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future - Peter M. Senge, C. Otto Scharmer, Joseph Jaworski, Betty Sue Flowers

I started reading this at the beginning of the year after having it suggested to me by my capstone course instructor. It’s a really good book and I highly recommend it. It gets a little woo woo at times, but stick with it. It’s basically four authors coming to terms with how do we problem solve in a world where are problems are just so massive (pending ecological disaster, increasing gaps between rich and poor, etc). Really great stuff.

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t - Simon Sinek

I first heard Simon Sinek giving a TED talk. I can’t remember which one, but he was talking about how the best leaders put their people first. He said that in the Marine Corps the officers let the enlisted men go first. The leader’s job was to take care of his people. I started reading this book after I became a supervisor at my job. It instilled in the idea that my staff came first. I take care of and empower them and they’re better able to complete the tasks we had been assigned.

Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders - L. David Marquet

This book was listed as a footnote in Leaders Eat Last. It picks up on a lot of the same themes. The primary thing I took from it was that when I’m leading a team or something, the best thing I can do is decentralize decision making. It’s best to give authority to people who’re on the ground level. They’re the ones with the experience and the real know how. Let them make decisions. He also encourages leaders to be curious. Really fun read and really cool story.

War of Art - Steven Pressfield

I’m not sure why I started reading this one. I think I’d heard about it somewhere along the way. If you’re someone who does anything creative, or believes that their work is in some way connected to a larger purpose and is a part of who they are, I highly recommend this one. Pressfield believes that we all have some important work to do in this world. He uses spiritual type language in describing it which might turn some people off, but stick with it. He gives lots of practical advice. If you consider yourself a creator/writer/artist/etc, he says quit waiting for inspiration and just do work. He demystifies the work. You have to become a professional, not in the sense that you get paid for your work. You have to treat what you’re creating like you would work. You show up and put in the hours. Really good book. Go read it.

Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield

I found this one in the back of War of Art. I picked it up to read on a flight. I’d really liked Steven Pressfield’s work so far. I thought an account of the battle of Thermopylae would be an interesting read. If the Spartans were anything like what Pressfield describes them as, holy cow they were insane. I don’t know how historically accurate the book is, but it’s a really fun read. And even if it’s not completely accurate there are some great takeaways about courage, fear, and love that I took from it.

Scientific Principles of Strength Training - Mike Israetel, James Hoffman, Chad Wesley

2015 was the year I got back into the gym. I don’t know how I stumbled upon Renaissance Periodization for the first time, but their dieting and weight lifting knowledge has been invaluable. While this book caters more to someone who is more into the power lifting side of things, there still plenty of good info in it. It’s really well researched and honestly most of the biology/physiology stuff is over my head. They keep it accessible though. It’s less of a one size fits all work out regimen and more of a “Here’s a bunch of science. Go make one that works for you.”

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne

Did you know that almost all the great classic books that are over one hundered fifty years old are available for download for free? They are and it’s awesome. There’s almost no excuse for not picking up a few of these and reading some classic literature. I remember my dad reading children's versions of these books to me when I was little. Jules Verne was my favorite. He created all these crazy worlds and adventures. I loved it. I finally got around to reading the unabriged version of 20,000 leagues this year, and this guy was truly a creative genius. Captain Nemo is a great character. I enjoyed it.

The Renaissance Diet - Mike Israetel, Jen Case, James Hoffman

This was the first Renaissance Periodization book I read. It basically is a scientific breakdown of the “if it meets your macros” (IIFYM) diet. There’s a ton of good science in it. It’s a pretty easy read and unlike their powerlifting book, is applicable to just about any type of athlete.  

Kettlebell Simple and Sinister - Pavel Tsatsouline

2015 was the year I got back into the gym. The thing is I also get bored pretty easily so I’m alway looking for new things or unorthodox way of training. I came across Pavel’s work in a podcast and picked up this, his lastest book. The workout regimen he describes is ridiculously simple. Kettlebell swings and Turkish get-ups. I did these pretty regularly for a few months. It was great for my conditioning. I really like Pavel’s minimalist approach to fitness and I highly reccommend this one. You can get fit with one kettlebell, 20 minutes, and some open space.

Godless Shakespeare - Eric S. Mallin

My Shakespeare professor got me this after I graduated from college. I’d taken three classes with him over the years and the same themes always seemed to pop up in Shakespeare’s work. He always seemed to be taking the traditional values, cultural norms, beliefs, etc. and then he’d turn those on their heads.

In Godless Shakespeare the authors (it’s actually a collection of essays) look at how Shakespeare subverts the religious norms of his day. It’s really good. Some of the essays get a bit pretentious sounding, but it picks up on and elaborates on a lot of themes that I’d been noticing.

Alright. That’s what I read last year. Any suggestions on what I should read this year? If so put them down in the comments or tweet them at me. @JoshuaNWise