I recently decided to keep track and post what books I am reading on this page. While I try to always have a few books on the nightstand, there are periods where I fail to read nearly as much as I would like. For a variety of reasons, reading is an especially productive endeavor. For me, becoming a better writer has always been an ongoing personal goal. And there is hands down no better way to become a better writer than by reading great writing.
I will try to keep this list updated over time and add to it whenever I begin or complete another book. From time to time I hope to write longer posts examining specific books, not so much to “review” them, but to simply put into writing my own reactions, favorite sections, or criticisms of the author or a particular point made in any given book.
My Book List is divided by category below. It will be far from complete for now, but I will fill in gaps by including books I read over the last few years. I have a decent personal library at home which I am also in the middle of cataloguing, and that process has motivated me to more actively engage with the books I read by creating this page and sharing my perspective through additional posts from time to time.
I should point out that my all-time favorite book – and one that I try to re-read at least once a year – is Dale Carnegie’s “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” It’s a classic for a reason, and I have never opened that book without taking away another practical, immediately applicable tidbit on life, people, business, persuasion or influence. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
At the top is the book I’m reading at the moment, which I will try to keep current. Also included is a list of books I would like to read but have not yet, a “wish list” of sorts.
Political & History
| Amadeus, Peter Shaffer. 2001 edition. |  |
| Duty, Robert M. Gates. 2013. |  |
| Hard Choices, Hillary Rodham Clinton. 2014. |  |
| Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, Jon Meacham. 2012. |  |
| Honor’s Voice: The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln, Douglas Wilson. 1998. |  |
| Real Change, Newt Gingrich. 2008. |  |
| My Year in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer. 2003. |  |
Business & Technology
| Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson. 2011. |  |
| The Innovator’s Dilemma, Clayton Christensen. |  |
| David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell. 2013. |  |
| Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell. 2005. |  |
| The World Is Flat, Thomas L. Friedman. |  |
| Start-Up Nation, Dan Senor and Saul Singer. 2009. |  |
| How To Win Friends And Influence People, Dale Carnegie. |  |
Psychology, Life
| It’s Not What Happens To You, It’s What You Do About It, W Mitchell. |  |
| The Art of Power, Thich Nhat Hanh. 2007. |  |
Science
Choke: What The Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To, Sian Beilock. 2010.