My Reading List

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI

Ethan Mollick

I generally liked this book, but as someone who works in artificial intelligence, I found much of the book's content to be fairly obvious and unsurprising. This book was published in 2024 and some of it already feels dated. Unfortunately, that's just the pace of AI.

Read in 2026

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

Jonathan Haidt

Read in 2026

The Machine Stops

E.M. Forster

A surprisingly prescient book for having been written in 1909 about our dependence on technology. I don't necessarily agree with its conclusions, but I found it to be timely, with the theme of learned helplessness in the context of technological progress especially so.

Read in 2026

After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration

Holly Jean Buck

Reluctant, begrudging admission that nature alone will not be enough. Technological measures will be necessary to restore Earth's climate.

Read in 2025

Best Things First

Bjørn Lomberg

The UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are off-track, partially because too many things were attempted at once and many subgoals were too vague or ill-defined. This book refocuses the conversation around a focussed set of highest-impact targets, including approximate budgets and benefit-cost ratios.

Read in 2025

Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation

Byrne Hobart and Tobias Huber

Real technological progress and invention requires sustained focus, energy, and enthusiasm -- like the Apollo or Manhattan programs. Tech bubbles are much maligned, but they focus a lot of energy and capital on a set of problems for a duration of time, leading to important breakthroughs. Bubbles should be celebrated.

Read in 2025

Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

Pamela Druckerman

French culture seems to have a lot figured out when it comes to raising happy, well-adjusted, and well-behaved children. This book is a humorous comparison and deep dive into the differences between French and American parenting.

Read in 2025

Cute Accelerationism

Amy Ireland & Maya B. Kronic

A short, dense, and highly experimental text exploring the philosophical and social underpinnings of "cuteness", arguing that it is more than an aesthetic expression, but a subversive and accelerating force with a complex relationship to technology. Unfortunately, though there are serious arguments being made, they often get lost in impenetrably dense and highly academic prose that might be more persuasive if it was less performative. Still a fun read.

Read in 2025

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

Carlo Rovelli

The most beautiful ideas in physics laid out in elegant prose.

Read in 2025

Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II

Robert Kurson

The ocean still holds unsettling mysteries for those brave and determined enough to solve them.

Read in 2025

Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track

Will Larson

For those who seek to lead without being purely a manager of people, what does the path look like? What archtypes can the staff engineer embody and how do they make their mark?

Read in 2025

Stubborn Attachments: A Vision for a Society of Free, Prosperous, and Responsible Individuals

Tyler Cowen

Our moral framework should prioritize the well-being of future generations by committing to sustained economic growth as an ethical imperative. True wealth includes such things as leisure and a healthy biosphere, but these are strongly correlated with economic indicators of wealth.

Read in 2025

The MANIAC

Benjamín Labatut

Hauntingly beautiful retelling of the bizarre life of John von Neumann.

Read in 2025

The Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka

The insect metaphor is a projection of the human insecurity that our closest friends and family would reject us if we become a burden. This book is a disturbing exploration of the fear of alienation.

Read in 2025

The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West

Alexander Karp & Nicholas Zamiska

Technology isn't neutral; it reshapes society by creating new opportunities for both good and evil. We must give careful thought to balancing innovation and public good. In a multipolar world, where other actors are advancing their agendas with technology, how does the West respond?

Read in 2025

Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It

Christof Koch

A beautiful book that blends science, poetry, and personal reflection on the deeply subjective nature of consciousness, and the belief that it may be more widespread than initially believed.

Read in 2025

There Is No Antimemetics Division

qntm

Cosmic horror meets hard sci-fi: antimemes are self-censoring ideas and powerful entities use them to cloak their own existence while invading minds and humanity's consensus reality. The researchers and agents of the Foundation are tasked with containing these powerful memetic forces and saving humanity.

Read in 2025

Free Will

Sam Harris

Free will, from the perspective of neuroscience, may not in fact exist, but it matters very much that as a society we continue to operate as though it does.

Read in 2024

Jesus and Lao Tzu: The Parallel Sayings

Martin Aronson

Truth is timeless and universal. Spiritual insights often appear at multiple times and places in history.

Read in 2024

Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence

Esther Perel

Esther Perel's TED talk has been seen by many, and this book expands on some of the main themes from her talk, especially the question of why romantic relationships start with passion but then lose steam. Perel explores the tension between the domestic and the novel, and why two partners each need to maintain a dinstinct sense of self within the relationship.

Read in 2024

Never Enough: From Barista to Billionaire

Andrew Wilkinson

Childhood experiences often shape our relationships to work and money. Interesting insights along the way of wealth creation and a reminder to be humble.

Read in 2024

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

Hard science and humor. Much like The Martian, this book celebrates reason and dogged determination in an entertaining narrative.

Read in 2024

Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing on an Infinitely Bountiful Planet

Marian L. Tupy & Gale L. Pooley

For centuries the prevailing logic has been that as the population grows, resources become more scarce. The authors show conclusively that the opposite has been true. As the world's population has grown, people have been incentivized to innovate in ways that made resources more abundant. The relationship is more than linear, hence the term superabundance. This hopeful and optimistic book was thoroughly researched and a wonderful counterweight to the common apocalyptic narrative.

Read in 2024

The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings

Nick Gray

If you want to meet new people and make new friends, you have to bring them to you, and the best way is to throw great parties. This book outlines how to keep it simple, how to keep it sustainable, and how to regularly throw the kinds of events that grow a great community of relationships.

Read in 2024

The Book of Five Rings

Miyamoto Musashi

Timeless lessons about continual learning, honing your craft, and thinking critically about your craft from first principles.

Read in 2024

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Charlie Mackesy

A beautiful meditation on courage, authenticity, and intrinsic worth.

Read in 2024

The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised

James Pethokoukis

We need to get away from framing ideologies as either left wing or right wing. Instead, focus on which policies that are "upwing" instead of "downwing": which promote human flourishing, growth, and abundance. American society once embraced risk and believed in self-determination, but has become mired in bureaucracy and risk aversion. By returning to more "upwing" principles, America can build an abundant future.

Read in 2024

The Courage to Be Disliked

Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga

At any moment you can choose to live differently. Suffering arises when we pursue recognition instead of personal excellence. Everyone should recognize what is within their own control and responsibility to change. Conflict arises from trying to change others. All healthy relationship are horizontal relationships. Freedom and happiness come from living according to one's own principles. Contributing and feeling connected to a community is also essential for happiness.

Read in 2024

The Lazarus Heist: From Hollywood to High Finance: Insight North Korea Cyber War

Geoff White

A fascinating look into the underworld that funds the North Korean state and a glimpse into the true extent of cybercrime.

Read in 2024

The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self

Martha Beck

Dante's inferno is an apt metaphor for one's own personal journey from self-deception back to integrity.

Read in 2024

Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality

Richard Rohr

An alternative to the dogmatic perspective. Hopeful, non-dual, rooted in mystery.

Read in 2024

When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach

Ashlee Vance

Planet Labs is featured prominently in this book about the new space race and the quest to make space commercially viable. The stories behind the startups are deeply fascinating and I enjoyed the portrayal of the cast of characters.

Read in 2024

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals

Oliver Burkeman

You can waste a lot of life trying to optimize every part.

Read in 2023

From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

Arthur C. Brooks

In the second half of life, your happiness will come principally from the quality of your relationships.

Read in 2023

Make No Small Plans: Lessons on Thinking Big, Chasing Dreams, and Building Community

Elliott Bisnow, Brett Leve, Jeff Rosenthal, & Jeremy Schwartz

There are no gatekeepers. Go out and create the community you're looking for.

Read in 2023

Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World

Gaia Vince

Climate change will render parts of the world uninhabitable. Humans will respond by migrating, which could trigger a humanitarian crisis if managed poorly. The global north will be the key destination. Migration also represents an opportunity to address demographic challenges and labor shortages.

Read in 2023

Principles: Life and Work

Ray Dalio

Embrace radical truth and systematic decision-making. Learn from every mistake and keep moving forward.

Read in 2023

The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Rick Rubin

The goal of art is authentic self-expression. The journey into art is the journey into self.

Read in 2023

The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization

Peter Zeihan

The American-led global order may be coming to an end. What happens next is a multipolar world that will be completely reshaped.

Read in 2023

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

Don Miguel Ruiz

Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best.

Read in 2023

The Network State: How To Start a New Country

Balaji Srinivasan

There's no new land left to settle, so where do you pioneer new ideas, new forms of government, new ways of associating? The new frontier will be digital nations: organizations with governance via blockchain that eventually achieve international recognition. These will be the new nations.

Read in 2023

The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness

Morgan Housel

Much like how the best diet is the one you can stick you, the best financial strategy is the one that lets you sleep easy at night.

Read in 2023

The Vory: Russia's Super Mafia

Mark Galeotti

The history, evolution, and power dynamics that shaped the "thieves in law," their code of honor, and their activity in the modern world.

Read in 2023

The World’s Fittest Book

Ross Edgley

The human body can be pushed a lot further and harder than most people think.

Read in 2023

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

David Goggins

Raw memoir on how to turn personal suffering into unstoppable mental toughness.

Read in 2022

Disciplined Entrepreneurship

Bill Aulet

Systematically breaks down the startup journey into discrete steps. 24 of them.

Read in 2022

Exhalation: Stories

Ted Chiang

Collection of brilliant, perspective-shifting science fiction short stories.

Read in 2022

Heartbreak

The School of Life

Our deepest wounds can cultivate profound self-understanding and growth. Heartbreak isn’t a defeat, but a necessary passage toward rebuilding a richer, more resilient sense of self.

Read in 2022

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

Bill Gates

Low or zero-carbon options now exist that could decarbonize the world's economy, but many still carry a premium. Innovation, investment, and policy reform need to bring these down.

Read in 2022

Iron John: A Book About Men

Robert Bly

An exploration of masculinity through myth and storytelling. The lack of male rites of passage in modern society is regrettable, and has impoverished men.

Read in 2022

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

Kristin Kobes Du Mez

American evangelicals have merged the humility of Jesus with the rugged, militant masculinity of John Wayne, forging a potent—and often contradictory—blueprint for modern conservative manhood. The book traces this historical evolution, revealing how this fusion has fueled a transformative and politically charged cultural identity.

Read in 2022

Snow Crash

Neal Stephenson

Cyberpunk rollercoaster. Presages the metaverse, network states, and mind viruses.

Read in 2022

Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again

Johann Hari

Our modern environment—rife with digital distractions and systemic pressures—systematically undermines our ability to concentrate. We need to rethink the structures that are designed to hijack our ability to concentrate.

Read in 2022

The Good Society: The Humane Agenda

John Kenneth Galbraith

True prosperity lies in nurturing human well-being over mere economic growth. The book envisions a balanced society where government and community actively shape an economy that serves people, not profits.

Read in 2022

The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name

Brian Muraresku

There's good evidence that psychedelic rituals were used in the ancient world and may underpin much of culture and religious understanding.

Read in 2022

The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery

Brianna Wiest

People often prefer what is familiar over what is objectively good for them, leading to a pattern of self-sabotage as the cling to what they know.

Read in 2022

The Myth of Normal

Gabor Maté

The which modern society calls normal masks a façade of trauma that drives chronic illness.

Read in 2022

The Silk Roads

Peter Frankopan

A western education often overlooks how ancient trade routes and cultural exchanges between Asia, Africa, and Europe were engines of change and wealth creation.

Read in 2022

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

Michael Singer

Unhealthy patterns and internal blockages get in the way of truly experiencing life. Letting go of these and embracing present-moment awareness creates freedom.

Read in 2022

This is Your Mind on Plants

Michael Pollan

Humanity's long relationship with psychoactive substances, from caffeine to opium to psychedelics, has shaped our culture and consciousness.

Read in 2022

Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All

Michael Shellenberger

Climate change is real, but alarmist rhetoric obstructs pragmatic technological innovations that address the problem and ignores the substantial progress that was already been made.

Read in 2021

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

James Clear

Small, consistent improvements compound over time into large-scale personal transformation. Systems beat tactics.

Read in 2021

Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History

Paul Farmer

Paul Farmer traces how centuries of exploitation, inequality, and conflict have not only shaped West Africa's vulnerability but also paved the way for devastating Ebola outbreaks. He argues that the epidemic is as much a product of deep-rooted historical and socio-political forces as it is a biological crisis, urging a holistic approach to public health that addresses these systemic issues.

Read in 2021

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Max Tegmark

As we entire a new era, where we are creating new forms of intelligence, thoughtful stewardship of AI development is needed to ensure that this transformative technology aligns with human values and benefits society as a whole.

Read in 2021

Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World

Jacqueline Novogratz

Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, calls on leaders and individuals alike to redefine success in ways that prioritize long-term social impact over short-term gains, urging a collective moral reawakening to build a more just world.

Read in 2021

Reasons to Stay Alive

Matt Haig

A memoir of the author's struggle with depression, and finding a path towards hope and meaning.

Read in 2021

Shantaram

Gregory David Roberts

An epic semi-autobiographical account of an Australian fugitive who flees to India and joins the Mumbai underground. Seeking to flee his path, he must face himself and ultimately seek redemption.

Read in 2021

The High Frontier: Human Colonies In Space

Gerard K. O’Neill

Published in the 1970s, Gerard O'Neill lays out a plan for how to build human colonies in space, complete with artificial gravity, manufacturing, energy systems, and life support. I marvel at the optimism.

Read in 2021

The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance

W. Timothy Gallwey

The biggest obstacle to peak performance is the inner dialog that breeds self-doubt and distraction. This book is about far more than tennis or sports. By quieting the inner critic, we are more able to enter flow states, perform at our best, and enjoy a better quality of life.

Read in 2021

The Ministry for the Future

Kim Stanley Robinson

Envisions a near-future world where a dedicated international agency tackles the escalating climate crisis through bold, systemic strategies—ranging from innovative policies to controversial geoengineering.

Read in 2021

The Polymath: Unlocking the Power of Human Versatility

Waqas Ahmed

The modern world has seduced us into hyperspecialization, but to face the multifaceted challenges of the future, we must embrace a diversity of skills and interdisciplinary thinking. We must all become polymaths.

Read in 2021

The Sovereign Individual

James Dale Davidson & Lord William Rees-Mogg

Envisions a borderless, digital future where nation-states are undermined and collapse. A libertarian vision that sounds like it will be a bad deal for most people.

Read in 2021

Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future

Elizabeth Kolbert

Humans have long sought to control nature, often with unforeseen consequences. However, there is no longer any leaving nature alone. We have changed nature too much. We engineered our way into problems, and we need to engineer our way out.

Read in 2021

When We Cease to Understand the World

Benjamín Labatut

A literary, fictionalized history of how scientific revolutions can shatter our grip on reality and plunge us into an uncertain future. Beautiful, haunting prose.

Read in 2021

A God That Could Be Real: Spirituality, Science, and the Future of Our Planet

Nancy Ellen Abrams

Merges spiritual inquiry with scientific perspectives to explore the possibility of a tangible divine presence influencing our future and the planet’s destiny.

Read in 2020

Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality

Anthony De Mello

Challenges readers to break free from conditioned perceptions and embrace a heightened state of mindfulness as a path to personal and spiritual transformation.

Read in 2020

Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas

Elaine Pagels

Explores the alternative Christian text of the Gospel of Thomas, inviting readers to reconsider traditional religious narratives and the origins of spiritual thought.

Read in 2020

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

Ashlee Vance

Offers an in-depth look at an earlier Elon Musk's visionary drive to reshape transportation, space exploration, and renewable energy, capturing both his triumphs and challenges.

Read in 2020

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia: A Novel

Mohsin Hamid

A modern fable that intertwines personal ambition with the sweeping economic changes of Asia, highlighting the interplay of desire, chance, and transformation.

Read in 2020

Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don't Have To

David Sinclair

Most of the burdens of disease are borne at an advanced age. Why is it that young people do not typically suffer cancer, cardiovascular disease, or dementia? How we age is becoming much better understood, and can be measured via specific biomarkers. These hold the clues for arresting and perhaps even reversing aging. Cure aging and you cure all the other diseases as well.

Read in 2020

Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions

Johann Hari

Argues that depression stems from deep social and environmental disconnections, and suggests that re-establishing meaningful relationships and purposes can pave the way to recovery.

Read in 2020

Neuromancer

William Gibson

A seminal cyberpunk novel that follows a washed-up hacker on a high-stakes journey through a virtual frontier, redefining the nexus between technology and reality.

Read in 2020

On Confidence

The School of Life

Offers reflective insights on building authentic self-assurance, emphasizing that true confidence emerges from self-understanding, vulnerability, and continuous growth.

Read in 2020

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

Traces the evolutionary journey of Homo sapiens, revealing how cultural, technological, and ideological shifts have defined human history.

Read in 2020

Siddhartha

Herman Hesse

Chronicles a young man’s quest for enlightenment and self-discovery, weaving a timeless narrative about the balance between worldly experience and spiritual awakening.

Read in 2020

The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self, Revised Edition

Alice Miller

Examines how early childhood experiences and parental expectations can hinder authentic self-development, urging a journey toward rediscovering one's true identity.

Read in 2020

The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives

Peter Diamandis

Investigates how rapid technological convergence is set to revolutionize industries and reshape everyday life, heralding unprecedented changes in our world.

Read in 2020

The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building

Matt Mochary

Provides actionable strategies and insights for leaders looking to build, manage, and scale a successful company in today's competitive landscape.

Read in 2020

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

Sebastian Junger

Explores how modern society's disconnection from tight-knit communities creates a void in belonging, contrasting the deep bonds of tribal life with today's individualism.

Read in 2020

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

Matthew Walker

Sleep is the foundation of health. How and why we sleep is worth understanding better. The consequences of disregarding our sleep are much worse than we used to think.

Read in 2020