In case you missed it, watch my best books of 2023 video on YouTube and please let me know your favorite books of the year. Early responses include Four Thousand Weeks, Project Hail Mary, and The Golden Spruce.
I read more fiction and story-driven non-fiction than I have in many years. Nearly half the books I read were in this category, and well over half the total page count, consider the Rothfuss, Sanderson, and Follett books all were between 700-1200 pages.
When did I read? Often, in narrow slices of time, and often at night. I read when lay down with the boys, before I went to sleep, in the bathroom, and the occasional beautiful weekend stretch when everyone is otherwise occupied (this last one is not often).
Without further ado though, here are my favorite books of 2023, followed by everything I read at the end of the page.
Story Driven Books
The Tiger by John Vaillant
I came across this book from Ryan Holiday’s reading list and now Vaillant is one of my favorite authors. He writes about compelling stories based in nature, similar to Jon Krakauer. The Tiger is about a tiger hunt in the Primorye region of Siberia.
To call it a tiger hunt is a little deceptive though, as the tiger is also hunting the hunters. The book is a great cat-and-mouse chase with vivid imagery of the people and natural setting they all inhabit. I picked up another Vaillant book this month too, The Golden Spruce. I didn’t like it quite as much as The Tiger, but it’s a 1a or 1b kinda distinction to me. Read both.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This is the third time I’ve read Name of the Wind and each time I can’t put it down. I’m avoiding work and other people in order to get a few more pages in. I bought the audiobook so I can listen while I drive or go for a walk.
The style is high Middle Ages, kinda steampunk, kinda Harry Potter (but much older). The magic, mystery, strategy, and world-building is impressive. But the thing that gets me every time is the writing about being focused, independent, and committed to your purpose. And I bet once you’re done you will immediately pick The Wise Man’s Fear.
Productivity Books
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Berkeman
I have to admit. When I first came across this book, I was annoyed it existed. Or rather, I was annoyed at myself for not writing a similar book sooner. I have done a lot of work on time tracking, even going so far as to write a 30 day challenge and create a course called “25 Hour Days.”
What makes Four Thousand Weeks so unique, and a path I probably wouldn’t have taken, is its sobering approach on the reality of the time we actually have. It’s not your typical productivity pep talk. Instead, it’s a bold, in-your-face reminder that our time here is finite.
I just turned 40, which means I’m halfway through my four thousand weeks. That we can’t do it all is a tough pill to swallow for anyone, especially in our hustle culture. He nudges us to ask: How can we be intentional with our limited time? It’s about prioritizing what truly matters: meaningful work, yes, but more importantly, the people we share our lives with.
PARA Method by Tiara Forte
PARA is a part of Tiago’s bigger “Building a Second Brain” system that I’ve been working off for the past 4-5 years. But of all the productivity systems I’ve tried, the PARA Method is the one that I’ve stuck with the longest. To me, it’s the simplest way to organize digital content. I WISH there was a way to organize a physical space this clearly.
Its beauty lies in the adaptability across various platforms. Whether it’s organizing projects in a Bullet Journal, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, or even your desktop, PARA’s versatile but consistent structure is what makes it work. The book is short, less than 200 pages and under 20,000 words (4K Weeks counts 80,000 words). You can also get an initial primer from the blog post here.
Personal Growth Books
Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter
Easter’s first book Comfort Crisis was one of my favorite books of 2022, and he’s back with another winner this year. If you’ve ever wondered why we make decisions that don’t seem to make much sense in the long run — this book helps answer the question. It’s because we’re hardwired to overindulge in things we fear might become scarce.
I’ve trained myself enough that I don’t tend to do this with food, but I can do it with social media, marketing metrics, or sports news. It’s like the comedian Jim Gaffigan says “we all have our McDonalds.”
I like how Easter wrapped up the book talking about replacing scarcity loops with abundance loops. Instead of falling into the trap of “I have to have more of this thing because it’s going away,” you shift to the enjoyment of “I’m really interested in this, I’m going to search out more about it and learn!” This allows you to appreciate the payoff of the end result without the downside of a scarcity mindset.
Living Life Backwards by David Gibson
Have you ever stumbled upon a book that leaves you wrestling with its concepts long after you’ve turned the last page? That’s exactly how I feel about Living Life Backwards, a thought-provoking study of Ecclesiastes, which to me remains one of the most puzzling books of the Bible. This book, echoing themes similar to Stoicism and the concept of memento mori, delves into the stark reality that we’re all going to die one day.
It sounds morbid, but hear me out. It’s not just about the inevitability of death; it’s about using this awareness to truly understand what matters in life. It’s like the book is asking us: “Knowing that your time is finite, how will you choose to live?” In some ways, I found it a good companion read to Four Thousand Weeks.
I’ve got to give a shoutout to Brent Beshore and Chris Powers for recommending this book. It has me continuously reflecting and re-evaluating my perspectives on life, death, and what it truly means to live a meaningful life. It’s not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. But it’s one of those rare books that challenges you to look at life through a lens that’s both sobering and strangely liberating.
Other Books
A solid 6 pack of books feels good for recommendations, but there are many more that I read this year. As I noted at the beginning, this was my biggest year of reading in several years. When did I read? Often, in narrow slices of time, and a lot at night. I read when lay down with the boys, before I went to sleep, in the bathroom, and the occasional beautiful weekend stretch when everyone is otherwise occupied (this last one is not often).
All Books Read in 2023 — Sorted by Genre
Note: the numbers are not rankings. Lists just look aesthetically pleasing when sorted by character length. I did combine series together, e.g. Mistborn Trilogy.
Fiction:
- Upgrade (Blake Crouch)
- Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson)
- Well of Ascension (Brandon Sanderson)
- Hero of the Ages (Brandon Sanderson)
- The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
- The Wise Man’s Fear (Patrick Rothfuss)
- The Book of Three (Lloyd Alexander)
Historical Fiction:
- The Evening and the Morning (Ken Follett)
- A Column of Fire (Ken Follett)
- The Armor of Light (Ken Follett)
Self-Help/Personal Development:
- Rest (Alex Soojung-Kim Pang)
- Scarcity Brain (Michael Easter)
- Sacred Hunting (Mansal Denton)
- Be Useful (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
- Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill)
- Living Life Backwards (David Gibson)
- Four Thousand Weeks (Oliver Burkeman)
- Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (T. Harv Eker)
- The Magic of Thinking Big (David J. Schwartz)
Business/Entrepreneurship:
- Sales Pitch (April Dunford)
- Pitch Anything (Oren Klaff)
- The Anthology of Balaji (Compiled writings of Balaji Srinivasan)
- Smart Brevity (Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz)
Non-Fiction/History:
- The Wager (David Grann)
- The Tiger (John Vaillant)
- The Golden Spruce (John Vaillant)
- Freedom (Sebastian Junger)
- The Enemy of All Mankind (Steven Johnson)
Thanks for, well, reading my reading list for 2023. Reading still feels a bit mystical to me, which is why I get such a thrill out of it. As for what I’ll be reading when the calendar turns over, I just started The Son by Philipp Meyer, 48 Rules of Power by Robert Greene, and Reframe Your Brain by Scott Adams.