Welcome to my annual reading review.
Each December, I share the ten best books I read and listened to over the past 12-months to give you good recommendations for the coming year.
Let’s get started.
Overview
2019 was a good year for reading. I read 43 books in total (32 books and 11 audiobooks), which was an improvement on the number I read in 2018.
I also quit on a lot of books. Books that others recommended highly. Books that feature on many “best of” reading lists. Books that I wanted and tried feverishly to finish, but abandoned after several chapters.
I used to feel guilty about quitting books, but I now realize that it’s always better to forgo a book you’re not enjoying for one that is.
To quote Johnny Uzan, “We are living in a world of information abundance. There’s no room for scarcity mindset, no room for guilt. The opportunity cost of being stuck in your learning is way beyond the price of a new book.”
So, with that preface aside, here are the ten best books I read and listened to in 2019, in no particular order.
100 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Gary Provost
Print | Kindle | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“A lead should have energy, excitement, an implicit promise that something is going to happen, or that some interesting information will be revealed.”
A few years ago, I was googling how to write better when I read an article by Greg Ciotti, the then Head of Content for Helpscout, a help desk software company.
In it, he references Gary Provost’s idea of varying sentence length to create music. “Don’t just write words,” Provost urges readers in his book, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing, “Write music.”
It left an impression on me, and I immediately added his book to my wish list. But for one reason or another, I let it fall by the wayside and forgot about it.
That is, until recently, when I bought the newly-revised edition.
With practical takeaways and concise, bite-sized chapters, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to improve their writing, professionally or otherwise.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Print | Hardcover | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Minimalists don’t mind missing out on small things; what worries them much more is diminishing the large things they already know for sure make a good life good.”
When it comes to social media, we tend to fall into the trap of dichotomous thinking. We ask whether it’s helpful or harmful; addicting or empowering. But these are the wrong questions to ask.
The questions we might ask, instead, to paraphrase Cal Newport, are, “Does social media support something that I value?” and, “Is social media the best way to support this value?”
Newport’s advice on cultivating a “full-fledged philosophy of technology use,” as he calls it, is something technophiles might struggle to agree with, particularly those making a living online.
But it’s a great idea, and much like the ideas outlined in his earlier book, Deep Work, a practice that we might all benefit from trying. (Note: I also recommend Indistractable by Nir Eyal if you’re looking to explore digital minimalism further.)
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Low-income countries are much more developed than most people think. And vastly fewer people live in them. The idea of a divided world with a majority stuck in misery and deprivation is an illusion. A complete misconception. Simply wrong.”
We tend to think of what we learned in school as gospel. But the world is changing every day, and what was once a fact can sometimes become outdated.
When I was in school, I learned that all countries fall into one of the following categories: those that are developed (MEDC), and those that are less developed (LEDC).
But as you can infer from the takeaway above, that’s no longer true. Nor has it been for a long time. Unbeknownst to me, and maybe through no fault of my own, I was viewing the world through faulty lenses—and had been for years.
Factfulness corrected many misconceptions I had about the world. It reminded me that, despite what we read in the media, the world is doing better than we think, both economically and surprisingly of all, environmentally.
Bill Gates called Factfulness, “One of the most educational books I’ve ever read.” I’m inclined to agree.
Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins
Key takeaway:
“At some point, we must break away from the status quo and forge a new path. As it turns out, this is how creativity works best.”
I became a fan of Jeff Goins after reading his previous book, The Art of Work, so I was excited to read his newest release. In Real Artists Don’t Starve, Goins posits that we’re currently experiencing, what he terms, a “New Renaissance,” a time where creatives can thrive and make a living from their art without needing other people’s permission to create.
Similar to bestselling authors like Robert Greene and Ryan Holiday, Goins features stories from famous creatives—from artists like Michalego and Picasso to musicians like Dr. Dre and Elvis Presley—to illustrate his rules for living life on one’s terms, or what Goins calls, life as a “Thriving Artist.”
It’s a great book if you’re a creative, especially if you’re struggling to charge what you’re worth.
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joe Sugarman
Key takeaway:
“Your readers should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slide.”
I’ve read many copywriting books, but The Adweek Copywriting Handbook is my favorite for a few reasons. First, Sugarman is one of the greatest living copywriters today. A former ad man, Sugarman’s ads brought in millions of dollars in revenue in their hay day.
Second, it’s immensely practical. For example, using an “involvement device”—something that invites the reader to engage with your copy—is something I started using on the Sleeknote blog to boost our average session duration. And it works.
Third, Sugarman uses his best-performing ads to illustrate each strategy. It’s a fascinating insight into the mind of a living master and something few copywriters do, perhaps due to lacking the level of experience Sugarman has.
Yes! by Robert Cialdini
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
Hotel guests, in one study, were 26 percent more likely to reuse their towels after learning that the majority of guests recycled their towels at least once during their stay.
If you’re a marketer, you’re likely familiar with the book Influence by Robert Cialdini. But what you might not know is Cialdini co-authored a book with Noah J. Goldstein and Steve J. Martin.
Unlike Influence, which goes deep into each of its five “weapons of influence,” Yes! contains 60 short, science-based chapters, each with one big idea the reader can use in their personal or professional life.
If you read my review of Audible, you’ll know that I enjoyed Yes! so much that I listened to the audiobook and read the book. You might not do the same, but it’s still worth checking out.
The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero
Key takeaway:
“The Room is a drama that is also a comedy that is also an existential cry for help that is finally a testament to human endurance.”
In 2003, Tommy Wiseau, an aspiring actor, and budding filmmaker released his first feature-length film, The Room. It made $1,800 during its opening weekend.
Since then, critics have called Wiseau’s movie, “The best worst movie ever made” and “The Citizen Kane of bad movies,” among other disparaging remarks.
Yet, despite bombing at the box office, moviegoers flock to midnight screenings to partake in what has now become one of the greatest cult movies of our time.
Written and read by Greg Sestero, one of Wiseau’s co-stars, The Disaster Artist is about the making of The Room. The problems that plagued production; the filmmaker’s enigmatic background, and in particular, the surprising friendship that blossomed between Wiseau and Sestero.
I listened to the audiobook, and I recommend doing the same: Sestero’s narration is impeccable, and his impersonation of Wiseau is flawless.
This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay [Audiobook]
Key takeaway:
“You don’t cure depression, the same way you don’t cure asthma; you manage it.”
I noticed This Is Going to Hurt after searching the Amazon best sellers list and seeing it outselling international bestsellers like Michelle Obama’s memoir. So, I took a chance, and bought it, not knowing what to expect. I’m glad I did.
Told through secretly-record journal entries, This Is Going to Hurt offers a rare glimpse into life as a new NHS doctor. Hilarious. Heartbreaking. Humbling. It’s a fascinating, well-written account of life on and off a hospital ward.
Avoid listening to the audiobook on public transportation, though. You will laugh. Loudly. And people will stare.
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“The day we stop losing sleep over the success of our business and start losing sleep over the success of our customers is the day our business will start growing again.”
Building a Story Brand is a reimagining of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey for business owners. In sum, the premise of the book is people aren’t looking for another hero; they’re looking for a guide, someone who has a plan.
While much of it was familiar, it did reiterate the importance of clarifying one’s message. Miller writes, “[Companies] cause their customers to burn too many calories in an effort to understand their offer.”
If you’re a business owner, it’s something to think about.
Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger [Audiobook]
Key takeaway:
“The more knowledge you have, the more you’re free to rely on your instincts.”
If like me, you grew up watching Arnold Schwarzenegger, then this book is for you. A remarkable account of one of the most successful actors and entrepreneurs of his generation, Total Recall, is a candid reflection on Schwarzenegger’s life, both on and off the big screen.
From his humble beginnings in his native Austria to popularizing men’s bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger’s memoir is a fascinating account of ambition and strengthening one’s resolve when the odds appear insurmountable.
Conclusion
2019 was a terrific year for reading, and I’m already looking forward to reading more, better books in 2020.
If you enjoyed this article, I recommend reading my other best book lists for 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Or, you can browse my book summaries page for more than 100+ good reading recommendations.