My reading list from the first three months of 2023.

• On The Shortness of Life by Seneca (Jan ’23 | Score: 4/5): A short, self-reflective book that challenged how I think about time and priorities. It may have been written hundreds of years ago, though I find it amazing how relevant and applicable the concepts still are. The first section is well worth the read and the occasional reread. It will be time well spent.

• Atomic Habits by James Clear (Jan ’23| Score: 4.5/5): New year, new habits? That was my thought and a good thought it was. In short, I think the strategies and tactics to drive personal improvements are very useful. However, my biggest takeaway was that the book is incredibly well written. As a primer, I recommend the episode with James on Peter Attia’s podcast. JC covers the key highlights, which serves as a good intro to the concepts.

• I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi (Feb ’23 | Core: 3/5): This book sat on my shelf for two years before I finally invested the time to read it. The recent wedding and new year had me due for a “financial” refresh. I found it to be a useful guide with a focus on the fundamentals and simple advice for the key financial use-cases (e.g., buying a car, getting married, etc.) It is not a pager turner, but I plan to revisit it when considering a significant financial decisions in the future.

• A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger (Feb ’23 | Score: 5/5): “A beautiful question is an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something – and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change”… I think that tagline sums it up well. The book is a philosophical yet pragmatic guidebook about the art and science of questions. I found it to be a useful tool to help spark my own curiosity and foster more productive conversations at work. Top book of 2023 thus far.

• The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter (Mar ’23 | Score: 4/5): Life lessons littered throughout the author’s adventure into remote Alaska. The book challenges “modern comforts”, yet offers simple and applicable habits to refocus on the fundamental aspects of life. While the writing style is sporadic, the Comfort Crisis is an easy read with introspective elements. If you read this and enjoy, then I highly recommend A Lion Trackers Guide to Life. Similar style, yet less ice and snow. More safari and sunshine.

• Bonus Audio Book: Killing England: While it started slow, the book evolved into an engaging deep dive into the American Revolution and the remarkable men who lead it. I found it to provide enough level of detail to enrich the story, but not get bogged down in the manusha of dates, names, etc. Would recommend for history fans.

• In addition to what I read, there is also a list of what I stopped reading for one reason or another; From Start-up to Grown-up (… poor writing) and The Socialization of American Medicine (… too scientific).

What is on the top of your shelf? Anything good?

NH.