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December 5, 2022

Books I read in 2022

Some notes on the 13 books I read in 2022

This year I challenged myself to read a bit more. I started strong, but then I got distracted by other things. Anyhow, I'm pretty happy with the list below. There are some mediocre reads, but overall most are great books.

Stop Asking Questions
Communication Business Self-improvement
Stop Asking Questions
by Andrew Warner

Lovely book. To the point, without platitudes. Podcasters will get the most value from this book, but I took a thing or two for hiring interviews. At the very least it will leave you with some actionable advice on how to have more meaningful conversations. Recommended.

The Mom Test
Business Entrepreneurship
The Mom Test
by Rob Fitzpatrick

Another amazing, concise book. Reading this I could see all the mistakes I made building apps as an aspiring indie hacker. It gives clear examples, highlights when things start to go wrong, and how to fix them. It gives you a simple, applicable framework to discuss with potential customers. I highly recommend this book, if you're looking to build a business.

Fooled By Randomness
Economics Psychology Philosophy
Fooled By Randomness
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

If you don't like Nassim, the way he rants, and his big ego, you will hate this book. It will read like a messy diary. Even if it's all over the place and sometimes hard to read, I loved it. Essentially it's about how irrational tendencies prevent us from making better decisions. We are all fooled by randomness. It's a weakness we can't shake off. Armed with that knowledge we can sometimes suppress these tendencies. It's a hard book, but I would recommend it to everyone.

The Minimalist Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship
The Minimalist Entrepreneur
by Sahil Lavingia

If you're a bootstrapped founder or an aspiring one, everything mentioned in this book will be familiar. You won't find something groundbreaking. Sometimes it's an inspiring read, others it reads as a bragging autobiography. This book is more suited to people who might want to start a business, feel intimidated, and are looking for a push. Don't expect a solid framework on how to build a business or a handbook to reference. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book, but feels like a dragged blog post.

The Psychology of Money
Personal Finance Economics Self-improvement
The Psychology of Money
by Morgan Housel

An excellent read. It's accessible and easy to read while providing some great insights. It covers how to think about one's money, investments, and overall wealth. Word of caution, don't expect real tips on how to invest, or day trade. It's a nice sanity check, especially during that unprecedented crypto craziness. Recommended.

Never Split the Difference
Communication Leadership Self-improvement
Never Split the Difference
by Chris Voss

A very captivating book. It's a great read just for the stories alone. The book is less about hostage negotiation and more about everyday argues. It outlines various techniques to use in everyday life so you can take control of the conversation and tip it in your favor. Quite fun! Recommended.

Outliers
Psychology Sociology
Outliers
by Malcolm Gladwell

A fun summer reading, with good storytelling. That said the examples are cherry-picked, it's filled with oversimplified conclusions and some contradictions. A good airport read, but nothing more than that.

The 48 Laws of Power
History Politics Psychology
The 48 Laws of Power
by Robert Greene

A fun read, with interesting historical tidbits and some reminders about human nature. I don't take it seriously, and neither should you. If you're looking for a Machiavellian approach to navigate your office politics or something, sure, give it a go. I believe it suffers from the same trope as similar books by Ryan Holiday. State something, and bend the story to fit the narrative.

The Art and Business of Online Writing
Writing Business
The Art and Business of Online Writing
by Nicolas Cole

This a good book for an aspiring writer, who wants to build an audience and be successful. If you are like me and prefer to read actual tips on how to write better, this book is not for you. It's a decent read, but don't expect actual, applicable advice to take your writing to the next level. It's mostly about how to build an audience, create catchy headlines, and spin-off multiple articles.

Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics

I love playing football, but I can't pay proper attention when I'm not. I know there is a game within the game I'm missing. Picked up this book to add another layer of suffering when watching my team (Tottenham) lose. It was a beautiful read. Not only about the tactics, but the evolution of the sport. Other people might find it dry but I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it took time to read.

Shoe Dog
Business Entrepreneurship History
Shoe Dog
by Phil Knight

I'm a sucker for such start-up stories. Scratches the same itch as with Chaos Monkeys and Bad Blood. The story is about the creation of Nike. Specifically, 60% of the book is the backstory of Blue Ribbon Sports and its dealings with Onitsuka Tiger. Everything that lead-up to the creation of this huge brand. It's romanticized, but it's a memoir after all. Recommended

Dune #1
Science Fiction Fantasy Classics
Dune #1
by Frank Herbert

A bit difficult read at the start, but once you get into it, it's a fantastic read. As with most Sci-Fi reads, it takes some time to familiarize yourself with the world, its characters and their politics and ambitions. I understand that some tropes might seem overplayed to someone reading this in 2022, but we have to take into account that it was published in 1965. I never felt a dull moment, but I know it might rub some people off. I haven't seen the movie and I was glad I could experience the book unspoiled. Recommended

Domain Modeling Made Functional
Programming Functional Programming
Domain Modeling Made Functional
by Scott Wlaschin

Lastly, a software book. it highlights an interesting approach to using Domain-Driven Design in conjunction with Functional Programming. Most of the books out there combine DDD with OOP, so it was a refreshing read. I would highly recommend it to anyone branching out into FP. Don't be alarmed by F# code samples, it's easy to follow if you're familiar with TypeScript. I plan to write a post about it soon, but I'm still digesting the content.


That's all for this year. For the next year, I'll give self-improvement books a pause. I pretty much have read everything on the genre. There's so much duplication it's tiring. So I'm planning to read more historical & technical books. Let's see how it goes. See you next year!