nlightened.me

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking”                                                                                                   – Haruki Murakami

“Can you suggest 5 unputdownable books that I can read next year please?” It was phrased as a request but flamed like an order. And so I set upon shortlisting 5 amongst the forty odd books (43 to be precise) that I have read this year. For me books are a great way to appreciate and learn new perspectives and experiences. So here’s the list in no particular order (except #1 which is simply brilliant).

1. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Hariri
This is one of the most transformational books I’ve read in my life. It starts with a simple question of how an animal of no particular significance (humans) went on to rule the planet. It then goes on to describe why history took the turns it did and how 3 revolutions – cognitive, agricultural and scientific, marked the key inflection points for human evolution. The book discusses and raises possibilities of what might have happened if certain events had taken a slightly different turn. The simple questions throughout the book lead to deep introspection offering fascinating and ominous possibilities. Here is one fascinating quote as a sample:

“As far as we can tell from a purely scientific viewpoint, human life has absolutely no meaning. Humans are the outcome of blind evolutionary processes that operate without goal or purpose. Our actions are not part of some divine cosmic plan, and if planet earth were to blow up tomorrow morning, the universe would probably keep going about its business as usual. As far as we can tell at this point, human subjectivity would not be missed. Hence any meaning that people inscribe to their lives is just a delusion.”

This is perhaps the best book on the rise and evolution of our species, a complex subject written in an engaging and lucid manner. No wonder it has over 4,000 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.6! If there is one book you should read in 2018, it is this one.

2. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
Genghis Khan and the Mongols were undoubtedly one of the greatest rulers of human civilisations. To give you an idea, the Mongols conquered more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans could in 400 years. But there rule was not marked by savagery and conquests alone. The reign of the Mongols also included some of the most progressive and fundamental ideas on governance, management, leadership and diplomacy. Genghis Khan has mostly been portrayed as a barbarian, but Weatherford’s book backed by latest research reveals the visionary leader who conquered most of Asia, Middle East and parts of Europe but couldn’t prevent his empire from an eventual decline.

3. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Touching. Hilarious. Inspiring. Three words describe Trevor Noah’s autobiography. Every word, every page and every chapter is riveting and makes you appreciate life. By every rational measure Trevor’s initial life was a massive struggle but its remarkable how he found his way via humour and optimism. The real hero of this book and Trevor’s life is his mother, a remarkably strong and determined person. This book can’t be described, it has to be savoured. This is another book with nearly 4,000 reviews on Amazon at an average rating of 4.8!

4. Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler
The book descriptor says “Its the biggest revolution you’ve never heard of…” and it is not an exaggeration. This book showcases the latest research in the field of super-charging high performance propelled by advancing research in 4 fields – psychology, neurobiology, technology and pharmacology. A lot of the research discussed in this book is mainstream or will be over the next few months, with possibilities for human performance that have hitherto been seen in sci-fi movies.

5. Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
I’m a long time Tim Ferriss fan having read all his books and being an avid listener of his podcasts so it was natural that his latest book had to make the list. What makes this book different from his previous books (except Tools of Titans) is that Tim brings the reader in direct contact to over 130 high performers thereby instantly crunching their philosophies, beliefs and advice in a bite sized portion. The pages are filled with tons of great practical advice that makes for a perfect read as we near New Year resolutions. For example, I already have my list of books for 2018 ready aided by recommendations found in Tribe of Mentors.

So here is it – 5 varied but extremely informative and interesting books. Or as my wife would say “unputdownable”. As a bonus, the book I am looking forward to reading first in 2018 is Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. Da Vinci was perhaps the most accomplished learner in recorded history with contributions across arts and science in equal measure. Walter Isaacson is one of the best biographers of modern times. And now we have a combination of the two – makes for an explosive read!