Bookshelf

If you want to trip me up, the questions "do you have a good book recommendation?" or "what are you reading?" are good bets. And, yes, I do consider both more or less the same in casual conversation. Reading recommendations are often indistinguishable from virtue signaling, or overly specific to a single topic. For me, that topic is typically my latest craze, and virtue targeting is even harder than avoiding signaling altogether. None are particularly valuable to anyone.

Inspired by, among others, Patrick Collison's bookshelf, I think just listing what's on my shelf is a much better idea. It lets you see what has piqued my interest or wound up in my hands one way or another. But, it makes no assumptions about your interests, nor how I'm trying to impress you. It may not be for you, but I love the format.

I have not necessarily started – and certainly not finished – all the books on the list. There is no overarching theme to be gleaned, nor any order. I have tried to provide some context and opinion where valuable, but don't lean on it too much.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm

No animal shall drink alcohol to excess

Elon Musk

Elon Musk

Let's just call it "morbid curiosity"

Number Go Up

Number Go Up

Crypto is wilder than I thought

The Fund

The Fund

A true inspiration in how to set up a performance management system... yeesh.

Cook County ICU

Cook County ICU

My middle-of-the-night read with the second baby, so I don't remember details – yet, a delightful set of honest stories from a career as a doctor.

The Art of War

The Art of War

To know the cliche, you must become the cliche

Going Infinite

Going Infinite

Oof, Michael.

Den of Thieves

Den of Thieves

These guys were so shameless that "Wall Street" seems like a thin veneer of the actual extent of the period.

On The Beach

On The Beach

One of the best commentaries on human nature I've ever read.

Blitzed

Blitzed

What happens when you take a single lens on a world event and extrapolate it to its natural extreme. Fantastic read.

The Carnivore Code

The Carnivore Code

Everyone needs a bit of bro science in their lives.

The Most Fun I Never Want To Have Again

The Most Fun I Never Want To Have Again

An awesome "in a world where tech is a commodity" lens on the banking boom of the early 2000's.

The Wok

The Wok

GO KENJI!

Debt: The First 5000 Years

Debt: The First 5000 Years

Apparently, it was slavery all along

Great American Burger Book

Great American Burger Book

– or how I packed on the "Motz 20."

Feed Your People

Feed Your People

I was hoping to see more inspiration in this one, but it's not bad in a pinch, I guess?

The Flavor Matrix

The Flavor Matrix

Very light on actual methodology and science to the point of being just frustrating.

The Economists' Hour

The Economists' Hour

One of my favorite reads from 2019.

Young Money

Young Money

An absolutely hilarious tale of how virtually nothing has changed since The Recession.

Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables

Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables

Because I am now an adult.

Ama: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen

Ama: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen

The cookbook from the absolutely amazing restaurant where my wife and I hosted people for lunch after our wedding.

Investments

Investments (8th edition)

I'm Feeling Lucky

I'm Feeling Lucky

A fascinating story written by an impressive guy with an even more impressive case of imposter syndrome.

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

A somewhat honest look at a beacon of light for many a hopeful. I walked away both impressed and perplexed by this guy.

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World

– in which Michael Lewis leaves the United States of America but doesn't understand that people can be different from him. Also, a great history of the present financial state of especially Europe.

Zero to One

Zero to One

– like I said, no virtue signaling here.

Know of a book, you think I would enjoy? Let me know about it!