One of my favorite parts of articles like this one is that I have the opportunity to reflect on the reading year. In this case, I get to look back at my best books of 2023. I felt like I improved on starting and then putting down books that did not resonate with me right away. No need to grind through a book that is not clicking. I learned this the hard way over the years. My best books of 2023 include book categories of World War I & II, Energy, the American Revolution, Finance and Investing, Entrepreneurship, Fiction, the American Civil War, Philosophy and Stocim, Self-Help, Parenting, Sports, and New Orleans.
Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, Tao of Charlie Munger: A Compilation of Quotes from Berkshire Hathaway’s Vice Chairman on Life, Business, and the Pursuit of Wealth, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier, and The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids were some of the best of my best books of 2023. You cannot go wrong reading any of these books. For previous best book lists, check out my best books of 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
World War I & II
Heroes: From Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to Churchill and de Gaulle
Heroes: From Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to Churchill and de Gaulle (I also loved Napoleon: A Life and Churchill) is an interesting read looking at the concept of heroism through the lens of famous historical figures. I didn’t need to read the entire book, however, the chapters on Churchill, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee were A+.
The First World War
In “The First World War,” historian Michael Howard offers a concise and engaging account of WWI, delving into its causes, consequences, and historical debates. From Karl von Clausewitz’s concept of war, Howard provides a comprehensive understanding of the war’s origins and progression. The book succinctly covers key aspects, including the European situation in 1914, military preparations, causes, major campaigns, U.S. involvement, crises, victory, and the post-war settlement. Howard’s insights into political motivations, military strategies, and public sentiments, make it an excellent starting point for anyone seeking an authoritative understanding of this pivotal 20th-century event.
The Origins of the Second World War
The Origins of the Second World War focuses on why World War II broke out in 1939. Author Richard Overy then explains why World II expanded into a world way two short years later in 1941. Overy argues that Adolph Hitler hoped for a short war conquering Poland. What Hitler received instead was both Britain and France declaring war on Hitler’s Germany. The Origins of the Second World War explores that the origins of World War II can be found in the instability of the international system that created the war in the first place. The decline of the British and French empires led to the rise of new empires in Italy, Germany, and Japan. These new empires were looking to not only expand but conquer the world alongside their ally Germany.
The First World War
The modern world was created by the deadly First World War. A war that ended the peace of the Victorian era. The First World War shows how the demons of twentieth-century mechanized warfare led to mass casualties, including death. The First World War also brought modernism to the arts, new lines of thinking to psychology and medicine, and different viewpoints on economics and society. Author John Keegan takes you behind the scenes to the negotiating table where Europe’s crowned heads of state were doomed in their efforts to stop the crisis. The book shows how leaders failed in diplomacy and communication. Due to this shortcoming, the war grew to encompass nearly all of Europe. Keegan focuses on the military conflict in The First World War. The military engagements such as Verdun, the Somme, and Gallipoli are highlighted by Keegan. I appreciated the strategies and tactics used by both sides, as well as how important geography and technology played in the war. Keegan weaves in the human aspect by introducing you to the personalities of the leaders overseeing this conflict, including Russia’s Nicholas II, Britain’s Douglas Haig, Germany’s Paul von Hindenburg, and France’s Joseph Joffre. Three great empires, the Austro-Hungarian, the Russian, and the Ottoman, crumbled during World War I. The destruction of these empires bled across Europe informing how politics play out to the present day.
Energy
The Carbon Almanac: It’s Not Too Late
Seth Godin brought the book “The Carbon Almanac: It’s Not Too Late” to my attention on his recent podcast with Tim Ferriss. The book is written by a collaboration of contributors and tackles climate change by focusing on facts and calls to action. One of the goals of the book is to provide a path to a solution by using data. The book uses visual elements like cartoons, quotes, illustrations, and tables to explain the impacts carbon emissions are having on our food system, oceans, agriculture, energy sources, biodiversity, extreme weather events, the economy, and our health.
American Revolution
Franklin and Washington: A Founding Partnership
In “Franklin and Washington: A Founding Partnership,” author Edward Larson explores the three-decade relationship between two founding fathers Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, both of whom I love reading about. Franklin, an abolitionist from Massachusetts who spent most of his time in Pennsylvania, and Washington, a slave-owning general from Virginia, were one of the main reasons why the US gained its independence and formed a new nation. While the two didn’t always see eye-to-eye on key issues, they found a way to work together. What a novel concept…For more books on Washington and Franklin, check out The Strategy of Victory: How General George Washington Won the American Revolution, Washington’s Crossing, You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington, George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution, Washington: A Life, and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.
The Strategy of Victory: How General George Washington Won the American Revolution
Historian Thomas Fleming provides an overview of George Washington’s role in the US Army’s victory over the British in The Strategy of Victory: How General George Washington Won the American Revolution. American independence was nearly lost primarily because military decisions were led by the Continental Congress, not the military. After the victory at Bunker Hill in 1775, independence leaders felt that the key to victory against the British was the local militia. A military is driven by local men defending their homeland and families. The morale turned south after the Bunker Hill victory when the British pummeled the Americans fleeing New York. General Washington knew that the key to victories after Bunker Hill was America’s ability to maintain a professional army. While the Continental Congress delayed making military decisions, Washington waited patiently. Washington’s first opportunity to attack the British after the loss of New York was in New Jersey in 1776 after his army crossed the Delaware River. Victories ensued eventually pushing the British out of New York abandoning America altogether.
The American Revolution: A History
The American Revolution legally created the United States. It also highlighted the ideals of freedom, constitutionalism, and values of the American people. The American Revolution: A History shows how Americans were a people destined to lead the world to freedom. Author Gordon Wood poses that the Revolution gave birth to a purpose Americans were seeking. The story starts with the thirteen irrelevant colonies controlled by the British colony three thousand miles away. In three decades, the thirteen colonies grew to a republic of nearly four million inhabitants. The story of the revolution is complicated as noted in The American Revolution: A History. The book poses important questions like how the revolution started and what were the consequences of the revolution. The author answers these and other material questions throughout this concise book.
Finance and Investing
Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon
“Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon” by Michael Lewis is a captivating exploration of Sam Bankman-Fried, the world’s youngest billionaire and a prominent figure in the world of cryptocurrency. Lewis delves into the enigmatic persona of Bankman-Fried as he does with all of the main characters in his books, a seemingly unassuming individual often seen in cargo shorts and mismatched socks, who rapidly ascended to the Forbes billionaire list. Through this narrative, the book unravels the world of high-frequency trading, cryptocurrencies, philanthropy, financial instability, and the legal system. Prepared to be amazed and confused all at the same time.
Tao of Charlie Munger: A Compilation of Quotes from Berkshire Hathaway’s Vice Chairman on Life, Business, and the Pursuit of Wealth
Charlie Munger studied math at the Univeristy of Michigan, trained as a meteorologist at Cal Tech Pasadena while in the Army, and graduated from Harvard Law School without earning an undergraduate degree. How is this even possible? Munger was one of America’s most successful investors, was Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, and was Warren Buffett’s business partner and confidant for nearly forty years. Munger was and is one of the best people I know to learn business lessons from. He teaches you how to be successful in life and finance. Tao of Charlie Munger: A Compilation of Quotes from Berkshire Hathaway’s Vice Chairman on Life, Business, and the Pursuit of Wealth is a compilation of quotes from Munger’s long life. The quotes were pulled from interviews, speeches, and answers Munger provided at the annual Berkshire and Wesco annual meetings. Munger provides invaluable insights on how to achieve financial success and the philosophies of life. Munger’s investment tips, business philosophy, and ways of life are as unique as they come.
Entrepreneurship
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
Yvon Chouinard tells his story in Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman. Chouinard’s childhood fascination with nature-inspired the companies he would later create like Patagonia. It is safe to say Chouinard is obsessed with the outdoors and protecting our planet. Chouinard’s maniacal focus on building companies that care for their employees while being a force for good are two important takeaways for me in the book. I kept thinking throughout the book that every founder can use Chouinard’s business principles to build companies that can help us all. Patagonia has and continues to do so much for local communities and the world. This is partly due to Chouinard’s assertion that companies can and should help those and the planet every day.
Fiction
The Order
In “The Order” by Daniel Silva, Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and Israeli intelligence officer, is enjoying a holiday in Venice with his family when Pope Paul VII suddenly dies. He’s called to Rome by Archbishop Luigi Donati, who suspects foul play in the pope’s death. The missing Swiss Guard and a mysterious letter addressed to Gabriel raise suspicions. Gabriel discovers a suppressed gospel in the Vatican Secret Archives that challenges the New Testament’s depiction of a crucial historical event. The Order of St. Helena, a shadowy Catholic society with far-right ties, aims to control the papacy and will stop at nothing to prevent Gabriel from accessing this gospel. As cardinals gather in Rome for the conclave, Gabriel embarks on a quest to uncover the Order’s conspiracy and find the lost gospel, taking him from Florence’s Ponte Vecchio to an Assisi monastery and the depths of the Secret Archives. The story climaxes in the Sistine Chapel, where Gabriel witnesses a historic event—the passing of the Keys of St. Peter to a new pope. “The Order” is book #20 in the series that once again delivered.
The New Girl: A Novel
Mystery surrounds who the new girl is at an elite and exclusive private school in Switzerland. Who is the raven-haired girl arriving at school in a motorcade typically reserved for heads of state? The new girl is rumored to be the daughter of a wealthy, important international businessman. The New Girl: A Novel reveals that the girl is the daughter of Khalid bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. The crown prince is now reviled for his role in the murder of a journalist. Before, he was celebrated for his progressive social and religious reforms. The New Girl: A Novel is a story of the lengths that Mohammed will go to find his daughter who was kidnapped. As expected, this book is fast-paced, zig-zagging across the world following the one and only Israeli spy Gabriel Allon.
The Other Woman: A Novel
A mysterious Frenchwoman starts writing a memoir in an isolated village in the mountains of Andalusia to start The Other Woman: A Novel by Daniel Silva. Her memoir is the story of a man she once loved in Beirut and a child taken from her. The woman holds the Kremlin’s most heavily guarded secret. A long time ago, the KGB planted a spy in the heart of the West. This mole is on the brink of obtaining ultimate power. Only one man, legendary Israeli spy Gabriel Allon, can stop the mole. Allon, an art restorer and assassin, is the chief of Israel’s intelligence service. Battling the dark forces of Russia in the past, Allon faces an epic battle with the Russians in The Other Woman: A Novel.
House of Spies: A Novel
Author Daniel Silva starts House of Spies: A Novel a few months after the deadliest attack on American soil since September 11, 2001. Terrorists have left a trail of destruction through the West End neighborhood of London. The attack features next-level planning and a secret but with a loose thread that is perfect for someone to find. This thread leads legendary Israeli spy Gabriel Allon and his team of secret operatives to southern France to the home of Jean-Luc Martel and former British fashion model Olivia Watson. She pretends to not know about the source of Martle’s true wealth when questioned by Allon. Similarly, Martel plays dumb with Allon knowing that his business empire is doing business with someone intent on destroying the West. Together, Allon convinces Martel to become an ally in the global war on terrorism in House of Spies: A Novel.
The Black Widow
Author Daniel Silva delivers a banger with The Black Widow featuring legendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon, who is set to become the chief of Israel’s secret intelligence service. Just before Allon is promoted to the chief position, world events lure Allon to take part in one final field operation. The story begins with ISIS detonating a bomb in the Marais district of Paris. Allon is contacted by the French government to eliminate the man responsible for the bomb to ensure a second bombing does not occur. As expected, The Black Widow novel bounces around the world following Allon as he works his way through clues to prevent the next terrorist threat.
The English Spy
Novelist Daniel Silva ropes you into book fifteen of the Gabriel Allon series with The English Spy. The novel starts out profiling an iconic member of the British Royal Family. This royal family member has the looks to support her charitable work. Separately, she is hated by her ex-husband and his mother, the Queen of England. Silva moves the plot to a bomb exploding on the royal family’s holiday yacht. Soon thereafter, British intelligence contacts legendary Israeli spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon to track down her killer. Allon’s terrorist target is master bomb maker Eamon Quinn who sells his bomb-making expertise to the highest terrorist bidder. Christopher Keller, an ex-British SAS member and professional assassin joins Allon in the hunt to find Quinn. Keller knows Quinn all too well. While not known to Allon at first, Allon is tracking an old foe. A foe who wants nothing more than to see Allon dead.
The Heist: A Novel
The story starts in Venice Italy with legendary Israeli spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon repairing an altar when he is summoned by the Italian police. Julian Isherwood, an art dealer, finds himself being held as a suspect in a murder in Lake Como. Allon chooses to save Isherwood by trying to locate the most famous painting in the world. The individual who was murdered in Lake Como is a spy with a secret. This spy had been selling stolen artworks to a mysterious art collector. Among the stolen paintings is Caravaggio’s Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence’s masterpiece. Allon begins a chase to recover the Caravaggio that takes him on a hunt through Marseilles to Corsica to Paris to Geneva and finally Austria. It is in Austria where Allon comes face to face with a man guarding the wealth of one of the world’s worst dictators.
Civil War
An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War
Author Charles Roland tells the story of the Civil War through the use of key battles and military campaigns using accounts of the “major political, diplomatic, social, and cultural events” in An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War. Roland contrasts the styles of the opposing presidents and generals in the book. I found it interesting to read the traits and leadership styles used by Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Note, Lincoln, and not Davis, is who to model your leadership style after. In addition to Lincoln’s leadership, his military leaders like Ulysses S. Grant were able to forge a more effective military strategy over time compared to Robert E. Lee. An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War made it clear to me how dark life can be when you are fighting your countrymen.
The American Civil War: A Military History
Author John Keegan can be considered one of the best military historians over the past fifty years. Keegan’s books, like The American Civil War: A Military History, return to the famous Civil War battlefields to tell this story. The book poses important themes like the continuation of fighting between sides that were significantly mismatched and the persistence to fight from the malnourished and untrained soldiers. The book helps you to understand warfare by uncovering details about each bloody conflict. Keegan dives into the psychology, ideology, demographics, and economics of what made the Civil War. In addition, the book highlights how important geography was during the key military campaigns. Keegan argues that topography presented complexity and challenges not seen before or since the Civil War. The book brings in comparisons to important wars such as the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War to tell this story.
Philosophy and Stoicism
Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave
Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave by Ryan Holiday is another book I recently added to my list of philosophy books I love. This book explores courage through stories about historical figures like Marcus Aurelius, Charles De Gaulle, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Frederick Douglass. What’s interesting about these stories is that by studying history you realize how much the past resembles the present.
Tao Te Ching
Traditionally credited to Laozi, Tao Te Ching is a classic Chinese text written around 400 BC. However, the author and date the Tao Te Ching was written is up for debate. The book is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism. Tao Te Ching “influenced other schools of Chinese philosophy and religion, including Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism.” Readers of this book, including me, found many parts of the text as a source of inspiration. The book’s influence spread throughout the world, particularly among the artistic and academic communities.
Self Help
The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son: Perspectives, Ideology, and Wisdom
The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son: Perspectives, Ideology, and Wisdom by G. Ng is a compilation of letters from the famous John D. Rockefeller to his son. What’s fascinating about these letters is that the letters were never meant for public consumption. It’s eerily similar to Meditations: A New Translation where Marcus Aurelius never intended for his journal to become public. I loved The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son: Perspectives, Ideology, and Wisdom and highly recommend picking up this book.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
James Clear provides a proven framework for self-improvement in Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. As noted in the book title, Clear shares practical advice on how to form good habits, break bad habits, and master the small behaviors that lead to results. The book argues that habit formation is not about the person but the system. Bad habits perpetuate because the system you are using is bad. Clear argues that you fall to the level of your systems. His system guides you to a system that works to ultimately achieve your goals. One of many areas Clear shines is his ability to distill complex topics into actionable steps to use every day. Clear cities proven ideas from fields like biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create a guide for creating new good habits and removing bad habits. The book does a fantastic job in its storytelling by using stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, leaders in business, physicians saving lives, and comedians who use a small habit operating system to become masters of their craft. Clear outlines how to make time for new habits, the best way to overcome a lack of motivation, how to design your environment to make it easier to form habits, and how to get back on the wagon when you fall off. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones reshaped the way I view progress and added tools to my toolkit on forming good habits in my personal and professional life.
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog by Admiral William H. McRaven. McRaven, a Navy SEAL with over four decades of experience, shares invaluable leadership principles in this book. The title “Bullfrog” is an honor bestowed upon the Navy SEAL with the longest active-duty service, a title McRaven earned in 2011. In “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog,” McRaven seamlessly weaves historical and personal leadership lessons. Whether you’re interested in leadership in the context of warfare, business, or life in general, you’ll find insightful takeaways here. McRaven’s previous work that I read in 2018, Make Your Bed, was a hit, and “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog” will likely be another gem in his collection.
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Dr. Peter Attia is now my operating manual for longevity. This book is all about having someone like Attia break down complex longevity topics into a digestible format. From techniques for optimizing your exercise and sleep to tools for addressing your mental health, there is so much invaluable information in this book that focuses on healthspan and lifespan. Attia addresses the four main killers of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and type 2 diabetes head-on. He calls these diseases the four horsemen. Modern medicine teaches us to intervene with treatment after we receive the disease. Attia argues, and I agree, that we should intervene now before the disease becomes a problem. He calls this Medicine 3.0. He tells you exactly what to do as well as how to think long-term about your health. Topics addressed in this book that I appreciate are cholesterol, your liver, exercise, dieting, and emotional health.
Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier
Author Kevin Kelly wrote one of my all-time favorite books on his 68th birthday called Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier. The book is advice he is telling his young adult children about what he has learned in life that he wishes he had known when he was younger. To Kelly’s surprise, the book shows that he has more to say than he originally thought. Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier is advice Kelly kept adding to over the years, culminating in a lifetime’s worth of wisdom. Kelly shared timeliness advice covering an array of topics such as how to live, goal-setting, how to be generous, and compassion. I found endless lessons applicable to my career, relationships, parenting, and finances. The book is a compilation of life’s wisdom Kelly has learned.
Hell Yeah Or No: What’s Worth Doing
Hell Yeah Or No: What’s Worth Doing by Derek Sivers is one of those books you immediately realize how hard it hits you every page you read. The book throws readers a prompt – if you feel anything short of a “hell yeah!” about doing something, the answer is no. Why? Because we, myself included, say yes too often. Instead, when you say no to almost everything, you open up space and time in your life for what matters most to you. Sivers makes you question what is worth doing, he fixes your bad thinking and makes you jump into action to take the next step. Hell Yeah Or No: What’s Worth Doing makes me excited to say no more often. I am guilty of saying yes because I do not want to let people down or feel major FOMO. By saying no regularly, I have realized there is more time in my life for what I deem most important.
Parenting
The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids
The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids by Ryan Holiday is the book every dad needs. Historical figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Bruce Springsteen, Queen Elizabeth II, Marcus Aurelius, and Toni Morrison are used to help guide dads to raise amazing kids. Each month in the book focuses on a particular theme where you read a story each day about a historical figure. I found this book chock-full of inspiring quotes to help me become a better dad each day.
Sports
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian highlights how Tiger Woods went from the most famous athlete on the planet to his life implosion on Thanksgiving night of 2009. Woods appeared to have the perfect life. However, Woods was living a double life. His infidelity came to a head when his wife uncovered the sheer magnitude of what Woods had been doing when he was married. The book draws on interviews with people involved in Wood’s life to paint the picture of golf’s most transcendent star. It was crazy to hear the lengths Tiger’s father Earl would go to prepare Tiger for his life. I could not believe some of the things I read like Earl making a less-than-two-year-old Tiger sit in a high chair in the garage to watch Earl hit golf balls into a net for hours on end. Or Earl’s infidelity on display at Tiger’s amateur golf tournament around the country. It was hard to read. One of the most important takeaways from the book is how not to parent.
New Orleans
Napoleon: A Concise Biography
A concise biography is sometimes needed particularly for historical figures. Napoleon: A Concise Biography is one such biography by author David Bell. The book focused on Napoleon Bonaparte’s military career and character. Napoloeon represented the good and bad of human possibility Bell argues. In his early 30’s, Napoleon became the leader of France, Europe’s most influential and powerful country. Fast forward a decade, Napoleon ruled a European empire more powerful than Rome. Napoleon fought wars changing the makeup of Europe bringing death to millions of people. Eventually, Napoleon ended up in exile on the remote island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic. Bell focuses the book on how important the French Revolution was to Napoleon’s career. Napoleon was able to concentrate his political authority partially as a result of the revolution. He found success in mobilizing human and material resources to win influence across the world. Bell argues that without the revolution, Napoleon would not have been able to fight his many military campaigns or hold onto power.
