Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Dr. Peter Attia and Tiger Woods by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian were the two books on my August reading list. I always like to end each month with three to four books read. It was not to be the case in August. However, both Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity and Tiger Woods were fantastic books. Outlive helped to build my knowledge of all things health and longevity. Tiger Woods taught me how important it is to be a role model as a parent. For all of the books I have read this year, check out my reading lists [HERE].
Both of these books brought value in different ways. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity was my favorite of the two books in my August reading list. Distilling complex health topics into an understandable format is what Attia is best at. His podcast and blog posts do a phenomenal job of informing the public of esoteric health topics most people can only pretend to understand. Tiger Woods was my second favorite book that hit me hard now that I am a parent. It is unfathomable to the depths to which Tiger’s father Earl would go in terms of “psychological warfare” on his young son.
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.
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 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 balls 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.
