2020 was another productive reading year. Ending just shy of 40 books in my best books of 2020, I set a goal at the beginning of this year to read at least 25 pages per day. That goal reminded me to pick up a book and spend time reading every day. The result was 37 books I included in my best books of 2020. Book categories covered in my best books of 2020 include Finance and Investing, Energy, Self-Help, Psychology, General History, Sports, the American Revolution, Entrerpreneurhsihp, Astronomy, Philosophy and Stoicism, the American Civil War, World War I and II, You can find my reading recommendation book lists here as well as my best books of For previous best book lists, check out my best books of 2019, 2018, and 2017.
Not only did I instill the habit of reading 25 pages per day, but I also put down every book that didn’t grab my attention. This was from Naval Ravikant. With my type-A personality, I used to read every book I started, endlessly grinding away at uninteresting books. Never again. I now give a book 50 pages or so; if it doesn’t resonate, I move on. This saves me time and allows me to focus on more captivating books.
Finance and Investing
Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World
The central bankers of the US, Britain, France, and Germany are at the heart of this book and the Great Depression. Decisions made by these four individuals, among others, after World World I not only led to the Great Depression but also World War II. Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World shows how fragile the world’s financial system can be.
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing reiterates many of the sound investing strategies you find in other investing books. Strategies include diversifying your portfolio, investing early and regularly, and keeping your expenses, like taxes, low. I like to regularly read investing books to remind myself that investing should be a boring, long-term strategy. The Boglehead’s Guide to Investing is fantastic! It’s what I was looking for with the current ups and downs of the current market.
The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read
A simple investing book is what we all need. A book that delivers an easy-to-follow plan to give you results. That’s what The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read delivers. Solin outlines exactly how to invest in an easy-to-understand way. The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read is fantastic! It’s one of the most fun and interesting books on investing I’ve ever read. And I’ve read quite a few. Do yourself a favor and learn about investing by reading this book!
A Random Walk Down Wall Street
A Random Walk Down Wall Street preaches a buy-and-hold strategy and with why most investors should buy low-cost index funds. Malkiel also teaches you the basic terms of “the Street” to help you become a better investor. I love books on investing and this one is one of my favorites. It’s an easy and fun read with practical advice for all investors. Malkiel shares his lessons on everything you need to know to become a top investor. This book gives you confidence that you can win the game of investing.
Energy
Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy
Michael Skelly is a renewable energy entrepreneur who thinks big. Real big. Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy tells the story of how Skelly used his experience developing wind projects to build Clean Line Energy, a transmission developer whose thesis was to bring renewable energy to the masses in the US. While Skelly ultimately came up short with Clean Line Energy, his company paved the way for the growth of transmission projects connecting the US grid.
The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future
In The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future, Gretchen Bakke, offers a history of the US power grid. Through the story of its history, you learn how the grid has transformed from the days of Thomas Edison and Samuel Insull into the grid we know today. The grid has many flaws that are currently being exposed by the explosion of renewables. Bakke argues the grid needs repair to handle the present-day reality.
Self Help
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works
Dan Harris, ABC journalist and weekend anchor of Good Morning America had a nationally televised panic attack. The voice in his head had turned against him. So, Harris did what I would do. He tried to find solutions through pastors, self-help gurus, and scientists. In the end, Harris found that he could use meditation to rewire his brain and become more effective. This is what I’ve found since I started meditating this year. It’s not for everyone but meditation has made me more calm and sharp in my work.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
How to Win Friends and Influence People was the first Dale Carnegie book I read about 10 years ago. In How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Carnegie gives readers a set of formulas you can use to stop worrying. Formulas include 1) how to eliminate 50% of business worries immediately, 2) how to reduce financial worries, and 3) how to avoid fatigue. Recent life events allowed me to put the formulas from this book into practice immediately.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness focuses on two things. One, building wealth. Two, being happy. Through Naval’s interviews, this book shares how to use principles to learn skills that build wealth and create long-term happiness. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and can’t wait to reread it!
The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less
Use 20% of your efforts to achieve 80% of results in business and life. 20% of your customers account for 80 of your revenue. The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less is your guide to achieving more with less effort, time, and resources by focusing on the core things you need to get done. This is the book I need right now. With a similar daily routine due to our current environment, it’s nice to have a fresh perspective on why to focus on the most important 20% of what needs to get completed.
Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
Two little people and two mice are after cheese in the maze. The parable continues with the cheese moving to different places in the maze. The mice adapt to find new cheese. The little people do not. You learn to deal with change with less stress so that you can be more successful in your life. Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life is a fun, short read. Everyone can learn how to deal with changes and stress in their life from the little people and mice.
It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy
Captain Michael Abrashoff, commander of the USS Benfold, shares leadership techniques that you can use in business in It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy. “It’s your ship” was Abrashoff’s motto to turn the Benfold from one of the worst-performing into the best-performing Navy ship. Some of his leadership maxims include: soliciting a sailor’s suggestions, communicating the plan, creating discipline by focusing on the purpose of your work, and listening to the needs of your sailors.
Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great
John wants to become a samurai warrior but does not understand the building blocks of what makes warriors great. Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great is the story of John’s path to overcoming adversity to become a warrior. The only way to get there is by chopping wood and carrying water for his community. I clobbered this short read in nearly a day. The book reminded me of The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy. The Energy Bus is another short read I enjoyed. If you want to become great at your craft, Chop Wood Carry Water is a reminder of what it takes to get there.
Tribe Of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
Tribe of Mentors shows you how to improve yourself by learning from the best in the world. Ferriss interviews the best of the best in their field for this book. Many of the interviewees are people who have not even been on his popular podcast. Like The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4 Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, and Tools of Titans, Tribe of Mentors delivers. I found tactical advice from all sorts of people who I did not expect to learn from.
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
Cal Newport makes the case that you should have a game plan for your digital use. If you don’t, distractions and notifications will run your life. Newport calls people who are in charge of their digital life, Digital Minimalists. These are people who rediscover the benefits of the offline world. I’ve loved every Cal Newport book that I’ve read including Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. His books are action-oriented and have made me more productive and efficient. Check out his other books including Deep Work: Rule for Focused Sucess in a Distracted World and So Good They Can’t Ignore You.
Psychology
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
Author David Epstein finds that generalists, not specialists, are the ones who excel. Generalists take a meandering career path and have many interests. These individuals think outside the box and tend to be more creative. By looking across domains, generalists solve problems specialists don’t see. This book reads like a Malcolm Gladwell book in the best way possible.
Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game
If you are a Malcolm Gladwell fan, you will love Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game. This book uses demographics, game theory, and statistics to show heterosexual females that there is a man deficit. College-education men are in short supply. And not just in major US markets. This ratio explains why the deck is stacked against college-education women. Reading about the social issues, the college hookup culture, the dating scene in NYC, and recommendations for where college-educated women can have better success in the dating market was interesting. Even if you are not in the dating market, Date-onomics will open your eyes in the way a Gladwell book does.
General History
Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America
The Killing series is one of my favorite series to read. Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America is a story about the development of the American West and the historic battles between Native Americans and settlers. You also learn about how the policies of Presidents James Monroe and Martin Van Buren would end in the destruction of the Native American tribe’s homeland. While I typically love these books, I thought the plot was light and the characters lacked depth.
Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice
Bill Browder was a Wall Street investor whose investing career brought him to Russia during the Soviet Union breakup. He made his fortune as a result of the privatization of Russian industry. However, he made enemies in the process, including Vladimir Putin. Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice is a crime thriller like no other. Buy this book and enjoy it!
The Pentagon’s Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America’s Top-Secret Military Research Agency
DARPA stands for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It’s the R&D clearinghouse for the military’s most secret science agency. The Pentagon’s Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America’s Top-Secret Military Research Agency paints a picture of DARPA and its work both in the military sector to support wars and the civilian sector to monitor activities in the US. I have no clue how Annie Jacobsen tracked down some of this info but am glad that she did.
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World is the story of one man’s success in creating a vast empire. The Mongol army conquered an insane amount of territory spanning from China to Europe. When the Mongols acquired new peoples, they brought a progressive way of life. This took the form of enhanced communication, increased trading partners, and religious freedom. Jack Weatherford goes into immense detail showing how the Mongols were one of the world’s great empires. The amount of information provided in this relatively short book is mind-blowing. This book receives rave reviews, however, it’s not one of my favorites.
Legends and Lies: The Real West
Davy Crockett, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Jesse James, Daniel Boone, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley. What are the real stories behind these characteristics? Was the Real West similar to how it’s portrayed in books and movies? Legends and Lies: The Real West does a fantastic job illustrating and bringing all of these characters to life. As I’ve found with all of Bill O’Reilly’s books, the narrative was incredible. I felt like I was part of The Real West. Having heard about these characters, I never understood who they were. Who was bad and who was good? O’Reilly brings the answers to all of your questions in this book.
No Hero: The Evolution of a Navy Seal
Mark Owen is best known for his New York Times bestseller, No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama bin Laden. In this book, Mark recounts the missions that never made it to the limelight. He shares what he learned about himself through his time in the SEAL teams. Any book involving the SEAL teams catches my attention. I’ve enjoyed other books written by SEALS including Extreme Ownership, Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual, Make Your Bed, and Can’t Hurt Me. No Hero is an interesting book but by no means is it one you have to read. I’m interested to read Owen’s other book No Easy Day.
Sports
The Mamba Mentality: How I Play
Kobe Bryant tells all in The Mamba Mentality: How I Play. The book takes players and fans into the mind of Kobe. How he studied players to learn their tendencies. How he prepared for each game. What he did to play through injuries. You learn the game of basketball from one of the best who ever played.
American Revolution
Washington: A Life
Ron Chernow kills in Washington: A Life! This book tells the story of Washington’s early years, his time leading the Continental Army, his role in the Constitutional Convention, and his leadership during his presidency. His views on slavery are also interesting to read, especially right now. While it’s a long book with more than 800 pages, it’s worth every minute.
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life is a biography of one of America’s most important and interesting founding fathers. The book covers Franklin’s life with a particular focus on his time in Philadelphia, London, and Paris. You also learn about Franklin’s many jobs including writer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and traveler. This book is one that I couldn’t put down. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life may be the best book I’ve read this year. Franklin is someone we should all learn more about. I learned how travel positively impacted his life.
1776
Another David McCullough book I read this month was 1776. It’s the story of the year of the birth of the US. The East Coast battles on US soil and the back and forth between King George III and the Americans. The struggles George Washington overcame not only with the Continental Army but with Congress in Philadelphia. The story culminates with the Declaration of Independence and Britain’s ultimate defeat leading to the Treaty of Paris. McCullough is my kind of storyteller. He keeps me engaged by telling an interesting story that I can learn from. I thought 1776 was another fantastic read and is a book I plan to read again.
Legends and Lies: The Patriots
Legends and Lies: The Patriots highlights key figures during the American Revolution. The book goes deep into the roles played by people like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. You’ll also learn about what led to the Boston Massacre, George Washington’s first military victory, and how the US gained independence. I loved Legends and Lies: The Civil War and The Patriots was no different. The book covered what it was like during the American Revolution. The key figures who risked their lives for our independence. It’s a book that I could not put down and plan to read again.
Entrepreneurship
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
David McCullough tells the incredible story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, otherwise known as The Wright Brothers, and their journey in teaching the world how to fly. From their bicycle mechanic days in Dayton, Ohio to the first flight in the early 1900s in Kitt Hawk, North Carolina, you are taken on a wild ride that is their history of flight. What I loved about these guys was how relentless they were. Both overcame incredible challenges not only in learning to fly at Kitty Hawk but eventually in trying to sell their airplane to the Americans, British, and French. With each flight, both risked their lives to see what was possible.
Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business
You may not have heard the name Danny Meyer but you’ve certainly come across his restaurants if you love food. As the owner of Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, and Shake Shack, Meyer shares his philosophy called Enlightened Hospitality. Strong in-house relationships and customer satisfaction are what he stresses to his employees. It’s the reason his restaurant empire is so successful. I love books like Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business where the entrepreneur is narrating the story. You feel like you’re in the kitchen with Meyer. Not only is Meyer an outstanding restauranteur but he can tell a great story. Even if you’re not into food, you’ll be fascinated by his philosophy of Enlightened Hospitality.
Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry
Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry is the story of the rise and fall of Blackberry. In the late 2000s, Blackberry was the king of the smartphone world. The company could do no wrong. Enter Apple and Google into the smartphone market. At the same time that these tech behemoths started making smartphones, internal feuds helped to destroy this once-great company. The storytelling in this book is fascinating. It reminded me of the Smartest Guys in the Room (the story of the fall of Enron). I have vivid memories of this time in smartphone history and remember how popular Blackberry was. Losing the Signal is a book that will not disappoint.
Your Move: The Underdog’s Guide to Building Your Business
Ramith Sethi is not only an author but also the creator of video courses to help you improve your business and/or personal life. In Your Move: The Underdog’s Guide to Building Your Business, Sethi shows how to create a profitable business idea. The book also outlines how to find customers, create growth, and business automation. While this is an interesting book to read, you should buy his Zero to Launch course instead. Yes, the course is expensive compared to this book, but I do not think Your Move is as powerful as his course. If you are serious about creating a business, the book is a supplement to the course.
Astronomy
Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
Neil deGrasse Tyson gets you excited about astrophysics with his ability to teach you complex topics. Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries covers several topics including black holes, the night skies in films, and the vastness of our solar system. Tyson is an incredible author who brings humor and excitement to an otherwise mundane topic. I wanted to like this book but it fell short of my expectations. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry is one I like much more than this one.
Philosophy and Stoicism
Stillness is the Key
Stillness is the Key is short, in a good way. Holiday makes the case for why we need to slow down and embrace the quiet that’s all around us. Great leaders throughout history found stillness amidst great adversity. Leaders like Winston Churchill, during the peak of WWII, found stillness. The stories of Marcus Aurelius and Winston Churchill, among others, showed me that I can embrace stillness. As someone who does not like to be still, this book was eye-opening. It forced me to slow down and appreciate the tranquility around me.
Ego is the Enemy
What do George Marshall, Jackie Robinson, Bill Belichick, and Eleanor Roosevelt have in common? They kept their ego in check. Each reached the peak of their profession/career. They could contain the ego that allowed them to succeed. Holiday convinces you of this in Ego is the Enemy. This book is interesting but I found more value in Stillness is the Key. Do I think you should read Ego is the Enemy? Yes. Is the book as good as Holiday’s other books? No.
American Civil War
Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies: The Civil War
I love Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Series books. Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies: The Civil War was no different. O’Reilly takes you back to the beginning of the Confederacy, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Battle of Gettysburg, and Lincoln’s assassination. He also pulls back the curtain on prominent Civil War figures like Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Jefferson Davis. The major US wars are endlessly fascinating to me. I find it interesting to see what our country went through in its early history. To see what leaders like Abraham Lincoln had to go through. To read about the conditions our soldiers experienced on the ground.
World War I & II
Hitler’s Last Days: The Death of the Nazi Regime and the World’s Most Notorious Dictator
Another Bill O’Reilly book that I found interesting is Hitler’s Last Days: The Death of the Nazi Regime and the World’s Most Notorious Dictator. O’Reilly takes you back to early 1945. The Allied forces are closing in on Hitler, who has fled with his wife Eva Braun and dog Blondi to a secret bunker. George S. Patton and Dwight D. Eisenhower are dominating Europe. Hitler, Braun, and Blondi meet their end when it’s confirmed the Allied forces are closing in. Hitler’s Last Days is similar to the Killing Series books. O’Reilly adds detailed pictures to this book making the story jump off the page. The sad reality of concentration camp pictures and Hilter’s destruction across an entire continent is something everyone should see.
