May had five Fridays, which gave me extra time to finish an additional book. Here’s my May reading list—a well-rounded mix of philosophy, business, fiction, personal growth, and golf instruction:
- Meditations: The Annotated Edition by Marcus Aurelius
- Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
- The Marching Season by Daniel Silva
- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
- Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan and Herbert Warren Wind
For everything I’ve read this year—including these five—check out my full reading lists [HERE].
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Zero to One topped my May reading list. Peter Thiel’s insights reenergized how I think about building a business. His focus on doing what’s never been done, rather than simply improving what already exists, was a helpful mental reset.
His core idea: great companies don’t go from 1 to n—they go from 0 to 1. Unique ideas win.
If you enjoy reading about entrepreneurship and innovation, I recommend: Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, Disney’s Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World, The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers, Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, and Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman.
Meditations: The Annotated Edition
Robin Waterfield’s translation offers fresh insight into Marcus Aurelius’ private journal. While Gregory Hays’ version remains my favorite, this annotated edition helped me see new layers in his thinking.
It’s a reminder that even familiar books can continue to teach you.
Interested in Stoicism? Add these to your list: Meditations, How to Think Like A Roman Emperor, Right Thing, Right Now, Courage Is Calling, Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, A Guide to the Good Life, The Practicing Stoic, How to Be a Stoic, Letters from a Stoic, and The Daily Stoic.
The Marching Season
Silva blends political tension and fast-paced storytelling in this thriller set during the Northern Ireland peace process.
Former CIA officer Michael Osbourne returns to protect his father-in-law, who’s been targeted for assassination. The plot unfolds with global consequences, secret societies, and one of fiction’s great assassins—Jean-Paul Delaroche.
If you liked this one, Silva’s Gabriel Allon series begins with The Kill Artist.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Clear’s book is a practical guide to building better habits and breaking bad ones. His central message: the problem isn’t you—it’s your system.
The book’s advice on identity, consistency, and small wins helped me rethink how I approach long-term growth.
Other personal development books worth reading: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, and Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual
Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf
This timeless golf classic helped me fine-tune my swing this month. Hogan breaks down the fundamentals—grip, stance, posture, swing—with clean illustrations and clear instructions.
It felt like getting a private lesson from one of the greatest ball strikers of all time.
If you enjoy sports biographies, also check out: Driven from Within, Drive: The Story of My Life, Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich, and Michael Jordan: The Life.
May Reading List: Final Thoughts
My May reading list had a little bit of everything—mental models, timeless wisdom, habit-building, fiction, and performance.
Reading across genres sharpens how you think, work, and live.
What did you read in May? Have you read any of these? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
