I fell just short of the number of books I read in September but the October book list was solid. I knocked out 4 books, which is one more than my monthly goal so I’m pumped! The October book list ranged from organized crime to fiction to military history. I mixed in one fiction book and while it wasn’t my favorite, I’m still open to suggestions.
October Book List
American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road
The Silk Road website was something I had heard about but didn’t pay much attention to when it was in the news. American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road by Nick Bilton tells the story of how Ross Ulbricht launched Amazon.com for illegal drugs, weapons, you name it. I found the details about the website, how the government tracked Ulbricht down, and his eventual capture extremely interesting.
The Alchemist
Fiction is usually a category I stay away from preferring books in the history, biography, and business & money categories. The Alchemist came up on Tim Ferriss’ podcast and after seeing how many ratings it had, I decided to give it a shot. Coelho tells the story of this boy Santiago and his search for worldly treasure across Spain and North Africa. The plot focuses on self-discovery and how you should listen to the signs that come along your way.
Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History
The O’Reilly and Dugard Killing series is one of my favorite series to read. When they come out with a book, I immediately buy it like I do with Michael Lewis’ books. Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History didn’t disappoint. The book focuses on the manhunt for the Nazi’s top brass as World War II was coming to a close. As the Nazis realized the end was imminent, the ones who weren’t caught used secret networks to get out of Europe. Many ended up in South America, primarily Argentina. I found the details about the manhunt for these insane leaders fascinating. This book goes into ridiculous detail and provides everything you could want to know about the SS.
The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior
Jocko’s Willinck’s podcast has me more interested in history books, in particular military history. I find the training and missions Navy SEAL’s go through inspiring and it makes me want to work harder. O’Neill’s The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior is a dive into what it’s like to be a SEAL based on his time in the Teams. He takes you through his initial BUD/S training to critical missions including the attempt to rescue Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell and his team, the rescuing of Captain Phillips off the coast of Somalia, and his most famous mission killing Osama bin Laden.
What’s In My Cart?
I’ve been on a roll recently, outside of The Alchemist, by finding books whose descriptions and number of ratings grab my attention.
I am currently eyeing the following books, some of which I plan to read this month:
- The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
- Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
- Red Notice by Bill Browder
- Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
- 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson
- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
- Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Upstairs at the White House by J.B. West
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- Start With Why by Simon Sinek
- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Browder
- Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
Conclusion
Reading is a skill I’ve continued to work on by focusing on books that pique my interest at the time. Hopefully, my October book list includes ones that you’ll enjoy too.
