This year I’ve made a public commitment of reading 20 books. I finished those in April and made my way through 19 more before the year ended. Mostly those were audiobooks, which were perfect fit for 2-3 hour walks with my daughter while she was sleeping. Here are the best out of 39.
I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart
Didn’t expect much going into this. I tried watching Kevin Hart stand-ups and couldn’t finish even one, although I enjoyed movies and some YouTube videos with him. But this book is so good, I think it should be taught in school. Seriously. It is that good. It’s about life and decisions you have to make along the way. And of course it is funny as hell.
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings
Great read if you want to find out about an unconventional company culture and how it works even in a big company. There is just a bit of Netflix history (for that you will be better off reading another good book — That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph).
This one is mostly about how culture and processes were made. What’s even better — the book was written together with Erin Meyer, who studies company cultures, and she was given full access to the company.
Hitler by Ian Kershaw
At some point I’ve realised that I’m not very good at history. Of course, I know some major points, but dig just a little bit under the surface, and I’m lost. I decided that the best way to learn about World War II was through the lens of the most crucial figure. And as I understand this is THE biography. It covers everything available from the birth to the last breath of Hitler and shows how the decisions were made.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
This book was in my “want to read list” for a long time and finally, I found it on Audible read by the author himself. It is so good, it’s hard to explain. He writes with humour, without hiding anything. It’s as much a biography as a look into some of the best and worst kitchens in the world. And it is one of those times when the author is great at reading his own book, which is rare.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
It’s a feel-good memoir by Phil Knight. There is very little controversy in this book, it actually reminds me of Ted Lasso. But I liked it, great story and humour.
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger
Same as the Shoe Dog, this is a very feel-good biography. But it is very interesting to read about the recent history of Disney. How decisions were made, especially regarding buying up all the competition. “Disney own entertainment”.
Now writing this — what would be even more interesting is to read a book about Disney during the pandemic. How it gets through and is it as loyal to their staff as it was before?
