Welcome, on this page I would like to share books I have read and highly recommend. You can find everything organized by authors’ last name along with a brief write-up which links to a longer personal reflection on the text as well as links to purchase the books for your own. Please consider clicking through the links to purchase the books to support the authors, publishers and this site. I hope you find something you enjoy! As always, feel free to leave any thoughts or reach out to give/receive recommendations.
Saul Bellow
the adventures of augie march
Long but entertaining journey of a young man being swept from one thing to the next.
Charles Bukowski
Ham on Rye
Brutally funny, entertaining yet sobering retelling of life growing up as a damaged childhood misfit.
Hollywood
Behind the scenes account of the filming of the movie “Barfly”. It feels good to read the more comfortable tones success had brought Bukowski towards the end of his life.
Post Office
Bukowski’s first book written after decades of drinking away under crushing, senseless management at the Post Office. A quick funny, raw read.
William S. Burroughs
junky
This book is good in a terrible way. William S. Burroughs brings you face to face with a disgusting corner of society from the perspective of a junk addict in the ’50s.
naked lunch
Definitely the most obscure book I have ever read. A real trip through the deranged mind of William S. Burroughs.
Albert Camus
robert b. cialdini, ph.d
influence: the psychology of persuasion
Low key one of the best and most eye opening psychology books I have ever read. All about the subtle ways we are influenced.
james fenimore cooper
the last of the mohicans
A classic that was hard to put down. It is full of suspense and thrilling moments which the movie couldn’t bring to life.
mihaly csikszentmihalyi
flow: the psychology of optimal experience
This is one of those rare books that put into words something I had always felt. I have found myself a bit more mindful to try to set up tasks to reach a more “flowed” state.
fyodor Dostoevsky
The Brothers Karamazov
Intricate, dense but totally worth it. This a fantastic piece of classic literature that held plenty of surprises. Dostoyevsky really immerses you in the story and does not rush you to the end. I understood his due recognition after reading it. I highly recommend.
jason fried & david heinemeier hansson
rework
Some insights are obvious, others really challenge the way we think. Each idea is concise which allows you to go through it in short bursts hopefully to dwell on the content and implement the ideas you like.
viktor E. Frankl
man's search for meaning
An honest, life changing book that will alter the way you look at life. It manages to be brilliant and heartbreaking at the same time.
Jason Fung
the obesity code
I believe this is probably one of the best arguments for intermittent fasting and Jason Fung seems to really breakdown weight gain. Of course, further research is due if you are looking to make changes to your lifestyle according to this book but it is certainly a good place to start. I have seen positive effects in others lives from this book.
james gleick
chaos: making a new science
Solid narrative non-fiction breaking down the revolutionary mathematics behind fractals and chaos theory in a way that is manageable for the uninitiated (those who do not possess a strong math background like me).
Ernest hemingway
Hermann Hesse
Demian
A curious story about a young boy over the course of his teenage years seeking answers and new perspectives in life from the people he meets.
The Journey to the East
I read in Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test that this book was a favorite of the merry pranksters. After reading it I could understand why.
The prodigy
Powerful critique of overbearing schooling that makes you feel deeply for Hans Giebenrath.
siddhartha
This easy read is one I believe everyone should read at some point in their lives. It encapsulates a life’s journey in such a poignant fashion that it is bound to stick with you.
aldous huxley
brave new world
While this book had been on my list for some time, I am not sure if – for me – it really lived up to the hype. I did get an appreciation for how groundbreaking it has been along with parts that certainly made me think or take an extra look around. That being said, I did really enjoy the World Controller character Mustapha Mond.
james Joyce
a portrait of the artist as a young man
Interesting coming-of-age story in Ireland but the time period heavy, specific references make it difficult if you are not very familiar with Irish history.
Franz Kafka
The castle
Unfinished but exhilarating read even though on the surface the plot appears mundane. Genius.
the metamorphosis
Short, brutally entertaining read and a good exposure to Kafka.
Jack kerouac
Dharma bums
Personally, the references and reverence put on Chinese poets and Buddhism didn’t really resonate with me even after living there. However, Japhy’s yell has had a permanent spot in my mind.
Desolation angels
So far, for me, this has been Kerouac’s best demonstration of “wild prose” which can be amusing and confusing at the same time. This is a long but entertaining read and one of the purest glimpses of Kerouac’s psyche as he tries to find himself after being a fire lookout on Desolation Peak.
Lonesome traveler
This book started slow and ended fast but I am able to find appreciation for his depiction of being a fire lookout and working the trains in California. How cool is that for a free-spirited beat?
on the road
A high title on my list to reread, this book indeed did resonate with me. Sal and Dean’s cross country drives reminded me of drives my friend and I had made. It also made me painfully aware of my own risk aversion while seeking adventure while Kerouac just seemed to make things work out.
robert lanza, md
biocentrism
A curious work that leans to philosophy more than science but offers interesting propositions to understand the role of consciousness in life and the universe.
D.h. lawrence
Sons and lovers
Captivating story inspired by Lawrence’s own life events as he guides you through the life progression of a coal miner’s family in the fictional town of Nottinghamshire. Its ending has frequently returned to my mind.
the virgin and the gypsy
Short and entertaining read with an interesting ending that touches on slight tones of rebellion.
Henry Miller
tropic of cancer
Henry Miller was an animal of a writer and made Hemingway’s Paris appear bland and tame.
tropic of capricorn
Brilliant depth paired with disturbing thoughts and musings that push Miller’s reality into the forefront of thought.
george orwell
down and out in paris and london
It felt like new-journalism before new-journalism with Orwell taking it upon himself to willingly live in poverty and share the story of a world many choose to ignore. It was raw and surprising to be exposed to life in the underground so long ago. I really appreciated Orwell giving some thoughtful solutions to the problems he saw at the end of the book. It’s something I would like to see more of when people decry certain things.
Jean-Paul Sartre
les mots
Reading and Writing. It’s all about the words and an exploration of Sartre’s own childhood. I read this in one of my French literature classes in college and really enjoyed it.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
the black swan
One of those books that can really change how you look at the world. This was an eye opening read that offered a new perspective on how we view risk.
Hunter S. Thompson
fear and loathing in las vegas
Underground classic and essential read if you like the movie.
fear and loathing on the campaign trail '72
Thompson’s style made politically charged material vastly more entertaining. His anecdotes, candor and wild nature make the length well worth it.
Hell's angels
New journalism at its finest and says something about Hunter S. Thompson if he was able to hold his own with the Hell’s Angels for a period of time.
the rum diary
It’s unbelievable that Johnny Depp found this book in Hunter S. Thompson’s writings and had it published. It’s a great novel inspired by Hunter S. Thompson’s time in Puerto Rico. This book resonated with me through my own experiences as an expat living abroad.
Matthew Walker
why we sleep
Don’t skip on sleep. Just don’t.
I have always prioritized sleep but this book solidified and strengthened that conviction.
Tom Wolfe
The electric kool aid acid test
Loved Sinking Deep into this book. A fantastically written, new journalistic underground classic.
the right stuff
I am definitely searching for more books like this as it is one that can put a magnifying glass over lives of people you were aware of but knew nothing about. An incredible look into the lives of the first American astronauts.
Jules Verne
around the world in eighty days
This is a book so grounded yet fantastic in its ways that it makes you believe anything could be possible if you were only diligent enough. Thoroughly enjoyable with a great ending.
josh waitzkin
The art of learning
Childhood chess prodigy turned push hands tai chi world champion. Waitzkin breaks down the art of learning.
gabriel wyner
fluent forever
This book is essentially the foundation of my philosophy on language learning. Granted, I am no polyglot but I have reached (and am holding) an intermediate in two languages while working on a third. If you want to learn a language, you MUST read this.