Back when I was in college I got in a serious life rut. For many, feeling burnout and despair at some point comes with the collegiate territory. But I found myself again through the simple act of reading books. It started with fiction, but I quickly (and unsurprisingly) found an obsession with reading business and education books. It is something I have carried with me for years now. I track my annual progress on Goodreads.

In late December of last year, I read an interesting statistic: The Average CEO reads 60 books per year. Sixty books is almost triple what I read last year. Reading is something I do in bursts sometimes taking full-month breaks from any substantial book reading. But I wanted to challenge myself to outdo the average CEO. I spent some time sketching out what it would look like for me to achieve that goal. 

It required reading a book every 5-7 days the entire year. In a sense, it is a marathon of reading (at least for me) that lasts the whole year long. Since we are just past the halfway mark of 2020, I thought it to be an appropriate time to reflect on where I am so far and what I’ve taken away from my favorite reads this year. 

I am currently about 4 books behind pace: I have finished 25 books so far this year, and need to pick up the pace just a little to complete my goal.

I want to share my favorites with you today. Below is a list of all of the books I have rated at 5 stars, separated by fiction and nonfiction:

Fiction

Good Omens

Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

I am far less apt to rate a fiction book as five stars compared to nonfiction, but Good Omens is one of my favorite fiction reads in years. The English humor pervades the book in every absurd page- It is obvious why this book has such a cult following. Chronicling a surrealist week leading up to judgement day, Good Omens provides a laugh on almost every page, and a compelling cast of oddball characters. This book was co-authored by Pratchett and Gaiman, and it is a testament to the value of a powerful collaboration among friends. 

No Country for Old Men

Cormac McCarthy

This is the third novel of McCarthy’s that I have read. I actually read “All The Pretty Horses” immediately before this one (my favorite 4-star fiction book of the year so far). His raw dialogue and expansive descriptions build the world of the American West in a way that feels like a modern western. No Country for Old Men is particularly special. Not to give too much away, but McCarthy withholds plot information in an amazing way that catches you by surprise until you look back and think through what you’ve read. This is the only book on this list I marathoned in one day, I cannot recommend it enough. 

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

Probably the most controversial book on this list- it’s a love it or leave it book. I have seen countless complaints about the oversimplified story that is too full of platitudes. To me, this book is like a mythology- timeless in its narrative and beautifully simplified in a way that the reader can fill with their own meaning. Does this make for bad or beautiful writing? I lean to the latter, and I highly encourage you to find out where you stand by reading it yourself.

Nonfiction

I read about 50 percent more nonfiction than fiction, so it is no surprise to me that this list is larger than the fiction section.

Peak Performance

Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness

Two words best describe this book: Actionable. Writing. This book is all about reaching towards your highest performing self, and it is filled from front to back with steps to take towards reaching your goals. There are sections on rest, how to build your purpose, how to enter a peak physical state before you work… more than I care to list here. If there is one “complaint” I have about this book, it’s that it’s so chocked full of objectives that you cannot move through it too quickly (not great during a marathon year of reading). All things considered, I cannot think of a better complaint. 

Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within

Kenny Werner

This book is a stellar contrast to Peak. I recommend reading them back to back. Focused on operating within a space of open acceptance to your craft, Werner uses meditative and mindful exercises to help you reacquaint yourself with your inner master. There is not a single piece of advice that has impacted me more positively this year than Werner’s best: be kind to yourself. But to say that it is only a feel-good book would be missing the point. There are actionable practices throughout the book that culminate into one masterful method (and audio meditation accompaniment as well). 

Grit

Angela Duckworth

Angela preaches the gospel of grit, and her tireless and transparent research into the topic shows that she’s got more of it than most people could dream of. Grit has since become a topic of debate, with some arguing that privilege is a driving factor in people’s ability to pursue passions with Grit. My suggestion: listen to Duckworth- she may well change your mind and show you how to develop grit in yourself and those around you.

Ultralearning

Scott H. Young

This book is a sleeper hit, and I’m not sure why it’s not more widely discussed. Ultralearning is as actionable as Peak, but with a focus on intense rapid learning and growth in new areas of study. What stands out in Ultralearning is the unceasing number of examples of how to apply the exercises throughout the book. Through methods like Metalearning, Directness, Recollection, Repetition… and more than I care to list here, Ultralearning provides an incredible method for learning new skills thoroughly and rapidly.

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

Trevor Noah

This is one of two audiobooks on this list. Listening to the book with Trevor narrating is a total treat. He is his usual engaging, hilarious self. His story is weaved with South African history of apartheid, cultural observations, and Trevor’s fascinating mother, who sets the standard for what a loving mother would do for her children. You’ll laugh, your gut will twist, you’ll wonder why you don’t explore the world more. 

Principles: Life and Work

Ray Dalio

This book. Ray Dalio created Bridgewater Associates. Since his retirement, Ray has created Principles as a means to publicize the principles and practices that grew Bridgewater from a 1-person operation to the world’s largest hedge fund. To me, this book is biblical in scale, in the sense that you can use it as a tool to help guide you towards any answer in your professional life. If you are a manager of ANY number of people, or a freelancer whose livelihood depends on great work and relationships, this is the one book on this list you must read. 

Talking to Strangers: What we Should Know about the People we don’t Know

Malcolm Gladwell

Yep- I saved the best for last. This is my third Gladwell book, and there’s just something about the structure of this book that takes the cake. The book is about how we inherently don’t understand people- how we are bad at telling who is telling the truth and who is lying, and the role cultural differences play in our incompetence. He intentionally obfuscates his main point throughout, taking potshots at many observations surrounding it until the end. When he finally arrives at the crux of his argument, I had chills for the final 45 minutes. Read this book, reflect on your ignorance, and make the world a better place.

Pushing forward to the New Year

To me, this challenge is substantial. It will likely take me until the last day of the year to complete. Some have been amazed by the number of books I’m reading, while others have laughed at the meager goal. I cannot recommend the challenge enough- no matter if your personal goal is more or fewer books than mine. 

Reading is a reflection of what you desire in life, and while what you and I want is different, I hope that some of these recommendations help guide you towards the best version of yourself. 

Now go give those CEOs a run for their money.