It’s been a little more than a week since (mostly) everyone in Silicon Valley started sheltering in place and, surprisingly (to me, at least), I haven’t made a dent in my antilibrary. Truth be told, I’ve only read about 100 pages of a single book during that time. Part of the reason is that I’ve been busier with work than I expected but I have also prioritized the escapism of television.
As I miss reading, I spent some time this morning selecting the books I will try to read over the coming weeks. I based this list on recommendations I’ve gotten from friends and a little online research. Here are five books I would like to read next, including my rationale:
Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
Another collection of essays from the same author of “We Are Never Meeting in Real Life.” Never Meeting was oddly funny; highlighted by a weird cat named Helen Keller. If this book is half as weird and half as funny, it will be worth it.
Path of Least Resistance by Robert Fritz
A close friend gifted this to me over the holidays with the following note “A guide on achieving goals. Not a new age self-help book or a pop psycho-science blockbuster. It’s a difficult read but ultimately worth it.” High risk but potentially high reward.
Temporary by Hilary Leichter
This review intrigued me: “Hilary Leichter’s debut novel takes everything you’ve already seen and read about – be it Office Space or the work of Douglas Coupland – and tosses it into a shaker with some ice and a whole lot of 90-proof whiskey.”
Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don’t Have To by David Sinclair
NY Times best seller. One of Time Magazine’s most influential people. Sinclair claims lifestyle change like eating less meat, intermittent fasting, and exercising with the right intensity can help us live healthier for longer.
Seeing like a State by James C. Scott
Subtitled “How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed.” The book claims that central planning and large-scale interventions by authoritarian states are bound to fail. Written in 1999 but highly pertinent in today’s environment.
Five books are a lot to read in the next few weeks but then I do have a little extra time on my hands. If any of these books inspire me, I will dedicate a future blog to them.
If you’ve read any of these books, please leave a mini review in the comments.
Stay safe. Shelter in place.
I just finished Black Death at the Golden Gate by David Randall. It’s the story of the bubonic plague outbreak in San Francisco in the late 18 and early 1900s. Interesting similarities and a nice peek into San Francisco a century ago. Non-fiction, but reads like a thriller.