Reading: 2016

One of my favorite authors has a great post worth checking out: 33 Thoughts on Reading. A few of the thoughts I enjoyed:

I will re-read favorite books the way I watch favorite movies and play favorite records over and over.
I will take a deep breath and understand that it is IMPOSSIBLE to read everything.
I will make liberal use of the phrase, “It wasn’t for me.”
I will not lend out a book if I ever want to see it again. If a friend asks to borrow a beloved book, I will buy and mail them a copy.

With over 600 books on my Amazon wish-list, there is no lack of titles for me to read. More importantly, books which are most relevant to me in the present will be read first.

Documentaries

These are documentaries that I find beneficial. Not necessarily, a book but influential nonetheless.

Small is Beautiful — A Tiny House documentary that is honest, warming, and goes through the journey of building one’s own tiny home.
Frank and Ollie: Special Edition — Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston are featured in this documentary about their career, lives, and friendship. Two of my heroes. They were part of the original Nine Old Men who were the original animation crew that Walt Disney trained. This DVD is one of my most treasured and inspiring possessions.
Foundation 43 // Leo Laporte, Kevin Rose interviews one of my longtime heroes. Back in the ZDtv / TechTV days these two inspired me to make tech a career path for my life. So glad they did.

Previous Years

2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025

Books Completed (20)

These are the books I’ve completed reading so far this year. Favorite books are denoted by a ★

2016	Title
	Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal with Ryan Hoover Great resource on learning how to build habit forming products. Gives insight into how users interact subconsciously when using apps.
	A Place of My Own by Michael Pollan Around the mid-nineties Pollan set out to build a tiny house. A place where he could write, read, and create his art. This is a detailed view of that journey. I enjoyed the descriptive nature of the book and insight into the challenges that come with building any structure.
	Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear ★ by Elizabeth Gilbert By far one of the best books I’ve read. Speaks of creativity, fear that accompanies any artist/creative, and reinforces making your Art. It talks of Big Magic, or Flow as some call it and inversely Resistance which tries to sabotage one’s efforts.
	Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin One of my favorite books of all time. ( my review ) I try and read it once a year. Where I learned the concept of being an artist, doing The Work, and fighting Resistance. Such a great piece. Learn to squash fears, take initiative, and create the remarkable.
	Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being by Martin E. P. Seligman Recommended by a friend. Taking a scientific approach to exploring happiness, a positive outlook on life, and findings on the last 20+ years of the study of positive psychology.
	The 4-Hour Workweek ★ by Tim Ferriss The first time I’ve reread, in it’s entirety, this favorite since 2008. This new copy is also the 2009 updated edition with more content. Once again an inspiring read. Reading it again prompted great new ideas, introspection over the last 8 years, and excitement for things to come.
	Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha ★ by Tara Brach Introduced to the author on a fantastic episode of The Tim Ferris Show. Helped me identify anxiety that I had not previously seen, relax, and reminded myself to keep practicing mindfulness.
	#AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur’s Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness by Gary Vaynerchuk I saw Gary’s post about the book on Instagram. Got the audiobook version as he goes off script. Most fresh. Inspired me to execute on some ideas I’ve been cultivating.
	Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening by Stephen Batchelor Recommended on Tim Ferriss’ podcast with Edward Norton. Not a favorite, but learned a few lessons about paths, material desire, and reflections on death.
	The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do ★ by Jeff Goins Read this one twice. It’s a new favorite. Not sure who recommended it. Can’t remember. But definitely a timely read.
	The Story Of Emoji by Gavin Lucas Fun and interesting read about how emoji became what it is today. Full of inspiration with emoji spin-offs, products, and art.
	Just Fucking Ship ★ by Amy Hoy and Alex Hillman Such a joy. This book kicked my butt into gear. A must read and now one of my favorites. If you want to finally, finally ship your dream product then this is the book for you. ( Update: AND I DID SHIP IT. )
	Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley The touching story of a man and his little dog.
	Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves Introduces the concept of EQ ( emotional intelligence ), which highlights that emotions play just as big a role as information does in our lives. Be mindful and aware of this too.
	You are a Badass ★ by Jen Sincero Recommended by my sister-in-law, this was a much enjoyed read. It’s a good kick in the pants to keep motivated, be awesome, and deal with the lizard brain.
	How The Secret Changed My Life by Rhonda Byrne Having previously watched The Secret on Netflix, this caught my eye at the local bookstore near me. Motivating.
	The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Having previously watched The Secret on Netflix, decided to read the same in book form. Reminded me of what I started discovering in 2012. ( core values )
	The Achievement Habit by Bernard Roth A great book on design thinking, problem solving, and introspection. Love love love this. Adding it to my favorites.
	As a Man Thinketh by James Allen Found this timeless classic in my Dad’s collection of old books. Decided to give it another read. Straight forward and to the point as always.
	Born for This by Chris Guillebeau Actionable and great read on explaining the journey to finding the work that you were “born to do”. The very definition of which may evolve over time. I also think this relates to living a “portfolio life” which was mentioned in The Art of Work.

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