My dad used to buy us books when we were kids. Honestly, I thought they were the worst presents. I remember getting The Treasure Island, then Harry Potter and countless others. I didn't read any of them. I guess I had a hard time just staying engaged.
But something changed when I turned 18. He gave me Rich Dad, Poor Dad when I got into Wake Tech. I think he saw himself on the “Poor” side of that story and knew I'd find the “Rich” at some point (not there yet). It was the first book I ever finished. A few simple concepts changed how I as a now adult looked at my journey. After that, it took me a while to get plugged again. In my senior year, I rediscovered books through the Lean Startup and other basic ones. Something just clicked. I realized that it wasn't that I didn't like reading; I just had not found what I liked to read. That year it was all about entrepreneurship. Since then, I've taken every year to expand my horizons and explore specific topics.
You see, I've realized that I don't really read for retention, which is hard to admit. I read for the purpose of “sparking insight”. What I mean by that is that within the pages of most books you can find a few insights that can change how you look at the world. Of course, there are great literary works out there, that serve the purpose of literary entertainment. But as a non-fiction reader, I just find “sparking insight” to be the main purpose of my reading. You may read a climate change book and draw insights that make you a better negotiator or a biography that makes you a better manager…
That brings me to 2020. Naturally, this year presented opportunities to read amazing work that sparked a challenge to our ways of approaching life. So I hope in this short list you can find a few examples of what I believe are some of the best reads to challenge our present and future boundaries.
“We are the only creature that does this unusual thing, of telling stories to try to understand the kind of creature that we are”.
Sir Salman Rushdie
TOP 5
This is always the hardest part. Picking the top stories out of my yearly 24 reads. My goal here is to share great stories that should spark a change or behavior or give us a hint as to how to approach life in a better way.
5- I Will Teach You To Be Rich - Personal Finance is one of those topics that unfortunately isn't taught in school. If you don't have parents that understand financial principles, then it's all uphill from there. In my experience, this applies to most entrepreneurs and students. Hence, Ramit's presence on this list. Believe me, I never thought I'd feature a book like “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” here. But the insights and specific tactics in these pages will make a deep impact in your journey to financial independence.
4- Stamped from the Beginning - This book condenses over 400 years of racial history and countless notes that have the power to illustrate the reality of race struggles in America. It's one of those reads that will leave you wondering if all other history books are somehow incomplete. It will activate your radar to spot your own transgressions, while maintaining self-empathy. All by introducing antiracist, assimilationist, and racist definitions.
3- Good Economics for Hard Times - Nobel Prize economists Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo, dive into the journey of bringing back credibility to the discipline. From the economics of immigration to climate change, they illustrate the key to proper resource allocation in solving the issues. All while challenging common flawed arguments around issues we debate daily (for no reason, after reading this book).
2- The Education of an Idealist - In a year where many have lost faith in our institutions this Pulitzer award Memoir of Samantha Power presents a tip of the hat to the American Dream. I loved this book. It's a story of empowerment, strength, and humanity. It also opens the doors to understanding a critical part of how international diplomacy was handled during the Obama administration and a reminder that no matter who's in office, our institutions shall remain if respected.
1- The Choice - The book we all need to read. In a year where morale has been struck by death, restraint, and anxiety, The Choice is a reminder on how to find our path back to strength. It reminds me of that saying that we don't choose what happens to us but we choose how we react to it. I can't recommend this book enough. It's the story of a Holocaust survivor and how she became a therapist, against all odds. The struggles she faces even much after Auschwitz and her ability to develop empathy with others is worthy of respect and admiration.
Well that's it. Enjoy your reads…
As always some honorary mentions: Disunited Nations, The Body, White Fragility, The Invention of Yesterday, and the Great Influenza. All great reads.
If you disagree with my selections or want to share your top picks, please hit reply or comment on the thread!
EVENTS
If you are looking for NC State gifts here is a list of all our entrepreneurs selling products that you can buy to support the Pack and get your loved ones very special and unique gifts. Shout-out to 321 and Sani for their latest product launches.
Our Mentors program starts again in a month. Our platform, eConnect is the best way to virtually connect to mentors. Why get advice from a mentor? They want to help, and they have the expertise, experience and wisdom that you need.
Interested in getting a job or internship? Want advice about grad school? Who better to help than those that have both been in your shoes and done what you want to do?
It's simple! eConnect finds the best, available experts. Alumni & Mentors respond right to you. Click here to ask now.
THE SCOOP
Now brought to you by Scoutr, remember that we will be hosting all our new gigs on our platform.
If you are a student or alumni looking for a job, please create a profile here and access tailored matches.
If you are an employer, joint likes of REVGEN and CanvasGT by recruiting top talent in Scoutr. You can create a business page here.
-See you next year crew, I cannot thank you enough for being part of this.
Gabe
