My 2015-2016 Reading List - First Quarter

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I'm now in my third year of binge reading and I'm excited to provide the full list of books that not only peaked my curiosity this past quarter (April to June inclusive) but that held my attention long enough to read cover to cover. If you want to take a look at previous years, you can click "Books" on the navigation bar, or access them here: 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. You may also want to check out my list of Top 12 Life-Enhancing Books. They really are worth the read.

The past few months have taken me in a number of directions, from philosophy and health, to economics and consumerism. I'm also starting to read more on the topics of learning and psychology. The more I read and learn, the more I find that topics complement each other and that "lightbulb moments" effortlessly multiply. I can guarantee these insights will result in some (hopefully) interesting posts in the weeks and months to come. 

Topics

Interestingly, my reading behaviour changed this past quarter. I had up to six books on the go at one time, something I don't do very often and a high number of them I just didn't bother finishing because I had better options on hand (if I don't get hooked by chapter 3, I'm a goner). 

The 23 books I did manage to finish span a number of themes. Represented topics related to—in order of importance—money/economics, health and lifestyle, philosophy and psychology, the modern evolution of work and play and—last but not least—creativity and learning. I even managed to read one book in French, as I often try to do. This time, I chose to read a book I read as a child: "Le Petit Prince". I'm pleased to have read it anew because I learned a great deal more about its most important quote (right).

 

Sources of Inspiration

Books beget more books, as do talking and reading about books. I have the following people/sources to thank for suggestions that made it on the list below: Eric Barker, Raptitude, Stacking Benjamins, and Austin Kleon. Other sources of inspiration include Ted, documentaries available on Netflix and Vimeo, and "further reading" ideas within books I'm currently reading.

The desire to research a topic I want to write about on this blog also drives my reading choices. My eagerness to attempt to offer well-informed commentary lead me to read and write about pharmaceuticals, urban living, and balance.

I do also appreciate the suggestions I receive from family, friends and other trusted sources. One thing I'm learning though: when someone makes a suggestion, make sure they've read more than just one book in the past year. Value is relative after all...

Enough preamble already...Here's Q1 in all its glory. If I've posted the book cover, I thought it was pretty good, either because of the writing, the subject matter, or both.

April:

May:

June:

What's Up Next? 

I'm taking a deeper dive into strategy and business, which I've neglected for a while and, to my surprise, I'm going to tackle the topics of war and religion (I know!). I also intend to read more fiction. In my sights? 1984 (again) and something fun and light (still TBD). 

Of course, if you don't want to wait another three months to know what I'm reading or have finished, the "Currently Reading" and "Just Finished" sections in the right sidebar can satisfy your curiosity. I usually update it every week or so, depending on how many books I manage to devour. A word of caution though, as mentioned above, some selections end up being trashed in favour of better options if they can't keep my interest. I'd suggest going with "Just Finished" instead to know what was a worthwhile read and what might be inspiring upcoming posts.

What about you? Anything in the list above you loved? Hated? I'd love to hear what you've found to be some worthwhile reads...and what to avoid! 

And, if you have any questions about the titles above, drop me a line or leave a comment and I'll be sure to respond.

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