The 5 best books I read in 2018
Recap of my reading year and some book recommendations.
2018 was another great year for reading.
I've achieved my goal of 25 books with practically zero effort.
These are my favourite 5 books I'd highly recommend anyone for the next year.
(You can see my list for 2017 here)
The Intelligent Investor
Get this book on Amazon - Read my notes - Score: 9/10
Written in 1971, The Intelligent Investor contains timeless wisdom about how to invest intelligently. It's a wide-ranging book, covering such topics as portfolio policy, asset allocation, inflation, diversification, market fluctuation, dividends, and of course Graham's famous margin of safety. It's definitely not a light read but it's a must-read for anyone with money in the stock market. This book is considered by Warren Buffet the only book you will ever need to read about investments. Enough said.
Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams
Get this book on Amazon - Read my notes - Score: 9/10
This book was an absolute gem and I'm sure I will re-read it again in years to come. In less than 350 pages, Walker proves with a metric ton of scientific evidence that sleeping is of primary importance for our well being and our sleepless-driven society is literally killing us. I found particularly interesting the chapters about REM sleep and how it influences our creativity. Once you start it you will not put it down.
21 lessons for the 21st century
Homo sapiens conquered this planet thanks to the unique human ability to create and spread fictions. We are the only mammals that can cooperate with numerous strangers because only we can invent fictional stories, spread them around, and convince millions of others to believe in them. As long as everybody believes in the same fictions, we all obey the same laws and can thereby cooperate effectively.
Get this book on Amazon - Read my notes - Score: 9/10
For the third year in a row, a book written by Yuval Harari makes the top 5. After Sapiens (about the past) and Homo Deus (about the imminent future), 21 lessons for the 21st century is about our present and the global issues we are facing, from immigration and terrorism to cybersecurity and biotechnology. Say what you want about him (I probably disagree on 30% of his conclusions) but he's got this undeniable gift of looking at extremely complicated issues from a 50,000 feet perspective and then summarises them in a few paragraphs. It will make you think A LOT.
Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps
Get this book on Amazon - Score: 9/10
This was a funny ready but I absolutely loved it. The authors, a married couple, talk about the differences between women and men with a scientific angle. Very controversial, you'll either love it or hate it but it'll definitely give you a glimpse into the psychology of the opposite sex.
The case against sugar
Get this book on Amazon - Read my notes - Score: 8/10
This book has had a profound impact on the way I look at sugar and processed food. Taubes tracks the history of sugar back to the 17th century and makes the convincing case that sugar is the tobacco of the new millennium and that virtually every "disease of civilization", from obesity to diabetes to fatty liver disease, has sugar at its root.
Hope you enjoy it!
Which books have changed the way you think or blown your mind away in 2018?
