Reading List
Want to know about a person? Know what books they read.
Listed below are some of the favorite books I have read in recent years.
Mornings on Horseback
By David McCullough
Winner of the National Book Award, Mornings on Horseback tells the story of the world which created Theodore Roosevelt. Delving into late 19th century America, McCullough follows the early years of Roosevelt's life in great detail.
Read: Fall 2019
Rough Riders
By Mark Lee Gardner
The story of the Rough Riders is one not told enough in American history. Mark Lee Gardner addresses this in this excellent account of the Rough Riders, from their formation through their campaign in Cuba. Entertaining, insightful, and informative.
Read: Fall 2019
Destiny of the Republic
By Candice Millard
In Destiny of the Republic, Candace Millard tells the exciting, heartbreaking story of the assassination of President James Garfield and the drama surrounding it. Millard combines biography, crime story, and medical intrigue in this page-turner.
Read: Fall 2019
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman
By Richard Feynman
An interesting book indeed. Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman, by Nobel-prize winning physicist Richard Feynman is simply a memoir, but one which has nothing to do with physics. Instead, Feynman tells a myriad of humorous stories from his own life, with an emphasis on living in the moment and enjoying what the world has to offer.
Read: Summer 2019
Stranger in a Strange Land
By Robert A. Heinlein
Stranger in a Strange Land is a classic American science fiction novel written nearly sixty years ago. Detailing the integration of a human born and raised on Mars back into human society on Earth, Heinlein tells an engaging story with important philosophical insights about valuing and enjoying life.
Read: Summer 2019
Out of the House of Bondage
By Thavolia Glymph
In this deeply insightful, well-researched work, academic Thavolia Glymph demonstrates the reality of life within the plantation household for enslaved African-American women and slaveholding mistresses. Glymph illustrates how the plantation home changed from the antebellum period to Reconstruction, and focuses on the roles of women during this change.
Read: Summer 2019
Tools of Titans
By Tim Ferriss
Tools of Titans is a compilation of invaluable tips, information, and stories gleaned from the multitude of successful people interviewed on Tim Ferriss's podcast. In the book, Ferriss tells the stories of these remarkable individuals, and shares what they spoke of on his show to help the reader improve their own life.
Read: Spring 2019
The Fire Next Time
By James Baldwin
The Fire Next Time is a volume containing two essays by James Baldwin. The first essay is written as an open letter to Baldwin's nephew, while the second is largely an analysis of religion's role in the United States among the African-American community. Both pieces are designed as a warning to America to deal with the legacy of racial injustice.
Read: Spring 2019
Zero to One
By Peter Thiel
In this thin, but deeply insightful work, famed entrepreneur Peter Thiel details the role of startups and entrepreneurship in moving the world into the future. Thiel argues that many entrepreneurs seek to move from "One to N," meaning that they focus more on improving on what already exists. However, he calls for moving from "Zero to One," or creating new things which will benefit everyone.
Read: Spring 2019
The Lean Startup
By Eric Ries
We often assume that many entrepreneurs take a "just do it" mindset when it comes to growing their startup. We think they hold a belief that devotion to a distinct vision and passion alone will bring about success. However, Eric Ries argues in The Lean Startup that startups not only can be managed, but should be managed. In this fascinating work, Ries proposes such a way of management that emphasizes structured learning and results.
Read: Spring 2019
A Country of Vast Designs
By Robert W. Merry
Between the American Revolution and the Civil War, there is a rich, complex period of American history which is often overlooked. In A Country of Vast Designs, Robert Merry details an extremely important event of this era: the Mexican-American War. Merry details how President James K. Polk led America in this turbulent time to expand into the shape we know today.
Read: Spring 2019
Giovanni's Room
By James Baldwin
Giovanni's Room, one of James Baldwin's earlier works, tells the tale of David, an American expatriate in 1950s Paris. David is torn between his love for Hella, another American expatriate, and Giovanni, an Italian man he meets in the bars of Paris. Giovanni's Room is a classic work detailing the struggle between the moral standards of the time and personal desire.
Read: Spring 2019
The Price of Inequality
By Joseph E. Stiglitz
In The Price of Inequality, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz first explores the various causes of economic inequality seen in the United States today, and then proceeds to describe the negative effects of that inequality and how to reverse it. Stiglitz seeks to make inequality an issue of greater importance in our public discourse.
Read: Winter 2019
On His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller
By Richard Norton Smith
On His Own Terms is Richard Norton Smith's masterful biography of Nelson Rockefeller. In this work, Smith goes in depth, vividly illustrating Nelson Rockefeller's youth through his years in government and death in 1979. On His Own Terms is a wonderful portrait of a titan in American history, and an invaluable guide for understanding the shape of modern American politics.
Read: Winter 2019
Genius Foods
By Max Lugavere and Paul Grewal
Genius Foods was a deeply insightful read which looks at the many ways that the "Standard American Diet," as the authors call it, is damaging to our brains and bodies. Lugavere and Grewal demonstrate how through changing our diets and eating more "genius foods," we add years to our lives and life to our years.
Read: Winter 2019
This Is Marketing
By Seth Godin
In this invaluable book, marketing guru and blogger Seth Godin gives advice for those seeking to develop a brand and grow an audience, not only in business but in many other aspects of life. This Is Marketing is an excellent read for anyone seeking to understand the concepts of popularity, fame, and success.
Read: Winter 2019
Deep Work
By Cal Newport
Deep Work, by Cal Newport, takes a look at what the author describes as a "distracted world", in which there is too much of an emphasis on "shallow work." Newport argues that for one to be truly productive, they need to make a concentrated effort to commit to "deep work," or work which requires concentrated thought free from outside distractions.
Read: Winter 2019
Go Tell It On The Mountain
By James Baldwin
In what is known as James Baldwin’s first major work, Go Tell It On The Mountain details the inner-struggle of John, a young boy in 1930s Harlem, in seeing his role in the world. Baldwin also shows the backgrounds of John’s family members, in a broader illustration of the role of the Pentecostal Church within the African-American community of the early 1900s.
Read: Winter 2019
Note: Due to issues with Amazon, the display image to the left is incorrect.
Brain Food
By Lisa Mosconi
Brain Food is a wonderful work on how through properly structuring their diets, humans can not only improve their day-to-day cognitive ability and mental health, but also prevent mental illness later in life. In this read, Lisa Mosconi also details guided diet plans and recipes to help achieve this end.
Read: Winter 2019
White Trash
By Nancy Isenberg
In White Trash, historian Nancy Isenberg superbly details the history of poor whites in the United States since America's colonial beginnings. Isenberg argues that the notion of America being a class-free society is a myth, and that the untold story of "white trash" in American history proves it.
Read: Winter 2019
Zorba the Greek
By Nikos Kazantzakis
In Zorba the Greek, Greek-literature titan Nikos Kazantzakis tells the tale of Zorba, a workman, musician, and adventurer. A crucial theme of this wonderful read which stuck with me the most was the importance of taking joy and pride in the opportunities which life presents us with, and in moving on from bad times which we endure.
Read: Summer 2018
Letters from a Stoic
By Seneca
Letters from a Stoic is a selection of works by the famous Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman Seneca. This collection provides nearly two-thousand year old insights for approaching life's problems and carrying a productive attitude.
Read: Summer 2018
A Higher Loyalty
By James Comey
In A Higher Loyalty, James Comey details his time serving in the federal government, from his position as a United States Attorney, through his time as the Deputy Attorney General, to his most well-known post as Director of the FBI. Through this memoir, Comey shares his experience and teaches valuable lessons about ethics and leadership.
Read: Summer 2018
America's War for the Greater Middle East
By Andrew J. Bacevich
In what the Wall Street Journal called author Andrew Bacevich's magnum opus, America's War for the Greater Middle East is a sweeping work which analyzes the history of American military involvement in the Greater Middle East, and demonstrates how that involvement has ultimately proven costly to both the United States and the region.
Read: Summer 2018
White Rage
By Carol Anderson
The rightful winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism, Carol Anderson's White Rage delves into the backlash felt by the African-American community in the United States after each step of that community's advancement. Covering American history from the Civil War to the present-day, White Rage is an essential read on the history of racist government policies in the United States.
Read: Summer 2018
Read My Lips: Why Americans are Proud to Pay Taxes
By Vanessa Williamson
In this revealing and eye-opening work, Vanessa Williamson of the Brookings Institute dismantles what she calls the myth that Americans are inherently anti-tax. Instead, Williamson convincingly argues that Americans actually view the paying of taxes as an extremely important civic and patriotic duty, and that perceived opposition to taxation is due to more complex reasons than it seems. I found this an extremely insightful and necessary read.
Read: Summer 2018
Close to Shore
By Michael Capuzzo
Close to Shore was a fascinating book documenting a series of shark attacks which occurred along the shores of New Jersey and New York in 1916. I enjoyed this read because it was an interesting way to learn about the habits of great white sharks, and it provided insight into the lifestyle which prevailed among the people of northeast coast of the United States more than a hundred years ago.
Read: Summer 2018
The Obstacle is the Way
By Ryan Holiday
In The Obstacle is the Way, author Ryan Holiday writes of how people can turn obstacles and adversity in their life to their advantage, through perception, action, and will. Holiday provides a litany of examples from prominent figures throughout history who have succeeded in life because they did precisely this. I have done my best to incorporate the methods provided in this book in dealing with adversity in my own life, and have found it quite educational and inspirational.
Read: Summer 2018
Double Down
By John Heilemann and Mark Halperin
Double Down was an incredibly informative and enjoyable read which takes one behind the scenes of the 2012 presidential election. Heilemann and Halperin show readers an up-close image of all of the candidates; they give an intimate and engaging view of presidential politics, from the beginning of the primary elections right up until election night.
Read: Summer 2018
A Gentleman in Moscow
By Amor Towles
A Gentleman in Moscow was a wonderful novel covering the life of Alexander Rostov, a Russian aristocrat placed on house arrest in the Metropol Hotel. Beginning in the early 1920s and spanning thirty years, the reader sees Rostov making a home for himself and enjoying life to the fullest despite being limited to a single building. I greatly enjoyed this read, for it touched on how the "little" things in life were not in fact so little, and presented an optimistic and hopeful view of life itself.
Read: Summer 2018
The 48 Laws of Power
By Robert Greene
In this classic work, author Robert Greene draws from a vast wealth of characters and stories from history to list and detail 48 "laws" to abide by, if one wants to attain power and be successful. The 48 Laws of Power is an essential read for anyone looking to excel in all aspects of life.
Read: Spring 2018
We Were Eight Years In Power
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
In We Were Eight Years In Power, award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates collects eight of his past essays, one for each year from 2008 to 2016, and reviews these essays from his current standpoint. Through showcasing what was occurring in Coates's own life for each of the eight years as well as what was occurring in the greater country, Coates provides an excellent historical insight of recent history.
Read: Spring 2018
Think and Grow Rich
By Napoleon Hill
In one of the most famous self-improvement books to date, Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich is a masterful work which provides invaluable advice for pursuing goals, staying motivated, and maintaining personal discipline.
Read: Spring 2018
A Country of Vast Designs
By Robert W. Merry
In current American thought, the America of the 1840s is not heavily featured. However, in A Country of Vast Designs, historian Robert W. Merry shows how this period, and particularly the presidency of James K. Polk, was immensely important to the shape of the United States today. Merry gives an excellent overview of Polk's presidency and the Mexican-American war in particular.
Read: Spring 2019
Essentialism
By Greg McKeown
Essentialism was a deeply insightful take on the process of pursuing goals in life. The idea put forward in the book was that people could become far more successful at achieving their goals if they became disciplined in eliminating unnecessary work and responsibilities from their life and focused on putting all of their energy into that which they valued most. I found this book very helpful, and have sought to implement many of its ideas in my own life.
Read: Spring 2018
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion
By Jonathan Haidt
In this fascinating work, Jonathan Haidt details the psychological and moral reasons why political debates can be so divisive and toxic. The Righteous Mind is an excellent read which makes the reader look at those who they have political disagreements with in a different light.
Read: Winter 2018
The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy
By John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt
In The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt argue that American foreign policy is influenced too strongly by an "Israel Lobby", much to the detriment of both the United States and Israel itself. Backed by a vast amount of research, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy challenges readers' perceptions of America's role in the Middle East.
Read: Winter 2018
Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt
By Arthur T. Vanderbilt II
When reading Fortune's Children, it is easy to forget that you are reading a work of history, and not a novel. Arthur T. Vanderbilt II has done an excellent job in this work of detailing the rich and dramatic history of the Vanderbilt family. Fortune's Children truly gives the reader a personal sense of what life was like for the American upper-class at the turn of the century.
Read: Winter 2018
Between the World and Me
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Written in the form of an open-letter to author Ta-Nehisi Coates's son, Between the World and Me is a brief but powerful work which comments on the racial issues of our time while at the same time demonstrating a father's concern and care for his son.
Read: Fall 2017
The Beautiful Struggle
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Beautiful Struggle was a fascinating memoir detailing the early period of author Ta-Nehisi Coates's life in Baltimore. A particular emphasis is placed on the role played by Coates's father in raising both Coates and his brother.
Read: Fall 2017
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
By Anne Fadiman
In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman details a lengthy dispute between the parents of an epileptic Hmong child, Lia Lee, and her American doctors over how to best heal Lia. Fadiman does an excellent job in showing how a lack of cultural understanding and respect can have tragic consequences.
Read: Fall 2017
Why The Right Went Wrong
By E.J. Dionne
In this work of political history, Washington Post op-ed columnist and commentator of politics E.J. Dionne contends that American conservatism, as manifested by the Republican Party, has moved increasingly rightward over the years. Dionne argues that this shift right has made governing the United States more difficult and has polarized the country. I found Why The Right Went Wrong to be a thoughtful and insightful analysis.
Read: Fall 2017
The New American Militarism
By Andrew J. Bacevich
In The New American Militarism, military historian Andrew J. Bacevich argues that militarism is valued too highly in modern American society. Bacevich details the various historical factors which he believes have contributed to this militarism, and then outlines a solution to reversing this trend.
Read: Fall 2017
Dark Money
By Jane Mayer
Dark Money takes an in-depth look at the influence of wealthy donors on the American political system in recent years, and presents a convincing case that such donors played a major role in the rightward tilt of the Republican Party. Author Jane Mayer argues that this influence has ultimately made the American political system less representative and democratic.
Read: Summer 2017
The Quiet Man
By John H. Sununu
In The Quiet Man, John H. Sununu shares his experiences as Chief of Staff to former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, and provides insight into President Bush's leadership style and character.
Read: Summer 2017
Breach of Trust
By Andrew J. Bacevich
Breach of Trust is a sharp critique of what author Andrew J. Bacevich identifies as the gap between American soldiers and the civilian population in the United States that sends them to war. Bacevich argues that this gap results in the perpetual abuse of the American military and the worsening of U.S. foreign policy.
Read: Summer 2017
FDR
By Jean Edward Smith
This was a stellar biography in which Jean Edward Smith details the extraordinary life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Smith writes of Roosevelt's triumphs and travails from his childhood in Hyde Park, New York to his tenure as President of the United States. I found this an enjoyable read about a man who was truly larger than life.
Read: Summer 2017
The Limits of Power
By Andrew J. Bacevich
In The Limits of Power, renowned scholar Andrew Bacevich is sharply critical of American foreign policy over the past several decades, and argues that a lack of a sense of realism is the main problem ailing the United States at home and abroad. I found this book very educational, as it made me look at the actions taken by both the U.S. government and other governments around the world in a different light.
Read: Spring 2017
The Devil We Know
By Robert Baer
In The Devil We Know, ex-CIA operative Robert Baer argues that Americans as a whole are very ignorant of the reality of how Iran operates as a nation. Baer contends that such ignorance carries grave risks, and The Devil We Know seeks to show that Iran is a rational actor which the U.S. can, and should, work with.
Read: Spring 2017
America in Retreat
By Bret Stephens
America in Retreat, as the title implies, details what author Bret Stephens believes to be an American military drawback from the global scene. Stephens argues that this drawback is naive, and will ultimately prove detrimental to American interests.
Read: Spring 2017
Why Nations Fail
By Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
In this fascinating book, Acemoglu and Robinson make the argument that different polities throughout history did not decline due to geographic or cultural reasons, but rather because they possessed political institutions that inhibited growth and development.
Read: Winter 2017
Hillbilly Elegy
By J.D. Vance
This was a wonderfully written memoir chronicling author J.D. Vance's rise from a torn family in Appalachia to the Marine Corps and Yale Law School, providing excellent cultural insight and a story of hope.
Read: Winter 2017
The Revenant
By Michael Punke
This was an excellent read about Hugh Glass's struggle for revenge against the men who abandoned him to die in the wilderness. Set in the American West of the early 1800s, Punke's novel tells an epic story about perseverance and the human spirit.
Read: Winter 2017
Exceptional
By Dick and Liz Cheney
Exceptional, written jointly by the former Vice President and his daughter, details how past American actions in foreign policy have had a positive impact on America and the world, and then presents the argument that today's foreign policy has deviated from this trend. This book provided insight into the thinking and policy ideas of a former U.S. Vice President that I previously did not know that much about.
Read: Fall 2016