Media Diet 2020
A summary of the books (physical and audio) that held my attention in the previous year.
Howdy, y’all, and welcome to the first post of my newsletter experiment. If you like what’s below, feel free to share it out.
Overview
In 2018, I made a vow to read more, and that required making my environment more-conducive towards that goal. This included prioritizing digital reading, with Kindle-based workflow between multiple devices (iPhone and Kindle Paperwhite) along with leveraging multiple local libraries. In addition, I leveraged downtime during commutes to knock out audiobooks from said libraries or Audible subscription.
Along with optimizing reading conditions, I also tracked what I consumed. Inspired by blogger Jason Kottke and his similar annual inventories, I kept track of things read & watched using my digital journal powered by Day One. This is how I was able to produce lists like those below!
I always thought I never had time to read, but by optimizing conditions and keeping track, it turns out I had tons of time!
In both 2018 and 2019, the above helped increase my number of books read each year. In 2020, my habits shifted away from books towards the “comfort food” of movies, television, and podcasts. Below are thoughts on which books had the biggest impact on me; I may share my thoughts on podcasts and movies in a future post.
Note: I don’t list what I ultimately abandoned. I’ll give anything a chance, but if I’m not moved after a few chapters, I’ll move on rather quickly. If you’re interested in seeing what I skipped, LMK and I’ll also share it out.
Besides “big boy books”, I also include any/all children books I read with the kids — they are no less worthy, and through both the books and my children I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of interesting subjects.
In 2020, the lack of library trips impacted discovering new work across the board, so I relied on recommendations of online personalities to keep my own reading list stocked. Overall, a majority of last year’s books focused on productivity & mindfulness, as I attempted to assert some control over a world gone mad. In the end, I read 19 books this year (down from 27 the year before).
Books
These are either old-school bound editions, or Kindle e-books. Depending on the quality of the e-book, I turned around and bought physical copies to keep around.
Ego Is the Enemy & Stillness is the Key
These were the first books I read in 2020, as I continued an exploration of Stoicism started months earlier. As the world would turn to shit just a couple months later, they both served as helpful reminders that events is outside of my control, and that it is never about me.
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity
Designed as a devotional, I visit this tome most every day as part of my morning mindfulness practice. For those looking to learn more about Stoicism, I’d recommend this book, as each month focuses on a different theme and it supports jumping back-and-forth depending on your most-urgent needs.
Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell
I wasn’t prepared to like this book, as it came across as a vanity project devoted to burnishing the image of its subject. However, I came away with a strong respect for Bill Campbell, who at multiple stops treated his employees with the maximum amount of respect (and an equal measure of cussing!).
Baloney (Henry P.)
A silly book about aliens from the silly Jon Scieszka. It seems like he’s called off the planet, but not sure why.
11 Experiments That Failed
The first volume of an underrated kid’s series, featuring fun collage art mixing print and illustration. We love its protagonist (a girl amateur scientist), who is great at getting into “good trouble.”
Major Impossible
The latest entry in the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, it does a good job of portraying John Wesley Powell’s zeal, and hits my sweet spot with its focus on Colorado River exploration. Hale’s books are always better when they focus on individuals (like this one) vs. giant events. No boy’s shelf is complete without these.
Exhalation
Ted Chiang has long been on my reading list since watching the movie Arrival. Although this compendium didn’t feature that specific source material, it was still a great read. I sometimes forget how refreshing it is to read the occasional short story. My favorites included “The Lifecycle of Software Objects” (about the nuturing of artificial intelligence) and “The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate” (a time travel story told in the dreamy style of Arabian Knights).
The Song of Achilles
I was previous-enraptured by Madeline Miller’s Circe, so I returned to her well for another interpretation of ancient Greeks. While Achilles & Patroclus were interesting to observe, any urgency with the plot felt flat. What I missed from Circe was the mercurial nature of gods and self-centeredness.
The Magician's Nephew
In the 5th grade, Zachary encountered The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, which he was pleasantly-surprised to have enjoyed. I bought him a boxed set of the entire series, and we read this first volume together. I enjoyed baring witness to the creation of Narnia, although the entire time I kept picturing the people and places appearing like The Never-Ending Story.
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
Every time I read a new Erik Larson book, they can never measure up to his classic The Devil in the White City. That was also the case with this book — although about the flirtations people & countries experienced with pre-WWII Germany, it lacked any urgency.
I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
I love learning of new media from essays & reviews, and I discovered Emily Nussbaum after previously-reading Best. Movie. Year. Ever. This volume was an anthology of her New Yorker criticisms. I would tackle the occasional one, like an after-dinner mint between larger books.
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
The more I’ve read about the circumstances around this book, the more-skeptical I am of the actual events and their players. But Ronan Farrow’s tale was a page-turner, and it was revolting to learn more about those I once casually admired or thought harmless (Matt Lauer & Harvey Weinstein, in particular). Despite its flaws, I am glad this book exists.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two: The Official Playscript of the Original West End Production
I had previously read all of the Harry Potter novels years ago, and at the end of 2019 I finished watching their movie adaptations. I then planned to catch up on the related media, including the Fantastic Beasts movies. Then I read this book (script?), which was so bad that I had no interest in continuing my visit to the Wizarding World.
Running with Sherman
My friend Patton alerted me to the author Christopher McDougall years ago. In this book, he recounts as selfless, fantastic tale of an abused donkey’s physical & mental rehabilitation, and how the effects carried over into his and the community’s life. It was a helpful reminder that we can sometimes find the solution to our problems by helping others with theirs.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
I’m a fan of Angela Duckworth’s No Stupid Questions podcast, and her book has long been on my list. Her writing style mirrors her broadcast one, with lots of straightforward thought and reference material. It’s comforting to know that there are paths to improvement that don’t require elaborate systems or pure talent.
168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
As a fan of productivity books, I am always seeking new edges & fresh perspectives, so Laura Vanderkam have been on my reading list for awhile. The author doesn’t advocate doing more in limited time; instead, she shares advice & examples on how you can balance what time you do have in service of your goals. This was a super-important message for me, as sometimes I feel like all I do is non-aspirational work.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport
As part of making better use of my week’s 168 hours, I took another dip in the Cal Newport pool. I’d previously-read Digital Minimialism, whose advice I’d struggled to implement. The habits Cal promotes in this book were better-suited to my way of working, where I like to have long, drawn-out time devoted to contemplation & exploration. Being online all the time in 2020 severely tests my abilities to focus and pay attention, so improving how I do deep work will be my 2021 goal.
The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future
As a product manager of way too many teams & features, I struggle with organization. I sunk a small fortune into trying various organization & journaling methods, finally settling on Ryder Carroll’s method. It’s clean, simple, and maximizes real-estate in my paper journal. Although his methods are easy to master, it’s worth having a copy of this book on my desktop as reference.
Audiobooks
Listening to audiobooks counts as reading (fight me!). Here, I list them separately from books because they’re explicitly chosen for their format — the right narrator can make a laborious novel easier to consume. Like ketchup with fries!
2020 was a down year for this particular medium, as I listened to exactly 50% less titles than the previous year (10 vs. 5). This reflected changes in routine — I no longer had a commute to kill time with audiobooks, and I exercised less.
I only got back into audiobooks when I made them an incentive for another habit I was trying to build: walking outside on a daily basis. I often left my phone behind, and relied on AirPods + books synced to my Apple Watch to pass the miles.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
I listened to this pre-pandemic during commutes. “Product Manager 101” dictates every PM dip into the Ben Horowitz pool. As read by the author, Ben’s advice felt as ancient as Netscape itself, so I didn’t get as much as of this vs. more-modern product thought leaders like Marty Cagan.
Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life
Also read by its author, this was adreamy, engrossing missive about the pursuit of knowledge — and what happens when such pursuits are proved to be completely-irrelevant to an uncaring universe. It had just the right amount of melancholy.
The Valedictorian of Being Dead: The True Story of Dying Ten Times to Live
Also read by its author, I’ve always been intrigued by Heather Armstrong’s struggles (and openness) about her mental health. As a parent struggling to maintain his own sanity, I could relate to Heather’s shared experiences.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
If you read one book, especially after the summer of 2020, it should be Isabel Wilkerson’s masterpiece. I’m thoroughly-convinced by her argument that America is a caste system no different than the classical Indian one, and there’s so much work required to eventually overcome it. I’m still haunted pondering one of the questions she poses for the top American caste, “Would you rather give up democracy or whiteness?”
Greenlights
C’mon, you know you want to hear Matthew McConaughey tell the tales of his crazy past! There is no purpose to this book except being fun, and it very much was.