Best Books I Read in 2020
“Maturity is learning how to start when you feel like procrastinating.“ - James Clear
While doing my weekly Saturday email cleanup, I came across this idea from a newsletter by James Clear. And I decided to treat it as a prompt to write my annual best books I read list.
Even though we spent majority of the year locked inside our homes, ironically it made it more difficult to read. Reading is a low dopamine releasing activity competing for our attention with easy mediums of passive consumption (Netflix, YouTube, et al). Combine it with a deep sense of lockdown gloom and a forbearing of impending doom, picking up a book became a herculean task.
I still managed to read some good ones and the following three seem like the best fit to prepare us for a post-pandemic world.
1. Just Kids – Patti Smith
Pablo Picasso said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” And my soul needed a deep cleansing. I am not even half-way through and it has already become my favorite. It replenished my life force and was exactly what I needed to end this crazy year.
This is the second book by Patti Smith that I am reading. And it is equally beautiful and magical. Read this if you want to step into the life of New York City’s artists from the 1970s.
2. Factfulness – Hans Rosling
If we were to believe our inherent biases, based on the zeitgeist, we would think the world is rotting. Factfulness aims to inject logic and facts in this narrative to show that the world is not as bad as it seems. If anything, the world is moving towards rapid progress and prosperity for a greater number of its residents.
Read this if you need some facts based positivity in your life instead of conjecture based pessimism.
3. Talking to Strangers - Malcolm Gladwell
As we grow in maturity, we gradually gain an understanding that judging others on outwardly appearances is wrong and inaccurate. This book puts into solid reasoning why it is so. As we reacquaint ourselves with each other in the post lock-down world, this book might come in handy to keep a check on our preconceptions about others.
Other notable mention: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
I hope you do get around to reading some of these. If you like these recommendations, check out the rest of my reading list here.
Lists from previous years: