As the clock ticks down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, it’s fun to remember what you’ve accomplished this year. December is a good time to take stock of everything you’ve done in the last twelve months, including all the books you’ve read.
Because I like data, I like to look at my reading list and see if any trends emerge. this year, I picked up a little more fiction than usual. It wasn’t a conscious decision, but it seemed like I was drawn to stories that allowed me to explore another world.
You are reading: Bill gates books 2019
I’m currently trying to finish david mitchell’s cloud atlas before the end of the year (it’s incredibly clever but a bit hard to follow). together with a gentleman in moscow and an american married couple, i finished the result of rosie de graeme simsion and an excellent novel about a woman dealing with grief by teaming up with a great dane. I even picked up a collection of short stories in David Foster Wallace’s Brief Interviews with Horrible Men.
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Maybe next year’s end-of-the-year book release will finally include the wallace novel I’ve been wanting to read for a while: Infinite Jest.
For this year’s holiday book list, I’ve chosen five titles that I think you’ll also enjoy reading. I think they are all solid options to help end 2019 or start 2020 on a good note:
an american marriage, by tayari jones. My daughter Jenn recommended that I read this novel, which tells the story of a black couple in the South whose marriage is shattered by a horrific incident of injustice. jones is such a good writer that she manages to make you identify with her two main characters, even after one makes a difficult decision. The theme is heavy but thought-provoking, and I was sucked into the tragic love story of Roy and Celestial.
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these truths, by jill lepore. Lepore has accomplished the seemingly impossible in his latest book: he covers the entire history of the United States in just 800 pages. she made a deliberate choice to make diverse points of view central to the narrative, and the result is the most honest and unflinching account of American history I have ever read. even if you have read a lot about us. history, I am confident that you will learn something new from these truths.
growth, by vaclav smil. When I first heard that one of my favorite authors was working on a new book on growing up, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. (Two years ago, I wrote that I look forward to new smile books the same way some people look forward to the next star wars movie. I stand by that statement.) his latest book does not disappoint. As always, I don’t agree with everything smil says, but he’s still one of the best thinkers out there documenting the past and seeing the big picture.
prepared, by diane tavenner. As any parent knows, preparing your child for life after high school is a long and sometimes difficult journey. Tavenner, who created a network of some of the nation’s top-performing schools, has put together a helpful guide on how to make that process as smooth and fruitful as possible. Along the way, she shares what she’s learned about teaching kids not just what they need to get into college, but also how to live a good life.
why we sleep, by matthew walker. I read a couple of great books this year about human behavior, and this was one of the most interesting and insightful ones. Both Jenn and John Doerr urged me to read it and I’m glad I did. Everyone knows that a good night’s sleep is important, but what exactly counts as a good night’s sleep? and how do you make one happen? walker has convinced me to change my bedtime habits to increase my chances. If your New Year’s resolution is to be healthier in 2020, his advice is a good place to start.
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