In 2020 I read 50 books (from when I started counting in March) for a total of 718 hours.
When I started tracking I never thought of sharing these publicly, yet here we are. I like to read a variety of genres and a variety of perspectives on a given topic. After each book, I wrote a short impression of it. These aren’t meant to be summaries. They’re the thoughts I wrote to myself after each book. Some were short impressions, some were long ideas.
There were MANY great books I read this year (and a few that were meh). I planned to make a list of the top three, but it was impossible so I expanded it to the top ten (which was still hard). Every book I read added to my view even just a little and gave me perspective to what life was like in different times and different parts of the world. Or it was just plain fun to read.
The Best
- The Body: A Guide for Occupants (Bill Bryson)
Spellbinding! This is my book of the year. Felt like going on a tour of the human body. Did such a captivating job going through the functions of each part, from top to bottom. How each works, what we know/don’t know about it. It’s incredible how much we’ve learned how our bodies work, but even more so how much is still a mystery. From big things like how our brains function and how hormones work, to little things like why men’s testicles are on the outside of their bodies. These are things that we still don’t have answers for. This book gave me much more appreciation for human anatomy/biology than I did before. I’d love to read more books like this – scientifically informative, but approachable and understandable for laymen.
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Centuary (Yuval Noah Harari)
This made me think a lot. Great for perspective on the human race, history, and the future. This book made me consider many of the secular issues humanity will need to address in the next 30 years, and also what valid criticisms there are regarding religion. Reading this inspired me to read his other two well-known books, Sapiens and Homo Deus. Both were equally good, but he does get repetitive with his main ideas.
- Atomic Habits (James Clear)
People have been raving about this book for a while. I wasn’t interested in reading *another book* on habits and was skeptical of it as a fad book. I finally decided to give it a read and actually really like it! It’s a good balance of science and practical application. Much more condensed and easier to recommend than the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
- Real Marriage (Mark & Grace Driscoll)
I liked this book a lot. However, it’s very Christian and can turn a lot of people off for that. This couple shares honestly and realistically about their own experiences and those of thousands they’ve counseled. They treat the Bible as absolute authority and the only reference for basing any claim, which I understand given their audience but isn’t relevant for me. They do a fantastic job tying great marriage advice to the Bible. What mostly inspired me about this book was the desire to write something like this together with Yigyu.
- The Fall of Giants – Century Trilogy Book I (Ken Follet)
I’ve liked Follet for many years. His Kingsbridge trilogy is amazing, one of my go-to recommendations. He does great character development and storytelling. He does well capturing the mindset and lifestyle of the times. This series follows a few family lineages through WW1, WW2, and the Vietnam War. I never realized how little I knew about these topics until reading this book.
The series is left-leaning. Accurate, but, as all things slanted, only tells one side of the story. This book gives the impression that WW1 was pointless and only happened because conservative, aristocratic old farts were stubborn and arrogant. Would like to see another perspective (if there is one).
Mainly, what blew my mind from reading this book is seeing how much I don’t know about one of the most important pieces of modern history. Made me hungry to learn more.
- Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
This may have been the longest book I’ve ever read. It had me think about a lot of things and had things I both liked and didn’t like.
Liked: Advocates for a life of absolutes. So many things in life are treated as relative, it’s refreshing to be able to stand by at least some things and treat them as absolutes. The concept that socialism is based on relativism. What is the truth is interpreted by the individual and based on the expediency of the moment. Thinking is relative, values are relative, needs are relative. Everything is slippery and there is no absoluteness to anything. Socialism also has a different view of inalienable rights. Rights are considered based on needs; I have the right to something because I need it. Whereas true rights are consistent regardless of circumstance.
I also like that Rand advocates for value based on production (service). We’re talking social value, not human value. Confidence comes with one’s ability to create something valuable to others, a huge source of experiencing personal responsibility.
She also advocates for things to be spoken about plainly, not misrepresenting my words or portraying my motives in a way that looks good. One of her most famous lines is, “I solemnly swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” What a line! On the surface, it completely contradicts the concept of altruism and the doctrine of living for the sake of others. However, there are elements of it that I value and agree with. Her premise is that the fundamental motive for any action is that, in the end, it brings benefit to me. I can serve and live for others because of the fulfillment it will bring me. I don’t think she is as nuanced as that, she really means to be self-serving, but I can swallow it.
I also like how she talks about the clarity of a thinking mind, it reminded me of Napolean Hill’s Outwitting the Devil. A clear mind is the foundation for a passionate, colorful life.
Didn’t like: In Rand’s worldview (because this book is meant to be the magnum opus of her worldview) there is no room for gratitude. Everything is treated as the merit of my own individual work, where in reality anyone’s accomplishments are always on the shoulders of someone else. New scientific discoveries, new music, new philosophical discoveries, our own careers, it all depends on the help of someone along the way.
She also disregards anyone that lacks exceptional ability. You’re special or you’re unimportant. Her philosophy also doesn’t take family or children into consideration in any way. This book also had some weird, kinky sex stuff. Don’t know how to interpret what that means about her.
- Starting Strength (Mark Rippetoe)
This is considered the Bible of barbell training (fondly called “The Book”). Fantastic read. I’m very well-read on nutrition and exercise, but still, I learned A LOT about exercise, body mechanics, and barbell training.
- Roots: The Saga of an American Family (Alex Haley)
This book really hit home for me regarding the pain and suffering black people endured. Possibly the largest number of people over the longest course of time in history. Very well written, and so interesting for the writer to trace his genealogy all the way back to Africa.
Received various criticisms (as will anything historical that becomes popular in the mainstream), but I don’t mind that some parts are fictitious or that it gives a slanted perspective. The things I consider when evaluating a book are 1) Storytelling 2) Character development 3) Perspective 4) Theme & Tone.
This book does excellent at all of these and shares a part of how people lived in a way I never knew before.
- Ender’s Game Alive (Orson Scott Card)
I’ve read Ender’s Game many times, it’s a true classic in my eyes. Chock-full of life lessons. This version brought a whole new flavor. No narration, only dialogue, and with a full cast. There were scenes that aren’t in the original book and it was drastically condensed. Enjoyed it a lot.
- How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (Mohsin Hamid)
This book wasn’t spectacular in any way, but when I look at my 2020 list of books it stands out. It made a quiet impression on me. I still remember it, I still think about it.
It’s a well-written parody that does an excellent job portraying the everyday reality of billions of people in the world. Unimaginable poverty, unfathomably cutthroat competition, class hierarchies that are incredibly difficult to climb. Yet, it communicates all this while managing to be entertaining at the same time.
I appreciate books that share about the worlds I don’t experience. The most spoken language in the world is Mandarin. The majority of the world is Chinese or Indian. There are almost as many Muslims in the world as Christians. These are important facts that remind me how skewed my perspective of the world is.
The Rest
Five Stars (Really Good)
Made a strong impression / Enjoyed a lot
Real Love – Fourth or fifth time I’ve read this. Somehow learn something new every time. Foundational book for my whole life.
Accidentally Brave – This made me cry. Such a raw, vulnerable account of one woman’s trauma at the hands of her husband’s use of child porn. Real, that’s the only thing I can say about it. This was honest. I also liked how aspirational it is. There is no justification. She is just on the path to making things better with her husband. She knows she has a long way to go, but she doesn’t leave because it’s hard.
Gay Children, Straight Parents – After years of knowing about Richard Cohen and his work, finally read one of his books. Nice to hear his voice, I feel I got to know him a little. Such a caring, heartfelt man. This book made me realize what I need healing in my own heart. I get tense around the idea of being physically intimate with other men (hugging). Makes me uncomfortable. I always assumed that was a part of growing up and being a guy. Richard made me realize that it’s possible to be a grown man and have deeply intimate, platonic physical connection to other men (and that it’s crucial). Knowing that makes me realize how much I crave that, crave that connection with my own father. My relationship with my dad is close but kept at an arm’s length. This book revealed to me how much I’ve been craving from my dad, but felt was unattainable.
Ender’s Shadow – Goes hand in hand with Ender’s Game. Amazing to read a complete book and then realize that it’s only half the story.
Four Stars (Enjoyed)
Ranges from great books that weren’t quite 5-stars to decent books just over 3-stars.
White Sand Trilogy – Fun story about an underdog who unlocked his full potential and became the strongest of his peers. A boy becoming a man and recognizing the weight of responsibility that comes with authority.
Why We Sleep – Well written book, but I don’t think anyone really needs to read it. You could get everything you need from this book with a bullet list summary someone posts online, and the real gist is you need 8-9 hours of “good quality” sleep a night. If someone chronically disregards the importance of sleep in their lives despite agreeing that it’s important then this would be helpful to persuade them. One thing that stuck with me is that after decades running a sleep lab and a specific invitation to people who believe they’re the exception, he has yet to find a single case of someone who is actually capable of maintaining their full cognitive abilities with 6 hours of sleep or less. Those that claim they only need 6 hours or only need 4 hours seem to be false. Those same people would likely function much better with more sleep.
How to Be Human: The Ultimate Guide to Your Amazing Existence – I’ve read tons of interesting books about economics, psychology, human relationships, history, culture, but rarely anything in the harder sciences or about our physical bodies. This book did an amazing job going from interesting topic to interesting topic, all with the goal of identifying what exactly makes humans, human.
The City of Brass – Took a while to get into, but enjoyed it in the end. Nothing unique, but common story elements told well. Would enjoy continuing the series but am not compelled to.
Endurance – Very inspiring story that puts the challenges of my life in perspective. Gave me a vision for one aspect of the type of leader I want to be, one that can maintain the morale of a group in difficult situations.
Warbreaker – I like everything by Sanderson. Didn’t know anything about this book going in and enjoyed it a lot. Based on the ending seems like there’s a sequel. Fun fact, the cover art is modeled after someone I know. (Jinju)
Update: Just checked, it’s actually a standalone book. The ending is a walk into the sunset for further adventures moment.
Martin Luther – Martin Luther is one of the most pivotal people in human history. He launched what we know as the modern world. It was fascinating and inspiring to hear his story, but it was a factual biography. I tried to find a fictional story based on him that’s a bit more gripping, but no luck. I’d like to read something that has more emotional pull.
Hyperion – Had me captivated the whole time. Each chapter was sensational, only to be topped by the next one. Good conclusion, it wraps up this book while also setting the stage for the sequel.
Where the Crawdads Sing – Beautiful storytelling and character development. I loved that it was set in NC. Slightly annoying that the geography was all wrong. It was set by the ocean but had Asheville as the closest large city…
Winter of the World (Century Trilogy II) – Very well-written and interesting story that gave me good insight into the history of WW2. I wonder whether I’d still like this if I knew more about WW2 than I did reading it. I question how accurate his take on events is. Likely the facts are accurate, but the entire book had a clear slant towards socialism or socialist democracy as “the answer”. He went to great lengths to distinguish socialism as different from communism. All the good characters fall into that value system whereas anyone that represents conservatism, traditionalism, capitalism, were not great people. even Winston Churchill was villainized.
I want to learn more about that time in history. reading shocked me realizing how little I know. Russia was the main country to defeat Nazi Germany? Nazism and Communism are complete opposites? So much I never realized I didn’t know.
Practical Programming for Starting Strength – Useful book for understanding how programming works. However, really geared towards coaches and trainers. The first half was useful info, but the second half is about how to adjust for various demographics that are irrelevant to me (elderly, etc.) I probably could’ve gleaned the info I needed from blog posts for free, but at least I know I got it all straight from the source.
Edge of Eternity (Century Trilogy III) – Similar impression to the second book in the series. Great storytelling, but a bit laughable how slanted it is. Goes way out of its way to discredit or downplay anything conservative and portrays all the republican characters as pathetic. reading this series, you’d think the Left single-handedly saved the world despite the interference of the Right. I don’t care about how either side is portrayed, I just care about accuracy. I got a valuable perspective on the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and the fall of Communism in Europe. However, the bias of this book leaves me uncertain whether I’m seeing the whole picture. Probably not. But again, as far as storytelling goes, great book!
The House of Kennedy – Very well written account of the Kennedy family. The book was nice to read, but what I learned about the Kennedys didn’t leave me inspired. My takeaway from this book is that it’s a bad idea to create a family dynasty. The existence of a dynasty requires that the most important value be the preservation of it. Above honor, integrity, whatever else that family dynasty would claim as its highest values, it will always sacrifice those for the sake of preservation. Because otherwise, the dynasty would no longer exist. That priority leaves room for all kinds of dark situations, which the Kennedy family is full of.
A Dangerous Fortune – A real page-turner! Follet is great at developing characters. He also does great at building up support for the good guy and frustration at the bad guy. The bad guys get everything they want while thwarting the good guy. Little by little the good guy makes their way up and in the end, the bad guy gets their just deserts. However, that seems to basically be Follet’s go-to formula. Each of the eight books I’ve read by him has the same elements and plot twists. There are even repetitive character archetypes. This one had the cunning matriarch with the fool husband and fool son that grow to prominence despite their dullness because of her. Exact same as one of the books in the Pillars of the Earth trilogy. In conclusion, a great read, and I enjoyed it a lot, but I am beginning to be able to predict how his books are going to turn out.
Captivating – This is the female version of Wild at Heart, which is one of my lifetime top books. Well written and I think hits the core of womanhood. It’s much more Jesusy than Wild at Heart, would definitely turn some people off. As a man, it didn’t hit me as hard as Wild at Heart for obvious reasons, but I saw my wife in reading this and think it’s a good resource. Minus half a point for the Jesusy overload.
How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps – This was my very first overtly political book. It got me thinking about things I never considered before. I don’t want to pass judgment on whether his perspective is right and the Liberal perspective is wrong, but I did get a sense of the lens by which each side sees things. One thing that stood out for me was his distinction of “rights” and “duties”. Each side of the spectrum has different interpretations of what rights we have. Ben’s saying we fundamentally have the right to free choice, which is expressed in the positive right to choose and the negative right to choose not. Compulsive force infringes on a person’s negative rights to choose not (for example, forcing a doctor to perform a surgery he doesn’t want to do). I was also hit by what he says about duties and morality. Duty is not a right to be enforced. Yes, we have a duty to care for our neighbor, but you can’t force that on someone. Duties are our personal responsibility that we choose to fulfill.
Basically, this book rings true to a lot of what I already believe. I believe in personal responsibility and individual freedom over systemic prejudice and top-down control. I also believe America is a great nation with an admirable contribution to the world. What he describes as the re-interpretation of America’s history and founding is repugnant to me. There are those that say that America was founded with the specific intention to empower a specific elite (rich white men) and systematically cripple other demographics. Many things happen that systematically impoverish populations. But seeing my parents’ experience in this country makes it hard for me not to believe in the opportunity available in America. Dad didn’t even speak English when he came but managed to build a comfortable mom-and-pop business that gave us a good living.
I’ll read books from the other side to see where they’re coming from. There is actually one that’s been on my list that Ben mentioned, “A People’s History of the United States.” Let’s see what that guy has to say.
The Screwtape Letters – This was a re-read. I like to read this once in a while, it reminds me of things. I like how this book gives a clear idea of how the devil works in our lives. The subtle justifications we make to ourselves, many of which I’m guilty of. The one that stood out the most is about my relationship with time. The devil wants us to feel like our time belongs to us, and if we do something generous for others it’s because of our own magnanimity. In actuality, all the time we receive is a gift, it’s not something we are entitled to. So, if we ever get annoyed by an unexpected interruption or are inconvenienced in some way, we can have the mindset that God wants me to experience this right now.
The Night Circus – Enjoyable read. I liked that it was clean, with no steamy or lewd parts. The ending was a bit anti-climatic. All the questions that are teased at the beginning got answered but turns out they weren’t as mysterious as I hoped. Regardless, a nice ending to a well-written story.
Homo Deus – This book made me think a lot (just like all his books I suppose). Big takeaway is recognizing how irrelevant organized religions have become in the progress of society. Finally got a better understanding of what “humanism” is. It’s not being overly sympathetic or emotion-driven. It’s the assumption of human beings as the highest form of life. What brings humanity forward is the driving question that defines good and bad. That definitely is what drives society now. When considering a new law, the consideration is its impact on humans. Then secondary might be the environment (which only matters in relation to humans). No one EVER stops to think, “What does God want?” In fact, that’s laughable. Spirituality has become totally irrelevant. It’s also hard to draw relevancy from scripture for so many modern issues. What would a 2,000-year-old book have to say on the role of social media in our lives?
The Dutch House – I like the way it was written and the way it ended. A cinderella story about the two children being betrayed by their evil stepmom, but without a vindictive plot twist.
The Evening and the Morning – I can echo what I said about the last Follett book. He has a formula that works and he follows it to a tee. I knew exactly how this book would go, but somehow I still liked it! Here are the elements of a Ken Follett book:
A genius protagonist, someone born ahead of his time. A female love interest is the perfect match for him, but the fates never align and they aren’t able to be together. She goes through some trauma, very good chance she gets raped or manipulated into a marriage she doesn’t want. Has someone else’s kids.
The bad guy duo consists of the main villain who is sneaky and conniving. Good chance he has a role within the church. His partner is stupid and cruel. Good chance that there is a mother figure involved who is also sneaky and cunning. She is power-hungry, but for her children, not herself.
The bad guys have everything go their way most of the book, but in the end, their own wickedness becomes their demise.
Eventually, the protagonist and the female counterpart get their chance to be together and they get married. All ends well.
It was fun reading the origin story of Kingsbridge. Like I said, even though it’s predictable it was a great book.
The Silent Patient – This book actually had a real plot twist! It’s been a while since I took such a double-take. I had to go back and re-read the page because I was so floored by the reveal. Really enjoyed that. However, after reading this I realized that some books’ only utility is entertainment. This book fits that category. It’s great to read for entertainment, but this book interrupted my life and distracted me from spending time with my family. I don’t think that’s worth it for entertainment’s sake.
Talking to Strangers – Like all of Gladwell’s books, incredibly well thought out and interesting. Made me think deeper about how I interpret interactions with people and those amongst others. I thought it was interesting how he discussed alcohol at length. Seemingly has nothing to do with the topic matter, but through his research, he discovered the detrimental role that specifically alcohol plays in causing people to misinterpret others’ intentions and inhibit people’s ability to make sensible choices.
The Guest List – Enjoyable, but would categorize it as “literary junk food.” Well written and great characters, but there is nothing to take away from this book. Read it because it was high on the charts, but I repeatedly don’t really like books from those kinds of lists.
Parenting with Love and Logic – Reread. Fantastic Parenting philosophy.
Three Stars (Meh)
Nothing wrong with these books, just didn’t capture me.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz – This was an extremely popular book. Cousin Beth and Aunt Sarah read it, and I finally read it because Yigyu stumbled on it in Korean and binged through it. It was a nice story but didn’t wholly capture me. It’s so sad what the Jewish people endured during that time period. It’s nice to hear one happy ending that came out of it. It’s a well-written romance, which just isn’t really my genre.
Shameless – Book about sex. Piqued my interest because it’s from a lutheran pastor that endorses LGBT. I learned useful perspectives on “the other side” and what arguments they have against the purity concept and concept of “God’s plan for sex”. it’s in the belief that love is love, God and Jesus love us all as we are. That’s true, but what I realize is that this line of thinking only considers individual salvation. they believe we are all individuals responsible for our own lives. there is no concept of couple oneness or family connection.
The People’s History of the United States – Offers a very different interpretation of American history. This book talks about everything the left claims is wrong with America. It’s almost like this was the origin for many of the current popular talking points. The idea that America was rotten from the start, designed to take advantage of the many and enrich the elite minority (rich, land-owning white men). It makes a convincing argument, pointing out many horrific things that have happened. The natives originally here were decimated… Very sad to hear.
However, lots of the book was also clearly choosing to interpret things from a pessimistic view. True, most of the soldiers who signed up for the American Revolution probably didn’t care much about who’s country they were a part of, but why bring that up? It got tiresome after a while to hear one example after another just to emphasize his main point.
I do understand the injustice so many people feel such a strong desire to correct. So many people in history were wronged and are being wronged today. However, fundamentally I believe America is an incredible nation that has redefined how people interact within a society. Democracy, opportunity, rights, and freedoms.
Overall, this book was a deep dive into the other side. An effort to see things from another perspective, which helped shape my perspective, but didn’t change my mind on anything.
Boys and Sex – This book made my heart sink. The reality of the sex culture that is developing among young people is daunting to think about. I think this book overly extrapolates (it takes a small sample size from specific pockets of people and uses that to interpret overarching cultural trends), but it does paint an extremely important and accurate picture of what hookup culture really looks like and the effect it’s having. I hoped this book would cast a wider net, so disappointed in how narrowly it addresses the topic of sex among young people (basically focusing on white people in college). However, I’m glad I read it.
Girls and Sex – This book has things I appreciated, but many things I disagree with. I appreciate getting a “behind the curtains” look at what goes on in the hook-up world. I emphasize hook-up, because this book only talks about sex from the perspective of the hook-up culture, but claims to be a book representing all girls’ relationships with sex. She interviewed 72 young girls/women. That’s already an indication that you’re going to come out with a limited perspective… Anyway, I learned a lot about the attitude towards sex within the hook-up world. Oral sex is almost nothing, not even worth counting?! alcohol is a required backdrop. The official bases are 1st) making out, fondling, 2nd) oral (that was quick), 3rd) penetration, Homerun) anal.
This book helped me understand why people are so insistent on masturbation as an act of empowerment. Within the hook-up world, it’s the only chance you’ll have to learn what pleases you sexually. There is no space to explore sex in a relationship because people aren’t looking for relationships.
It’s heartbreaking to hear how prevalent harassment and sexual pressure there is for young women. I don’t think the author did a good job critiquing the purity movement.
I’m starting to turn this into an analysis rather than my impressions of the book… This book left me dejected to see the reality of how far we have to go in creating healthy sexuality in the world. The world has gone so far down a path of sex as individualistic, I have no idea how we’ll come back from that. I don’t know if it can happen in my lifetime. I’m grateful for having read this book.
The Vanishing Half – Book about two light-skinned black girls. One stays in their hometown, while the other vanishes and creates a new life impersonating a white woman. Nothing to gripe about it, many people will probably like this book. Wasn’t particularly interesting for me, but it opened my eyes a little more to what kind of life choices people had to make at that time because of their skin color.
Blindness – I didn’t finish this book. It was interesting enough to read to the end, but I got halfway through and it still didn’t capture me. I figure that if I’m neutral about whether I finish a book or not then it’s better to move on to the next one. This book had a certain style that I think some people really like, that’s why it got such big awards. I’m not a fan of it, I would dub it “literature.” I’m not a fan of books that try too hard to have good prose, I just like good storytelling. The plot in this was interesting enough, but the emphasis was on having a platform to make really artistic sentences. Some people are into that, not me. Part of why I was interested in this book is 1) it got many prestigious awards 2) It’s an international novel (originally in Portuguese). I want to read more books from other countries. I think that’s a good way to “expand my horizons” and understand other cultures and people.
Fall of Hyperion – I really liked the first book in the series… I could have quit at any point through this one. The book ended with so many unanswered questions and things that happened for no apparent reason. I went through the trouble of reading other people’s explanations of events and this series is known for leaving things open-ended and not answering all the questions it introduced.
All The Light We Cannot See – I never really got into it. Throughout the whole book, things happened that I didn’t catch what it was connected to. I’m sure some will like it, I did enjoy the intimate look into the impact WW2 had on normal people’s lives. this was a story about the collateral effect of big things on small people.
Two Stars (Didn’t Like)
Nothing wrong, just didn’t like them
Wolf Hall – Gave up halfway through; Didn’t like the writing style. I waited for MONTHS on the waiting list for this at the library, that’s how popular this book is. It’s considered a history classic. Lots of people love it. I think part of why it’s so popular is for its accuracy in theme and tone. It’s really written as if coming from that time period. However, that made it hard for me to follow along and understand what was happening.