Another year gone, another year books!

Here’s the list of new titles I read in 2016.
(I did not include books read previously.)

 

Fiction

Fiction
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Ask The Dust by John Fante
2

Fantasy
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb
Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb
Golden Fool by Robin Hobb
Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb
Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb
Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb
The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Stavely
The Silver Spike by Glen Cook
Dreams of Steel by Glen Cook
The Dark Defiles by Richard K. Morgan
The Cold Commands by Richard K. Morgan
The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
The Liar’s Key by Mark Lawrence
Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook
She Is The Darkness by Glen Cook
Water Sleeps by Glen Cook
Soldiers Live by Glen Cook
28

Horror
Alice by Christina Henry
1

Noir
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
1

Science Fiction
Heroes Die by Matthew Stover
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson
The Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
Slaughter House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
SevenEves by Neal Stephenson
Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Ready Player One by Earnest Cline
The Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
The Forever Was by Joe Haldeman
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
13

Western
The Six Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher
1

Total Fiction: 46

Non-Fiction

Total Non-Fiction: 13

Life
Life and Lessons by Jim Rohn
Lead the Field by Earl Nightingale
Zen Mind: Beginner’s Mind by Shunry Suzuki
3

Memoir
You’re Never Weird On The Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
1

Business
How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie
The Book In A Box Method by Tucker Max & Zach Obront
Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzer
3

Finance
The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
1

History
Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield
An Oral History of the Daily Show by Chris Smith
2

Society
Becoming A Barbarian by Jack Donovan
Quiet by Susan Cain
1

Lifting/Strength/Health/Nutrition
The Four Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss
1

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

 

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”

– Brene Brown

 

“Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.”

-Socrates

 

“The most pertinent questions are “Should this product be built?” and “Can we build a sustainable business around this set of products and services?”
– Eric Ries

 

“This is one of the most important lessons of the scientific method: if you cannot fail, you cannot learn.”

-Eric Ries

 

“Honest criticism is hart to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger.”

-Franklin Jones

 

“Observational studies can only show correlation: A and B both exist at the same time in one group. They cannot show cause and effect.”

-Tim Ferriss

 

“Any sort of perfection is fleeting, and if you try to hold on to it, if you try to control the uncontrollable, you destroy it. Better to relish the moment, then let go of it and move on.”

-Tucker Max

 

“Stuff like this is the reason people say fact is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense. Reality doesn’t have to do shit.”

-Tucker Max

 

“It had the austere simplicity of fiction, rather than the tangled woof of fact.”

– Raymond Chandler

 

“ ‘What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?’

I pushed that question of my head to make room for a new question.

‘What’s worth doing even if I fail?’ “

– Brene Brown

 

“Clothes do not make the man, but you need the proper costume if you want to play the part.”

-Patrick Rothfuss

 

“It’s the questions we can’t answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he’ll look for his own answers.”

-Patrick Rothfuss

 

“Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet introspection.”

– Patrick Rothfuss

 

“My old commander told me you should laugh every moment you live, for you’ll find it decidedly difficult afterward.”

– Joe Abercrombie

 

“Strength can only be tested against resistance and courage can only be tested through risk.”

– Jack Donovan

 

“The best an older man can hope for is to have his achievements remembered, and to be respected for his wisdom and consulted for his experience.”

-Jack Donovan

I debated the many ways I could break down my favorite reads from 2015, but for now I decided to simply write about my two favorite reads. One fiction, one non-fiction.

 

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Without question, this was my most impactful read in 2015. There are a handful of books I’ve encountered that change my world view and how I relate to the people around me and myself. This was certainly one of the greater ones.

The book is about vulnerability. The book is about the shame society teaches us all to feel about ourselves as children, as parents, as friends, as partners, as men and women, and as husbands and wives. Our natural inclination is to hide this shame from others, to pretend these feelings don’t exist. Instead, we need to open up to the loving people around us about our vulnerabilities and fears.

Reading this book helped me become more open and honest about who I am. Surprisingly, the people around me drew closer, not further away. Now I’ve reached some of the deepest connections of my life. All because of an unapologetic honesty of the failures I see within myself.

When we think of ourselves being vulnerable, we describe ourselves as weak and pathetic. We need to toughen up. When others are vulnerable with us, they’re being courageous. When others share their grief, their anxiety, and the despair of their lives we marvel at their strength in enduring these hardships. Their ability to be able to keep pressing on through it all.

Why are we not taught to love ourselves the way we’re taught to love others?

This is a book I’ve since recommended universally to everyone. We all have shame, we all deserve to be loved. Not just by others, but by ourselves.

 

The Name of the Wind (Book I of the King Killer Chronicles) by Patrick Rothfuss

This book is…pure story. The author himself described this book as “a subversion of the hero’s tale.” It reflects on what life truly is, in contrast to the clean tellings we hear of past deeds in legends and history.

Yes, the protagonist is an unusually exceptional individual, but he also has strong motivation to channel his talents into true mastery through hard work. He screws up frequently growing up, often relying on his wit to clean up the messes he’s created.

The story is both beautiful and tragic, for you find hints that all will end poorly before the conclusion of the tale.

There are currently two books out (and one companion story) of what will eventually be a completed trilogy.

First let me say welcome to my blog, you good-looking reader you! I look forward to our many adventures together discussing books and stories. In 2015 I read 100 books. Truthfully I hadn’t planned on reading this amount. I simply had a fair amount of downtime living on a ship combined with an Amazon Kindle.

For now, here’s a list of the books I read in 2015. If anyone wants a post on any of these specific books, leave a comment below!

2015 Book List

Self:

The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cobain

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

It’s Not All About Me by Robin Dreeke

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in my Head… by Dan Harris

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Happiness At Work by Srikumar S. Rao, Ph.D.

Mate by Tucker Max, Geoffrey Miller, and Nils Parker

Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant

As A Man Thinketh by James Allen

The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

Society:

The Way of Men by Jack Donovan

Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit

The Trouble With Testosterone by Robert M. Sapolsky

Biographies:
Mo’ Meta Blues by Ahmir Questlove Thompson

Possibilities by Herbie Hancock

Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed The Art of War by Robert Coram

Poker:

Sit ‘n Go Strategy by Collin Moshman

Raiser’s Edge

Harrington on Modern Tournament Poker by Dan Harrinton and Bill Robertie

The Elements of Poker by David Angelo

A Rubber Band Story by David Angelo

Ace On The River by Barry Greenstein

Kill Phil

The Poker Mindset by Matthew Hilger and Ian Taylor

The Psychology of Poker by Alan N. Schoonmaker

Real Grinders by Ashton Cartwright

The Professor, The Banker, and The Suicide King by Michael Craig

The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler and Barry Carter

Heads-up Poker by Collin Moshman

Pot-Limit Omaha Poker by Jeff Hwang

Strength Training/Nutrition

Strong Enough? by Mark Rippetoe

Mean Ol’ Mr. Gravity by Mark Rippetoe

Practical Programming for Strength Training by Mark Rippetoe

Business/Strategy

The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh

The Book of Five Rings by Myomoto Musashi

Finance

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko

Marketing

Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator by Ryan Holiday

Growth Hacker Marketing by Ryan Holiday

Sales

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

Comedy:

High-Status Characters by Brian Raftery

The Truth In Comedy

Total Non-Fiction: 42

 

Total Fiction: 58

Fiction

Last Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Cryptonomicon by Neil Stephenson

Noir:

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

Death Masks by Jim Butcher

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

White Night by Jim Butcher

Small Favor by Jim Butcher

Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

Changes by Jim Butcher

Side Jobs by Jim Butcher

Cold Days by Jim Butcher

Skin Game by Jim Butcher

Fantasy:

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (3 books)

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Dark Tower V (Wolves of the Calla) by Stephen King

The Magician King by Lev Grossman

The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman

The Black Company by Glen Cook

Shadows Linger by Glen Cook

The White Rose by Glen Cook

Shadow Games by Glen Cook

Song of Susannah (Dark Tower VI) by Stephen King

The Dark Tower (Dark Tower VII) by Stephen King

The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Stavely

The Providence of Fire by Brian Stavely

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

The Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Wise Mans Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle

Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

Sci-Fi:

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

In The Country of the Blind by Michael Flynn

World War Z by Max Brooks

Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling

Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

Double Star by Robert Heinlein

Western:

The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman