For more than a decade, I've been tracking the books I've read. While not exhaustive, the list below are the most
impactful books I've read by year and my thoughts on each.
2025
There Is No Antimemetics Division
There Is No Antimemetics Division
qntm
Cosmic horror meets hard sci-fi: antimemes are self-censoring ideas and powerful entities use them to cloak their own existence while invading minds and humanity's consensus reality. The researchers and agents of the Foundation are tasked with containing these powerful memetic forces and saving humanity.
The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West
The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West
Alexander Karp & Nicholas Zamiska
Technology isn't neutral; it reshapes society by creating new opportunities for both good and evil. We must give careful thought to balancing innovation and public good. In a multipolar world, where other actors are advancing their agendas with technology, how does the West respond?
Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track
Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track
Will Larson
For those who seek to lead without being purely a manager of people, what does the path look like? What archtypes can the staff engineer embody and how do they make their mark?
Stubborn Attachments: A Vision for a Society of Free, Prosperous, and Responsible Individuals
Stubborn Attachments: A Vision for a Society of Free, Prosperous, and Responsible Individuals
Tyler Cowen
Our moral framework should prioritize the well-being of future generations by committing to sustained economic growth as an ethical imperative. True wealth includes such things as leisure and a healthy biosphere, but these are strongly correlated with economic indicators of wealth.
When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach
When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach
Ashlee Vance
Planet Labs is featured prominently in this book about the new space race and the quest to make space commercially viable. The stories behind the startups are deeply fascinating and I enjoyed the portrayal of the cast of characters.
Childhood experiences often shape our relationships to work and money. Interesting insights along the way of wealth creation and a reminder to be humble.
Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence
Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence
Esther Perel
Esther Perel's TED talk has been seen by many, and this book expands on some of the main themes from her talk, especially the question of why romantic relationships start with passion but then lose steam. Perel explores the tension between the domestic and the novel, and why two partners each need to maintain a dinstinct sense of self within the relationship.
The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings
The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings
Nick Gray
If you want to meet new people and make new friends, you have to bring them to you, and the best way is to throw great parties. This book outlines how to keep it simple, how to keep it sustainable, and how to regularly throw the kinds of events that grow a great community of relationships.
Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing on an Infinitely Bountiful Planet
Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing on an Infinitely Bountiful Planet
Marian L. Tupy & Gale L. Pooley
For centuries the prevailing logic has been that as the population grows, resources become more scarce. The authors show conclusively that the opposite has been true. As the world's population has grown, people have been incentivized to innovate in ways that made resources more abundant. The relationship is more than linear, hence the term superabundance. This hopeful and optimistic book was thoroughly researched and a wonderful counterweight to the common apocalyptic narrative.
Free will, from the perspective of neuroscience, may not in fact exist, but it matters very much that as a society we continue to operate as though it does.
At any moment you can choose to live differently. Suffering arises when we pursue recognition instead of personal excellence. Everyone should recognize what is within their own control and responsibility to change. Conflict arises from trying to change others. All healthy relationship are horizontal relationships. Freedom and happiness come from living according to one's own principles. Contributing and feeling connected to a community is also essential for happiness.
The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised
The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised
James Pethokoukis
We need to get away from framing ideologies as either left wing or right wing. Instead, focus on which policies that are "upwing" instead of "downwing": which promote human flourishing, growth, and abundance. American society once embraced risk and believed in self-determination, but has become mired in bureaucracy and risk aversion. By returning to more "upwing" principles, America can build an abundant future.
Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World
Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World
Gaia Vince
Climate change will render parts of the world uninhabitable. Humans will respond by migrating, which could trigger a humanitarian crisis if managed poorly. The global north will be the key destination. Migration also represents an opportunity to address demographic challenges and labor shortages.
There's no new land left to settle, so where do you pioneer new ideas, new forms of government, new ways of associating? The new frontier will be digital nations: organizations with governance via blockchain that eventually achieve international recognition. These will be the new nations.
Our deepest wounds can cultivate profound self-understanding and growth. Heartbreak isn’t a defeat, but a necessary passage toward rebuilding a richer, more resilient sense of self.
An exploration of masculinity through myth and storytelling. The lack of male rites of passage in modern society is regrettable, and has impoverished men.
True prosperity lies in nurturing human well-being over mere economic growth. The book envisions a balanced society where government and community actively shape an economy that serves people, not profits.
A western education often overlooks how ancient trade routes and cultural exchanges between Asia, Africa, and Europe were engines of change and wealth creation.
Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again
Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again
Johann Hari
Our modern environment—rife with digital distractions and systemic pressures—systematically undermines our ability to concentrate. We need to rethink the structures that are designed to hijack our ability to concentrate.
Unhealthy patterns and internal blockages get in the way of truly experiencing life. Letting go of these and embracing present-moment awareness creates freedom.
Low or zero-carbon options now exist that could decarbonize the world's economy, but many still carry a premium. Innovation, investment, and policy reform need to bring these down.
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
Kristin Kobes Du Mez
American evangelicals have merged the humility of Jesus with the rugged, militant masculinity of John Wayne, forging a potent—and often contradictory—blueprint for modern conservative manhood. The book traces this historical evolution, revealing how this fusion has fueled a transformative and politically charged cultural identity.
Envisions a borderless, digital future where nation-states are undermined and collapse. A libertarian vision that sounds like it will be a bad deal for most people.
A literary, fictionalized history of how scientific revolutions can shatter our grip on reality and plunge us into an uncertain future. Beautiful, haunting prose.
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Max Tegmark
As we entire a new era, where we are creating new forms of intelligence, thoughtful stewardship of AI development is needed to ensure that this transformative technology aligns with human values and benefits society as a whole.
Humans have long sought to control nature, often with unforeseen consequences. However, there is no longer any leaving nature alone. We have changed nature too much. We engineered our way into problems, and we need to engineer our way out.
The Polymath: Unlocking the Power of Human Versatility
The Polymath: Unlocking the Power of Human Versatility
Waqas Ahmed
The modern world has seduced us into hyperspecialization, but to face the multifaceted challenges of the future, we must embrace a diversity of skills and interdisciplinary thinking. We must all become polymaths.
An epic semi-autobiographical account of an Australian fugitive who flees to India and joins the Mumbai underground. Seeking to flee his path, he must face himself and ultimately seek redemption.
Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History
Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History
Paul Farmer
Paul Farmer traces how centuries of exploitation, inequality, and conflict have not only shaped West Africa's vulnerability but also paved the way for devastating Ebola outbreaks. He argues that the epidemic is as much a product of deep-rooted historical and socio-political forces as it is a biological crisis, urging a holistic approach to public health that addresses these systemic issues.
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance
W. Timothy Gallwey
The biggest obstacle to peak performance is the inner dialog that breeds self-doubt and distraction. This book is about far more than tennis or sports. By quieting the inner critic, we are more able to enter flow states, perform at our best, and enjoy a better quality of life.
Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World
Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World
Jacqueline Novogratz
Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, calls on leaders and individuals alike to redefine success in ways that prioritize long-term social impact over short-term gains, urging a collective moral reawakening to build a more just world.
Published in the 1970s, Gerard O'Neill lays out a plan for how to build human colonies in space, complete with artificial gravity, manufacturing, energy systems, and life support. I marvel at the optimism.
Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All
Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All
Michael Shellenberger
Climate change is real, but alarmist rhetoric obstructs pragmatic technological innovations that address the problem and ignores the substantial progress that was already been made.
Envisions a near-future world where a dedicated international agency tackles the escalating climate crisis through bold, systemic strategies—ranging from innovative policies to controversial geoengineering.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Matthew Walker
Sleep is the foundation of health. How and why we sleep is worth understanding better. The consequences of disregarding our sleep are much worse than we used to think.
Explores how modern society's disconnection from tight-knit communities creates a void in belonging, contrasting the deep bonds of tribal life with today's individualism.
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions
Johann Hari
Argues that depression stems from deep social and environmental disconnections, and suggests that re-establishing meaningful relationships and purposes can pave the way to recovery.
The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self, Revised Edition
The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self, Revised Edition
Alice Miller
Examines how early childhood experiences and parental expectations can hinder authentic self-development, urging a journey toward rediscovering one's true identity.
A seminal cyberpunk novel that follows a washed-up hacker on a high-stakes journey through a virtual frontier, redefining the nexus between technology and reality.
A modern fable that intertwines personal ambition with the sweeping economic changes of Asia, highlighting the interplay of desire, chance, and transformation.
The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives
The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives
Peter Diamandis
Investigates how rapid technological convergence is set to revolutionize industries and reshape everyday life, heralding unprecedented changes in our world.
A God That Could Be Real: Spirituality, Science, and the Future of Our Planet
A God That Could Be Real: Spirituality, Science, and the Future of Our Planet
Nancy Ellen Abrams
Merges spiritual inquiry with scientific perspectives to explore the possibility of a tangible divine presence influencing our future and the planet’s destiny.
Chronicles a young man’s quest for enlightenment and self-discovery, weaving a timeless narrative about the balance between worldly experience and spiritual awakening.
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Ashlee Vance
Offers an in-depth look at an earlier Elon Musk's visionary drive to reshape transportation, space exploration, and renewable energy, capturing both his triumphs and challenges.
Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality
Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality
Anthony De Mello
Challenges readers to break free from conditioned perceptions and embrace a heightened state of mindfulness as a path to personal and spiritual transformation.
Most of the burdens of disease are borne at an advanced age. Why is it that young people do not typically suffer cancer, cardiovascular disease, or dementia? How we age is becoming much better understood, and can be measured via specific biomarkers. These hold the clues for arresting and perhaps even reversing aging. Cure aging and you cure all the other diseases as well.
Explores the alternative Christian text of the Gospel of Thomas, inviting readers to reconsider traditional religious narratives and the origins of spiritual thought.
Offers reflective insights on building authentic self-assurance, emphasizing that true confidence emerges from self-understanding, vulnerability, and continuous growth.
