“A whole new world is opening up to you.” That was what my grandmother told me when I learned how to read.
This year, I explored worlds including Weimar Germany, Sand Hill Road, and small town Japan.
Here are my favorite books of the year, along with summaries of the others I read. I wrote blog posts about many of them, which I’ve linked here.
If you see something that sparks your interest, pick up a copy!
Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson tells the incredible story of how an abused child from South Africa became one of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs. Learning about how Elon leads informs how I evaluate founders today.
Honorable Mention: The Power Law by Sebastian Mallaby. A fascinating history of the venture capital industry. For anyone in startupland, this is a must-read.
Best Fiction Book: Ms. Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami. A young boy in Japan is mesmerized by a woman at a supermarket sandwich counter. But when he realizes how others see her, everything changes.
Honorable Mention: The Legend of the Holy Drinker by Joseph Roth. A homeless drunk named Andreas meets a mysterious man who gives him money. Andreas goes to great lengths to repay the debt.
The Rest (in the order I read them):
The Death of Ivan Illyich by Leo Tolstoy. Ivan chases money and social position until he falls ill. That’s when he realizes what’s really important.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. “As a start-up CEO I slept like a baby. I woke up every 2 hours and cried.” A relatable and deeply personal portrait of entrepreneurship.
Right and Left by Joseph Roth. A rich family falls into poverty in Weimar Germany.
Never Finished by David Goggins. How Goggins went from overweight exterminator to Navy SEAL. Goggins emphasizes that hard work is something to be enjoyed, not avoided. “With discipline as your medium, your life will become a work of art.”
The Lost Bank by Kirsten Grind. How Washington Mutual went from one of America’s largest banks to insolvency during the financial crisis.
Mr. China by Tim Clissold. The fascinating story of a Brit trying to invest in China in the 90’s. Bill Gurley recommended this, and he was spot on!
Chinese Rules by Tim Clissold. Once again, Clissold tries to make it in China, this time in green energy. Yet again, a solid business plan fails in the face of China’s peculiarities. A must read for anyone trying to do business in China.
The Naked Civil Servant by Quentin Crisp. A poignant memoir of what it was like to be a homosexual from the 1930’s to the 1960’s, before society accepted them.
The Secrets of Sand Hill Road by Scott Kupor. Kupor explains how venture capital works and how to get it. Clearly written, engaging, and useful.
Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure by Jerry Kaplan. Kaplan tells the story of founding GO Corporation, which created a proto-iPad in 1989. Unfortunately, the company went bust. Kaplan’s writing is deeply human, especially the scene in which he says goodbye to his beloved cat as it dies.
The Contrarian by Max Chafkin. How Peter Thiel became one of the top entrepreneurs and investors in Silicon Valley. I would’ve preferred more emphasis on his business career and less on his political views, but still an interesting book.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. The narrator sails deep into Africa to find the mysterious Colonel Kurtz. A difficult read, but intriguing.
Living with a SEAL by Jesse Itzler. The hilarious story of how an out-of-shape entrepreneur hires former SEAL David Goggins to train him. Their winter runs make me cold just reading about them!
The Greatest Trade Ever by Gregory Zuckerman. How John Paulson made billions betting against the housing market in the 2000’s.
Super Pumped by Mike Isaac. How Travis Kalanick braved corrupt regulators and entrenched interests to create Uber.
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. How Guidara and his team took a middling brasserie and turned it into what may be the greatest restaurant in the world. Even if you don’t run a restaurant, you’ll learn a lot about how to make your customers feel special.
Portugal by Rick Steves. This guide really helped me get the most out of my trip to Porto last month! A great overview of the many attractions of this beautiful country.
Number Go Up by Zeke Faux. A rollicking tour through one crypto scam after another. This book made me extremely skeptical of the industry in general. It seems to have produced little but fraud and speculation.
Wrap-Up
My goal at the beginning of 2023 was to read 20 books this year. I’m at 22 so far (up from 10 last year) and I might knock out a few more during my Christmas vacation!
Holding myself accountable to a number was helpful. It gave me a reason to turn off the TV and get some reading done!
I am making the same goal of 20 books for next year. I wonder what new worlds are waiting for me…
What’s the best book you’ve read in 2023? Leave a comment and let us know!
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More on books:
Elon Musk (Part 1): Overcoming the Odds
Number Go Up (Part 1): The Rise and Fall of SBF
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Photo: “Elon Musk” by dmoberhaus is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Tremendous 
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