3 Brilliant Books I Read In January

Reading list for January

One of the favourite emails I receive each and every month is Ryan Holiday’s Reading Recommendation Email. Whilst I was reading Ryan’s last email, it got me thinking:

Why don’t I start doing this myself? So here we are!

From this day forth, I promise that at the end of each month, I’ll be posting reviews on 3 of the best books I read during the previous month.

So without further ado, here are 3 brilliant books I read in January…

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient is a #1 New York times bestseller written by British-Cypriot author Alex Michaelides.

The Silent Patient is a psychological thriller which follows criminal psychotherapist, Theo Faber (who’s also the narrator) and his patient Alicia Berenson, who brutally murders her husband and then never speaks another word after his murder.

I can certainly understand why The Silent Patient has sold a whopping 6.5 million copies, it’s unbelievably gripping and brilliant, and I’m not kidding when I say I genuinely struggled to put the it down!

I gave it to my Mum to read as soon as I’d finished reading it and she absolutely loved it. If Mum says she loves a book, you all better pay close attention and give it a read yourself!

Here are a few quotes from The Silent Patient:

• “Remember, love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.”
• “Choosing a lover is a lot like choosing a therapist. We need to ask ourselves, is this someone who will be honest with me, listen to criticism, admit making mistakes, and not promise the impossible?”
• “There’s so much pain everywhere, and we just close our eyes to it. The truth is we’re all scared. We’re terrified of each other.”

How To Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald J. Robertson

Donald J. Robertson is a Scottish cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist and an expert on classical Greek and Roman philosophy.

In his book, How To Think Like a Roman Emperor, Donald gives us a compelling exploration into Stoic philosophy, and how it can be used in modern day society.

I’d say How To Think Like a Roman Emperor is the perfect book for anyone who’s wanting to find a route into Stoic philosophy, but isn’t quite sure where to start. It’s written in such an incredibly approachable and easy to understand manner, which isn’t always the case when it comes to reading philosophical books.

My friend at work was the first person to tell me about the book. He loved it so much he even finished listening to it in a day!

I listened it on Audible as per recommendation from my friend, and I’m so glad I did, because Donald J. Robertson is literally the perfect narrator. I’d go as far as saying it’s one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to, it’s incredible!

I’ll most certainly listening to it again at some point this year!

Here are a few quotes from How To Think Like a Roman Emperor…

• “The wise man is consistent in both his thoughts and actions.”
• “We don’t control our initial reaction, perhaps, but we do control how we respond to it: it’s not what happens first that matters but what you do next.”
• “Pain and discomfort can become advantages in life if they provide opportunities for us to develop our strengths.”

The Way Of Zen by Alan Watts

The Way of Zen, published in 1957, is written by English Writer Alan Watts. Watts is probably most renowned for popularising Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism in the Western world.

The Way of Zen explores the origins and history of Zen Buddhism, demonstrates a clear portrait what Zen actually is, and how it can be incorporated into our daily lives.

It’s the kind of book I’ve been meaning to read for a while because I feel like my spiritual side has been waning in recent months, but after reading it I’ve been feeling more centred and present.

It’s super intriguing and it’s left me wanting to know a lot more about Buddhism and Taoism (Taosim especially).

Here are a few quotes from The Way of Zen:

• “When we attempt to exercise power or control over someone else, we cannot avoid giving that person the very same power or control over us.”
• “There is never anything but the present, and if one cannot live there, one cannot live anywhere.”
• “To travel is to be alive, but to get somewhere is to be dead, for as our own proverb says, “To travel well is better than to arrive.”

Happy reading,

See you next time,

Yours sincerely,

Tom

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