These Books are So Good — Take the Plunge into These Masterpieces
Understand the past and do better in your present
You are not going to live forever.
Many have come before us. Many will come after us.
The important thing is that we make the best of our time here on earth. That means we should learn all we can about our history so as to not make naive assumptions. We should also learn to better ourselves in the present through knowledge.
In order to live a meaningful life, we also should not forget our end.
Today’s list of books will help you understand the past and teach you skills for a better future.
Let’s go!
1. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
What happens to the body after death?
Mary Roach is known for her humorous and well-written books.
Her humor lightens up the reader’s mood and makes the even difficult subject matter easier to read. For this book, the theme is human cadavers and what they contribute to our world.
Roach investigates different aspects of the cadavers’ lives. From decomposition to use in medical research, and from organ donation to crash tests, she leaves no stone unturned.
“The anonymity of body parts facilitates the necessary dissociations of cadaveric research: This is not a person. This is just tissue.”
Roach’s work takes her to many experts in the field. They help her lift the curtain for us.
The author thinks that people who make elaborate claims regarding their remains after death have not yet become at peace with ‘not existing’. She calls it a symptom of fear. The author even talks to a funeral director who believes survivors should make the decision on what happens to the remains of the deceased.
“It makes little sense to try to control what happens to your remains when you are no longer around to reap the joys or benefits of that control.”
This book will make you wonder… Where will I end up after dying?
2. Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
We all cannot be the same.
Chances are, that you have wondered about why a certain nation is modern and advanced, and another one is stuck struggling with providing basic necessities for its people.
The answer, according to the author of this book lies in the various advantages and disadvantages different groups of people had over the course of history and even now.
“History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples’ environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselves.”
It depends on the geography of the region as well as its flora and fauna.
Some climates are more suitable for growing food. Some have access to good trade routes. Some continents are broken up due to geography. Others are well-connected.
These factors cannot be ignored.
Some assume that the success or the lack thereof of nations for example Europe vs Africa stems from the biological differences between them. That’s not the case. The proponents of eugenics and those with racist ideologies, however, stick to that understanding.
“Much of human history has consisted of unequal conflicts between the haves and the have-nots.”
This book makes a compelling argument for the factors that set the path of a nation.
3. Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts by Annie Duke
A new approach to decision making.
Some people are very indecisive. They go back and forth on decisions. They keep overthinking. As a result, they live a life of stress.
This book will acquaint you with a whole new understanding of life’s decisions.
“The quality of our lives is the sum of decision quality plus luck.”
The author makes us realize that for decisions in life, we never have the full information. It doesn’t mean we should put no thought into a decision. It means that we should realize that even good decisions can lead to bad outcomes.
She likens life decisions to the ones that poker players make.
“Life is poker, not chess.”
The problem arises when we deal with life decisions the way decisions are dealt with in chess. In chess, the decision quality determines the quality of the outcome.
“We simply must come to a decision right now with as much as we know at this moment.”
This book will put you at ease regarding the many choices you have to make in life.
4. The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir
The quest for a male heir.
Henry VIII was the King of England from 1509 to 1547 during the Tudor period.
He took 6 wives, one after the other. Their names are:
- Catherine of Aragon
- Anne Boleyn
- Jane Seymour
- Anne of Cleves
- Catherine Howard
- Catherine Parr
The following quote summarizes their fates.
“Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived.”
This book is meticulous and well-researched. It tells us about the life story of each of these women. Not only that, but Alison Weir also tells about how each of these women affected the course of the history of England.
We also get to know the political climate and the social issues of that time.
Henry VIII wanted a son but even after multiple pregnancies, most of which ended in a miscarriage, his first wife only gave him one daughter.
Jane Seymour was the wife that ultimately bore him a son. Perhaps that was the reason why he said to be buried with her.
“When Henry VIII died, he left instructions that he was to be buried with Jane.”
Was he the great king of England or was he a tyrannical ruler? Read the book to decide for yourself.
5. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
When the human mind becomes ill…
Oliver Sacks was a distinguished neurologist.
“Loss of creativity means loss of self.”
His book explores the case studies of his patients who suffer from neurological issues. He tells us of their predicament and how they deal with what they are facing.
We learn about people losing the sense of their body. Others can’t form memories. A few however become gifted in a certain domain as a result of their ailment.
The author also makes psychological and philosophical reflections on many of these cases.
“The split between thinking and feeling, mind and body, is one of the fundamental dualities of human existence.”
His words leave us to ponder long and hard about the human mind, conscience, and what it means to be truly alive.
6. Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife
Get to know zero.
We are accustomed to zero being all around us. We use it in mathematics, counting, and in everyday life.
However, zero hasn’t always been here.
“Zero is powerful because it is infinity’s twin. They are equal and opposite, yin and Yang.”
Believe it or not, the world used to work without a zero.
The author tells us how zero was created and accepted (or not) around the world. Zero was not a mathematical concept only. It was also a philosophical one. Can ‘nothingness’ exist? That is the question.
The book also goes into complex mathematical equations and the contributions of zero in physical sciences.
“Nature speaks in equations.”
The understanding of the universe also requires the understanding of zero. The Big Bang is the ground zero of the universe.
The author also talks about zero’s arch nemesis, infinity.
7. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
What will happen if we contact aliens?
This is a science fiction novel originally published in China in 2008.
It went on to become a successful book and was ultimately translated into English. The book also forms the basis of the recently released TV series ‘3 Body Problem’.
“Sometimes I thought life was precious, and everything was so important; but other times I thought humans were insignificant, and nothing was worthwhile. “
The novel tells us the story of Ye Wenjie, an astrophysics graduate. Her father is beaten to death.
Ye is imprisoned and goes on to work for Red Coast. It is a secret initiative to get in touch with extraterrestrial life.
“Everyone is afraid of something. The enemy must be, too. The more powerful they are, the more they have to lose to their fears.”
Things go wrong with Ye at the center of it all. The Trisolarans from outer space discover Earth and want to inhabit it.
The name of the novel comes from the fact that the planet Trisolaris is in a system where three stars orbit each other. This leads to unpredictable outcomes for those living on Trisolaris. At one point they are pulled off the surface.
8. Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal
Take charge of your attention and focus.
Honestly, being able to focus in today’s world is an incredible skill.
Each of us has our phone at all times. Some even take it to the bathroom.
In short, there is no denying that we are all living distracted lives. This is not a good thing by any chance.
“Simply put, the drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of all our behavior, while everything else is a proximate cause.”
The author says that being distracted is our brain’s way of dealing with psychological discomfort and pain.
The author helps us understand the internal and external triggers that make us lose attention. He teaches us ways to deal with them through actionable points.
“Empowering children with the autonomy to control their own time is a tremendous gift. Even if they fail from time to time, failure is part of the learning process.”
This book will help you understand your attention and its relationship to your brain in a better way.
9. The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman
Do your MBA now by picking up this book!
Josh Kaufman is disillusioned with universities. He thinks that they take credit for the already bright people’s success.
I have to admit, he is not wrong.
Since the author believes that the skills that higher education claims to teach can be learned outside the institutions, he has written this book.
“Ideas are cheap — what counts is the ability to translate an idea into reality, which is much more difficult than recognizing a good idea.”
I must say it covers all the ground when it comes to business. Sales, marketing, finance, you name it and Kaufman explains it.
The author tells us that the main task of a business is creating value.
The customer would only come to your business if he or she believes that you are providing more value than the competitors.
“People buy because they believe they’re getting more value in the Transaction than they’re spending.”
In short, a business will only thrive if it creates real value for its customers.
10. The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff
What really happened?
9/11 was an event that changed the world. We can still feel its effects 22 years later.
“The significance of the date of September 11th, 9/11, was seared into the nation’s collective memory, altering the way those affected looked at the calendar and even clocks.”
This book explores that day from the eyes of those who lived it.
If you are an American, you probably know where you were and what you were doing when 9/11 happened.
That is true for many people.
The author tells the story of survivors, those who died, and others who were affected deeply by this event.
We hear their feelings in their own words which makes this book all the more personal. It will make you emotional.
The book plays out minute-by-minute, the happenings on 9th September 2001. In the words of John Cartier:
“The sound was so deafening.”
For an up close and personal account of how 9/11 unfolded, pick up this book.
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