If you want to have a great year of growth, create a great year of reading. That’s because the books you read change you. They change your thinking and your expectations. They increase the number of tools, tips and tricks you can tap into. They alter your perspective and add to your experience, knowledge and wisdom. They increase your inspiration and motivation and various other forms of ation.
I keep a reading log of the books I read each year. I try to add 2 to 4 books per month to the list. I am extremely happy with both the quality and quantity of books I have read over the first 2 months of 2025. Which means I can’t just keep these to myself. So here are the books I have read this year, in the order I read them.
This is a good book full of stories about good people doing the right thing. Even when it was really hard or unpopular. Holiday says that of all the books he has written, this is the one he most wants his kids to read. I agree. It’s a top shelf book. (If being on the top shelf was a good thing in books, like it is in hard liquor. But being top shelf in books may mean inappropriate for kids, or short adults. And that’s not what I mean.)
I learned about this super book because my wife Dawn is reading it with her Mahjong Crew, Laura, Maria and Molly. The title of the book intrigued me. So I listened to the audio version on a road trip. It was full of good lessons, examples, tips and tricks about communication, persuasion and deepening relationships. A highlight was an analysis of the difference between the way that happy and unhappily married couples fight. And yes, they both fight, and they fight about the same things. But the subtle difference in the way they fight makes a huge difference. I am supercurious to know who at this point in the paragraph has decided that they don’t need better communications skills. I superrecommend.
Wow! Not only did this book open my eyes to one of the great figures in world history, it reminded me of how little I know about world history that takes place outside of the United States or Western Europe. Khan’s is the ultimate rags to riches story. He was a brutal warrior and conqueror, but an open-minded and inclusive leader who ruled over a larger empire than any other conqueror on the planet. It was also interesting to note that he changed his name a couple of times. Kinda like Yvette Marie Stevens, who you now know as Chaka Khan. It must be a Khan thing. Another Top Shelf book.
I saw this book on the list of 100 most important books of the 21st Century. And I knew it had recently been turned into a motion picture. Both of which are good indicators that it’s a worthwhile read. This short book, about 114 pages, was as well written as any book I have read. Packed with imagery-evoking description, but easy to digest, the book flew by like Maverick and Goose buzzing the control tower. For three quarters of the book I wondered where we were going to land. Then, like a good Seinfeld episode, all the pieces came together in a real wow in the last quarter. And I learned about another dark corner of history I knew nothing about. Everyone in your household should read this.
I re-read this helpful management guide for the first time in several years. I love how it simplifies management into a few very simple steps that are easy to understand and implement. A great read for any manager of other humans. Including parents, coaches and parole officers.
When I dug deeper into Keegan’s body of work, Foster surfaced as another fan favorite. It was another quick and enjoyable read. Descriptive. Simple. With interesting situations hiding in the shadows throughout. And a great reminder how different people are. And how much influence we can all have on another human’s experience. Spoiler alert: the book is not about the guys who invented the banana dessert. It’s a good read.
I couldn’t get enough of this book. I discovered it during the NFL playoffs, when A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles was spotted on the sideline reading the book during a game. I immediately ordered the book to see what might be so valuable that you would keep in next to the Gatorade during a competition. I quickly found out. The book is a must read for athletes and coaches. It introduces a healthier and more empowering way to think about competition and performance than I had ever heard before. And I have been a highly involved is athletics as an athlete and a coach for a large part of my life. I can’t wait for the sequel, Outer Excellence, to help me with my hair, nail and skin care routine, and to teach me how to dress snazzy. This gets my top shelf AA rating.
I read a lot, and am always looking for the graduate level books on the subjects I care most about. This was definitely a graduate-level book on the powerful transformation of markets, industries, growth and relationships. As soon as I finished the book, I wanted to begin again, like Poor Old Michael Finnegan. I don’t remember the last time I dog-eared so many pages in a book or noted so many sections. I found this book incredibly inspiring and empowering. Perhaps one of my all-time top 10 books. I recommend this for business and economics geeks. And for people with deep passions. And anyone who wants to know how the world really works.
Key Takeaway
Books are powerful tools for self-improvement. I am amazed by how much I have added to my body of knowledge in the past 2 months alone. Make sure to constantly seek out great and important books that increase your knowledge, expand your view, and add to your skills and decision-making abilities. Remember, life is short. So read the good books first. And remember that short books are great for building your reading muscles.
If you have read some great books you think that I would enjoy, please send them my way. I can be reached at adam@theweaponry.com or 614-256-2850.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Some people are Sneakerheads. Others are Deadheads. I am a Bookhead. I collect books. I organize them. And I display them. As a result, I always have unread books in my home. So at the start of 2023, I collected 12 physical books from my personal library as my reading list for the year. It was interesting to look at the mini-library and know that I was expected to plow through the stack over the course of the year.
Having a stack of 12 books also gave me a defined list to choose from each month. It allowed me to decide if I was going to take on something big and meaty or smaller and lighter each month. Then I also decided to read 12 audiobooks that were random and unplanned. Or what I call Nick Cannon-style.
Like disciples, eggs, and donuts, my books come in twelves.
So I am back with a new stack of 24 books in ’24. (Which is wicked symmetrical.) This time I went a step further and predetermined both the Let’s Get Physical books and the Big Audio Dynamite books. Here are the lists, and why I chose each title.
My 12 Let’s Get Physical Books
The Innovators Dilemma by Clayton M Christensen:
Because I enjoy a good dilemma. Which sounds like a contraction of Dali Lama.
This book is the foundation of economics. Plus I dig authors named Adam.
My 12 Big Audio Dynamite Books
This week I discovered that Spotify Premium allows you to listen to audiobooks. This is a total game-changer. Because I love audiobooks, but the library app I use to listen to them limits my time with each title. And I often have long wait times to listen to popular titles. So I am expecting 2024 to be my best year of audiobooks ever, both in terms of quantity and quality. Here are the books in my audio library.
This title is so silly I have to hear the story behind it. Plus, I get a lot of great book recommendations from Ryan Holiday, whose name I always say like Madonna would. I expect all of his books to be good too.
I want to be useful. I would also like to have as many useful tools for life as I have dwarfs.
Key Takeaway
Reading is an important part of your self-improvement plan. Your self-directed education adds to your world knowledge, increases creativity, and enhances both your vocabulary and writing skills. Create a reading habit that works for you. Start small. And once you recognize how much it helps you will naturally find ways to read more.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this list, please share it with them.
One of the most important things I do each year is read. It is the primary source of my self-directed education. Reading not only makes you smarter, but it also increases creativity and vocabulary. It provides an endless source of insight and inspiration. And when you read you are ensuring that all those trees and little ink bugs didn’t die in vain.
I set a goal at the beginning of 2023 to read 12 physical books and 12 audiobooks. I also did something new this year. I gathered the 12 physical books I wanted to read into a stack before the year started. This gave me a visual goal and a library to choose from each month. The results were interesting. Of the 12 books in my 2023 stack, I started 11 but only finished 7 of them. Waa-waa…
Here is my original stack for 2023. I started all by Work Happy. I finished 7 of the 12.
However, in total I read 41 books, far exceding my goal. I have read that the average CEO reads 52 books a year. Which means I am below average. But I’m guessing the average CEO doesn’t also coach youth football and high school track, so cut me some squash.
One of the keys to my larger reading total this year was adding shorter books into the mix. These are books of about 60 to 150 pages. I find that these books are no less valuable than the longer books, but they have less filling, and taste great.
Here are the 41 books I read in 2023 year, in chronological order. (I find chrono to be among the most logical.) 8 of these books are rated AA, which is the highest rating on the Adam Albrecht reading scale. Everyone should read these.
Adam Albrecht’s 2023 Reading List.
Factfulness was my first book of 2023 and one of the best.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling: I loved this book. It is a fact-based, data-based look at the world. And it is full of charts that show how the world is steadily getting better for everyone on nearly every measure. It is a great read for everyone except those who truly want to believe the world is bad and getting worse. I wrote a full review of this book you can read here.Rating. AA
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is an inspirational parable about finding your personal legacy and how the whole universe is trying to help you get what you want in life. I first read this right before I started my entrepreneurial journey. I don’t know if I would have become an entrepreneur without it. (I may have become a shepherd.) Everyone should read this book. Rating AA
The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle: This book is a guide to enlightenment. It is deep. Like ocean-deep. It teaches you how to avoid pain and suffering by living in the now. I really enjoyed it. Because I am deep. Like Johnny Deep.
The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: This is a great shorter book about how to make and keep agreements, and commitments. It provides a short and simple code of conduct that has the power to transform your life. Plus I learned about Toltec wisdom. I was surprised to learn it is not the technology they use at toll booths. (But it should be.)
Guide Coaching by Stacy Sollenberger, Monique Honaman and Ellen Dotts: Written by my friends Stacy Sollenberger and Monique Honaman, this book teaches you how to be a great leader by coaching your people. Which is different from mentoring, advising, or dictating. It’s short and valuable. Like a Leprechaun.
Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl: This is a book about finding meaning and purpose in difficult times. Frankl shares his story as a Nazi concentration camp prisoner. It is a remarkable book on psychological thought. It is both heavy and inspirational at the same time. Like the Buddha.
The 12-week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington. This book teaches how to shorten your goals and working timeframes to 12 weeks to get more done. The 12-week time frame keeps goals in mind and the pressure on yourself and your team. Whereas a 12-month year can have too much dead time. It’s a very good idea.
Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody This is a light and entertaining book about a boy’s experience growing up on a ranch in Colorado. Since Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder is my favorite book of all time I really enjoyed this. It made me feel like a kid again.
Night by Elie Wiesel: This book won the Nobel Peace Prize. It is short and powerful, like Man’s Search for Meaning. Wiesel also shares his account of his Nazi concentration camp experience. Spoiler alert: it was horrible. But there are important lessons to be learned.
I listened to this thought-provoking audio book on Spring Break And it made me want to quit my job and spend all of my money.
Die With Zero by Bill Perkins Perkins proposes an interesting life philosophy to spend all of your money during your lifetime. The crux of the philosophy is that you shouldn’t spend any of your precious time working for money you won’t need. More importantly, it opened my eyes to the limitation of spending your money past a certain age when you can no longer do things that cost a lot. This book will really make you think.,
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey This book was more than alright, alright, alright. I listened to it as an audiobook and highly recommend that format because you get to hear McConaughey bring the book to life. It is both autobiographical and philosophical. It is definitely interesting and inspirational.
It’s Your Ship by Captain Michael Abrashoff Captain Abrashoff tells the story of taking command of a terrible ship and turning it into the model of ship-ness for all of the military to envy. There are great lessons that can be applied to any organization, team, or business. The book provides a reminder that great leaders can effect great change. And that we all need to get our ship together.
The Power Of One More by Ed Mylett: I have listened to the Ed Mylett podcast for years. His book has more of the same good content including life lessons and philosophies on success and overcoming adversity.
I loved this little book about the power of timing. I think about it all the time. Even when I’m using thyme.
When by Daniel Pink This book is about the scientific facts, secrets and finding of perfect timing. There’s a lot more to getting the timing right than you thought. I found the insights fascinating. And I would read anything Daniel Pink wrote.
Living on a Smileby Jo Ann Herold: Jo Ann is a fellow Ripples Media author, like me. Her book reflects on her life and career and the positive influences she’s had along the way.
The Conquering Creative by William Warren: William is also a fellow Ripples Media author. He shares his personal story of young William as an art school student who became afraid to pursue a career as an artist. But after a few years in a corporate job, he decided to follow his passion and create a creative career. He now leads a thriving creative business. He shares tips and tricks to help other creatives do the same. As a creative-turned-entrepreneur myself, I endorse this book as a great how-to.
Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters: This book is about the power unleashed when great visionary leaders team up with great operational leaders. It creates Rocket Fuel. Elton John would find it useful.
Think Againby Adam Grant: Grant shares interesting insights about the power of rethinking what you thought you knew. It is about being open to new information. And about how the world is actually filled with complicated dilemmas rather than rights and wrongs. It’s a great book to read during an election year. Oh looky, we’re in an election year!
Mentoring 101 by John C Maxwell: The great leadership expert Maxwell shares insights into mentoring, which is a specific kind of leadership. Hence, the title.
How Successful People Thinkby John C. Maxwell: Here Maxwell shares collections of commonalities among successful people. He shares the importance of big-picture thinking, creative thinking, and shared thinking to shape your life for the better.
There’s a reason this book was a #1 National Best Seller. (Because it sold the best in the nation.)
Devil In The White City by Erik Larson: This book is amazing! I have owned it for a long time and heard how good it is. But only read it this year. It is about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The book tells the true story of how the fair happened against all odds, and about the serial killer who preyed on those coming to Chicago. (Note that preyed is very different than prayed.) This is Rated AA
You Get The Agency You Deserve by Jared Belsky: Jared is another Ripples Media author. He has led multiple advertising agencies and shares lessons about how great clients get great work out of their agencies, how bad clients get bad work, and how anyone can become a great client and get great work from their agency.
I knew nothing about the history of the Comanches. This book was a reminder of the very narrow accounts of American history most of us know.
Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne: This is a fascinating book about the rise and fall of the Comanche Indians, the badest Indian tribe of them all. And the last to be conquered in America. It is a great book that teaches real history that goes far beyond what we learned in school. Rated AA
Grit by Angela Duckworth: Duckworth shares her important work on the power of grit on success and achievement. This is important stuff to know. And surprisingly, there’s no sandpaper.
Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom. The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World. I had seen the movie. The book is better. The story is incredible. And Bloom is a force that could probably do anything she set out to do. Rated AA
Check out the dudes who endorse this book on the cover. You probably don’t need to read my endorsement below. Just click the link and buy it.
Principles by Ray Dalio: Dalio is one of the richest dudes on the planet. He made his money through the hedge fund he created, Bridgewater Associates. More impressively, Dalio has amassed a broad range of important principles to be applied to life and work to be most successful. I loved this book and all the great knowledge it shares. Rated AA
Year Of Yes by Shonda Rhimes: Shonda Rhimes (No relation to LeAnn) is the creator of such cultural hits as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. After a pivotal moment in her life, she decides to say Yes! to everything for a year. The book is the story of what happened as a result. Also, Rhimes went to college at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, where I went to high school. So I dug all of the hometown talk in this book. If you are a no-sayer, check this book out. (And also read it.)
Wake Up Happy by Michael Strahan: This is a biography of the NFL football star and TV show host. He shares his unique journey to the NFL. And how he got all of his TV opportunities, despite some speaking challenges.
Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne: This is a great business strategy book that maps out how to create Blue Oceans, areas without direct competitors, and avoid Red Oceans, highly competitive spaces that turn into bloodbaths. That just went dark, huh? This is a great business book. It’s underwhelming if you are reading it to learn about great beaches.
The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink. Pink writes insightful, data-backed gems about how looking backward moves us forward. He inspires us all to learn from the past to create a better future. I really enjoyed this book and don’t regret reading it at all. Nor do I regret not getting any tattoos. If you are thinking about getting some new ink I suggest you read this first.
First, Break All The Rules by Marcus Buckingham: Another great business book, this book dives into what really separates great managers from everyone else. Studies have shown that they have a fundamentally different way of getting the best out of their people and the roles they fill.
Killers of The Flower Moon by David Grann: Now a hit movie starring guys from Meet the Fockers and The Wolf of Wall Street, this book is about the Osage Indians, a rash of unexplained murders, and the birth of the FBI. The book is great, and a real eye-opener to a chapter of American History I knew nothing about. The book is great if you like to read about murder or history. There is less about flowers and moons than you might have guessed based on the title.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Manson: I guess this book was about the power of not giving an F. The title was the best part of the book. I didn’t get it. Based on ratings and reviews, other people really liked it. But it was the only book I read last year that I didn’t enjoy or wouldn’t recommend. Maybe it’s because I am not subtle. And because I do give an F.
Years ago, my friend David Grzelak told me he read these books with his kids and loved them. This has been on my to-read list ever since. Turns out this book was much easier to read than the name Grzelak.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: I loved this book! This was one of the few fiction books I read this year. I had seen the movie, and the book was even better. It was highly entertaining and thought-provoking. It reminded me of Running Man with Arnold. But with a young lady hero leading a fight to the death, and fighting against the evils of the society she lives in. I was hungry for more Hunger Games, so I got the other 3 books in the series for Christmas. Rated AA
The Journey of the Crescent Penny by Curt Reynolds: My friend Curt wrote this interesting little book about a misprinted penny, and what happens to each of the people who receive the penny. The ending provided a total surprise, and I hope Curt writes a sequel because I have to know what happens next.
This story is crazy! Which is why it has been turned into multiple shows.
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. This book tells the story of the Sackler family dynasty. The family dynasty is based on riches made off of pain medication. The Sacklers and their little business, Purdue Pharma, created Oxycontin, and the opioid crisis. This is a fascinating book on how money corrupts. Rated AA
Kobe by Nelson Pena: This book is about the life and legend of Kobe Bryant. It provides lessons we can all learn from the unique and obsessed approach Kobe brought to everything he did. I found it interesting. I have had a challenge with the Kobe hero worship since his incident at that Colorado hotel. But this book helped me see why others like him so much.
Influence by Robert Cialdini: This book provides a highly scientific explanation of the various forms of influence and how we can use them both personally and professionally. There is a lot that can be applied to marketing, advertising and sales, which are all areas of Cialdini’s specialty as a college professor. The book was dense with information and insights, like a serious college textbook. Expect to learn a lot from reading this. But don’t expect to read this tome in a weekend.
Originalsby Adam Grant: This book dives into what sets truly original thinkers apart. It all starts with rejecting the most commonly held approaches and assumptions and exploring better options. The book dives into who has done this well and how you can apply their approaches to your life.
Key Takeaway
I am a fundamentally different person today than I was a year ago because of these 41 books. Create your own stack of books to read to help you learn and grow in 2024. Share what you like with the rest of us. It’s how we all get better together.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I’m not easy to scare. I’m not an anxious or nervous person. In fact, I am so normal that I am often bored by my lack of lunacy. My kids say that the only thing I am scared of is missing out on a fun time. In the past, they may have been right.
But I have a new fear that seems to have crept up on me when I wasn’t looking. I feel it in libraries and bookstores. It makes me truly uncomfortable in these places that should be quiet and calming.
So What’s Up?
I have tracked and analyzed this feeling and have discovered its source. Libraries and bookstores make me anxious, because I am now comparing all of the books I want to read with how little time I have left to read them. The equation does not work in my favor. And this freaks me out.
I enter each bookstore as if it were my last. And it is wigging me out.
Organ Transplants
I love to read. Reading a book is like being the recipient of an organ transplant. Because as you read, someone else’s knowledge gets transferred to your body of knowledge. Yet, unlike when you receive a new, kidney, heart or appendix, your body rarely rejects new reading material. Even when you disagree with what you’ve read, you incorporate it into your understanding and world view.
Entrepreneurship Makes Symptoms Worse
I have always loved to read. But ever since I founded my advertising and idea agency, The Weaponry, my reading pace has picked up. So has my phobia. My FOLAB (Fear Of Libraries and Bookstores) is like FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Except the FOLAB stems from the knowledge, perspective, and mental stimulation I know I will never receive.
I have read several sources that say the average CEO reads one book per week. This doesn’t surprise me. Because entrepreneurs are looking for as much knowledge as they can accumulate. I turn to books as my primary source of professional inspiration and education. I pick up something useful in everything I read. I always juggle several books at once (because they are safer than chainsaws). And most of my commute is done listening to audio books. Yet, time is slipping away.
Key Takeaway
I am confronting the finite amount of book-reading life I have left. And I am in desperate need of some knowledge donors. Please share some of your go-to books that you feel I should prioritize. The average age of my four grandparents was only 95 years old.* So I may only have 50 years of reading left. Oh, my gosh. Seeing that in print is totally freaking me out. Please help by sending your reading recommendations today.
*My Grandma Albrecht is 98 and still going strong. So the average is still going up. But still…
Adam Albrecht Blog 