My 12 Favorite Books of 2018
2018 was quite a year—we welcomed our second daughter, I transitioned into full-time land conservation, and the podcast ramped up to a level I’d never expected. All of these exciting (and time-consuming) happenings made me feel that I was constantly behind on my reading, but as it turns out, I managed to crank through a respectable number of really good books.
Below, in the order that I read them, are my favorites from the year. I hope you find a few that are of interest. Here’s to many more great books in 2019!
American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee – To truly understand the modern-day West, you need to understand the history of and controversy around wolves. This fast-paced, fun-to-read story follows a wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park, with an emphasis on its charismatic pack leader 0-Six. You won’t be able to put it down.
60 Meters to Anywhere by Brendan Leonard – A raw, heartbreaking, and at-times-hilarious memoir about Brendan’s struggle with and triumph over alcohol addiction. An inspiring testament to the healing power of adventure and purpose-driven time outdoors, as well how struggle can ultimately fuel future success, both personally and professionally.
The Painter by Peter Heller – The first fiction book I’ve read in more than six years, and I loved it. An action-packed story, complex characters, and some of the richest descriptions of Colorado and New Mexico that I’ve ever encountered.
Tiger Woods by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keyeyian – I think about this book at least once per week, probably because as a father, I can’t imagine how in the hell Earl Woods thought the smothering, grinding pressure he put on young Tiger could possibly be healthy. It’s a tale of elite talent, disgusting family dynamics, and the eventual implosion of a cultural icon.
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan – Like most Americans, I considered psychedelic drugs to be the pastime of ex-hippies and going-nowhere-fast burnouts. But leave it to Pollan to change my entire perspective on this subject—turns out, these substances are helping everyone from veterans with PTSD to people with drug-resistant depression to high performers who want to be even better.
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at The Reservoir, the Korean War’s Greatest Battle by Hampton Sides – Once again, Hampton Sides knocks it out of the park with this story of one of the most brutal battles in American military history. Prior to this book, I knew next to nothing about the Korean War, but as usual, Hampton educated me on little-known history in an engaging and entertaining narrative.
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier – Seems like the title pretty much sums it up.
Ultimate Glory: Frisbee, Obsession, and My Wild Youth by David Gessner – If you’ve ever pursued a passion that most people would call foolhardy, silly, or a waste of time, then this memoir is for you. Like all of Gessner’s work, it’s hilarious, insightful, honest, and beautifully written. I’m far from a frisbee aficionado, but I gleaned tons of value from this book.
The Grand Canyon: Between River and Rim by Pete McBride – Calling this a simple “book” is a blatant understatement. It’s a work of art that combines breathtaking photography, an engaging adventure narrative, and an examination of the conservation challenges facing one of our nation’s most iconic national parks.
Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West by Sara Dant – A must-read for anyone who loves the West and its history, particularly from a conservation point of view. Sara gracefully packs in an amazing amount of important information and analysis into this relatively short book, starting with human migration into North America and ending in present day and our scramble to find solutions to climate change and natural resource shortages.
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins – The sometimes-hard-to-believe life story of former Navy SEAL and ultra-endurance athlete David Goggins. It’s full of contradictions and foul language, but I found it to be one of the most impiring books I’ve read. I’d encourage you to listen to the audiobook, as it contains behind-the-scenes conversation between the co-author and Goggins.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann – My first book by Grann, and it won’t be the last. A truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story of a series of insane murders/poisonings on the Osage Indian reservation, and the multi-year hunt for the killer. Narrative history at its best.
