A comprehensive list of every book I recommended in 2020, taken directly from my bimonthly book recommendations email.
The Last Cowboys: A Pioneer Family in the New West by John Branch – This book had been on my need-to-read list for quite a while, so I snagged it while browsing at Bookbinders Basalt. I started reading it on a Friday and was finished by Sunday morning– an excellent book! Having worked closely with the ranching community for almost a decade, I was well aware of how many ranching families paired a love of rodeo with the business of ranching, using winnings from the former to keep the later afloat. This book perfectly captures the lifestyles and hard realities of both rodeo and ranching– the long hours, physical and financial dangers, and the seemingly endless treadmill of debt, tight cash flows, and uncertainty. I particularly appreciated Branch’s ability to highlight the economic pressure caused by escalating land prices, a real and often understated challenge facing food producers in the West. With the skill of a seasoned sportswriter and the eye of a top-notch storyteller, Branch conveys important, timely information in a fun-to-read narrative. [For another valued perspective on the ever-changing West, I highly recommend Sara Dant’s Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West.]
Acid for the Children: A Memoir by Flea – I’m nothing more than a casual fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but after listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast conversation with Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, I immediately bought the book. Wow, what an insane childhood this guy had. It’s truly unbelievable and about as far from my life as I could ever imagine. I honestly think I would feel more out of place running the streets with Flea and his crew of delinquent friends than I would feel if I somehow found myself instantly and inexplicably deposited into an uncontacted Amazonian tribe. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, which covers Flea’s life from birth through just before the formation of the Chili Peppers. While Flea was definitely a “bad kid” on the outside– stealing, vandalizing, abusing every substance he could get his hands on– internally he was (and seems to still be) a kind, sensitive, shy, truly sweet person. Even after marinating on the book for a few weeks, I still can’t get my mind around Flea’s complex and intriguing personality. But the fact that I’m still thinking about him proves that the book was worth reading. [For another surprisingly good autobiography, check out Open by Andre Agassi.]
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver – My wife has been raving about this book for years, as do many of my podcast guests. And as my professional path as veered deep into the world of farming, I have become more and more curious about the ins and outs of food production. The book is structured around Kingsolver’s family’s attempt only to consume food that they grew on their family farm– a 100-acre plot of land in rural Virginia. For me, the book highlighted fundamental truths about food that I often overlook (or ignore), such as how ridiculous it is to expect fresh tomatoes in Colorado in mid-February or mangoes in the United States at any time of year. It also provided some new-to-me perspectives into the downsides of industrialized agriculture, sans the holier-than-thou attitude sometimes found in food books. Given my work with farmers in the arid West, the book also reinforced my thoughts on the “water richness” of the east coast, and how a local food experiment like this would be next to impossible in the water-starved plains of Colorado. [Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals covers similar ground and is fun to read.]
Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca – This book has been sitting on my shelf for years, likely a remnant from my time in business school. Similar to the Flea book above, I don’t have any deep connection to the specifics of Iacocca’s story– I have little interest in cars, car companies, and definitely not minivans. But there is something about Iacocca’s story that is uniquely American and perfectly captures the flavor of the post-WWII corporate business world. Iacocca was the son of Italian immigrants who joined the big, bad Ford Motor Company immediately after college. Through charisma, a nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic, brashness, ego, and a deep commitment to his “company man” persona, he became one of the most revered business leaders of the late 20th century– a precursor to Jack Welch and other big-company business gurus. I enjoyed the book, not for its management lessons or leadership insights, but more as a historical document that highlights just how much “big business” in America has changed in my lifetime. A fascinating look back in time that provides context for where American business is today. [A similarly interesting book is Sam Walton: Made in America by Sam Walton of Walmart fame. For some time period contrast, read The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone.]
The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology by Gregg Krech – I originally read this book in 2015, which was, in many ways, a lifetime ago– no kids, no podcast, a vastly different job, living in a different city, with less than three years of focused meditation practice under my belt. Rereading this book in 2020, with a much fuller schedule and a seemingly less discursive mind, I enjoyed the book even more. It is loosely based around the principles espoused by Japanese psychologist Shoma Morita and focuses on the importance of taking action over self-analysis, rumination, endless planning, and the like. Krech discusses the psychological harm that can result from procrastination, the downsides of choosing inaction, and the deep relief and contentment that can result from taking action consistently. There are no “hacks,” no secret formula, no way to make taking the initial step of action more pleasant– the trick is to simply begin, build momentum, repeat. Simple, yes. Easy, no. [My second reading of this book was made richer by my daily use of Sam Harris’s Waking Up meditation app. Use this link to try it out free for a month, no strings attached.]
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday – I finished this book just before COVID-Mania took over all forms of media, and I credit it with preemptively reminding me of the importance of calmness, quiet, and mindfulness during what has become an anything-but-calm situation. Following his time-tested formula for weaving together history, biography, and self-help, Holiday makes the case for the value of stillness of mind, even in the most chaotic of circumstances. Citing historical examples ranging from Confucius to Marcus Arelius, JFK to MLK, and even Mr. Rogers, Holiday demonstrates how a cool head in the midst of chaos has made all the difference in high-stakes, stressful situations. And for some possibly odd reason, I really enjoyed his examples of those whose lack of stillness and mindfulness led to their downfalls, with Tiger Woods’ public collapse being Example #1. A timely, useful, and actionable book. [For more assistance calming your mind, Sakyong Mipham’s Turning the Mind Into an Ally is worth a read.
Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts by Ryan Holiday – Same author as above, but a completely different subject: Marketing. This book was recommended by a writer/filmmaker/creator that I greatly admire—a person who has managed to build a large, loyal following while maintaining his own unique, authentic voice… all while avoiding the trap of being an annoying salesman or self-promoter. The book lays out simple, practical strategies for creating work that is “evergreen”—that will remain relevant and useful for years or decades after it is published. I underlined passages on almost every page and have revisited the book several times since finishing it in mid-March. I also recommended that everyone at my office read it, as I believe many of its principals could easily be applied to marketing land conservation. Highly recommended. [For another useful book about marketing for those who may not really enjoy selling or self-promotion, check out Seth Godin’s This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See. Or really anything by Seth.]
Dog Run Moon: Stories by Callan Wink – I heard about Callan Wink from a buddy of mine who insisted that I check out his work. Wink’s resume seemed too good to be true—he’s a summertime Montana fishing guide and a wintertime California surfer, who also happens to write so well that he’s been compared to a Hemingway, Harrison, McGuane, and McCarthy. And even though I’m far from a fiction or literature expert, I’d have to agree that Wink is a damn extraordinary writer. This book is a collection of short stories, many of which are set in southwestern Montana or northern Wyoming—places near and dear to my heart. I loved his vivid descriptions of the region’s landscapes and was blown away by his ability to create such vivid characters with a relatively small number of words. I actually had several dreams about the stories and characters, which is always the sign of an impactful book worth reading. [For a book of powerful non-fiction stories, check out McGuane’s The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing.]
August: A Novel by Callan Wink — I started this book immediately after finishing the one above, and devoured it at a similar breakneck pace. August is Wink’s first novel, and it’s an expansion of one of his stories from Dog Run Moon. It follows a young man’s life from age 12 through 19, through a series of formative, sometimes tragic, life events, including moving from his home in Michigan to Montana. Wink’s descriptions of Livingston and the surrounding Montana landscapes made me really miss that part of the world, but what really made the book so damn engaging were the characters. I don’t know how Wink did it, but by the end of the book, I felt that I really knew the main character, as well as many of the supporting characters. Wink is a master of dialogue and seems to have an uncanny ability to describe tiny, yet very telling, personality quirks that can clearly define a personality. [Callan will be coming on the podcast soon, so I’m excited to interrogate him about how in the hell he can write like this!]
Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides – This was the only Hampton Sides book that I had not yet read, and it was a good one for me to read during this COVID crisis. One of the benefits of reading history is that it reminds me that we humans have had it tough before, sometimes so damn tough that it’s impossible to understand. I picked this book up during a moment of feeling sorry for myself, and it quickly cured me of that unacceptable silliness. The book is the story of the rescue of American prisoners from a Japanese POW camp—a place so brutal that only an author of Sides’ caliber could accurately describe it. The rescue mission plot is combined with details of the Bataan Death March, a horrific chapter of history that was new to me. And as an added personal layer, my maternal grandfather fought in the WWII Pacific Theater, so I grew up hearing stories of his experiences there (along with the Great Depression, another historical rough patch). So if the idea that “things could always be worse” helps you persevere tough times, this book might be for you. [If you’re tired of my writing about books and would rather watch me talk about books, check this video of Hampton and me at the Aspen Institute discussing Blood and Thunder.]
And as is the case with many of us with small children, I’ve started a side career as a preschool teacher. My specialties are reading and recess, with a little math, Magnatiles, gymnastics, and wrestling mixed in. But in all seriousness, it’s been a real joy to read My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George aloud to my oldest daughter, as it was one of my favorite and most formative books from my childhood. We’ve also been thoroughly enjoying Where the Sidewalk Ends and Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein—fun, clever, hilarious, and impressive. With all three of these books, it seems that my daughter and I are enjoying them equally, which is rare (no offense intended toward Little Blue Truck).
Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness by David Gessner – I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book’s publication for nearly three years, and I’m thrilled to report that it surpassed my lofty expectations. One of my all-time heroes (TR) gets the full literary treatment from one of my all-time favorite authors (Gessner), and the result is a unique and useful examination of TR’s influence on conservation, public lands, and the modern-day environmental movement. Gessner’s goal is to examine TR’s legacy clearly, warts and all. There’s no TR sugar-coating in this book—Gessner thoroughly acknowledges and investigates TR’s personal flaws and political failings, just as freely as he praises TR’s positive, seemingly superhuman traits. I’ve plowed through way too many books about TR over the years, and this is hands-down the most balanced, clear-eyed examination of the man I’ve read to date. But it’s not a biography or a straight-up history book, although there’s plenty of both within the pages. It’s a search to capture the best of TR’s conservation ethos, to discard the worst, and to use the balance to build a new, holistic model for conservation and environmental justice—one that melds together a new confluence of ideals that acknowledges the wrongs of the past and sets an equitable, sustainable course for the future. [This book will be released on August 11, 2020. You can pre-order it now, or get warmed up with Edmund Morris’s The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt,the best straight-up biography of TR on the shelf.]
Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind by Annaka Harris – I picked up this relatively short book thinking I could breeze through it, write a summary, then move on to the next title on my list. But there was no breezing. In fact, I probably spent more time on this book’s 110 pages than any of the other books mentioned in this email, and I consider that a good thing. As the title suggests, it’s a high-level overview of consciousness—basic definitions, descriptions of sometimes-competing theories, and an honest explanation of just how little we truly understand about the concept. The book expands on some of the ideas mentioned in her husband Sam Harris’s books Free Will and Waking Up, and I found Annaka’s explanations more digestible for my not-so-smart brain. Even though this book is dense and presented some challenging concepts, it was a very enjoyable read and kept my often-scattered attention locked in. [For a slightly different exploration of consciousness, check out Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind.]
Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear – I generally try to steer clear of “self-help” books, and I purposefully avoided this one for nearly two years because I unfairly deemed the title to be gimmicky. But after listening to a super-engaging, long-form interview with the author, I ordered the book, read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. For me, the most valuable aspect of the book was Clear’s framing of the importance of long-term good habits for living a fulfilling, enjoyable, successful life. He also offers some new-to-me insights on why good habits can be so difficult to create and why bad habits can so quickly spiral out of control. Yes, the book does suggest some specific tips and tactics for building good habits, but those “hacks” are much less interesting to me than this new way of thinking about the need for consistent, deliberate action, day after day. [If you’re looking for a no-nonsense “self-help” book, check out former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink’s Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual. Here’s a taste: “People constantly ask me for the secret of getting up early. I tell them it is simple: Set your alarm clock and get out of bed when it goes off.”]
One Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays From the World at Large by Chris La Tray – In 2015, following the death of his father, Chris La Tray quit his well-paying job as a manufacturing consultant to pursue a career as a full-time writer. A few years later, he published this book, which has gone on to win both the Montana Book Award and High Plains Book Award. Almost all of the essays and poems are deeply connected to La Tray’s home state of Montana, specifically the area in and around Missoula. La Tray is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of the Chippewa Indians and provides an incredibly important Indigenous perspective on life in the West. And I greatly appreciated La Tray’s down-to-earth writing style—both his poetry and his essays were welcoming and engaging, allowing me to expand my literary horizons without feeling stupid or self-conscious. [Hate reading? Then listen to my recent podcast conversation with Chris.]
Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry by Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser – In the preface of One Sentence Journal, La Tray mentions that reading this book of poetry was a foundational aspect of his journey as a poet. And many of my western writer friends cite Harrison as one of their greatest heroes and influences. The book is a catalog of a long-term, back-and-forth correspondence between Harrison and Kooser, in which they only communicate in poems. Neither man is specifically attributed to any one poem, so I naturally tried to figure out who was writing what (and, sometimes also tried to figure out what the hell they were talking about!). I approached reading this book as I do listening to music—no agenda, not anxiously trying to absorb all the details, not stressed out—just reading it, enjoying it, and letting it rattle around in my brain. Given the stress and anxiety of our current moment in history, this book was a welcome treat. [Another poetry book I love is Ragged Anthem by Chris Dombrowski.]
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport – I first read and recommended this book back in 2016, and it has held a spot in my brain as one of the most influential books I’ve read in the past ten years. Newport recently started a very simple yet valuable podcast, which prompted me to revisit this book. The basic premise is that the most valuable skill we can have in today’s society is the ability to focus intensely for long periods of time. Unfortunately, phones, social media, email, etc. erode our ability to hone these important concentration skills. While re-reading, I was struck by 1) how well Newport’s arguments hold up four years later, and 2) how much worse all the electronic distractions have become in a relatively short time period. It also led me to delete my personal Facebook account, which is a bonus. [If you like Deep Work, check out Newport’s most recent book Digital Minimalism.]
Not officially books, but just as important: Adventure Journal, Modern Huntsman, and The Surfer’s Journal. I obviously love books, but I’m also a huge fan of any long-form, thoughtful journalism that goes deep into the topics I love. These three are my all-time favorite publications—independent, scrappy, beautifully crafted, substantive magazines that offer unique perspectives into topics that are very close to my heart. The business of niche publications is not for the faint of heart, even in a booming economy. And during an economic downturn, things can get real dicey, real quick. I’m supporting these three with my dollars, and I’d encourage you to do the same for whatever publications are important to you.
Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison – I’ve seen the movie multiple times, had numerous podcast guests rave about it, and the book has been sitting on my shelf for years– it’s about time I read Legends of the Fall. I know I’m inexcusably late to the party here, but now I finally understand what all of the Jim Harrison hoopla is about. It only took three pages to become completely engrossed, and I’d finished the entire book by the following afternoon. The book is three separate novellas, all unrelated in their storylines, but each showcasing different aspects of Harrison’s literary wizardry. The final novella was the basis for the Brad Pitt movie that you’ve probably seen, but the first two novellas are just as engrossing, if not more. There’s no point in my attempting to describe this masterpiece– I just encourage you to read it as soon as you can. [Callan Wink is being hailed as the new Jim Harrison, and I loved his book Dog Run Moon.]
Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America’s Urban Heartland by Walter Thompson-Hernández – Through my reading, podcast interviews, and real life, I’m always encountering people who’ve had their lives changed for the better by horses. Whether we’re talking about injured combat veterans or multi-generational ranchers or city-dwelling artists, horses seem to have a magical ability to form deep connections with humans. This book examines another example of horse-human relationships, specifically in Southern California’s urban landscape. Before reading this book, the only thing I knew about Compton was what I’d heard from Snoop– so every page of this book exposed me to ideas, lifestyles, and culture that were entirely new for me and my experience as a southern white guy living in the Rockies. But as is the case so much of the time, when we scratch through the surface, we find that we share more in common than not. A wonderful book that is perfectly suited for the current moment in history. [For another human-animal connection book, check out The Wolf in the Parlor: How the Dog Came to Share Your Brain by Jon Franklin.]
Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields – In just over five years of being a dad, I had only read two parenting books– I couldn’t find any good titles that seemed to align with my thoughts on raising kiddos. But my wife thankfully stumbled upon this book, and I found it to be enlightening, practical, and actionable. It applies lessons from mindfulness practices to the frequently chaotic process of raising kids, laying out a framework for communication with kids that does not involve threats, bribes, or drill-sergeant-like orders. And much to my surprise, the techniques work, at least with my five-year-old. To be clear, I’m an eastern NC native who firmly believes that Dale “The Intimidator” Earnhardt is the best athlete of all time. I’m not some hippy-dippy yuppy who would likely be associated with a book with this sort of title. [The other two parenting books I’ve read are Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman and The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
Kettlebell: Simple and Sinister by Pavel Tsatsouline – Pavel makes the rounds on the “podcasts for middle-aged-dudes” circuit, so I’ve heard him interviewed numerous times. Thanks to his tough-guy demeanor and thick Russian accent, I wrongly assumed that his workouts would be over-the-top brutal (e.g., Rocky IV training montage). Despite his incessant use of the word “manly,” this book lays out one of the most reasonable and effective workout routines that I’ve encountered. It’s simple: kettlebell swings and Turkish get-ups, broken up into small sets, with ample rest and explicit instructions to never red-line your cardio. You perform the workout every day, no exceptions, and it should recharge your body rather than deplete it. In just over two months of following the routine, I’m absolutely amazed by my strength gains (gainzz?) and flexibility improvements. And as a bonus, my running has improved, and my knees don’t hurt. If you’re feeling at a loss for home exercise options during these strange times, this is your book. [If sore knees are what you desire, read Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall, then run nonstop for 30+ hours.]
Mop Rides the Waves of Life by Jaimal Yogis & Matt Allen – I’ve read hundreds of children’s books to my daughters, many of them hundreds of times each. God bless Margaret Wise Brown, but the 287th time reading Goodnight Moon can break the strongest of men, possibly even Paval Tastsouline. Mop Rides the Waves of Life is the first kids’ book that seems to get better with each reading. Written by one of my favorite (adult) authors, it’s a kids’ introduction to mindfulness, told through the story of a pint-sized surfer dude with great hair. Both of my girls love it and, no joke, my oldest snapped out of a mini-tantrum when I reminded her to “be like Mop.” This is one of those rare kids’ books that is just as useful for parents as it is for kiddos. [Jaimal wrote one of my all-time faves: Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer’s Quest to Find Zen on the Sea.]
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King by Rich Cohen – I didn’t finish as many books as normal during July-August, so I’m throwing in a bonus recommendation. I read this book a few years before starting this email list, and I think about it often. It’s the story of Samuel Zemurray, an immigrant who began his career in the United States peddling bananas out of a broken-down cart. Fast-forward a few decades, Zemurray has dominated the United Fruit Company for control of the global banana trade, incited a revolution in Central America, and established himself and one of the richest and most powerful men in the United States. He’s the walking, talking example of “only in America,” and Cohen does an excellent job highlighting both the impressive and despicable aspects of this one-of-a-kind businessman. A fun, memorable, and easy-to-read book. [Another memorable titan-of-industry profile is The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder.]
Chasing the Light: Writing, Directing, and Surviving Platoon, Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and the Movie Game by Oliver Stone – Every time I’ve seen Oliver Stone interviewed, I’ve made a mental note along the lines of “That guy seems like quite a character. I wonder what his story is?” Well, after plowing through 300+ pages of his memoir, I can say with certainty that he is quite a character, and a super-intense one at that. This book covers his life up through the production of Platoon– from his service and bravery in Vietnam to his dark days of rampant drug use in Hollywood, from hanging out with international organized crime bosses to scraping together funding for his films. Stone offers up the full blow-by-blow of his wild and intense life, and doesn’t seem to hold anything back. Reading the book gave me a little taste of what it must be like to be inside the head of someone genuinely, perhaps unhealthily, obsessed with their art. Exhausting at the times, but memorable, instructive, and entertaining as hell. [Surprisingly, one of my all-time favorite memoirs is Flea’s Acid for the Children.]
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown – The pandemic and its associated insanity forced me to take a hard look at how I spend my time, evaluating what is truly important for my family and me. This book popped into my life at just the right moment and confirmed some ideas that I’d been considering, but did not have the confidence to act on fully. Namely, that saying yes to all opportunities is a bad idea, and that it is impossible to do meaningful, effective work if stretched too thin. Seems like common sense, huh? Most conscientious people seem to understand the downsides of too many commitments, but (like me) have trouble figuring out what to keep and what to eliminate. Essentialism offers some specific techniques for saying no and reducing commitment clutter– not cute little “life hacks” but concrete, useful, simple-but-not-easy frameworks for cutting out life’s nonsense. I’d recommend this book at any time, but it’s especially important now, during these nutty, hectic days. [For more on focus and eliminating distraction, I once again recommend Cal Newport’s Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.]
White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America by Joan C. Williams – If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent much of the past few years trying to understand what the hell is going on with politics in the United States. As many of you know from this email list, I obsessively consume history. Still, I’ve been at a loss to find any historical framework to clarify this current political, economic, and social moment. One of the smartest, rational, most measured humans I know recommended this book, and I’m very glad I read it. It’s short and easy to crank through, but it offers some very valuable context around the socio-economic shifts that have slowly transformed many long-standing norms in the U.S. I have to admit that I was previously “clueless” to many of the ideas presented in this book– thankfully, it provided a much-needed broader perspective, helping me be more compassionate and open minded when encountering political beliefs different than my own. [For more on cultivating compassion, look no further than my guru Pema Chodron. Start With Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living is a good entry point.]
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey – I have a severe aversion to anything associated with celebrities, with two glaring exceptions: The Rock and McConaughey. So obviously, when I heard that McConaughey was releasing a memoir, I bought it the day it was published (and I’ll do the same when/if The Rock publishes one). If the Stone memoir above is on one side of the intensity spectrum, Greenlights is its polar opposite. And spending time in McConaughey’s head is a much more fun place to be than Stone’s. But this book is not cotton candy silliness– there are valuable life lessons throughout the book, useful ideas around focus, risk, hard work, preparation, intention, and optimism. For years, I have admired McConaughey’s transformation from rom-com pretty boy to super-committed, risk-taking Oscar winner, and this book provides the backstory on that evolution. It’s also important for me to see that someone can be an focused, self-reflective, fully committed creator, without the over-the-top self-loathing that plagues so many world-class artists. If you are at all intrigued by McConaughey and his one-of-a-kind style, you’ll love this book. [Another all-time favorite memoir is Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight.]
Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World-Record Tarpon by Monte Burke – This book was awesome. I loved it. I’m by no means an obsessed fisherman– if I’m taking a trip to the beach, it’s to surf, not cast a fly rod. But if you love to learn about people who are maniacally obsessed with their craft, you’ll be consumed by this story. As the subtitle states, it’s the history of fly fishing for tarpon in Florida, from the earliest known instances of the sport to the big-money, high-tech, ultra-competitive pursuit of world records. Burke is obviously a master when it comes to writing about fly fishing, the coastal ecosystem, and epic man vs. tarpon battles. But what really drew me in were his vivid descriptions of the eccentric wildmen who’ve devoted their lives to chasing these prehistoric fish. From the 70s in Key West with legends like Tom McGuane and Jim Harrison, to modern-day obsessives like David Mangum, (who physically fights people encroaching on his secret spots), I could not get enough of Burke’s mini-biographies of crazed and committed anglers. [Monte also wrote one of my favorite biographies of another obsessed record-chaser: Saban: The Making of a Coach.]
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck – This book has been recommended time and again, year after year, and my recent podcast conversation with Mike Foote convinced me to move it to the top of the bedside table stack. Wow, what an amazing work of art. While I was quickly drawn into the novel’s plot and enjoyed almost every page, the book’s real power comes from its examination and subtle critique of American society. The book caused me to think long and hard about many of the incentives that drive the US economy—both back in the days of the Dust Bowl and Depression, all the way up to our current pandemic-influenced economic and employment crises. Portions of the book absolutely infuriated me, not because of the make-believe tragedies happening to Steinbeck’s make-believe characters, but because versions of these tragedies are still happening to real people today, nearly a century later. As a person who reads far too little fiction, I can say that this book has led to more self-examination and analysis of critical societal issues than any non-fiction book I’ve read recently. [For a memorable/terrifying portrait of the brave souls who chose to stay in Oklahoma rather than strike out to California, check out Timothy Egan’s The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl.]
The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin – If Seth Godin writes it, I’m going to buy it and read it—so know that this recommendation is heavily biased. This book was written for anyone who does (or dreams of doing) creative work, yet struggles with the surprisingly tough challenge of consistently putting their creation out into the world. Even though it is broken up into more than 200 short, quick chapters, this may be Seth’s most dense book to date. I underlined passages on almost every page, and, at times, felt overwhelmed by the amount of actionable wisdom that Seth was cramming into my brain. I’ve been reading Seth closely for years, and this book presented many new ideas and reinforced many of his time-tested thoughts on the creative process. This is one of those books I will revisit regularly, and I’m thankful to have it as a resource for years to come. [You can’t go wrong with any of Seth’s books, but my favorites are Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It’s Your Turn, Linchpin, and This is Marketing.]
Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuane – After reading Monte Burke’s amazing Lords of the Fly, I became obsessed with trying to imagine Key West in the 1970s. Monte’s stories of Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Richard Brautigan, Russell Chatham, Jimmy Buffett, and Hunter S. Thompson’s exploits related to fishing and art captured my imagination to the point that I had a few dreams about it. Several trusted voracious readers recommended Ninety-Two in the Shade as the best representation of the wild times and nutty characters that created the community of 1970s Key West. Even though it’s a novel, the book delivered—although I’ve never been to Key West, I felt like I’d spent a few days there. The book is hilarious, insane, and beautifully written in a style that only McGuane can offer. I’d love to know the backstories of this book’s main characters, as I suspect they are based on real people and real events from 40+ years ago—events that very well could have been even wilder and stranger than fiction. [Check out my recent podcast with Monte Burke to hear a discussion of Key West in the 70s and its foundational influence on today’s art and literature here in the American West. And for another wonderful book about fishing, check out Chris Dombrowski’s Body of Water: A Sage, a Seeker, and the World’s Most Alluring Fish.]
Zero to One: Notes of Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel – I love books written by uber-successful people that confidently contradict conventual wisdom—particularly wisdom related to economic and business, my fields of study back in the day. In this book, Thiel—founder of PayPal and first investor in Facebook—turns many well-worn theories on their heads, including ideas related to monopolies, competition, and goal-driven societies. Many of the ideas were 100% new to me. Despite the heavy subject matter, the book is relatively short, easy to read, and entertaining– much more fun to read than most books from my formal education. I’ll be interested to see how Thiel’s ideas age as they marinate in my brain over the coming months. But as of today, I’d say that this book shifted my thinking ever so slightly– the mark of a great book. [One of the most memorable and useful books from graduate school was The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist’s Guide to Success in Business and Life. I reference it often, even after reading it more than a decade ago.]
Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks – I think the personal and societal shifts brought about by the pandemic may have altered my brain chemistry because I’m reading (and loving) novels more than ever before. If you enjoyed McMurty’s Lonesome Dove, then I can just about guarantee you will love Painted Horses. It’s a large-scale epic of the American West that marries rich characters, stunning landscapes, real-life history, and beautiful lyrical prose into a one-of-a-kind novel you won’t be able to put down. The novel is set in 1950s Montana, a time period I haven’t read much about (or if I did, it must not have made much of an impression). Like Grapes of Wrath above, Painted Horses illuminated many real-world historical issues and timeless truths, but in an entertaining manner that is much richer than plain-old history. Amazingly, Painted Horses was Brooks’s first published novel, so I’m anxiously awaiting his next one, set to be published this spring. [Malcolm was kind enough to join me on the podcast to discuss this book and his writing process, as well as to answer my question about how in the hell a human can write so epically. Also, if you haven’t already, read Lonesome Dove.]
