A comprehensive list of every book I recommended in 2023, taken directly from my bimonthly book recommendations email.

Holding Fire: A Reckoning with the American West by Bryce Andrews – I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Bryce over the past few years, and I am always impressed by his ability to balance being an impressively deep thinker with maintaining a proclivity for action. He’s not sitting around thinking for thinking’s sake– he thinks so that he can make solid choices and do good things. In this book, he thinks and writes about the history and modern-day culture of the American West, a landscape that he loves intensely. The story is centered around his complicated relationship with a .357 Smith & Wesson– a gun he inherited from his grandfather. Bryce takes the reader on a very personal journey, examining his family dynamics, mental health, and love of hunting and ranching. He also digs into broader historical and societal issues, including Manifest Destiny and tough-guy culture. Ultimately, his digging and thinking lead him to take action, melt down the .357, and hand-forge it into a tool for regenerative ranch work. A thought-provoking read. [Another thoughtful and personal book by a Missoula-area author is The River You Touch by Chris Dombrowski.]

Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katharine Hayhoe – Dr. Hayhoe dedicates this book “to everyone who believes the difficult issues in life are worth talking about,” which, statistics show, is the vast majority of Americans. Despite what the extreme edges of the political spectrum want us to believe, most folks want to learn, talk, and find common ground. Saving Us is less of a deep dive into climate science and more of a guidebook on how to have civil, productive, respectful conversations, no matter the topic. If facts, figures, and endless information could solve all our problems, we’d be living in a Garden-of-Eden-before-the-whole-apple-debacle utopia. As Dr. Hayhoe explains, statistics are worthless if we cannot communicate them across cultural/political/societal divides in an honest and civil manner. Thankfully, she’s figured out methods for having these challenging conversations, and she generously shares her techniques with us in this book. Highly recommended. [If you prefer listening to reading, check out my recent podcast conversation with Dr. Hayhoe. If you mute it when I talk, it’s an awesome discussion.]

Breathe: A Life in Flow by Rickson Gracie – Rickson is arguably the greatest all-around fighter in history, and the Gracie family is credited with transforming jiu-jitsu from an obscure martial art into the most effective fighting technique on earth. Breathe is the story of Rickson’s evolution as a fighter and human– from learning jiu-jitsu from his domineering father to being tested on the streets of Rio, from ascending the ranks of high-dollar professional fighting to becoming the patriarch of modern-day jiu-jitsu. He provides a fascinating glimpse into the culture of Brazil in the 70s and 80s, and an even more fascinating glimpse into the sometime-bizarre, insular, hyper-competitive culture of the Gracie family. Rickson is a complex dude, and this memoir reveals many conflicting– sometimes aggressively clashing– aspects of his personal operating system. He’s humble yet arrogant, compassionate yet violent, enlightened yet bullheaded, curious yet close-minded. Whaddaya know, he’s an imperfect human, just like me! [As I read about Hickson’s obsession with “respect,” I was constantly reminded of Tamler Sommers’ Why Honor Matters.]

The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay – I would have never picked up this book had it not been sent to me by a good friend who oddly seems to know what I want/need to read before I do. I wish I could explain why this book is so special, but I can’t, so I’ll just say: “I loved it.” I caught myself smiling while I read it, even though my baseline expression is apparently a scowl. The book was just what I needed at this specific moment– optimistic, hilarious, incisive, insightful, and… sorry to do this… delightful. Gay is a poet by trade, so he has a way with words, but I most admire his commitment to forcing himself to focus on the positive. And not a Pollyanna, head-in-the-sand version of positive. Rather, he looks directly at the world’s imperfections and horrors, acknowledges them, feels them, and then continues on with his work of seeking out the delightful. [At times, Gay’s hilariously precise observations reminded me of David Sedaris, especially his When You Are Engulfed in Flames.]

Thinking Like Your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Nonfiction and Get It Published by Susan Rabiner and Alfred Fortunato – The subtitle pretty much sum it up. If you want to write a nonfiction book using traditional publishing methods, this is the instruction manual. Recommended to me by several published authors, Thinking Like Your Editor walks you through strategies and tactics that just might allow you to transform that seed of an idea in your brain into the intellectual property of a major publishing house. The book was published in 2002, so some of the specifics and references are a bit dated, but all the important stuff is still there. Note to self: Reading a book about writing a book doesn’t write the book. [Two excellent books about writing are On Writing by Stephen King and On Writing Well by William Zinsser.]

War by Sebastian Junger – If you’ve been following my recommendations for a while, then you’re probably sick and tired of my repeated touting of Junger’s Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, which is one of the most impactful books I’ve read. War is the story that informed many of the foundational ideas in Tribe, and it details Junger’s time embedded with an Army platoon at a deadly outpost in the unforgiving mountains of Afghanistan. Yes, War is obviously about war, but to me, the book is more about the brotherhood that binds young men who find themselves united against a common enemy, surrounded by perpetual mind-scrambling danger, dependent on each other to stay alive. Junger does a masterful job helping someone like me (who never served) understand how war can be simultaneously miserable, addictive, and desirable, and why it has been such a right of passage for young men for as long as we humans have been fighting with each other. [To hear Junger discuss this topic for an hour, check out this podcast episode: Why Men Seek Danger.]

The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg – When I read a memoir, I’m not looking for entertainment, I want to learn. And my favorite memoirs are those in which I share little in common with the author, yet their skill as a writer allows me to deeply connect with their story, understand their motivations and choices, and finish the book with a wider perspective or new way of looking at the world. I have very little interest in having my ideas confirmed or affirmed– I want to stretch and stress test my notions, to uncover any blatant holes in my thinking. So a huge thank you to the wonderful Molly Wizenberg for offering this raw, vulnerable, hopeful, and at times heartbreaking look into her life, one that made me think hard about the power of our self-imposed identities, personal evolution, and familial bonds. And while I would’ve enjoyed the book under any circumstances, it was an added bonus that Molly just so happens to be a fun, funny, and down-to-earth human. To hear for yourself, check out our podcast conversation.

The Martian by Andy Weir – I have no idea why this book popped into my consciousness or why it rose to the top of my way-too-long need-to-read list. But it did, and I’m glad, and I loved it. I read very few novels, I’m usually not a fan of science fiction, but this book had me locked in from the first few pages. The main character was legitimately hilarious, and, as far as I could tell, the details of the story seemed to be rooted in real-life science/physics/space/smart-people stuff. And as an added bonus, it’s written in a manner that flatters the ego of a not-so-smart liberal arts graduate like me by making me feel that I fully understand the physics of interplanetary rocket science. But I was especially intrigued by the backstory of the author and how he came to write such a runaway best-seller-turned-blockbuster movie. The book started out as a series of blog posts that he then turned into a $0.99 self-published ebook… and it took off from there. Fun book, fun backstory, highly recommended. [And speaking of action-packed novels, if you haven’t already, read The Painter by Peter Heller.]

Industrial Society and Its Future by FC aka Ted Kaczynski aka The Unabomber – In my seven and a half years of sending out these emails, this may seem like the strangest title I’ve recommended. But there’s no way around it– the “Unabomber Manifesto” is a thought-provoking read. While I admittedly have a tough time separating the book’s ideas from its author, there are several sections that are amazingly prescient to today’s headlines around polarized politics and exponentially advancing technology. But unfortunately for Kaczynski, his sometimes-impressive premonitions and theories aren’t good for much other than serving as a kind of historical sideshow spectacle. Rather than using his exceptional intellectual horsepower to actually effect change, he chose to sit in a cabin alone for 20 years, fuming about how things ought to be, and occasionally lashing out violently. While Kaczynski seemed to believe the was some sort of revolutionary– the hero of his own story– I see his life as a cautionary tale of wasted potential, delusions of grandeur, and the murky gray area that can sometimes separate genius and insanity.

Crow Fair, Gallatin Canyon, and Cloudbursts by Thomas McGuane – As you can see, I’m going deep down the rabbit hole of McGuane short stories, and I’m loving it. With these three collections, I’ve been happily jumping from book to book, story to story, and have yet to finish them all. There’s nothing I can write here that would do justice to McGuane’s skill as a storyteller– let’s just say he’s a literary genius and leave it at that. But what really intrigues me about him is the intensity and single-mindedness that he seems to bring to all aspects of his life– from writing to fishing to roping and everything in between. And how he transformed from a singularly focused, straight-laced aspiring novelist into a Key West wild man known as “Captain Berserko” and then back again to a singularly focused wordsmith. Being blessed with an all-or-nothing personality myself, I’m always seeking guidance from those who have corralled that sometimes-challenging personality trait into something productive. While I haven’t discovered McGuane’s secret quite yet, I expect to have it all figured out once I’m through all these stories. Reasonable expectation, right? [Another collection I loved and revisit often is Chris la Tray’s One-Sentence Journal.]

Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness by Doug Peacock – From the earliest days of my podcast, guests have consistently recommended this book as a must-read about the American West. Now I understand why. It’s Peacock’s story of finding healing and purpose in the aftermath of the violence of the Vietnam War– an odyssey that began when he wandered into the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park while in the throes of a malaria-induced fever dream. When he came to, he was in the world of grizzlies, and– unlike me, who would’ve screamed and cried and run for my life– he stayed, forming a deep bond with the beautiful-but-deadly animals. Doug credits the grizzlies with saving his life, and he has spent the majority of his life entirely focused on protecting them. A must-read for anyone who loves the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, grizzlies, or purpose-driven humans. [Doug was the inspiration for the character Hayduke in his pal Ed Abbey’s classic The Monkey Wrench Gang.]

Was it Worth It? A Wilderness Warrior’s Long Trail Home by Doug Peacock – This is Peacock’s most recent book, a collection of some of his incredible adventures protecting wild places. From the deserts of North America to the wilds of Russia to the coasts of Central America and British Columbia, Peacock takes the reader to beautiful and sometimes-unforgiving landscapes– landscapes that would surely be ruined without the protection of eco-warriors like Peacock. While I loved the adventure stories, I was most struck by Peacock’s long-lasting friendships with many high-powered personalities– Yvon Chouinard, Jim Harrison, Ed Abbey, Rick Ridgeway, Doug Tompkins, and more. I’m fascinated by how that crew of rebellious legends fed off each other’s energy, increasing their impact both individually and collectively. Also, Was it Worth It? was published by Patagonia Books, so it’s jam-packed with stunning photos, making it more of a work of art than a simple book. [If you haven’t already, read Life Lived Wild by Rick Ridgeway, another beautiful book by a living legend.] [And here are my conversations with both Doug and Rick.]

River Teeth: Stories and Writings and My Story as Told by Water: Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-watchings, Fish-stalkings, Visions, Songs and Prayers Refracting Light, From Living Rivers, in the Age of the Industrial Dark by David James Duncan – Back in 2002, I was headed off on my first big adventure in really big mountains. On the flight to Mendoza, my buddy handed me his tattered copy of The River Why and said: “Read this.” Who would’ve ever guessed that more than two decades after that initial cinematic introduction to the great David James Duncan, I’d be sitting on a stage with him, trying to ask coherent questions about his legendary life’s work? In preparation for my interview, I focused on these two collections of essays– powerful, vulnerable, sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartbreaking tales from his life of writing, activism, fishing, and deep thinking. Even though he’s operating on a much higher intellectual and spiritual plane than me, Duncan has the rare ability to make his nuanced, poetic ideas about place, spirituality, death, loss, and fly fishing enlightening, even to an averaged-brained human like me. I especially connected with Who Owns the West: Seven Wrong Answers, The Non Sense of Place, Beauty/Violence/Grief/Frenzy/Love: On the Contemplative Versus the Activist Life, and The Mickey Mantle Koan, but every single essay is worth multiple reads. [Duncan’s newest masterpiece, Sun House, will be published on 8/8– so be on the lookout for my Sun House recommendation and our podcast episode later this summer.]

Make It: 50 Myths and Truths about Creating by Brendan Leonard – Brendan is one of the most prolific artists I know, consistently cranking out an extremely high quality/quantity of books, essays, cartoons, films, and newsletters year after year after year. If you’re wondering how he does it, you’re in luck– in this new book, he shares 50 ideas about the creative process. Combining his cartoons with hilariously insightful essays– with the occasional F word thrown in for emphasis– Brendan destroys the nonsensical excuses that people like me use to talk themselves out of doing creative work. According to Brendan, it’s a “polite but firm kick in the ass” to help people get going. And not that Brendan needs my endorsement, but I credit his example and approach with helping me to transform my little creative side projects into a full-time job. Great book. It’ll make you make. [Another excellent book on this subject is Seth Godin’s The Practice.]

A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World: Tales for Fire, Wind, and Water by David Gessner – And speaking of prolific, David Gessner is back! This time, his focus is climate change. A dour topic for sure, but, as we’ve come to expect from Gessner, he injects humor and wit into all of his writing, which makes the medicine go down a little smoother. A Traveler’s Guide chronicles his journeys around the country, where he finds himself in a variety of climate disasters– from historic forest fires in the American West to hurricanes on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Eschewing the ubiquitous facts, figures, and policy debates that often dominate climate-focused books, David does what he does best: he tells stories. Specifically, he tells impactful, insightful stories from the front lines of the climate crisis– stories that are still rattling around in my head weeks later and have even caught the attention of the Washington Post and Independent. [Another recent non-facts-and-figures climate change book I enjoyed was Saving Us by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe.] [And if you want to hear the authors discuss these climate-focused books, you can listen to my podcasts with David and Katharine.]

The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams by Seth Godin – I read everything Seth Godin writes. Of all his most recent books, this one is probably the least applicable to my life and work, as it is about working on teams within organizations– but I still gleaned great value from it. Thankfully, I’ve managed to escape the nightmarish dystopian hellscape that is Zoom and Slack, but amazingly, Seth seems to have figured out how to use those tools to actually bring out the best in people. Written in the same structure as many of Seth’s most recent books, it’s 100+ quick-but-powerful chapters that will help leaders ensure their teams are empowered, confident, satisfied, and content with their jobs. And please note, I did not write “feel empowered”– Seth wants them to actually be empowered. What an outlandish, non-MBA approach to leadership! [The best organizational leadership book I’ve ever read is Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.]

I’m currently in the depths of a personal writing project that has me skimming through some of my favorite funny memoirs and non-fiction writing. I’ve laughed hysterically at The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages by J. Marteen Troost, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Jaguars Ripped My Flesh by Tim Cahill, and The Selected Columns of Carl Hiaasen. I also just started The World’s Largest Man by Harrison Scott Key, and it’s hilarious. Please let me know if you know of other laugh-out-loud non-fiction writers that I may be missing.

Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis and Bing West – An acquaintance of mine who I greatly admire named his first son Mattis, so that was all the encouragement I needed to read this book. It’s the General’s memoir, covering his life as a wild, trouble-making teen through his highly accomplished career as a Marine and public servant. When it came to serving his country, Mattis was all in– he never married, maniacally read and studied history, and was intimately involved in almost all of the major military events of the past 30+ years. He earned the respect of both his superiors and subordinates and is rightly considered one of the military’s most effective leaders in recent history. I loved Mattis’s focus on reading (“If you haven’t read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate…”), and I was intrigued by the constant friction between the paper pushers in Washington and the soldiers on the ground in war zones. I was also fascinated by his ideas about managing crises vs. eliminating them, and his frustrations whenever politics thwarted his ability to achieve his military objectives. I loved this book. [One of my other favorite memoirs is Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.]

Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual by Jocko Willink – This was the sole remaining leadership book by Jocko that I had yet to read, and I cranked through it in a day. Jocko has the rare ability to write in a clear, not-fancy, easy-to-understand style, yet his paragraphs still manage to carry a ton of weight. The purpose of this book is to clearly and simply provide actionable wisdom on leadership– specific methods to overarching ideologies that can be applied anywhere from the battlefield to the family dining room table. Despite his warrior pedigree and tough-guy veneer, his approach to leadership is much more Dalai Lama than General MacArthur– he emphasizes listening, abolishing ego, building relationships, being of service to subordinates, and letting go of control. A worthwhile read for leaders of all stripes. [Jocko’s Extreme Ownership is one of the most perspective-shifting books I’ve ever read.]

Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa – This was the second book I ever read about Buddhist philosophy. I bought it immediately after my first mediation workshop at the Shambhala Center, the organization founded by Trungpa. Very little of it made sense to me when I read it back in 2012, but this time around, with dozens of Eastern philosophy books and hundreds of hours of meditation under my belt, it struck a much stronger chord. The basic idea (as I understand it) is that true contentment and peace cannot be found externally, only through nurturing our minds with curiosity and compassion. A decade ago, I would’ve laughed out loud at the preceding spiritual-mumbo-jumbo sentence, but thanks to books like this, I really do believe that mumbo-jumbo to be true. [The first Buddhism-focused book I ever read was The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama.]

Don’t Bite the Hook by Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other Destructive Emotions by Pema Chodron (audiobook) – I estimate that I’ve listened to this book at least 20 times, two of those being during the past month. The subtitle gives you all the information you need to know about its topic, but I’ll use this recommendation to once again proclaim: Pema Chodron is one of the wisest humans walking the earth today. I love everything she writes, and I love listening to her lecture even more. I’ve never met her, I’m not a Buddhist, nor do I have any plans to convert, but I still consider her one of my greatest teachers. [Another Pema audiobook that I’ve had on rotation for many years is Smile at Fear.]

The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins (audiobook) – One of my reading goals for 2023 was to avoid self-help books like the plague. But the Algorithmic Overlords started feeding me clips of the unmistakably tough-talking, no-nonsense Mel Robbins, and before I knew what had happened, I was listening to this audiobook on one of my many long drives. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Mel is on to something here, at least when it comes to my problem with procrastination. Basically, she’s extolling the virtues of quickly and aggressively breaking the inertia of fear/laziness/stalling, then immediately forcing yourself to simply start working. None of this is new, and all of it is simple and unsurprising. But implementing these tactics can be surprisingly difficult, a fact that she seems to enjoy repeating. I’m not sure if it’s Mel’s ingratiating midwestern accent or her charismatic repackaging of age-old ideas, but I’ve been counting to five and getting to work and feeling better about myself, so I won’t ask to many questions and will just go with it. [The Art of Taking Action by Gregg Krech is a different version of the same idea with a wildly different tone.]

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer by Steven Pressfield – Later this week, I’ll be pointing my truck westward and heading to Vernal, Utah, which is the launching point for my first-ever course as an instructor with the Freeflow Institute. We’ll be exploring how to use storytelling as a tool to effect change, and how to respectfully capture people’s attention in an increasingly loud and mostly annoying media landscape. My first assignment to the students was this straight-to-the-point book, a book selection that very well may have caused s few of them to question their teacher’s judgment and their own decision to attend the workshop. Anyway, I live by Pressfield’s foul-mouthed credo, and I fully embrace the fact that no one is going to beat down the door to listen to my podcast, read my writing, or subscribe to my emails– it’s on me to make something that is worth consuming and sharing. [Pressfield’s Turning Pro also packs a punch.]

Call an Audible: Let My Pivot from Harvard Law to NFL Coach Inspire Your Transition by Daron K. Roberts – I’ve been a loyal subscriber to Coach Roberts’ weekly email for several years, and I’m always happy to see his name show up in my inbox every Wednesday. Both Daron and his writing are funny, no-nonsense, inspiring, and practical. I’d been wanting to read his memoir for quite some time now, and I’m do glad I finally did. The book follows his journey from growing up in small-town Texas to Student Body President at the University of Texas to student at Harvard Law School. And as the subtitle explains, upon graduating from Harvard, he took an aggressive turn off the beaten path and focused his overflowing energy on becoming an NFL coach. My takeaways from Daron’s professional odyssey are: 1) He was not above performing even the most menial, ego-challenging tasks, 2) He understood the importance of building solid relationships up and down the chain of command, 3) He would respectfully not take no for an answer, and 4) He was willing to work harder than his competition. Daron’s story will resonate with anyone who has followed (or dreams of following) an unconventional path. [Speaking of football, Monte Burke’s Saban is excellent.]

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside by Nick Offerman – You probably know Nick from his portrayal of Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, but that legendary performance is only the tip of the iceberg– he’s a master woodworker, disciple of Wendell Berry, traveling humorist, regenerative agriculture advocate, and voracious reader, just to name a few. In this, his newest book, he explores ideas around conservation, land stewardship, and responsible, thoughtful living through a series of adventures and misadventures in the American West and English countryside. Combining his insatiable curiosity with his unmistakable humor, the book is basically a blueprint for how to be kind (i.e., not a jerk), thoughtful (i.e., not a shallow-thinking idiot), humble (i.e., not a narcissist), and a hard worker (i.e., not a lazy slob). In September of 2023, this book was named The Official Mountain & Prairie Guide to Life (by me). [To hear Nick and I discuss the book, as well as more obscure topics such as “old Superman,” check out our recent podcast conversation.]

Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman – This was Nick’s first foray into the publishing world– and also his first of five appearances on the New York Times bestseller list. Published back in 2013, it’s his life story spanning from his youth in a small, tight-knit Midwestern community up to when he “made it” as an actor after nearly 20 years of grinding on the lower rungs of show business. Nick is hilariously self-deprecating and not at all impressed by fame or wealth, which makes this memoir an even more refreshing and inspirational read. Funny stories, insightful wisdom, and applicable life lessons– there’s value for anyone who places a premium on being a good person. Oh, and Nick narrates all of his audiobooks, as well as three of Wendell Berry’s. So, despite my preference for paper, I can wholeheartedly recommend the audio versions of everything he’s involved with. [I also enjoyed a smattering of chapters from Nick’s book Gumption, particularly Frederick Douglass, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jeff Tweedy, and Conan O’Brien.]

The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance by Rebecca Clarren – There are plenty of books lining the shelves that follow worn-out, not-productive approaches to reckoning with horrors of the past. Some purposefully ignore facts, some blindly and perpetually cast blame, and others self-flagellate into absurdity. The Cost of Free Land is not one of those books. Rebecca takes a nuanced, clear-eyed approach to understanding her family’s complex history– they fled anti-Semitism in Russia and established a new life on the plains of South Dakota, eventually finding success as land-and-business owners. But her family’s success came at a steep cost to the Lakota people, who were the victims of stolen land, broken treaties, and the devastating loss of their culture and resources. Combining vulnerable family memoir with deeply researched history, Rebecca digs into her family’s complicated past, and then digs into her own Jewish faith to find a productive, healing path forward. I loved it. A must-read. [Another powerful examination of family and brutal history is Sugar in the Blood by Andrea Stuart.]

Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America by Dan Flores – I read everything Dan Flores writes. No matter how micro or macro the subject, he presents his narrative in an engaging style that makes hardcore history read like a fast-paced novel. This book definitely falls into the “macro” category– it’s a “big history” covering the past 66 million years of life here on good ol’ Planet Earth. Most of the book is devoted to humans’ relatively brief reign as the apex predator of the world, with an emphasis on just how drastically we have altered the landscapes, flora, and fauna of North America during that short time. But this is not a gloom-and-doom, humans-ruined-the-planet, all-is-lost kind of book. Rather, it’s a realistic accounting of our past that ends with an optimistic appraisal of our current trajectory into the future. [To better understand some of the people and legislation that put us on our current trajectory, read Douglas Brinkley’s Silent Spring Revolution.]

Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West by Sara Dant – Losing Eden is definitely one of my most-often recommended books. But despite its being my absolute favorite overview of conservation and environmentalism in the West, the original edition never seemed to reach a broad audience. Thankfully that’s changing, because University of Nebraska Press bought the rights, Sara updated the book, and the end result is an even more substantial tome, complete with new photos, maps, and suggested reading lists. The book’s new format and the new publisher’s willingness to promote it– not to mention Sara’s appearances in the new Ken Burns documentary– will get this very important book into the hands of a much, much larger audience.

The Future of the Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from Patagonia’s First 50 Years by Vincent Stanley with Yvon Chouinard – I’ve been a Patagonia customer for nearly 30 years, but it wasn’t until I was enrolled in grad school earning my MBA that I began studying Patagonia’s business philosophies. On my own time, I read Yvon’s classic Let My People Go Surfing, which aggressively contradicted much of the standard business instruction I was receiving in the classroom. I often say that a tiny Milton Friedman was whispering his shareholder-value philosophies in one ear, and a tiny Yvon was ranting about responsibility into the other. Ultimately, Yvon won that battle, but I had much more to learn. That’s why I loved this book– it’s a quick-but-effective recap of Patagonia’s greatest business challenges, victories, and missteps, combined with actionable steps that any company or entrepreneur can follow to be more responsible and deliberate– while still turning a healthy profit. [Vincent is an amazing thinker, doer, writer, and speaker, so you might enjoy my recent podcast conversation with him.]

Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness by Tara Brach – My guru recommended that I read this book. It was a prescription of sorts, one that was intended to help me lighten up, to quit being so hard on myself. To find a Zen-like approach to internal motivation that does not involve mental beatdowns and comically brutal self-talk. Tara is both a renowned meditation teacher and a highly trained PhD psychologist, so, if anybody can help me break my unproductive self-bullying habits, it’s her. I’ve been reading a chapter or two before bed (each chapter is three pages max), and, I have to say, I’ve been lightening up a bit. Of course that could be related to the daily meditation, excessive exercise, ice baths, breath holds, guru sessions, fasting, or any number of weird “self-care” protocols– but for the purpose of this email, I’ll give 85% of the credit to Tara and her excellent book. [I’ve also been a longtime fan of Tara’s classic book Radical Acceptance.]

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside by Nick Offerman – You probably know Nick from his portrayal of Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, but that legendary performance is only the tip of the iceberg– he’s a master woodworker, disciple of Wendell Berry, traveling humorist, regenerative agriculture advocate, and voracious reader, just to name a few. In this, his newest book, he explores ideas around conservation, land stewardship, and responsible, thoughtful living through a series of adventures and misadventures in the American West and English countryside. Combining his insatiable curiosity with his unmistakable humor, the book is basically a blueprint for how to be kind (i.e., not a jerk), thoughtful (i.e., not a shallow-thinking idiot), humble (i.e., not a narcissist), and a hard worker (i.e., not a lazy slob). In September of 2023, this book was named The Official Mountain & Prairie Guide to Life (by me). [To hear Nick and I discuss the book, as well as more obscure topics such as “old Superman,” check out our recent podcast conversation.]

Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman – This was Nick’s first foray into the publishing world– and also his first of five appearances on the New York Times bestseller list. Published back in 2013, it’s his life story spanning from his youth in a small, tight-knit Midwestern community up to when he “made it” as an actor after nearly 20 years of grinding on the lower rungs of show business. Nick is hilariously self-deprecating and not at all impressed by fame or wealth, which makes this memoir an even more refreshing and inspirational read. Funny stories, insightful wisdom, and applicable life lessons– there’s value for anyone who places a premium on being a good person. Oh, and Nick narrates all of his audiobooks, as well as three of Wendell Berry’s. So, despite my preference for paper, I can wholeheartedly recommend the audio versions of everything he’s involved with. [I also enjoyed a smattering of chapters from Nick’s book Gumption, particularly Frederick Douglass, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jeff Tweedy, and Conan O’Brien.]

The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance by Rebecca Clarren – There are plenty of books lining the shelves that follow worn-out, not-productive approaches to reckoning with horrors of the past. Some purposefully ignore facts, some blindly and perpetually cast blame, and others self-flagellate into absurdity. The Cost of Free Land is not one of those books. Rebecca takes a nuanced, clear-eyed approach to understanding her family’s complex history– they fled anti-Semitism in Russia and established a new life on the plains of South Dakota, eventually finding success as land-and-business owners. But her family’s success came at a steep cost to the Lakota people, who were the victims of stolen land, broken treaties, and the devastating loss of their culture and resources. Combining vulnerable family memoir with deeply researched history, Rebecca digs into her family’s complicated past, and then digs into her own Jewish faith to find a productive, healing path forward. I loved it. A must-read. [Another powerful examination of family and brutal history is Sugar in the Blood by Andrea Stuart.]

Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America by Dan Flores – I read everything Dan Flores writes. No matter how micro or macro the subject, he presents his narrative in an engaging style that makes hardcore history read like a fast-paced novel. This book definitely falls into the “macro” category– it’s a “big history” covering the past 66 million years of life here on good ol’ Planet Earth. Most of the book is devoted to humans’ relatively brief reign as the apex predator of the world, with an emphasis on just how drastically we have altered the landscapes, flora, and fauna of North America during that short time. But this is not a gloom-and-doom, humans-ruined-the-planet, all-is-lost kind of book. Rather, it’s a realistic accounting of our past that ends with an optimistic appraisal of our current trajectory into the future. [To better understand some of the people and legislation that put us on our current trajectory, read Douglas Brinkley’s Silent Spring Revolution.]

Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West by Sara Dant – Losing Eden is definitely one of my most-often recommended books. But despite its being my absolute favorite overview of conservation and environmentalism in the West, the original edition never seemed to reach a broad audience. Thankfully that’s changing, because University of Nebraska Press bought the rights, Sara updated the book, and the end result is an even more substantial tome, complete with new photos, maps, and suggested reading lists. The book’s new format and the new publisher’s willingness to promote it– not to mention Sara’s appearances in the new Ken Burns documentary– will get this very important book into the hands of a much, much larger audience.

The Future of the Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from Patagonia’s First 50 Years by Vincent Stanley with Yvon Chouinard – I’ve been a Patagonia customer for nearly 30 years, but it wasn’t until I was enrolled in grad school earning my MBA that I began studying Patagonia’s business philosophies. On my own time, I read Yvon’s classic Let My People Go Surfing, which aggressively contradicted much of the standard business instruction I was receiving in the classroom. I often say that a tiny Milton Friedman was whispering his shareholder-value philosophies in one ear, and a tiny Yvon was ranting about responsibility into the other. Ultimately, Yvon won that battle, but I had much more to learn. That’s why I loved this book– it’s a quick-but-effective recap of Patagonia’s greatest business challenges, victories, and missteps, combined with actionable steps that any company or entrepreneur can follow to be more responsible and deliberate– while still turning a healthy profit. [Vincent is an amazing thinker, doer, writer, and speaker, so you might enjoy my recent podcast conversation with him.]

Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness by Tara Brach – My guru recommended that I read this book. It was a prescription of sorts, one that was intended to help me lighten up, to quit being so hard on myself. To find a Zen-like approach to internal motivation that does not involve mental beatdowns and comically brutal self-talk. Tara is both a renowned meditation teacher and a highly trained PhD psychologist, so, if anybody can help me break my unproductive self-bullying habits, it’s her. I’ve been reading a chapter or two before bed (each chapter is three pages max), and, I have to say, I’ve been lightening up a bit. Of course that could be related to the daily meditation, excessive exercise, ice baths, breath holds, guru sessions, fasting, or any number of weird “self-care” protocols– but for the purpose of this email, I’ll give 85% of the credit to Tara and her excellent book. [I’ve also been a longtime fan of Tara’s classic book Radical Acceptance.]