Recommendations you can check.
Author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Everything Is F*cked; writes essays and book reviews at markmanson.net.
19 things
Exhalation: StoriesBook Ted Chiang
And the title story, “Exhalation,” is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Isaac NewtonBook James Gleick
Just a really, really well-written biography. And of arguably the most important man in history.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
The Three-Body ProblemBook Liu Cixin
It’s one of the best fiction experiences I’ve ever had in my life. A stunning achievement. And a must-read for anyone who is even remotely into sci-fi or nerdy space science stuff.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Born a CrimeBook Trevor Noah
One of the most fun and shocking memoirs I've ever read.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Barking Up the Wrong TreeBook Eric Barker
A fun romp through a lot of counter-intuitive studies and data on success , happiness , relationships , etc.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Thinking, Fast and SlowBook Daniel Kahneman
Still the definitive book on cognitive biases and behavioral economics.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Stillness Is the KeyBook Ryan Holiday
But the book was great, the best out of all his stoicism books, in my opinion.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Shoe DogBook Phil Knight
A must-read for anyone who wants to start a business, has started a business, wishes they started a business or has ever thought about starting a business.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
GreenlightsBook Matthew McConaughey
I was impressed with the depth and insight in this memoir. I hate to say it, but you rarely expect much from celebrity books. This one delivered though.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
The Righteous MindBook Jonathan Haidt
This is the only one I’m not crazy about. My academic BS detector got tripped a few times while reading it, and it turns out that there are a number of better measurements emerging in moral psychology.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
PaybackBook Margaret Atwood
Brilliant for stretches but also kind of weird and rambly for stretches as well. A very uneven book, but the great moments make the others worth it
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Lost ConnectionsBook Johann Hari
Useful and interesting read. Touching at times. But as an academic work, it’s flawed.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Skin in the GameBook Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Strangely, it’s in maybe Taleb’s worst book that I found him the most tolerable?
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Why Liberalism FailedBook Patrick Deneen
Brilliant but flawed. Deneen tried to argue that the ideals of the western enlightenment are ultimately self-defeating. I think he was onto something, but I don’t think he totally got his argument straightened out.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Why We SleepBook Matthew Walker
A flawed but really useful book. Some of the data here is exaggerated, it appears.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
EducatedBook Tara Westover
Don’t get me wrong, it’s very good and a great story. But much like Hillbilly Elegy a few years ago, I was left wondering, “What’s everyone going on about?”
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
BecomingBook Michelle Obama
Former first lady. Well written. Some really interesting parts. Some not-so-interesting parts. What else is there to say?
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
ObliquityBook John Kay
One of those business books (and there are many) that you can get the main idea within the first 20 pages and can stop reading there. I skimmed through most of it.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Enlightenment NowBook Steven Pinker
Optimism porn. I’m a bona fide Pinker fanboy, but was disappointed with this, for a few reasons.
Manson’s post reviewing 114 books he had read in recent years, one paragraph each; the book links are Amazon affiliate links (tag=entsblo-20).
2021-03-01·markmanson.net ↗
Every entry is a verbatim quote and a link to the public post it came from. Nothing is paraphrased. If it is not on record somewhere public, it is not here.
The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.
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The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is for its kind of thing.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is, for its kind of thing. Fully green is recent. It drains a quarter at a time as the post gets older, and is empty once it reads as dated.
What counts as old depends on the thing. A laptop praised four years ago has been replaced twice; a book loved twenty years ago is probably still loved. The shading is gone after about:
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