Recommendations you can check.
Programmer and writer. Keeps a running list of the non-fiction he reads, starring the ones he recommends.
92 things
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying UpBook Marie Kondo
Podcast. Despite the apparent red flags about the book, it’s actually pretty genius! Read it with the right mindset (filter out bullshit), transform your relationship with objects, and declutter your life once and for all.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Better Than BeforeBook Gretchen Rubin
Podcast. A great book of strategies for cultivating good habits and overcoming bad ones. Highly recommended.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Nonviolent CommunicationBook Marshall B. Rosenberg
Podcast. Rough Notes. A brilliant guide to resolving conflicts with other people, cultivating empathy, and understanding other peoples’ feelings and needs.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
PeakBook K. Anders Ericsson
Podcast (Part 2). Forget about natural talent — it’s bullshit. Skills are not innate, but developed through practice — lots of it. And not just any practice, but the kind that leverages the talent all of us have: malleability of our brains. And this book is all about it.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
The GeneBook Siddhartha Mukherjee
The fascinating history of genetics, told from the very beginning up until today. Covers the broad range of genetics-related science, its development, and its implications. Long, but very well written, and a pleasure to read (or listen to).
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
How to Fly a HorseBook Kevin Ashton
Podcast. More stories and insight on creativity. In particular, the book makes a strong case for just how ordinary creativity is, and makes you notice the things that hold us back from creating or lead us astray when we do.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
OriginalsBook Adam M. Grant
Podcast. Good advice for generating, recognizing, and championing original ideas, as well as for creating resilient cultures that promote creative thinking, and resist groupthink. A lot of stuff to unpack, a good read.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Deep WorkBook Cal Newport
Podcast. Yes, yes, yes! We live very distracted lives and most of our working days are filled with shallow tasks and interruptions. Although programmers get the importance of flow, it’s so hard to achieve. Our environments don’t support it, and shallow work is just easier. The book makes a compelling case for why we should double down on deep work, and offers some practical strategies for achie…
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
SapiensBook Yuval Noah Harari
The history of humankind from 2 million years back all the way until today. Fascinating read. I liked that it wasn’t just a list of events, but an overarching “theory of history”. Also enjoyed that this one topic was presented through many lenses: history, evolutionary biology, archeology, economics, even philosophy and theology.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Why We Get FatBook Gary Taubes
Podcast. Before I read this book, my understanding of what makes us fat (what made me fat!) was highly mistaken. That, or this book is bullshit. But I don’t think so. My research and experience applying the lessons so far seem to confirm it. Hard to argue with 10kg lost in 4 months with little effort.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
EssentialismBook Greg McKeown
Podcast. A manifesto for doing less and focusing on the essential. Stop pretending there are no trade-offs. Recommended read.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
SuperintelligenceBook Nick Bostrom
Super fascinating, and incredibly scary read about general artificial superintelligence. Amazing read. Highly recommended as an audiobook (fantastic narrator perfect for the topic).
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Power of HabitBook Charles Duhigg
Essential read, a manual for your brain (RTFM)
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
REWORKBook Jason Fried
A manifesto / collection of short essays about how to run a company in the digital era. Delightful. Shaped my thinking greatly when I first read it, now it just seems like common sense.
Starred on his book list as one he particularly enjoyed or recommends.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
FactfulnessBook Hans Rosling
The world is bad, but better. The vast majority of westerners believe the world is poorer, more violent, deadly, primitive, and awful than it actually is. This book beautifully illustrates our ignorance, updates your knowledge, and gives you tools for a fact-based worldview.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2026-08-16·radex.io ↗
Courage to Be DislikedBook Ichirō Kishimi
This is a very strange book, and I can’t say I liked it very much, but there is some useful philosophy inside (and perhaps a lot if you or someone you know is struggling with low self-esteem).
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2026-08-16·radex.io ↗
Digital MinimalismBook Cal Newport
Podcast. Cal Newport’s new book is a great distillation of what I’ve come to believe is the right, sustainable, healthy approach to social media, and technology more broadly. Browse less, make the best of it, and live more.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2026-08-16·radex.io ↗
Punished by RewardsBook Alfie Kohn
Podcast (Part 2). Incentivizing people — punishing or rewarding (with bonuses, commissions, grades, public praise, and other bribes) is manipulative and doesn’t actually work. It seems to work, but only in the very short term and causes severe long-term damage.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2026-08-16·radex.io ↗
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at WorkBook Jason Fried
Podcast. Another classic manifesto from Jason Fried and DHH, challenging the status quo of business today. Properly sparkled with both “fuck”s and wisdom. Fuck 50 or 80-hour work weeks, the always stressed, always anxious way of working, constant crunch. Let’s all calm down. It doesn’t have to be crazy at work.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
This Is MarketingBook Seth Godin
If you do (or want/need to do) some marketing, want to be good at it, and distrust standard marketing bullshit the world is filled with, this might be a book for you.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Bullshit JobsBook David Graeber
Podcast. Funny, scary, thought-provoking book. Thesis: what if a large portion of our population performs jobs they secretly know don’t need to be performed, and if they disappeared, no one would notice?
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Toyota Way to Lean LeadershipBook Jeffrey K. Liker
A book about management in big organizations. Though still somewhat interesting if you work in small organizations for perspective.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Billion Dollar WhaleBook Wright, Tom (Wall Street Journal reporter)
Another good story of a big, multi-billion-dollar scam. They’re fun!
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Bad BloodBook John Carreyrou
A story of a big, decade-long Silicon Valley scam. Good read.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
What do You Care What Other People Think?Book Richard Phillips Feynman
Amusing anecdotes from Richard Feynman’s life. They never disappoint.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Pope of PhysicsBook Gino Segrè
Biography of Encrico Fermi, and, among other things, another perspective on the Manhattan Project.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Titan: Life of John D. RockefellerBook Ron Chernow
Nice read, but be warned: this is long.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Merchants of DoubtBook Naomi Oreskes
Recommended read. If you want to spread FUD and lie to millions of people about issues such as tobacco smoking or global warming, this is a perfect handbook for you. If you don’t, you’ll learn their tactics.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Age of AmbitionBook Evan Osnos
If you don’t really understand or know a lot about China today, this is one perspective. Good book.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
ConspiracyBook Ryan Holiday
Fascinating story of how Peter Thiel masterminded the takedown of Gawker — with some help from Hulk Hogan.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Profit FirstBook Mike Michalowicz
Podcast. A simple system for managing money based around human flaws. Written for entrepreneurs, but you can adapt it for personal finance.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Culture CodeBook Daniel Coyle
Ideas about developing teams that work together better. Underwhelming — took just a few base concepts and then stretched them very thin by applying to them a dozen different (not always compelling) stories.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Turn the Ship AroundBook L. David Marquet
Guide to transforming top-down organizations into lean ones, where everyone is a leader. Written by a submarine commander, it’s mostly useful to managers in big corporations and other institutions.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
Finding My VirginityBook Richard Branson
Richard Branson’s second autobiography. As someone not very familiar with his work, it was an interesting read (but as always with autobiographies, take it with a grain of salt).
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2018-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Emperor of All MaladiesBook Siddhartha Mukherjee
History of cancer (and the research and people trying to combat it) taught through (very good) storytelling.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Driven to Distraction at WorkBook Edward M. Hallowell
Rough Notes. This book identifies common patterns among people struggling to stay focused, and offers some coping strategies. Haven’t found it as inspiring as I’d hoped, but has some good stuff.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
The 4-Hour BodyBook Timothy Ferriss
Rough Notes. Never finished it to be honest, but the part about dieting supplements the classic Why We Get Fat (the former explains the theory well, while Ferriss’s book gives practical dietary ideas)
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Homo DeusBook Yuval Noah Harari
Rough Notes. A rather dystopian prediction of the future of humanity. Can’t say I agree with it all, but definitely something to think about.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Skunk WorksBook Ben R. Rich
History of Lockheed Martin’s secret division that created many of USA’s greatest military innovations. I don’t care for the military, but to create an organization this lean and innovative inside a big, slow, bureocratic corporation is very rare.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Insanely SimpleBook Ken Segall
Podcast. Rough Notes. Yet another history book about Apple and Steve Jobs through one person’s perspective. Not super inspiring, but entertaining.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
A Guide to the Good LifeBook William Braxton Irvine
Podcast (Part 2). A modern, approachable guide to Stoicism — a philosophy of life whose goal is to maximize the experience of tranquility. This is a seriously useful bag of psychological tricks.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Bad ScienceBook Ben Goldacre
Examples of good science, pseudo-scientific bullshit, and how to discern between the two.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
How to Read a BookBook Mortimer J. Adler
Rough Notes. A very meta book with some serious advice on how to read books well. Frustratingly long for its content, though.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Fooled by RandomnessBook Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Podcast. Ramblings about randomness and all the ways in which our minds aren’t properly equipped to deal with it.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Sleep SmarterBook Shawn Stevenson
Podcast. Practical advice on how to improve the quality of your sleep. Quality is the key word — there are more factors come into play than just the amount of sleep.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!Book Richard Phillips Feynman
A collection of stories from Richard Feynman’s life. Very entertaining.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
This Is Your Brain on ParasitesBook Kathleen McAuliffe
Another biology-related book. Explores the role of parasites (and bacteria, disease, disgust) in human behavior, attraction, even politics, morality, religion. Some of this is is cutting-edge, speculative, or not fully proven — but very interesting stuff indeed.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
Life AscendingBook Nick Lane
An earlier biology book by Nick Lane. With his characteristic richness of detail, it explores the evolution of DNA, photosynthesis, movement, sight, sex, consciousness, and death.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Vital QuestionBook Nick Lane
A fascinating book exploring the role of energy in biology and evolution. It explains how eucaryotic life emerged and why it grew in complexity, while bacteria have remained unchanged in their simplicity for billions of years. It also presents the best theory of abiogenesis we have, and a lot more.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2017-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a FuckBook Mark Manson
Despite the (intentionally) provocative title, the book actually has some pretty good life advice. A modern take on Stoic philosophy, among other things. Quite entertaining. YMMV.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Guns, Germs, and SteelBook Jared Diamond
Theory of history of human civilizations. This fascinating book explains why Eaurasians came to dominate most of the world, why native American, Australian, and sub-Saharan African peoples never had a good chance; and why European diseases decimated the native American population, but not the other way around.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Why I Left Goldman SachsBook Smith, Greg (Economist)
A story about inner workings of the financial sector from someone who worked and succeeded at Goldman Sachs for over a decade. An enjoyable read.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Ego Is the EnemyBook Ryan Holiday
Podcast. At every point in your life, your ego is the enemy. You know this, I hope, but we all need this reminder to get back to earth.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
A Man on the MoonBook Andrew Chaikin
The history of the Apollo program. Worth a read if you’re into space, though a bit long.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Under New ManagementBook David Burkus
Podcast (Part 2). Modern companies inherited its management philosophy from the industrial age. But the nature of today’s work is very different. The book offers a bunch of ideas for how to run organizations better.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
DisruptedBook Dan Lyons
Podcast. A hilarious and terrifying story of a startup. If you enjoy Silicon Valley, you’ll appreciate this book.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Now HabitBook Neil Fiore
A guide to procrastination: why we do it, how we do it, and a number of tips and strategies to help overcome it. Overall a dry read, but there are a few bits I found useful.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
The InevitableBook Kevin Kelly
Podcast (Part 2). A story about how the world will change in the next few decades. The nature of technology available today makes certain trends almost inevitable. Even though the exact future is unknowable, we can still extrapolate from high-level trends to make some good predictions about the future.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical AgeBook W. Bernard Carlson
To me, this biography of Nikola Tesla is a cautionary tale of what happens when you start believing you’re the smartest person on Earth. After a brilliant invention and commercial success of his induction motor, he created nothing else of great significance. He promised a lot, but delivered nothing.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Smarter Faster BetterBook Charles Duhigg
Podcast (Part 2). Stories and case studies about the invisible forces that shape how productive we are — both individually, and in organizations. A good read.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Naked StatisticsBook Charles J. Wheelan
The book’s stated goal is to convey an intuitive (as in: very little math) understanding of statistics, and I think it succeeds at that. It shows both the awesome power of statistics (for research, science, predictions) and the dangers of its misuse.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Naked MoneyBook Charles J. Wheelan
An interesting read about macroeconomics, the nature of money, the role of central banking, and other related topics. Lots of history, and packed into a very enjoyable and approachable book.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
4 Disciplines of ExecutionBook Chris McChesney
Podcast. A system for pursuing goals, keeping track of progress, and making sure they ultimately get done. Useful in organizations and individuals. You won’t find the ideas very innovative, but the approach is helpful, and yet not something we tend to do. Worth a read if you have goals you have trouble actually finding time for.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Start with WhyBook Simon Sinek
We tend to focus on the “what” and “how” of our companies and products. This manifesto reminds us to always start with “why” — the reason we do the things we do, to let that guide our decisions, the whats and hows. Personally, I found the book neither very insightful nor inspiring, but YMMV.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Whole Earth DisciplineBook Stewart Brand
An ecopragmatist book making a compelling argument that urbanization, nuclear energy, and genetic engineering are good for the environment and must be pursued. This is all counterintuitive — environmental movement traditionally despises those things. But we’ve gone so far changing Earth, there might not be another choice.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Zero to OneBook Peter A. Thiel
Thoughts on building innovative new companies. There’s some startup BS in Zero to One that turned me off, but still enough interesting insight to recommend the book.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Industries of the FutureBook Alec Ross
If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably well-prepared for what’s to come in the next few decades. Still, things will change, and this book offers one perspective at the industries that will flourish, and how wealth will be distributed in the world.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
NarconomicsBook Tom Wainwright
If you’ve enjoyed Narcos, you’ll like this book. The world of drugs, cartels, gangs, violence, and prisons looked at from the perspective of an economist.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Your Brain at WorkBook David Rock
Notes (More notes). A lot of knowledge about how our brains work, packed into useful, practical terms. Understanding this stuff will help you be more productive, deal with stress and emotions better, even get better at working with and influencing other people.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
Good to GreatBook Collins, James C.
A research-based look at what causes companies to move from mediocre or good to great performance. Not super engaging to read, but the methodology behind the book gives its ideas more credibility.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Everything StoreBook Brad Stone
A biography of Jeff Bezos and Amazon. An enjoyable read, some history, and some insight.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
The ONE ThingBook Gary Keller
A few great insights, but also some cringeworthy parts. Would recommend Essentialism over this one.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2016-01-01·radex.io ↗
59 SecondsBook Richard Wiseman
A big collection of easy life ideas based off of psychology research. Some good ones, lots of meh though.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Innovator’s DillemaBook Clayton M. Christensen
Important classics if you’re interested in understanding what makes businesses fail or succeed. Boring at times.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Checklist ManifestoBook Atul Gawande
A short read to remind us to always. make. checklists. Sounds like an idea not deserving a book, but it does. Recommended as an audiobook.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
Elon MuskBook Ashlee Vance
Great stories from Elon Musk’s youth, early companies, Tesla, and SpaceX. Many I’ve never heard before.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
So Good They Can't Ignore YouBook Cal Newport
Podcast. They always say to follow your passion. But it’s actually a terrible career advice. The book offers an alternative model to think of your career more compelling than that.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
Creativity, IncBook Ed Catmull
Management and leadership stories and lessons from Pixar. Too long IMHO, but enjoyed it.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
Making Ideas HappenBook Scott Belsky
Boring. Few compelling ideas.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Millionaire Next DoorBook Thomas J. Stanley
Our preconceptions of what most millionaires are like are likely way off. An interesting read, though a bit old.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
Becoming Steve JobsBook Brent Schlender
The best biography of Steve I’ve read.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
OutliersBook Malcolm Gladwell
Great reads from Malcolm Gladwell. I liked Outliers best, but it was my first one, so that might be a bias.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
QuietBook Susan Cain
About introversion. If you’re an introvert, you’ll like this book. If you’re not, you should read this book.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Healthy ProgrammerBook Joe Kutner
Refactoring your health for programmers.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Mythical Man-MonthBook Frederick P. Brooks
A very old book about the practice of software development. Interesting both how much and how little has changed since the 70s.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
PeoplewareBook Tom DeMarco
On managing software develope teams — not the technical side, but the soft human side.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
The Lean StartupBook Eric Ries
Some good insights, if you can stand the Silicon Valley startup BS lingo.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
REMOTEBook Basudeb Bhatta
37 Signals/Basecamp’s lessons learned from running a remote, office-less company.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
How Will You Measure Your LifeBook Clayton M. Christensen
Ideas from Clay Christensen’s business theory (disruption theory etc.) applied as lenses to look at life.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
Poke the BoxBook Seth Godin
I love Seth Godin’s insights! Linchpin in particular is a worthy read, and had a big impact on me.
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
2015-01-01·radex.io ↗
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever LivedBook Adam Rutherford
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect TimingBook Daniel H. Pink
On his public list of books he has read, with his notes.
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