Non-Fiction Reading List 11.20.23
We have 3 books from some amazing authors. This last week, I was dealing with some depression, so I read some books to help lift me up. We have some books on stoicism and depression and then one on happiness and success. Enjoy!
Each of the links to the books are affiliate links, so if you use my link to purchase any of these books, some comes back to support what I do (and it also helps fund my reading habit).
Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope by Mark Manson
I read this book a while back and decided to give it another read because my son and I are about to start Manson’s hit book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. I remember not really liking this book as much as the previous one, but sometimes I’m just in the wrong mood to enjoy certain types of books. Mark’s an excellent writer, so I wanted to give this one another chance.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it this go around either, and I remembered why I didn’t like it the first time, either. This book feels like it’s two or even three completely different books. It starts out really strong, and then it takes a hard turn into Nietzsche, some political topics and an alternate universe Isaac Newton. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some great advice in this book, but it just feels super disjointed, and it’s tough for me to read.
Lastly, I don’t think it really matches up with the title, which is the other main reason I wasn’t a fan. Authors like Manson typically do a great job weaving anecdotes with studies or philosophy, and this one didn’t really nail down the topic of maintaining or finding hope. In my opinion, just read the Subtle Art book, it’s much better.
Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success by Russell Simmons
First off, yes, I know about the accusations against Simmons, but his other book Super Rich is one of my favorites, and I do my best to separate the art from the artist if I find the “art” helpful. I was about to re-read Super Rich, but in the intro, he mentions this book, and I remembered I never read it, so I grabbed a copy.
Maybe it was the depression, but it’s hard for me to enjoy books like this. There’s great advice in here, but it’s hard to read books on “how to be successful” from successful people. Yes, it’s easy to look back and say “everything I did worked!”, but he references parts of his personal story that normal people couldn’t do. For example, he discusses chasing your passions and dreams like he did with Phat Farm. Then, he discusses how he lost millions screwing up and then figuring out how to run a fashion line. Not many of us can do something like that.
Much like other books, there’s very useful advice in this book about being good to others, getting involved in the voting process, and having a good work ethic. If you can recognize the survivorship bias and take the useful stuff from this book, it’s pretty good.
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman
I absolutely love this book, and I’ll continue to read it again and again. This is one of the most helpful books for when I’m in a depressive funk because it’s all about fighting depression with some evidence-based methods. But best of all, it’s written by a normal person. Oliver is an incredible author, and I love all of his books. This book was just what I needed while dealing with my depressive brain. It reminded me about stoic philosophy, the importance of meditation, and not comparing my success to others. I love this book and can’t recommend it enough.
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