Weekly Non-Fiction Reading List 1.23.23
This week, I finished three books from some amazing authors. The books include one on animal intelligence, which also discusses some philosophy and other great topics. There’s a book on the concept of freedom and a fantastic book on the psychology of luck. 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).
If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal: What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity by Justin Gregg
What a surprisingly awesome book. Justin Gregg was kind enough to send me an early copy of the book, but it completely fell off my radar, and I finally came back around to it. I had no clue what to expect from this book. I love philosophy, but although I’m an animal lover, I don’t usually read books about animals because it’s not my thing. This book had such a great blend of science, philosophy, discussions of intelligence, consciousness and so much more.
I could go on and on and on about this book, but you just need to read it for yourself. If you’re interested in human vs. animal intelligence, how we can make this world a better place and maybe how to become a happier, better human, you’ll love this book. Although this book came out in 2022 and it’s only January of 2023, this will most likely be one of the best books I read all year.
Whose Freedom?: The Battle Over America's Most Important Idea by George Lakoff
I love George Lakoff’s books, and I was super excited to read this one because I’m always interested in discussions about the idea of freedom and what it means in a society for different people. I’m not sure what it was, but this book just didn’t capture my attention, and I was extremely bored with it. I don’t know if it’s just because Lakoff has become repetitive with this being the third book I’ve read by him or this book just wasn’t all that great. I remember thinking I was almost done with it because it felt like I was reading it forever, but I was about a quarter of the way through.
If you’re interested in liberal vs. conservative views on freedom and framing political conversations, you may enjoy this book. If it’s your first Lakoff book, you may enjoy it a lot more than I did. But for me, it just went on and on and on. If the next book I read of his is as dull, then it may be because he’s become repetitive with his writing.
The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind by Richard Wiseman
This is such a great book, and I think about it all the time and have even taught my son some lessons from it. I wanted to give it a read because I’ve had a lot of conversations lately about how to make “luck” work in your favor. This book is just as great as when I first read it, and it’s a must read. Wiseman researches “luck” and spoiler; there’s no such thing as luck. Basically, it all comes down to how you view your situations, and he’s spoken with thousands of people who see themselves as “lucky” or “unlucky”. If you read this book and put the luck principles into practice, I promise your life will be better. You’ll be happier and more successful.
If you enjoyed this post, it’d mean a lot to me if you shared it. Forward it in an email, share it on social media, or whatever suits your fancy.
To stay updated follow me on Twitter and Instagram @TheRewiredSoul and subscribe to the Substack.