Weekly Non-Fiction Reading List 2.20.23
This week, I finished three books from some amazing authors. I read a fantastic book about the science of resilience as well as an older book on why people join fringe movements that are completely insane. I also reread one of my all-time favorite books on human nature. 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).
Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness by Steve Magness
I was skeptical of this book at first. I’ve seen it pop up on a ton of reading lists, and typically, that means it’s some pop-science book with a bunch of silly pseudoscience. Much to my surprise, this was a solid book, and I’m really glad I read it. Steve Magness starts by debunking the myths around toughness, like being an authoritarian parent or a coach who makes athletes exercise until they puke.
The book has a ton of studies in it and leans on mindfulness to discuss coping with negative emotions, pain and more. This book will help you learn the benefits of being comfortable with the uncomfortable. I love this book, and I’ll be reading it again in the future.
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer
My group of book buddies were talking about Eric Hoffer, and he seemed like he wrote some interesting stuff, so they recommended this one. I’m definitely a fan now. While the book is a bit older from the 1950s, it still holds up extremely well. He has some great thoughts around why people join radical movements and what types of people are susceptible to becoming “true believers”. I really found it interesting how he discussed people with economic issues being prone to being lured in by gurus. It’s 2023, and we’ve been watching all of this go down for years now with the rise of QAnon, anti-vaxxers and all of the other craziness. Definitely check this book out if you want a better understanding of these types of people.
The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life by Robin Hanson and Kevin Simler
This is my third or fourth time reading this book, and I’ll keep reading it on a yearly basis. This book isn’t for everyone because you’ll need to face some hard truths about your own human nature. Personally, I’d rather know than not know. The authors argue that just about everything we do is out of self-interest, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad, but it’s something to be aware of. Regardless of what we’re doing, we’re trying to elevate our status and how we’re perceived by others.
I come back to this book as a reminded of why people are the way they are, and it helps me have a bit more empathy as we all live on this planet together.
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