Weekly Non-Fiction Reading List 2.5.24
I am LOVING 2024. I’ve read so many great books and this week we have 4. We have a fantastic book about randomness and chaos as well as a phenomenal personal finance book. We also have a book where a Buddhist and utilitarian have a great philosophical conversation and the list ends with the best book on cognitive dissonance. Enjoy!
Also, don’t forget to become a paid subscriber for the low low price of $5/month if you want to get my monthly curated lists of my favorite books. I’ll also be adding more curated lists throughout the year!
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).
Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klaas
2024 is off to a great start with amazing books, and the second I picked up this Brian Klaas book, I knew I’d love it. I really enjoyed Brian’s previous book Corruptable and was pleasantly surprised when I learned he had a new one coming out. As someone who falls in the camp of chaos theory and free will skepticism, I wasn’t sure which side Brian would land on, but he was speaking my language from the start.
This book really highlights how completely random events determine outcomes, and Klaas starts with a great example. The first story he shares in this book is about how a guy’s vacation with his wife in Kiyoto decided where the U.S. would send a nuclear bomb. Each chapter is dedicated to different topics and how small, seemingly insignificant factors make for world-changing outcomes.
This is a topic not a lot of people like to read about because we humans are control freaks. Klaas does a superb job explaining how there’s so much outside of our control, but he also finds away to explain why we’re all living extremely important lives. This is nice because sometimes this topic turns people into depressed nihilists, but I think Klaas does a good job steering people away from that.
I have a feeling this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2024. If you’re interested in the topic of randomness, success vs. luck, free will, fate, and all that jazz, you need to read this ASAP.
The Buddhist and the Ethicist: Conversations on Effective Altruism, Engaged Buddhism, and How to Build a Better World by Peter Singer and Shih Chao-Hwei
Hot damn was this a good book. I was pretty skeptical because these “conversation” books of two people just talking can be kind of dull or don’t really translate well to a book. This book was definitely one that made it work. This is a conversation between a utilitarian/effective altruist and a Buddhist monastic who also does social activism. They discuss a wide range of topics like animal cruelty, the death penalty, euthanasia, women’s rights, seeking pleasure, sex, and so much more.
I’m personally fascinated by Buddhist philosophy as well as utilitarianism, so this book was everything I wanted. They had such a great conversation and the book really gives the reader a lot to think about when it comes to living an ethical life.
Keeping Finance Personal: Ditch the “Shoulds” and the Shame and Rewrite Your Money Story by Ellyce Fulmore
This is by far one of the best personal finance books I’ve read, and I’ve read a lot of them. This is the first book I’ve read that not only gives sound money advice, but it also takes into account mental health, money trauma, and many social justice issues that affect how many people think about money. Ellyce educates the reader in a thoughtful and compassionate way and helps them learn different ways to be smarter with their money by meeting them where they’re at. I could honestly write about this book all day, but if you haven’t connected with a personal finance book yet, this is probably the one you need to read.
Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions and Hurtful Acts by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
I’ll keep this review short and sweet because I’ve read this book more than most other books. If you want to understand why people act so irrationally in the face of evidence, get this book. It’s all about cognitive dissonance, and it’s the best book on the topic. I gave it another read because my 15-year-old son is getting interested in this topic and I wanted to see if it’s something he’d be able to follow, and it definitely is, so I’ll be reviewing it again soon.
Subscribe to the reading list! It’s free! Although I’ve been publishing this weekly reading list for free for multiple years, consider becoming a paid subscriber for $5 to help me pay for new books and keep this list free for everyone. And we have brand new curated reading lists for paid subscribers.
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.