Weekly Non-Fiction Reading List 3.13.23
This week, I finished four books from some amazing authors. We dive into the philosophy of truth as well as some Stoic philosophy. Then, we an excellent book debunking bogus weight loss science and a book about how social situations affect our thinking. 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).
On Truth by Harry G. Frankfurt
I care about the truth a lot. Sometimes, I think I care about the truth more than most. Recently, I’ve been dealing with a ton of people who say bullshit (statements with a complete disregard for the truth), and it’s been driving me up the wall. The question I always come back to is, “Why does truth matter?” Well, Frankfurt wrote the book On Bullshit, which I recently gave another read, so I decided to read this one again, and it helped me feel less insane.
While many people out there don’t care about the truth, this book explains why it’s important. He explains how the truth helps us function as a society, helps us know who we can trust and most importantly, it shows us what path to go down. When people are just saying bullshit, we’re chasing down the wrong problems and then wasting time on the wrong fixes, which is something people can’t grasp for some insane reason.
So, if you’re one of the (seemingly) five people out there who actually care about the truth, read this book. If you’re someone who doesn’t care about the truth and just says things, you definitely need to read this book. I binged it in one sitting, and it’s just as amazing as the first time I read it.
Just Eat: One Reporter's Quest for a Weight-Loss Regimen that Works by Barry Estabrook
I’m back on my weight loss kick, so when I saw this book, I thought it’d be an interesting read. Barry Estabrook is a fantastic writer and journalist, and his journey starts when his doctor tells him he needs to lose some weight. In this book, he does a great job going the history of fad diets that aren’t backed by science and overpromise on weight loss. Barry even tests many of these diets and shares his own experience.
This is a great book when it comes to debunking all of the bogus, pseudoscientific diets out there. I guess my only complaint is that if you’re hoping to find an answer of what method actually works for losing weight, it’s not here. And that’s no fault of the author. Everyone’s just different, so we all lose weight in different ways. But whether you want to lose weight or enjoy bad science getting debunked, you’ll probably enjoy this book.
Breakfast with Seneca: A Stoic Guide to the Art of Living by David Fideler
A book buddy of mine recommended this book. I love reading about Stoic philosophy, so I decided to check it out. This is a great book if you’re into Stoicism. Whether or not it provides much more than other books on the topic, I don’t really think so. Overall, I just like brushing up on this philosophy because it definitely helps me in my day-to-day life. One thing I did really enjoy about this book is that it had a bit more history about Seneca and explains some of the letters he wrote.
The Wisest One in the Room: How You Can Benefit from Social Psychology's Most Powerful Insights by Lee Ross and Thomas Gilovich
Stop what you’re doing, and go grab this book. After re-reading Gilovich’s other book How We Know What Isn’t So, I went to see if he had any others, and I came across this one that he co-authored. Like his other book, Gilovich brings a ton of research along with Ross, but the premise discusses what it means to be “wise”. The authors explain that being wise isn’t just intelligence alone, but it’s understanding our own biases and psychological thinking errors along with how social situations affect our decision-making.
There’s so much in this book that I can’t do it justice in a review. The first half breaks down a ton of thinking errors and how social situations affect how we think and behave. Then, the second half gets into real-world scenarios and has a great chapter on why negotiations between two rival people or groups are so difficult to resolve.
I loved this book and highly recommend it.
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.