Reading
Some of the books I’ve enjoyed over the years đ

The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph Campbell
- âIt is only when a man tames his own demons that he becomes the king of himself if not of the world.â
- [4.5/5] – Applicable to all disciplines and narrative traditions. Guide for life.

To Sell is Human Daniel H. Pink
- âIn the past, the best salespeople were adept at accessing information. Today, they must be skilled in curating it.â
- [4/5] –Â Amazing book on reframing what sales means in the 21st century. Perseverance + Empathy = Moving Others.

Option B Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant
- âOption A is not available. so let’s just kick the shit out of Option B.”
- [5/5] –Â Must read. Empowering use of stoic philosophy + learning what it takes to succeed at the highest level in spite of sudden loss.

Elon Musk Ashlee Vance
- âI do think of him as the Terminator. He locks his gaze on to something and says, âIt shall be mine.â Bit by bit, he won me over.â â Justine Musk, Elonâs ex-wife
- [4/5] –Â Great lessons and insight into the workings of arguably the greatest entrepreneur of our time. Real life Iron Man.

The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls
- âYou should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that.â
- [4/5] –Â Hilarious memoir full of heart-wrenching moments. Must read.

Life of Pi Yann Martel
- âTo choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.”
- [4/5] –Â Loved the movie and the book’s better. Delicious read revealing the power of human will and faith.

Bruce Lee: Artist of Life Bruce Lee
- âThe essential quality of living life lies simply in the living.â
- [4/5] – Brilliant insights into a great philosophical mind. Applicable philosophy in all walks of life.

Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman Richard P Feynman
- âYou have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish. I have no responsibility to be like they expect me to be. It’s their mistake, not my failing.â
- [4/5] – One of my favourite biographies. Creative, adventurous and full of curiosity.

A Brief History of Seven Killings Marlon James
- âAnd killing donât need no reason. This is ghetto. Reason is for rich people. We have madness.â
- [4/5] – Epic.

Malcolm X Malcolm X
- âAnd if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of Americaâthen, all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine.”
- [5/5] –Â Must-read biography. Racism in America.

Tao Te Ching Lao Tzu
- âFollow your path to the end
Accept difficulty as an opportunity
This is the sure way to end up
With no difficulties at all” - [5/5] – Simple extraordinary wisdom which grows time and time again.

Iran Awakening Shirin Ebadi
- âThe written word is the most powerful tool we have to protect ourselves, both from the tyrants of the day and from our own traditions.”
- [4/5] –Â Amazing memoir on Iran, women’s rights and the stories of a nation.

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea Charles Seife
- âThe void implies the existence of the infinite.”
- [4/5] – Fascinating read on the history and impact of mathematics.

The War of Art Steven Pressfield
- âNever forget: This very moment, we can change our lives. There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny. This second, we can turn the tables on Resistance. This second, we can sit down and do our work.”
- [5/5] –Â READ. THIS. BOOK.

The Creative Habit Twyla Tharp
- âPractice without purpose, however, is nothing more than exercise. Too many people practice what they’re already good at and neglect the skills that need more work.”
- [4/5] – Building habits, overcoming ruts and applying dance/business wisdom to our daily lives.

Man’s Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl
- âWhen we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.â
- [5/5] – The beautiful memoir of a psychologist who survived the holocaust.

The Music Lesson Victor Wooten
- “A child playing air-guitar plays no wrong notes.”
- [5/5] – Best book on music ever. The life lessons…wow.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams
- “Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”
- âDon’t Panic.”
- [42/5] -Funniest book(s) I’ve ever read.

On the Shortness of Life Seneca
- “People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.”
- [5/5] – Favourite book on stoic philosophy. Read it and LIVE.

Gut Giulia Enders
- âLooking closer at human beings, it becomes clear that each of us is a world of our own. Our forehead is a breezy meadow, our elbows are arid wastelands, our eyes are salty lakes, and our gut is the most amazing giant forest ever, populated by the weirdest of creatures.â
- [3/5] -Information galore. Keep learning!

The Illegal Lawrence Hill
- âI am not after you – in that wayâ
- [3/5] –Â Lots of fun and delicious characters.

Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela
- âI again realized that we were not different people with separate languages; we were one people, with different tongues.”
- [5/5] –Â Best biography ever.

The Laws of Medicine Siddhartha Mukherjee
- âIt’s easy to make perfect decisions with perfect information. Medicine asks you to make perfect decisions with imperfect information.”
- [4/5] – Short, sweet and thought provoking.

The Book of Negroes Lawrence Hill
- âWords swim farther than a man can walk.”
- [5/5] – You have to read this book. It’s that good.

An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth Chris Hadfield
- âOne of the most important lessons Iâve learned as an astronaut: to value the wisdom of humility, as well as the sense of perspective it gives you.â
- [4/5] – Amazing life lessons from a badass astronaut.

The Alchemist Paulo Coelho
- âThe simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.â
- [â ] –Â My favourite book of all time.
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What I Know for Sure Oprah Winfrey
- âSurround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.â
- [3/5] –Â Oprah’s life advice.
- For Everyone
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On Writing Stephen King
- âIf you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
- [6/5] –Â The best book on writing. Ever.
- Read. This. Now.
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Rework Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
- Inspiration is Perishable
- [5/5] –Â Must read for Entrepreneurs and Business
- Just read it.
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Startup Communities Brad Feld
- Documents the buzz, strategy, long-term perspective and dynamics of building communities of entrepreneurs
- [3/5] –Â Recommended for Community Builders
- Great for Entrepreneurs and Community Builders
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The $100 Startup Chris Guillebeau
- âThis book is for: those who take action and those who provide the inspirationâ
- [4/5] – Useful, Actionable and no BS.
- Great for Entrepreneurship and Solopreneurship

Spinning Mambo into Salsa Juliet McMains
- A study on the evolution and history of Salsa from the 1950s to now.
- [4/5] – Highly recommended for Salsa lovers
- Great for Dancers and Salsa Enthusiasts
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Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Shunryu Suzuki
- “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”
- [5/5] –Â Mindfulness. Mindset. Kicking Ass.
- Great for Entrepreneurs and Learners
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