Wow, the year has flown by! I can’t believe it’s already time to list my favorite books of 2013. Now remember, this is highly subjective, very biased, and aiming to to be on the fun side.
You can see the full reading list here if you wish. It’s shorter than last year but still pushing 100 books.
The coveted, “Would you shut up about that book? It’s all you talk about” Award goes to David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. Whether you agree with him or not, Gladwell makes you think and see things differently. And he’s an excellent writer.
The “Wow this author is a jerk, but he has some fascinating insights” Award goes to Nassim Nicholas Taleb for his book Antifragile. The title of this award says it all, but it is an important and insightful book that I loved.
There were some good — maybe even great — devotional and theological books published this year, but I’m going to push them aside and award the “This changed how I think about my faith” Award to Through the Eye of the Needle by Peter Brown. Loved how Brown traces the history of our perception of wealth, poverty, and faith.
The best business book is a tie. To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink and Makers by Chris Anderson share the renowned “You gotta read this book if you are in the business world” Award.
The “Yes I love cars and spend entirely too much time obsessing about old European sports cars” Award goes to Lunches With Mr. Q by Kevin Nelson. Such a fun look at an amazing person who transformed the types of cars we drive.
The “This book was a lot more fun than I thought it would be” Award is a tie. Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman is a fascinating look at the life of heiress Huguette Clark and her eccentric ways. Trust me, it’s a lot better than it sounds. And the novel Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter weaves together Rome in the early 1960’s, Hollywood in the present, loves stories, business trickery, and the movie Cleopatra. It’s a wild ride and a lot of fun.
My favorite “You’ve got a link on your blog about Uncorked Thoughts so tell us what wine book you enjoyed” Award goes to Wine and War by Donald Kladstrup. It’s the story of the French wine industry during World War II under Nazi occupation. Part history, part wine lesson, and part intrigue, it’s a fascinating look at an overlooked part of the war.
The “Wow, I can’t believe she wrote this because her business contacts are never going to return her calls now” Award goes to Chrystia Freeland for her book Plutocrats. This is an amazing look the super rich and their culture. In 2013 I’ve used more quotes from this book than almost any other.
And finally, even though I have not finished the book yet, the most coveted “If the Pulitzer Prize people do not honor this book then I’ve lost all faith in humanity” Award goes to The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism
Hope this helps your Christmas shopping! And remember, if you click the links on my blog to the books, Amazon will send me a referral fee that will be used to help kids at risk in Belize and Thailand. Thanks!
