Reading
Some of my personal favorites from books I’ve read over the years. Mostly non-fiction covering history, science, sailing, technology, and how things work.
2025
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson — Spans WWII codebreaking and 1990s cryptography in a dense, technical narrative that rewards the commitment it demands.
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall — Tells the story of a hidden tribe and ultrarunners in what might be the greatest race you’ve never heard of.
Here & There by A.A. Gill — Collects his travel writing. Gill’s voice is distinctive - witty and insightful.
Power, Sex, Suicide by Nick Lane — Explores mitochondria and cellular biology. Dense reading but worth the effort.
A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols — Documents the 1968 solo around-the-world race where nine sailors started and one finished.
2024
The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande — Examines how simple checklists prevent failures in complex systems, from operating rooms to cockpits. Essential reading if you build systems that can’t afford to fail.
The Wager by David Grann — Covers shipwreck, mutiny, and survival in the 18th century. Grann’s research and storytelling are both excellent.
Training for the Uphill Athlete by Steve House and Scott Johnston — The definitive guide to training for mountain sports. Science-based and comprehensive.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt — Looks at how smartphones and social media rewired childhood. Uncomfortable but necessary reading.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl — Describes Holocaust survival and the search for purpose. Short and profound.
Six Easy Pieces by Richard Feynman — Explains physics with clarity and elegance. One of the great science teachers.
Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson — Makes both relativity and Einstein himself comprehensible.
Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber — Explores why so many people work jobs they know are pointless. Uncomfortable truths about modern work.
2023
At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson — Tours the house as a lens for understanding history. Bryson at his best - witty, informative, endlessly curious.
The Body by Bill Bryson — Tours the human body with his characteristic wit.
On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt — Provides a philosophical investigation into bullshit. Short and sharp.
Burn by Herman Pontzer — Presents new research on metabolism and weight loss that challenges conventional wisdom about calories and exercise.
World of My Own by Robin Knox-Johnston — Describes the first solo non-stop circumnavigation in understated British prose.
Alien Oceans by Kevin Peter Hand — Explores the search for life in the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni — Wraps a practical framework for building functional teams in a leadership fable.
2022
The End of the World Is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan — Maps the collapse of globalization with bold predictions about geopolitics and trade.
2021
Fantasyland by Kurt Andersen — Traces 500 years of American self-deception and magical thinking. Explains a lot about where we are today.
At the Mercy of the Sea by John Kretschmer — Follows three sailors in a Caribbean hurricane. A gripping survival story with lessons about decision-making under pressure.
2020
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari — Covers the history of humankind from the cognitive revolution to the present. Big ideas, clearly explained.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell — Examines how little things can make a big difference. Classic Gladwell - compelling stories and interesting frameworks.
Fluent Forever by Gabriel Wyner — Explains how to learn languages fast and retain them. Based on spaced repetition and actual cognitive science.
Cape Horn to Starboard by John Kretschmer — Describes single-handed sailing around South America with honest writing about fear, preparation, and why people go to sea.
Earlier Favorites
Skunk Works by Ben R. Rich — Takes you inside Lockheed’s secret aircraft development program - SR-71, U-2, stealth fighter, and how they built the impossible.
Brave or Stupid by Tracey Christiansen — Follows two ordinary middle-aged Swedes who sailed around the world on a handshake deal.
Fastnet, Force 10 by John Rousmaniere — Examines the deadliest storm in modern sailing history - what went wrong and what changed after.
The Long Way by Bernard Moitessier — Tells the story of the sailor who abandoned a race he was winning to keep sailing around the world. Philosophy, solitude, and the sea.
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking — Remains the best popular science book on cosmology for non-physicists.
You can find more of what I’m reading on my Goodreads profile.