Jason’s Book List: 2018 (full year)

I get a lot of joy sharing what I have read, so without further ado, my list (in reading order, not priority/recommendation).

Outliers: The Story of Success

My opinion: stimulating case studies on what makes people successful and how we may use the data to develop more successful people. Gladwell reminds you to dive deep and not get caught up in “newspaper headlines.” Must read for parents. Buy on Amazon here.

Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed

My opinion: blueprint for current and aspiring entrepreneurs delivered in a fun, geeky, and authentic way that only Alexis can. You feel like you are talking to Alexis face to face while reading. Upvote! Buy on Amazon here.

Extra credit: my fireside chat with Alexis at Amazon HQ in Jan. 2018 about life, career, remembering to be human, and his book, watch here.

Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble

My opinion: wildly entertaining. Buy on Amazon here.

Ready Player One

My opinion: read it and fall in love (book>movie). Buy on Amazon here.

Start, Love, Repeat: How to Stay in Love with Your Entrepreneur in a Crazy Start-up World

My opinion: practical relationship guide for everyone, whether you are single/in a relationship/starting a business/have a 9–5/freelance/starting a family/have a family/etc., highly recommended. Buy on Amazon here.

Extra credit: my fireside chat with Dorcas at Amazon HQ in Mar. 2018 about the intersection of startup life with marriage, family, and well-being from her book, watch here.

The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World

My opinion: good look into the building blocks and specific growth tactics of Uber and Airbnb. Did not know how much they shared in common. Buy on Amazon here.

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

My opinion: second time reading, a book I believe should be reread every 2–3 years. Buy on Amazon here.

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World

My opinion: favorite notes include (1) “suffering can either embitter us or ennoble us and that the difference lies in whether we are able to find meaning in our suffering” (2) “the ability to laugh at our own foibles, is essential to the cultivation of joy” (3) “why be unhappy about something if it can be remedied? And what is the use of being unhappy if it cannot be remedied?” Buy on Amazon here.

Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City’s Most Colorful Neighborhoods

My opinion: a fun exploration of the city. Get entrenched in the maps, specifically West Shinjuku, Yoyogi Harajuku, and Omotesando. Buy on Amazon here (note, I bought the hard/physical copy).

A Dozen Lessons for Entrepreneurs

My opinion: good insight on what to look for in founders and companies, and how to evaluate markets. Favorite notes: (1) “diversity of opinions and circumstances increases the likelihood of ‘happy accidents.’ Serendipity comes from differences. Both entrepreneurs and investors must build teams that increase the odds of working at the edge of reason.” (2) “Business plans are the tool existing companies use for execution. They are the wrong tool to search for a business model.” (3) “Great entrepreneurs are persistent, obsessive, and relentless, but the really great entrepreneurs also seem to have a gift for looking at the world from a customer’s viewpoint.” (4) “The primary cause of good judgement is experience, which often comes from bad judgement.” (5) “If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” (6) “Now that people are bombarded with information, we are in a golden age where brands matter.” (7) “Venture capital investing is a three-legged stool: people, markets, and product innovation.” Buy on Amazon here.

Mr. Pine’s Purple House

My opinion: a reminder to be unique, be different, and be yourself. Good book for children. Buy on Amazon here (note, I bought a hard/physical copy).

Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley

My opinion: fun inside look not found in TV interviews or magazine covers from the top brass. Buy on Amazon here.

High Growth Handbook

My opinion: actionable insights on every topic a startup will face. Must read if you are working to turn your startup into a unicorn. Buy on Amazon here.

Man’s Search for Meaning

My opinion: A must read. A powerful perspective on life and how to view circumstances. Buy on Amazon here.

The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career

My opinion: Immediately recommended to my cousins in college/recent grads. Actionable advice. Always be “permanent beta.” Buy on Amazon here.

Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life

My opinion: A Powerful book full of wisdom and emotion. A friend gifted my wife and me this book for our home and he left a small note (I love handwritten notes in books) “to a wonderful couple that has great and positive gifts to offer this world. Always let your heart speak!” I liked the following: (a) “a message from today — maybe don’t tomorrow your life away.” (b) “baby, you are the strongest flower that ever grew — remember that when the weather changes.” (c) of course I’ve changed, darling…I’ve grown.” Buy on Amazon here.

Tell me what books you recommend. Link to my 2017 Book List.

To depth and curiosity!