2021 in books

Trillion Dollar Coach

As I’ve continued my coaching journey, this was recommended. It’s an easy read about how a sports coach made an influence in the tech industry with coaching skills. Highlights of a thirty year career.

Advice Trap

Also quite an easy book to read but very practical because it prompts you to reflect at regular intervals. I also like the concept of the online ‘year of living brilliantly’. MBS has certainly influenced me.

Muscle Up

Important and practical advice for anyone: building and maintaining muscle is one of the best ways of staying healthy throughout life and it doesn’t matter what your age. Includes work outs and data.

How to win friends and influence people

This is a classic book and it is evident how influential it has been on all the business books that have followed. It’s broken down into principles but despite selling 16m copies, it’s still rare to find anyone who actually displays these principles – many of which boil down to being a great human being. Ideal companion to anyone wanting to improve coaching skills

Dhandho Investor

This is a quite a unique gem! Monish Pabrai wanted to figure out how a small community of Indian immigrants in the US became so successful and found that it boiled down to a number of low-risk high-return principles. It tallies with Buffet’s thinking, whom he quotes regularly. Very enlightening.

Ask Iwata

Neat concise book which summarizes the advice of Satoru Iwata. Some heart warming insights about work and gaming.

The Site

I stumbled into Piet Hein Eek’s furniture factory whilst in Eindhoven, liked it and picked up his book about his approach and how he started the business from just a novel idea from recycled wood – which can now be seen everywhere. Key insight was: how about making the materials precious rather than labour costs.

Hero of a thousand faces

Another classic! Read this a few times about ten years ago and decided to re-read and see what stands out this time!

Profressional Coaching

Very effective resource for any agilists who wish to improve their professional coaching.

The Phoenix Project

I wanted to learn more about DevOps. I started reading the story but ended up skipping to the ‘handbook’ at the end which I found really useful and bought the full handbook. DevOps has a lot synergies with antifragility!

The Burnout Soceity

Too much ‘können’, an achievement society – all lead to a burnout society: a new phenomenon.

You are what you risk

Phenomenal book for the current uncertain world! Every decision boils down to your risk.

Society of the Spectacle

A book of aphorisms. I have a look every time – heavy stuff but one hell of a mirror on our society. He wrote this in the 60s!

Meeting with Remarkable Men

Another reread of some tales from a quierky adventurer from the the Caucuses as he traveled around central Asia.

The Scramble for Africa

An epic 800 page classic. Very atmospheric as well as informative. The scramble for Africa was defined by the (often deluded) visions of a few eccentric men and their mercantile ambitions, often with a pointless or disappointing outcome. Some incredibly gripping stories throughout. Haven’t actually finished it.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Trying to figure it all out, as he goes on a road trip with his son and friends. Interesting insights!


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