John's Picks
The "Non-Reader" Learner
(In no particular order)
Reading Style
I don't read very much - I wouldn't consider myself a "reader" really. I like learning through audio books.
Literary Likes
01
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens
Genres: Nonfiction, Religion-Atheism, Philosophy, Science
In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris's recent bestseller The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope's awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix.
02
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell
Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Sports, Psychology, Self Help
In David and Goliath, Gladwell looks at the complex and surprising ways the weak can defeat the strong, the small can match up against the giant, and how our goals (often culturally determined) can make a huge difference in our ultimate sense of success. Drawing upon examples from the world of business, sports, culture, cutting-edge psychology, and an array of unforgettable characters around the world, this is in many ways the most practical and provocative book Malcolm Gladwell has ever written.
03
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
Genres: Nonfiction, Autobiography, Sports
An All-American story: a lanky kid from Plano, Texas, is raised by a feisty, single parent who sacrifices for her son, who becomes one of our country's greatest athletes. Given that background, it is understandable why Armstrong was able to channel his boundless energy toward athletic endeavors. After securing a position as a world-class cyclist by winning the World Championship and a Tour de France stage, he fought for his life against testicular cancer, going on to win the 1999 Tour de France. In this memoir, Armstrong covers his early years swiftly with a blunt matter-of-factness, but the main focus is on his battle with cancer. It's Not About the Bike is an inspirational recovery story, with behind-the-scenes cycling information.
biography, philosophy, nonfiction, atheism, sports, music, history, innovation & technology
Literary Dislikes
romance, fantasy, graphic novels, long fiction
What's on my bookshelf
Books on deck to read next
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American by Andrew L. Seidel
04
Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason by Seth Andrews
Genres: Autobiography, Religion-Atheism, Cultural
In this autobiography, Seth Andrews, host of The Thinking Atheist, recounts his religious upbringing, his years in Christian schools, his decade as a Christian broadcaster, his ultimate apostasy, and how a 30-year believer could one day come to create one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet. This book helps to give an inside-out look at the protestant Christian culture in the United States, and it will hopefully encourage others as they deal with the difficult questions in their own journeys toward truth.
05
Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton
Genres: Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir, Music
With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys. Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons.
06
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War. The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.
07
The Aviators: Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight by Winston Groom
Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Aviation, Innovation
This is the fascinating story of three extraordinary heroes who defined aviation during the great age of flight. These cleverly interwoven tales of their heart-stopping adventures take us from the feats of World War I through the heroism of World War II and beyond, including daring military raids and survival-at-sea, and will appeal to fans of Unbroken, The Greatest Generation, and Flyboys. With the world in peril in World War II, each man set aside great success and comfort to return to the skies for his most daring mission yet. Doolittle, a brilliant aviation innovator, would lead the daring Tokyo Raid to retaliate for Pearl Harbor; Lindbergh, hero of the first solo flight across the Atlantic, would fly combat missions in the South Pacific; and Rickenbacker, World War I flying ace, would bravely hold his crew together while facing near-starvation and circling sharks after his plane went down in a remote part of the Pacific. Groom's rich narrative tells their intertwined stories--from broken homes to Medals of Honor (all three would receive it); barnstorming to the greatest raid of World War II; front-page triumph to anguished tragedy; and near-death to ultimate survival--as all took to the sky, time and again, to become exemplars of the spirit of the "greatest generation."
08
The Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Music
Together, Anthony Kiedis, John Frusciante, Flea, and Chad Smith tell the 61-million-album selling band’s rollercoaster story, with anecdotes of their concert tours and creative collaborations, memories of surprise successes and dark battles with drug addiction, revelations about their personalities and feelings, and admissions about their lives outside the band. With hundreds of photographs, poster images, ticket stubs, and other RHCP memorabilia, this is a must-have for any die-hard fan.
09
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Psychology
In Outliers, Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.
10
Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy
Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Leadership, Sports
Tony Dungy's words and example have intrigued millions of people, particularly following his victory in Super Bowl XLI, the first for an African American coach. How is it possible for a coach – especially a football coach – to win the respect of his players and lead them to the Super Bowl without the screaming histrionics, profanities, and demand that the sport come before anything else? How is it possible for anyone to be successful without compromising faith and family? In this inspiring and reflective memoir, Coach Dungy tells the story of a life lived for God and family – and challenges us all to redefine our ideas of what it means to succeed.