10 Books that'll change the way you see the world:
Reading is a cheat code to life.
I was a big fan of books growing up, especially adult books. I remember reading Shutter Island and Da Vinci Code when I was 10, which is probably not the right age to be reading those kinds of books. But I really enjoyed them because it gave me an insight into the adult world that I didn’t have as a kid.
However, through high school, reading became difficult, as it was always associated with school. We were required to read Shakespeare, Lord of the Flies, Catcher in the Rye, etc. They are all great stories but not things I enjoyed. A lot of kids feel like this, as reading becomes a required task rather than something that’s fun.
Then university came along and I didn’t read at all for fun. Reading about heart failure, hip fractures and pancreatic cancer was enough for me, plus I was balancing having fun at university with getting my medical degree. But then I left medicine and I had time in evenings to rediscover books.
I’m so glad I did. Once you read again, you realize how much you don’t know. There’s so much knowledge out there that other people have figured out and understanding how the greatest minds think is extremely insightful. It feels like you’re a fly on the wall to their thoughts. To me, if you could take small things from the greatest people in the world and incorporate it into your own life, why would you not?
So I wanted to write a list of the 10 best books, in no particular order, I’ve enjoyed since I rediscovered reading. If you don’t know where to start or are looking for recommendations, these are fantastic books.
1. Mindset – by Carol Dweck
Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychology professor, has spent her entire career studying the psychology of success. Ultimately it comes down to having a growth mindset vs. fixed mindset. A growth mindset is about constant improvement and developing yourself. People in a growth mindset don’t just seek challenges but thrive on them. This book teaches you that the most successful people in the world enjoy failure and always believe they can be better, no matter how far they’ve come. If you’re looking to understand the psychology of how Elon, Bill Gates, Buffet and others have become successful, this is a great place to start.
For my notes, see here
2. How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
This book by Dale Carnegie written in 1936 is still is one of the most widely regarded business and relationship books. Warren Buffet said that signing up for a Dale Carnegie speaking course at 21 changed his life forever. Even in today’s digital world, everything you do, whether in business, family life, or relationships is about the people around you. This book teaches you how to understand people and make an impression on them that they’ll remember forever. There’s so much timeless advice like ‘make people feel wanted and appreciated’, ‘always be genuinely interested in other people’ and ‘let the other person do a great deal of the talking’ that still stand the test of time.
For my notes, see here
3. Think and Grow Rich – Napolean Hill
This book ultimately changed the direction of my life and showed me what was possible if you believe in yourself more than anyone else. Napolean Hill was a biographer in the early 20th century and he teaches you about the psychology behind why the most successful people in history, including Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockerfeller, JP Morgan and others obtained more wealth than any other people in history. Most of these people didn’t have more than an elementary education and yet how did they become so successful? If you integrate the timeless advice in this book every day, you’ll see how much you can accomplish.
(Side note: I was recommended this book in a hotel lobby in Costa Rica from a random person. Thank you random person, I owe you a lot.)
For my notes, see here
4. When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
One of the most powerful books I’ve read and one of the only ones I’ve read without stopping. From Paul Kalanithi, a former Stanford neurosurgeon, his memoir chronicles his life as a neurosurgical resident and his battle with stage 4 lung cancer through residency to his eventual death. Given his background as an English literature graduate, his writing is powerful and makes you feel so many emotions. It’s also a great story about the dichotomy of acting as a physician and patient and should be required reading for all doctors.
For my notes, see here
5. Mamba Mentality – Kobe Bryant
From the greatest basketball player in the 2000s, Kobe was a legend and my favourite basketball player of all time (if you want to read my letter to him on his last game, see here). This book gives insight into his thought process and his reflections on his journey through 2 decades in the NBA as one of the best. Since he retired, he won an Oscar, produced multiple children’s books and coached his daughter’s basketball team to become one of the best in the US. You could tell he was going to make a massive impact on the world and it’s so unfortunate of his passing in the helicopter crash. However, I’m glad he shared these insights with the world so that the next generation can improve on what he accomplished.
For my notes, see here
6. Awareness – Anthony Di Mello
One of those books that make you question everything you know about yourself and the world you see around you. Anthony writes this book in a way that makes it understandable, but also forces you to ask questions of yourself that you didn’t think to ask. His insight into your psyche, the difference between ‘I’ and ‘me’, and how to understand how your brain works is eye-opening. Ultimately everything is about how you perceive the world and if you could become a little more self-aware, you’ll notice things that you never have before.
For my notes, see here
7. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
A time-honoured classic about the story of Santiago and his quest to discover his destiny, this book has timeless advice of what it means to find yourself. Love how Paulo uses the backdrop of a young Andalusian shepherd in his journey to the pyramids to impart advice on dreams, patience and the long journey that is your life.
For my notes, see here
8. Rebel Ideas – Matthew Syed
I have to admit, I did not expect a lot from this book when I started reading it but boy was I wrong. Matthew does unbelievable job using countless examples from history across multiple industries to explain how diversity of people, thought and experiences ultimately leads you to become more successful. To solve the biggest problems, you need people who think differently because looking at problems through different lenses brings new insights and solutions. In today’s hyper competitive world where everyone is looking for an edge, creating a group of people around you from all different backgrounds and walks of life is a massive advantage.
For my notes, see here
9. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant – Eric Jorgenson
If you don’t know who Naval Ravikant is, I’d recommend you check out his twitter and read some of his tweets. I’d describe him as our modern day philosopher ala Plato, Socrates and Aristotle. His ability to see through the noise and distinguish what’s real vs. what's BS is inspirational. He got famous for his tweets on ‘how to get rich without getting lucky’ (see here) but he’s been imparting timeless wisdom for years. Eric did a great job of compiling his most important advice into an easy to read book that anyone can understand.
For a free digital copy of his book, see here
10. Atomic Habits – James Clear
‘You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.’ Your habits every day define who you become. James does a fantastic job explaining how to improve them with actionable things you can do every day. This book is widely regarded because of its practical steps you can take to improve your daily habits. Just be 1% better every day and over many years, that effort will turn into so much more than you thought.
For my notes, see here
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Keep going, you’re doing great.
-AK
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