A Mind in Motion

Reading List – May 2019

While I finished 10 books in May, many of them were quick listens, which allowed me to really take my time with the books that really caused me to think and take notes. There were no books on the list this month that I’d caution you to steer clear of.

It was “The Coddling of the American Mind” by Jonathan Haidt, Greg Lukianoff that really gave me pause, and prompted lots of rewinding to make sure I fully understood what they were saying. While the introduction really turned me off, the rest of the book had me holding on to the edge of my seat. Much of my work these days is related to building a greater sense of strength in the midst of challenge and discomfort, and this book maps out a very clear path as to why this is an essential part of any education. The book maps out the rise of victimhood culture, and the increasing intolerance of American youth on college campuses. It then goes on to look at possible causes for this epidemic of young fragility. The last part of the book outlines steps that parents (and concerned teachers/citizens) can take, to ensure that we don’t become a dangerously intolerant society, clamoring for an authoritarian regime to protect us from any disruption to our identity or personal pleasure.

Another great list was “80/20 Running” by Matt Fitzgerald. This book, which seems to go against other books that Matt has written (such as “How Bad do You Want it”), is a very well researched look into the benefits of running slowly 80% of the time… but not just for casual runners – this 80/20 principle works for runners at all stages of the game, all the way up to Olympians. It’s nice to see Matt embracing a more compassionate plan, even if his motives are not to increase self compassion in the runners he intends to reach.

While I’m giving “Everything is F#cked” by Mark Manson 3.5 stars, I must say that it was a disappointment. His book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F#ck” was surprisingly insightful and is one of my favorite books. But, I had a sense that it was simply well researched, and not a philosophy embodied by the author. That became glaringly obvious in “Everything is F#cked.” It’s another well researched book, but falls victim to the author’s arrogance and cynicism. So while it’s full of valuable insights, they are all surrounded by snark, and a cold sense of sociopathic indifference.

Here is my May reading list, in the order that I listened to them:

Training The Mind – Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche ***.5

The 3-Day Effect – Florence Williams ***

How to be a Good Creature – Sy Montgomery ***

Be Like The Fox – Erica Benner ***

The Coddling of the American Mind – Jonathan Haidt, Greg Lukianoff ****.5

Radical Candor – Kim Scott ***.5

Everything is F#cked – Mark Manson ***.5

Bursts – Albert Barabasi ***.5

Prediction Machines – Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, Avi Goldfarb ***.5

80/20 Running – Matt Fitzgerald ****

(if you are not yet an Audible member, you can get one of these books for free, by signing up for a 30 day trial – use this link, and you’ll help support my work as well – Audible Trial Membership)

Reading List – April 2019

Normally, I’d be up to 10 to 12 books a month by April, but I’ve been rather busy, so I topped out at 8 listens. All of the books I listened to were good, and even my lowest rated book “The Craftsman”, was still a good listen, just a bit heady at times.

The book that really stole the show was, “Meditation in Action” by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who just so happens to be one of my favorite thinkers of all time. This book is his introduction to an American audience, so it lacks much of the Buddhist terminology that makes his later works less accessible. The information in this book is presented in a very simple, understandable, and yet powerful way. Rather than sharing from a place on high, he relates to an audience not yet versed in Buddhist philosophy. This may very well be the best introduction to Buddhist thought that I’ve come across.

Another great list was “The Great Illusion” by Paul Singh. This book is an approachable discussion of free will and cognitive neuroscience, although it does become a bit too logically exhaustive in the later parts. If you are curious to know more about current thinking around free will (whether we have it or not), this is a good place to start.

Here is my April reading list, in the order that I listened to them:

The Craftsman – Richard Sennett ***

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone – Lori Gottlieb ***.5

The Path is the Goal – Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche ***.5

The Great Illusion – Paul Singh ****

Go Wild – John Ratey, Richard Manning ***.5

Conscious Coaching – Bret Bartholomew ***.5

The Beautiful Brain – Hana Walker-Brown ***.5

Meditation in Action – Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche ****.5

Reading List – March 2019

The slightly warmer weather of March encourages me to listen to more books than I can in the colder months, allowing me to finish nine books. Of these, four were great reads, with one being a must read. Three of my listens this month definitely fall into the ‘avoid’ category.

The book that really stood out for me was “Selfie” by Will Storr, which I’m giving 4.5 stars (out of 5). This was a surprisingly good book, and I’m going to add it to my ‘everyone must read’ list. Much of the information in this book can be found in many other science-based books that describe the formation of human identity, but Will does a great job of condensing the important conclusions, and framing them in a very understandable way. The main premise of the book is that in the western world, we find ourselves living increasingly in constructed narratives, that trap us in a chronic state of self focus. He compares this tendency in the west to the more community-focused culture of many eastern cultures. There is also a great deal of information on the rise of social media, and the selfie generation, and how this is increasing our cultural self obsession, and what the likely results might be. While this is a long listen (12 hours), it’s a great primer to introduce you to your own narrative identity, and to understand how they form in a human brain.

Other great reads this month (and books I’d definitely recommend) are “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism” by Chogyam Trungpa, “Wait, What?” by James Ryan, and “The Anatomy of Fascism” by Robert O. Paxton. The first (written by one of my favorite teachers), is a great look at how many spiritual practices are just ego worship in disguise, and how to avoid falling into this trap. In “Wait, What?”, Ryan investigates five very important questions that he believes we should all be asking on a more regular basis, in order to shake the tendency to develop a closed mind. Finally, “The Anatomy of Fascism” is a sobering look into Fascist movements throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, and how now, in the 21st century, the seeds of Fascism are being planted all around us, in the guise of national security, and cultural conservatism.

The bottom of the barrel is a toss up between “Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins, “Out of My Mind” by Alan Arkin, and “Without Saying a Word” by Kasia Wezowski.

After listening to David Goggins on quite a few podcasts, I didn’t expect much from his book, and he didn’t disappoint in disappointing. His narrative is all over the map, and is totally lacking in compassion. But, the biggest disappointment for me was Alan Arkin’s book “Out of My Mind.” I know Alan personally, and at one time, he was my mentor (when I was an actor). The introduction was really insightful and grounded, and I was excited to listen on… but he seems to have fallen over a spiritual cliff, and has been lost to common sense and reason.

Here is my March reading list, in the order that I listened to them:

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism – Chogyam Trungpa ****
Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins **.5
Wait, What? – James Ryan ****
Out of My Mind – Alan Arkin **.5
Selfie – Will Storr ****.5
Daemon Voices – Phillip Pullman ***.5
Without Saying a Word – Kasia Wezowski **.5
The Anatomy of Fascism – Robert O. Paxton ****
The Year of Living Danishly – Helen Russell ***

Reading List – February 2019

February was a month of average listens. I completed six books, none of which I’d strongly recommend, and none of which I’d tell you to avoid.

If I were to pick a favorite, I think it would be “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell. Going into this book, I thought that it was going to be heavy on spiritual metaphor, and light on insight, but I was wrong… at least for the first half of the book. Campbell seems to have really figured some things out, and I found much of the early information useful, and insightful. But then he drifts into the world of spirit.

There were no books this month that I would put on the ‘waste of time list’, but “You Do You” by Sarah Knight is close to falling into that category. The book seems to be written as entertainment, and not as the self help it’s marketed as. She tries more than a bit too hard to be funny, and doesn’t go into any topic deep enough to allow for actionable steps… but, with that said, she does cover some very important topics.

Here is my February reading list, in the order that I listened to them:

Power Moves – Adam Grant ***.5

You Do You – Sarah Knight ***

American Philosophy: A Love Story – ***

The Consciousness Instinct – Michael Gazzaniga ***.5

The Power of Myth – Joseph Campbell ***.5

Willpower Doesn’t Work – Benjamin Hardy ***

Reading List – January 2019

January was another slim month of reading, with only five books completed. Again, the colder months make it difficult to take notes, as phones and recorders lose battery power quickly. Of the five books this month, two were outstanding, and one was very good.

Top honors are split between “Thinking in Bets” by Annie Duke, and “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

There were no books this month that I would put on the ‘waste of time list’. They all have useful ideas and information.

Here is my January reading list, in the order that I listened to them:

Third Thoughts – Steven Weinberg ***
Resilient – Rick Hanson ****
Thinking in Bets – Annie Duke ****.5
The Power of Little Ideas – David Robertson ***
Atomic Habits – James Clear ****.5