Books I read recently

10:46 AM

It's been a while since I did a book post isn't it? I think the last one was in 2019 and it was my list of motivational books.

2020 has been a crazy year and despite being stuck at home, most of it, I didn't read much, first because books were declared non essential goods for a few weeks and then because I was too engrossed into figuring out this new normal and dealing with the anxiety we all dealt with to bother...beside, I don't like reading on my kindle app.

I've made good on that since January though, this year I decided to make up for my lack of reading in 2020 and set a quite reasonable goal of reading "at least 10 books" in 2021.

I am off to a good start already, and I thought it would be fun listing what I'm currently reading, or have finished reading in the past few weeks, some books were started last year, but pandemic mood oblige, were set aside for a few months.

It goes without saying that the links below are all Amazon Affiliate links, if you click on them and purchase anything, I get paid a commission at no extra cost to you.

Shark tales by Barbara Corcoran

I've been enjoying watching Shark Tank for a while now and Barbara is one of my favourite Shark, I love her no nonsense approach to deals and pitches on the show, and I enjoy listening to her podcasts as well.

This book is part biography, part advice, and makes for a great easy to read book. She talks about lesson from her childhood and how she applied them to her business, and I enjoyed the parts where she deals with the big bully that Trump was already back then.

I think I read this one over 3-4 days, which in my book means it's a page turner.

Powershift by Daymond John

Another Shark's book, which I actually bought on my kindle app during the lockdown and started reading but left unfinished for months.

I got to know about this one following Daymond's Instagram handle (where he does great IG TV segments).

I'm a bit divided about this book, not sure if it is because I read it on the kindle and I tend to dislike reading e-books or if it is because the book itself is not fully relatable.

There is some great advice in it, advice you can apply even in job interviews if you aren't an entrepreneur and I learned a lot from it.

I still struggled reading more than a few pages at a time without loosing track. But again, that could totally be a Kindle thing.

The things you can see only when you slow down by Haemin Sunim

This the book I just finished a week or so ago, and it's a lovely book of Zen Buddhist principles and stories that is beautifully illustrated.

I finished it quite quickly, but am keeping it on my bedside table to open every now and then to just read a few quotes.

It's one of those feel good books I like having within reach just like I like having The Power and the Little book of Hygge out of my bookshelf at all time.

Contagious by Jonah Berger

This book is about what makes digital content go viral and what key ingredients one need to get their product out there and talks about.

Beyond marketing needs I think it's a great read for EVERYONE these days, because we all live in the digital age and we are constantly bombarded by content online, and what is the most lacking is the ability to be critical about said content.

One key marketing technique to make content sharable is to trigger strong emotions in people, typically anger, or awe, and we are played on those two emotion on a daily basis, pretty much all the time. Knowing this, and knowing at what end the tactic is being employed is important and gives you back your power over the media content you read.

In the FLO by Alisa Vitti

This is a book I purchased right before the lockdown after listening to a Podcast suggested by a friend. This book is one that is pretty much meant just for women as it talks about periods, cycles and how women operate on not a 24hr cycle like men do, but on a 28 days or so cycle ruled by hormones.

This key difference is why diets designed with men in mind won't work on women, or why women do not have the same type of productivity cycles as men. A fact that is now just being actively studied as normally women of reproductive age is left out of health studies because they are "too complicated".

I haven't finished reading this one yet, it's one of those books I tossed aside while dealing with my pandemic existential crisis, but I am planning to get back to it soon.

Mortal Instruments 1 : City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I read this one in November after binge watching Shadowhunters on Netflix and noticing it was a book series first.

The book is quite different from the series, and unfortunately in this case, I think the Netflix show is better.

I enjoyed reading that book, no question, but probably not enough to buy the others in the series.

My reading list is full of self-help and business type of books because that is a genre I really enjoy reading these days, more than novels. I will probably do another checkpoint later this year as I keep on reading. So stay tuned!

Meanwhile if you need more books suggestions do check these older blog posts of mine :

- My list of memorable books

- Amazing book finds of the weekend

- Self help books for creatives