My Favorite Books From 2020

I read 33 books in 2020, down 10 from the 43 books read in 2019.

When I look back at how I spent my time in 2020 (I keep a Time Diary of activity on the half hour and highly recommend it!), I spent just as much time reading, but unfortunately I read more breaking news than books. Keeping tabs on the pandemic and its economic effect was part of it. Not having a commute, which I normally spend on book reading, also contributed.

Still, I finished 33 books and include summaries below. My favorite of the year is Uncharted by Margaret Heffernan. It is a must-read if you want an exhaustive but accessible curation of how big problems have been tackled in the past and optimistic recommendations for our complex, uncertain future. My other favorites are grouped together, but it’s hard to rank them against each other because they’re so different.

My Top 10 Books for 2020

1 – Uncharted by Margaret Heffernan

This book will expand your belief in what is possible and has a practical optimism sorely needed in these difficult times. Heffernan has been the CEO of multiple businesses, has written six books on business and leadership and is currently a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath. In Uncharted, Heffernan summarizes different approaches to navigating uncertain future outcomes, with examples of scenario planning, cathedral projects, automation and algorithmic decision-making, even counter-terrorism strategies. These diverse techniques for making robust decisions with incomplete information and for navigating long-term complex situations can help your own life and career planning, or at least give you some hope for our uncharted future.

Many of the most inspiring people and stories start with uncertainty, are saturated with doubt, yet arrive triumphant at places in life they could not see when they set out….They were prepared to navigate the unknown in pursuit of the ill-defined because they knew that the only way to know the future is to make it.

– Margaret Heffernan, in Uncharted; How To Map The Future

2 – Total Meditation by Deepak Chopra

I bookmarked so many sections for things to refer back to again and again. Chopra offers accessible insights on how to find and maintain inner calm. Even if you don’t already meditate and don’t even want to try, this book will be helpful because it’s less about meditation and more about being present and mindful in general.

You don’t have to fight it – just stop listening

– Deepak Chopra, in Total Meditation

3 – Couples That Work by Jennifer Petriglieri

A must-read if you’re married, and both you and your spouse have careers or serious passion pursuits. Petriglieri is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Instead and structures her book around three major transitions that dual-career couples face: age 20’s and 30’s where you navigate work and family; age 40’s and 50’s where one or both partners questions career choices and looks to pivot; and age 50’s onward where empty nesting, retirement and other transitions cause questions of identity.

The dilemma dual- career couples face today is that we want to thrive in both love and work, yet one of those endeavors— work— is overvalued by the external world, and the other— love— is immensely powerful, yet often undervalued by that world. When was the last time someone congratulated you for being successful in love? The discrepancy between how we value love and work is easy to deny. “Who says they wished they worked more on their deathbed?” we cry. Of course, love is more important. We may believe this, but few of us act on this belief. Work cannot love you back, we reason. But that is no reason to dismiss it either. The truth is, work gives many of us a sense of meaning and fulfillment. To deny that is to deny our humanness.

– Jennifer Petriglieri in Couples That Work

4 – Broadway Investing 101 by Ken Davenport

A must-read for the theatre-lover but also for the investor! Davenport talks about how much plays typically cost and how plays make money – you feel like you’re in the inside. However, you don’t need to be targeting arts investing to benefit from this book. I  highly recommend it for any angel investor, creative or not, since investing in a Broadway play is very much like investing in a start-up. Davenport adeptly breaks down how to analyze the investment potential, how to minimize your risks and how to supercharge your returns.

5 – Uplifting Stories by Ione Butler

Uplifting Stories by Ione Butler is all about possibility. Butler shares real-life stories of people overcoming obstacles, fighting for a cause and pursuing their passions.

6 – Creative Careers by Jeffrey Madoff

Despite the title, Creative Careers by B. Jeffrey Madoff is not just for creatives. In fact, the extensive stories and direct quotes from entrepreneurs and executives make this book extremely relevant to business owners, corporate professionals and others who might not think of themselves as having creative careers. Throughout the book, Madoff points out the symbiotic relationship between business and creative, giving encouragement and specific recommendations for creatives to build their business or career and for the business-minded to look for opportunities to create and innovate.

The real-life examples are particularly helpful, giving practical advice but also demonstrating how a wide variety of career paths can lead to fulfillment and financial reward. Madoff shares liberally from his own career journey, including a start in fashion design to film production to teaching at Parsons, where he is still a professor for the class on which this book is based.

Part of being creative is overcoming obstacles. It’s important to focus on what you want, not all the things in the way of it.

– B. Jeffrey Madoff in Creative Careers

7 – Stop Avoiding Stuff by Matthew Boone, Jennifer Gregg and Lisa Coyne

This personal development book is very practical. A summary of  25 microskills, clearly explained, are broken down, such that you can find something that will help you move forward.

The more we try to avoid, the stronger the need to avoid gets. And the smaller and smaller our lives become

– Boone, Gregg and Coyne in Stop Avoiding Stuff

8 – Indistractible by Nir Eyal

For the productivity junkie, this is a must-read. Indistractable by Nir Eyal gives a step-by-step framework for taking back control from our mobile devices, social media and other common distractions. The book gives tips for individuals, teams and even families to avoid distraction. Eyal knows his stuff – he comes from the distracting industries of video gaming and advertising and is the author of Hooked, the primer on how to create habit-forming tech products. Now he turns his talents to the user’s advantage and shows us how to avoid the distractions.

9 – Keep Sharp by Sanja Gupta

I liked this book so much that I posted about it earlier in the year in FIRE Is Going To Help My Brain Health.

Genes accounted for well under 7 percent of people’s life span….That means that over 90 percent of our health and longevity is in our own hands

– Sanjay Gupta in Keep Sharp

10 – The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz

Not a 2020 book, but the best work of one of my favorite business authors. I heard Michalowicz give a talk years go in 2012, when this book came out, and I remember being very impressed with the premise –laser focus on your giant pumpkin seed (i.e., the money-maker in your business). He goes all-in on that premise with a step-by-step process for how you do that – from identifying your money-maker to how to nurture and weed. He offers lots of examples from various businesses so it’s easy to see how his strategies apply to your own.

Short Summaries Of The Other 23 Books

These are listed in the order that I read them, not my preference. These books are all non-fiction but that’s where the similarity ends. The books cover personal and professional development, finance, real estate and entrepreneurship and the arts. Different books will resonate depending on your interest:

Ask And It Is Given by Abraham Hicks

If you’re a fan of Law of Attraction, Abraham Hicks is the best in this genre.

Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton

Long-winded but if you are looking to be convinced about the mind/ body connection and an alternative view of wellness, this is a good start.

Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King

I would skip this and just read Abraham Hicks. I picked it up because it was recommended by Hay House, a publisher I usually trust.

Beyond Supernatural by Joe Dispenza

I love Dr. Joe, and this is a good book, with deeper explanations of the breathing and meditations he has written about in the past. It’s more for people who are already familiar with his work. If you’re new, stick to his earlier books.

Formula X by Jurriaan Karner and Rini van Solingen

This breezy business parable about organizational change was enjoyable to me because I’m partial to the parable structure (one of my favorites is a FIRE parable called Findependence Day by Jonathan Chevreau), and I love business books.

E-Squared by Pam Grout

This book covers similar Law of Attraction lessons that you would find in Abraham Hicks material (still the best in that genre in my opinion). However, Grout writes with a comedic flair so the lessons are fun to read. She also offers specific experiments you can do to prove the Law of Attraction, which could be useful if you’re looking to go from theory to application.

How Much Do I Need To Retire? Todd Tressider

This narrowly missed my Top 10. This book is my favorite of Tressider’s work and is a 2020 update of a previously published book. Tresidder is a former hedge fund manager and also trained as a life coach. You can see this rare combination of skills in his writing, as he adeptly couples exhaustive financial information with life planning. The result is that you get a financial planning book for real people, like what you can do if you started saving late or how you can manage market volatility. I read a lot of business and personal finance books and blogs, and if I could only read one writer, I would read Tresidder. 

The No B.S. Guide To The Acting Biz by Matt Newton

My favorite 2020 book for professional development, Newton’s book is written for actors, but the advice can and should be translated to other professions. If you enjoy movies and TV, Newton’s examples from the acting business will be a fun read. Given the unprecedented unemployment numbers in today’s market, knowing how to manage your career like an actor is a competitive advantage.

How To Succeed in the Arts or Anything by Ken Davenport

I read this one because I enjoyed Davenport’s investing book so much. It is a fast, motivational read about taking action. That’s the entire premise. Davenport writes like he’s talking to a friend so it’s a comforting read. His real-life story about meeting famed Broadway producer, Hal Prince, is an inspiring anecdote. The book will take you less than two hours to read, so skip a night of Netflix and get some inspiration.

Winging It by Emma Isaacs

I wish Isaacs stuck to stories about growing her own business. The real-life anecdotes and examples were great. Nothing original here and mostly motivational, rather than actionable.

Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz

For the time-crunched entrepreneur, this can help you sort out what to fix next (the title is also the blurb!).

Beyond the Basics by Sammy Azzouz

Billed as a book that is in-between the fundamentals of money management and advanced investing, the book delivers on that premise. It covers more nuanced concepts – e.g., the importance of capital allocation, opportunity cost and taking the emotions out of financial decisions. Maybe it’s because I’m a career coach and deliver the same message but I particularly liked that Azzouz names your earning potential as a valuable asset and recommends investing in your career as much as financial investing. I also appreciated how Azzouz went beyond paper assets and covered real estate – actual rental real estate and not just REIT’s or real-estate based paper. The book is an accessible read and covers different ground than most mass media personal finance books.

Dream Big by Bob Goff

Bob Goff is a best-selling author and has clearly accomplished a lot. This motivational book is about exactly what the title says – dream big. Goff shares some introspective questions and some exercises to help you think bigger. He shares some stories, including from his own life. I don’t recall any a-ha moments, though the book is an enjoyable read. One caveat: there are a lot of references to God and Jesus, almost every page. If you’re bothered by heavy use of Christian themes, you will not enjoy this book.

Attention! by Rob Hatch

Rob Hatch is a coach, and the book reads like a coaching engagement would unfold — i.e., advice is encouraging, actionable and accessible. You can apply the tips to a number of different goals and start from where you are.  The book started off slow for me – I have read a lot in the productivity, goal-setting genre, and at first there didn’t seem to be much that was new. However, if you stick with it, it picked up the pace in the latter half, with helpful steps building on top of each other. I bookmarked multiple tips and found useful nuggets about making better decisions on how to use my time and attention.

Defining Moments For Therapists, edited by Serge Prengel and Lynn Somerstein

• “Even in a life of pain, letting go of the tight hold of the past, not indulging in the anxiety of the future, and being in the moment can bring moments of quiet”
• “the cosmic tit is closed for business…do your own f…ing work.”
• “I realized that what saved my life was the power of the heart, and that by listening to my heart, first I chose my life, and later, I chose to treasure and savor the gift of life and help others do the same.”

These are just some of the amazing quotes from “Defining Moments From Therapists” edited by Serge Prengel and Lynn Somerstein

I’m not a therapist but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I worked with one of the editors, Serge Prengel, as he has a life coaching and therapy practice in NYC and came highly recommended by a creative colleague of mine. I worked with Serge as I was considering a career change from my corporate job to entrepreneurship, and then I subscribed to his newsletter for years (still do). His insights are original and thought-provoking, and I highly recommend his work.

So when he mentioned his book in one of his newsletters, I decided to read it even though I’m not a therapist. It is an anthology written by therapists who each reveal how their work with patients changes them. It’s fascinating and often poignant. It hammered home the important point that we are always changed by our surroundings, even when we’re supposed to remain objective and neutral, and being changed is OK, even helpful.

Overcome AI by Scott Gamm

A very interesting premise, FIRE enthusiasts will enjoy this book, though it’s pretty basic if you’re well done that path. I covered it in an earlier post: Yet Another Reason To Pursue FIRE.

Stop Living On Autopilot by Antonio Neves

An easy-to-read life coaching book, Neves offers many self-reflective questions throughout the book that can help you pinpoint the most important areas to focus on. Some of my favorites:

1. If your life was a movie, and the movie was halfway over, what would the lead character start doing to turn things around?
2. Was it not meant to be? Or did you give up?
3. Am I living a life where I regularly contribute, or one where I regularly settle?
4. Do the people you spend the most time with make you better? Are you spending time with allies or thieves?
5. What would you like to see happen that would make you feel absolutely amazing in the next thirty days?

Keanu Reeves’ Excellent Adventure by Marc Shapiro

If you like Hollywood stories, you’ll enjoy this book. If you’re a Keanu Reeves fan or even curious about his filmography (over 70 movies!), you’ll love this book.

I jumped into acting without an ultimate goal. Later I would realize that if I didn’t have any goals, people were going to fuck with me

– Keanu Reeves

The Courage Map by Franziska Iseli

A self-help book with nothing new. It was a 90-minute read which is why I stuck to it – I wanted another book on my finished list, and I could have that in the time it takes to watch the TV movie of the week. Iseli is an accomplished entrepreneur and adventurer (Richard Branson wrote the forward) so I was hoping for some real-life anecdotes to add heft or at least interest to otherwise common sense advice. Unfortunately No, she shared stories of running into helpful strangers during a motorbike trip along the Silk Road (someone bought her a fresh load of bread, or fixed a flat!), so nothing original or insightful.

Wise As F**k by Gary John Bishop

A self-help book that makes big promises about addressing the keys to success in love, career, etc. I picked this book because I like the genre, and Bishop is a NY Times bestseller. I was hoping for even one nugget of insight or originality. It’s a fast read so you can read it in about 90 minutes – the same as binging a popcorn flick. It has about the same heft, and unfortunately I found it far less enjoyable.

Spark Change by Jennie Lee

A short read, but still powerful with 108 questions for self-reflection.

Mentor to Millions by Kevin Harrington and Mark Timm

Written by Timm about being mentored by Harrington, Shark Tank judge, founder of EO and multi-millionaire entrepreneur (many times over), this is a fun and insightful read for entrepreneurs. Timm overreaches and inserts business analogies for how to run a family, which don’t make much sense, but you can easily skim these parts. I only mention it because he opens the book with the business-family analogy, and I almost stopped reading, thinking that would be the bulk of the book. But thankfully it wasn’t, and the actual business stuff is well worth a read.

Escape To Belize by Ann Kuffner, updated by Laura Diffendal

How I miss travel! At least I can read about it, and Belize was on our radar for real estate investment (still is, but not an immediate priority). This is a 2019 edition of the International Living series of books that provides an overview for expats looking to move abroad. It gives an overview of the main regions, including cost of living, sites and culture, climate and other factors to help make a decision on what location is best for you. It also covers topics related to Belize overall, such as quality of healthcare, banking, a brief history and specific regulations about relocating there. While we don’t plan on moving to Belize, it’s a good travel companion, and the real estate-related sections piqued my interest.

==============

What did you read in 2020? What would you recommend?