It’s that time to review the best of my reads this year and bring the top five list of non-fiction and fiction, in no particular order. According to Goodreads, I had 68 books to choose from, so let’s dig in.

Fiction

1. Dungeon Crawler Carl (series)- Matt Dinniman. I know I said no particular order, but this is hands down the best fiction read I had all year. This entry would also take up all five spots since there are currently seven books, so I grouped them into one. I was skeptical to try this particular kind of fantasy genre, but man I was hooked instantly. The series focuses on Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s sentient cat, Princess Donut, as they fight through an earth-sized dungeon (it’s inside our planet) in an intergalactic gameshow. Sound ridiculous? It is, but so so good.
2. The Road – Cormac McCarthy. Dystopian, post-apocalyptic landscape following a father and son walking through burned-down America. It’s a sad and heavy tale. You’ll find yourself asking the hard questions about what you would do and how far you would go for family if pressed to the absolute limit.
3. Between Two Fires – Christopher Buehlman. This book completely surprised me in what it turned out to be. I received it from a user on Reddit and frankly, you never know how that may turn out. It’s 1348 and the Black Death is ravaging the world, but there’s also angels, demons, monsters, and saints. So, alternative historical fiction….maybe, lol. If The Road didn’t somber you up enough, this should help fix that quickly.
4. The Book That Broke the World – Mark Lawrence. Book two of The Library Trilogy. Book one made the list last year and I’m gonna bet that book three shows up in whatever year it drops. As a reminder, most of this takes place in a library that’s larger than most cities and older than most empires. A war is upon the world (isn’t it always), but the library transcends all time and space. Are all peoples at risk of the final war?
5. The Armour of Light – Ken Follett. Ken Follett has always loved architecture, so he started writing books that held grand architecture within. The first book in this series, Pillars of the Earth, which starts in 1123 AD, was one of my favorite all time reads. Ken took that story of a small village known as Kingsbridge and has built five books around the growth of the city and the people within it. This story takes place during the Napoleonic Wars. You can see his love of architecture throughout as he describes the buildings, cathedrals, and palaces. He discusses how they were built and the techniques used in such a way that isn’t remotely boring.

Non-Fiction

1. Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI – Ethan Mollick. This is a fantastic read on GenAI, when to use, how it works, and what it can do. It’s the best read on the subject I’ve found so far. Once you finish it, go out and follow Ethan on LinkedIn and subscribe to his blog. Loads of insights on using GenAI.
2. Elon Musk – Walter Isaacson. Here we get to see a little of how Musk’s brain works. I really enjoyed reading about “the algorithm” which is his personal decision-making playbook. Musk strips problems down to their core, questions every assumption, and cuts out anything that smells like bloat or inefficiency. Then there’s the “idiot index”. This is his way of measuring avoidable mistakes and unnecessary complexity. Isaacson paints a picture of a man who demands the extraordinary, often at the cost of driving his teams right to the edge.
3. Who Not How – Dan Sullivan. This book hit home for me. I’m very much a figure-it-out-myself kind of person. This book says I need to stop that and instead find someone who already specializes in whatever “it” is and let them do their thing. Ya, I have to spend some money, but I save time, energy, and likely will have a better product. Pair this book with Dan’s 10x Is Easier Than 2x and you can really start making some gains in life and work.
4. The War of Art – Steve Pressfield. Pressfield introduces “Resistance,” that invisible, insidious force that stops us from doing the creative work we know we should be doing. It’s not just about writing or art, but anything that demands effort and discipline. Pressfield doesn’t sugarcoat it either. He calls you out, pushes you to get out of your own way, and reminds you that showing up is half the battle. If you’ve ever felt stuck, this is the swift kick you need.
5. The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator – Timothy C. Winegard. A history book… about mosquitoes? Yep, and it’s fascinating. Winegard dives into how this tiny bloodsucker has shaped wars, economies, and entire civilizations. He makes a strong case that mosquitoes might just be the deadliest and most influential creature in human history. It’s a wild, unexpected angle on global history, filled with facts that’ll make you sound like the smartest person in the room. And I know this because I’ve been using facts from this book all year!

Honorable Mention

The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids – Ryan Holiday. I read a passage from this book each day through 2024. I technically started in 2023, but who cares?! A daily stoic message to guide me in being a better dad and raising good kids. Practicing stoicism helps keep my head on right. Don’t sweat the small stuff and be present with your kids.