The Best Books I Read in 2023
2023 was another year of great books. Each year, I aim to read around 80 - 100 books; this year I’ve read 80 so far (yes, actually read them through, not simply “skimmed”). In my opinion, reading great books that teach us about ourselves, the world, and humanity is one of the best investments in developing ourselves.
Here is a list of the 9 very best books I read this year. (Why 9? I’m not sure, except that I didn’t want to make the list shorter.) Of course, as with all lists like this, these are the ones that I enjoyed/learned the most from and is purely personal opinion. Also, they’re in no particular order. Enjoy!
Essentialism, by Greg McKeown. Probably the most impactful book I read in 2023. When we look at life, there’s countless things that demand our attention; we tend to think we can do all the things. The reality is there are tradeoffs and unless we learn the skill of essentialism (finding the most important things to do with our life), we will continually be dragged around by the demands of others, the busyness of life, work, and be stretched too thin. Instead, we need a framework of thinking about what is the most essential components of our lives and build out from there. I did a series with my brother on this book and surrounding concepts; search for Mind Castle Podcast and give the series a listen.
The Compound Effect, by Darran Hardy. This little book is a simple read centered around the premise in this formula: small, smart choices + consistency + time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE. If we can get the habits right and be consistent over the long term, the results will compound to profound effect.
A World Without Email, by Cal Newport. I’ve read all of Newport’s books, and this is his most recent. In some ways, it’s the culmination of his work, in one volume, and I think is his best work by far. I actually read it twice this year; the first time a regular reading, the second time for taking copious notes and for jotting down ideas on how to apply these principles to my work. The basic premise is we have built a culture around work that is not health nor effective, and we must extract ourselves from what he calls the “hyper-active hive mind” (that pesky annoyance of constantly being inundated with emails, Zoom meetings, texts, calls for our work). He gives a blueprint for a new way of doing work that’s more sustainable.
The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. It had been a while since I last read The Hobbit, and I listened to the new audiobook edition, narrated by Andy Serkis. Serkis is an absolute master of voice acting, and this book was a pure joy to listen to on a few road trips we took this year.
Beyond Order, by Jordan Peterson. Peterson’s other book in this series (12 Rules for Life) made it on my best books list for 2021, so when this volume came out, I was excited to dig in. Of course, there’s lot of things that I disagree with Peterson on, but when reading his work, you can be assured that it’ll make you think; this book certainly delivers on that front. It’s a list of another 12 rules for life, like his first book, and centers on finding the balance between order and chaos. Chaos is all around us, in innumerable forms. This book is a look at that and how we can live courageously in the face of difficult challenges.
Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer. A different kind of read for me, this is a phenomenal telling of the harrowing story of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster (that left 8 climbers dead; it’s the single greatest Everest disaster). Not only is this a gripping account told by a journalist who barely survived the ordeal himself, it’s also a sobering story about critical decision making under pressure, lack of preparation, and the importance of maintaining margin. There are enough lessons here I’m planning to incorporate it into some of the leadership/team dynamics trainings I teach. Note there is some strong language in this book, and it’s a pretty sobering read.
Elon Musk, by Walter Isaacson. I’ve been fascinated by Musk for years. What’s it like in his head? How does he live day to day, keep up with his many businesses, and make decisions? What’s driving this man? So when this book was announced I immediately preordered it. Walter Isaacson is arguably the greatest biographer alive (his biography of Steve Jobs is a particular favorite of mine), and this book is Isaacson at his best. Isaacson followed Musk around for over 2 years while writing this book, and gives a personal, deep look into the man that we’ve not seen before. There are some really interesting bits about how Musk makes decisions; there’s also some very dark bits about Musk’s struggle with his past and his internal demons. He’s a complicated guy, and while it’s incredible what he’s done in electric cars, AI, space travel, robotics, and more, he’s been a pretty terrible example when it comes to family, work/life balance, taking care of employees, and a host of other things. This book is a raw look at all of this; 688 pages of one of the wildest rides for me this year. Note there’s a fair amount of strong language and such, so I hesitate to “blank check” this one….
Getting Things Done, by David Allen. One of the great classics in personal life management, this book absolutely delivers on what the title promises. It’s one of those so packed with practical advice that I’m sure I’ll be referring to it many times in the years to come. I can promise that if you implement the principles in here it’ll make a significant impact on your life. At least, it did for me.
High Performance Habits, by Brendon Burchard. I’m not a fan of Burchard (he tends to be long winded and arrogant), but this book does deliver on its promises (though could have done so in 100 less pages, in my opinion). Basically, Burchard works as a coach for businessmen and other high performers, and out of that experience did a survey of what kind of habits the highest performers have. It’s a fascinating look into how some people, with the same 24 hours in a day the rest of us have are able to way outperform 99% of the general population. There’s some great mindsets and practical habits in this book to help level up how we use our time, and particularly around identifying what’s the most important elements in life and focusing on that instead of the endless distractions of modern life.
And that’s a wrap on reading for 2023; what books should I add to my list for 2024? Each year I assess the best books I’ve read; here’s my list for 2021, and for 2022. Onward to more excellent learning experiences!
If you want to learn how to read more books, here’s a video where I explain how I’m able to read 80+ books a year. Follow me on Goodreads to see my reviews and what I’m reading.