Reading

Some of the books I have been reading and my thoughts on it.

I’m a slow reader btw.

Last update: November 25, 2024

2025

I will choose the next book, and update it here.

But in 2025 I will change some things. Besides taking handwritten notes along the way, I’ve found that using ChatGPT can greatly enrich my reading experience. Beware of hallucinations though.

2024

I have been on a mental health phase and reading a lot on psychology themes.

List ordered by most recently read.

Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength – by Roy F. Baumeister, John Tierney

I have limited willpower and I must do my best to use it to accomplish the right things. Very good book.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and Principles of Screenwriting– by Robert McKee

I’m taking my time with this book. I want to improve my communication skills and who doesn’t love a good story?

On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft – by Stephen King

Mr. King is a prolific writer. It shows how far it goes when forming habits and respecting our limits. And I just love these personal histories about people creating and working on their craft despite hard circumstances.

The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit – by Seth Godin

I quit reading this book. Joking! I did finish it. I think I’m leaving the dip right now.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World – by Carl Newport

I’ve always been able to focus for long periods but had lost my mojo recently. I liked the examples given in the book but quite honestly the message is pretty simple. Stick to a schedule. Eliminate distractions and focus. Pay attention to rest. The bit about hard work is true. It’s good for the soul but does not necessarily correlate with success. I can attest to that.

The Artist’s Way: A Course on Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self – by Julia Cameron

I enjoyed it. It seems written by someone that observed many others make progress with their creativity and art. If you can actually go past some of the language used, it has good insights. I liked the exercises. I’m trying hard to see value in things that would otherwise cringe the hell out of me.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know – by Adam Grant

Very good book on the science of changing our minds. I always considered myself someone with a flexible mind and even wondered if it was a healthy thing. After reading the book, I realized that I can improve a lot when talking to others and that I’m actually less flexible than I thought. Or am I not? Also, I don’t like Mayonnaise.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less – by Greg Mckeown

I thought I had tendencies to being more of a minimalist, but I think I’m actually an essentialist at heart. It helped me sharpen the skill of discerning what is essential.

Expressive Writing: Words that heal – by James W. Pennebaker, John F. Evans

By far, writing has been the thing that helped me the most in my mental health. This book is a good guide to use writing as a mental health tool. I’m still putting into practice some of the exercises in this book.

The Courage To Be Disliked – by Ishiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga

I was introduced to Adlerian theory to psychology through this book. I really connected with the ideas here and I can say it helped me consolidate my thoughts.

Unwinding Anxiety – by Judson Brewer

Very practical and it helped me to increase my trust on mindful practices. I was able to increase my awareness of behaviors I need to improve, identify triggers and better deal with responses.