From wikipedia: Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from AD 161 to 180, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Meditations are worth reading if only to get a glimpse at the thoughts of a man who lived a life in truly extraordinary circumstances of being a Roman Emperor. It's surprising how relevant the themes of his diaries are two thousand years later.

"The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a seminal work that explores the profound impact of rare and unpredictable events, termed "Black Swans." Taleb argues that these events, which are often overlooked or underestimated, have massive consequences on our world. He highlights the limitations of traditional forecasting methods and emphasizes the need for resilience and adaptability in the face of uncertainty. Blending philosophy, economics, and personal anecdotes, Taleb provides a compelling critique of our understanding of risk and uncertainty. This book is essential for anyone interested in risk management, economics, and understanding the unpredictable nature of our world.

Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life is a nonfiction book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, published in 2018. Taleb’s main point is pretty simple: people should share in the risks of the decisions they make. If you benefit from something, you should also face the downsides if things go wrong. He calls this having “skin in the game.” Without that, people can make reckless choices that hurt others while staying safe themselves. The book covers everything from politics and business to religion and everyday life. Taleb doesn’t hold back on criticism. He talks about how some policymakers and financial experts make decisions that affect millions but don’t suffer when those decisions backfire. He uses examples like bankers profiting during booms but getting bailed out during crashes. Taleb also goes after what he calls “Intellectual Yet Idiot” types—educated people who, in his view, complicate things and give advice without understanding real-world consequences. He argues that real knowledge comes from doing and risking something yourself, not just sitting in a classroom or writing articles. One part of the book dives into how stubborn minorities—like people who strictly follow certain dietary rules—can influence the majority’s choices without even trying. There’s even a section where he talks about religion, saying that the idea of God taking human form (in Christianity) is the ultimate example of having skin in the game. Taleb’s writing style is direct, sometimes blunt, and he isn’t shy about calling out what he sees as nonsense. The book is part of his Incerto series, which looks at uncertainty and risk in modern life. Some people love his no-nonsense approach; others find him a bit too combative. Either way, Skin in the Game is about accountability—if you play the game, you should be prepared to take a hit when things go south.

"Fooled by Randomness" is a thought-provoking book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb that delves into the role of chance in our lives and how we often mistake random events for meaningful patterns. Through a mix of personal anecdotes, philosophical insights, and statistical analysis, Taleb explores how randomness affects the world of finance, business, and daily life. The book challenges readers to rethink their perceptions of success, failure, and the forces that drive outcomes. This book is ideal for readers interested in finance, probability, and the philosophical implications of randomness.

"The Bed of Procrustes" is a collection of aphorisms by Nassim Nicholas Taleb that distills his philosophical insights into short, thought-provoking statements. The title refers to the Greek myth of Procrustes, symbolizing the tendency to force things into unnatural conformity. Through these aphorisms, Taleb critiques modern society's flaws, biases, and misconceptions, offering a sharp, often humorous, commentary on topics ranging from knowledge and science to wealth and human behavior. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy deep, philosophical musings and appreciate Taleb's sharp wit and unconventional perspectives.

Modern healthcare is often reactive. This is part of the reason why preventative medicine is so key.

Discover the secrets to a long, healthy, and fulfilling life with "Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life" by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. This insightful book delves into the Japanese concept of ikigai, or a "reason for being," which is believed to be a key factor in the remarkable longevity of the residents of Okinawa, a Japanese village known for having the world’s highest percentage of centenarians. Through interviews with these vibrant centenarians, the authors uncover how the principles of ikigai—where passion, mission, vocation, and profession intersect—contribute to their happiness and longevity. The book reveals the residents' daily practices, from their nutrient-rich diets and active lifestyles to their strong community bonds and purposeful work. "Ikigai" provides practical advice and tools to help readers discover their own ikigai, offering a blend of cultural wisdom and actionable steps towards a life filled with purpose, health, and joy. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in enhancing their well-being and finding deeper satisfaction in everyday life.

Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography by South Africa's first democratically elected President Nelson Mandela, and it was first published in 1994 by Little Brown & Co. The book profiles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years spent in prison If you're new to South African history, as I was, this is a great starting point. Why not hear from the man who played a key part in it?

Greek myths retold by Stephen Fry. He is both the author and the narrator of this book. His wit and sense of humor come across in both the text and in the delivery. Plus, you actually get to learn Greek myths.

“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” —Rick Rubin

"Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a groundbreaking exploration of systems and entities that thrive and grow stronger in the face of stress, volatility, and chaos. Taleb introduces the concept of "antifragility," which goes beyond resilience or robustness. Through a mix of philosophy, practical wisdom, and real-world examples, Taleb illustrates how embracing uncertainty and leveraging disorder can lead to success and innovation. This book is essential for anyone interested in risk management, personal development, and understanding how to benefit from uncertainty and change.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a memoir by Haruki Murakami where he talks about two things that define a big part of his life: running and writing. Murakami didn’t always plan on being a novelist. He was running a jazz bar in his twenties when, while watching a baseball game, he suddenly thought, “I could write a novel.” He gave it a shot, it worked out, and he eventually sold his bar to focus on writing full-time. But sitting at a desk all day, smoking and not moving much, wasn’t doing his health any good. That’s when he picked up running. For Murakami, running is more than just exercise—it’s part of his routine and, in a way, a metaphor for writing. Both take endurance. Both are long hauls where you push yourself day after day, even when you don’t feel like it. The book follows him as he trains for marathons, competes in triathlons, and grapples with the slow decline of his physical abilities as he ages. He talks a lot about acceptance—accepting getting older, accepting bad race times, and accepting that sometimes you just don’t do as well as you hoped. His attitude is basically: That’s life. You move on. The writing style is straightforward, like he’s just talking to you over a coffee. He doesn’t dress things up. Sometimes he rambles, mentioning things like cycling habits or going off on tangents about global warming. At one point, he describes running the original marathon route in Greece—sun blazing, salt stinging his eyes, everything uncomfortable. But through it all, there’s this calm acceptance. He’s not trying to convince anyone to run; he just shares what it means to him. By the end, what sticks isn’t just the running or the writing, but the way he embraces both the highs and the lows—the post-race blues, the joy of finishing, and the satisfaction of something as simple as a cold beer after a long run. It’s a book about effort, routine, and learning to keep going, no matter what.

Skin in the Game may be nice but The Black Swan is the OG Nicholas Taleb. Read this book to learn how to think and avoid biases and reread at least once very couple of years.

by George Orwell an expedition into who people are and what life is

The great thing about this book is that it takes a big-picture view of human history. It attempts to explain the main themes of human history without getting bogged down in the details. Sapiens also debunks many popular myths about human history, including the one that people today live happier lives and have better diets than our hunter-gatherer predecessors. It comes with an epilogue about the future of humankind in light of ever-accelerating technological progress. With the recent advances in AI it is more relevant than ever. If you're going to read one book on history this year, read this one.

Even the smartest among us can feel inept as we fail to figure out which light switch or oven burner to turn on, or whether to push, pull, or slide a door. The fault, argues this ingenious -- even liberating -- book, lies not in ourselves, but in product design that ignores the needs of users and the principles of cognitive psychology. The problems range from ambiguous and hidden controls to arbitrary relationships between controls and functions, coupled with a lack of feedback or other assistance and unreasonable demands on memorization. The Design of Everyday Things shows that good, usable design is possible. The rules are simple: make things visible, exploit natural relationships that couple function and control, and make intelligent use of constraints. The goal: guide the user effortlessly to the right action on the right control at the right time. The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how -- and why -- some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them.

In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.

A Gentleman in Moscow is a historical fiction novel by Amor Towles. It follows Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian aristocrat who, after the Bolshevik Revolution, is sentenced to house arrest in the grand Hotel Metropol in Moscow. Instead of being imprisoned in a cell, he’s confined to the hotel, which becomes both his cage and his world. The story spans several decades, starting in the 1920s and running through key moments of Soviet history. Most of it unfolds inside the hotel, which is no ordinary place—it's a bustling, self-contained universe. Rostov, who begins the story living in a lavish suite, is forced to move into a tiny attic room. Despite this fall from grace, he navigates his new life with wit and charm, forming friendships with the hotel staff, guests, and unexpected visitors. The book isn’t just about the Count’s personal journey—it’s also about how time changes people and places, how history creeps in even when you’re standing still, and how small acts of kindness and loyalty can shape a lifetime. The setting, the Metropol, is richly described, from fine dining rooms to back corridors. There’s a good bit about food, music, and Russian culture, and plenty of philosophical musings, but it never gets too heavy. At its core, the novel is about making the best of what life throws at you. The Count is an old-world gentleman stuck in a new world that wants to forget people like him. How he handles that—sometimes with grace, sometimes with stubbornness—is what makes the book compelling. It's quietly dramatic, occasionally funny, and surprisingly heartwarming, all without needing big action scenes.

Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich. Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity’s first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time. So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. Sure, it requires her to graduate from small-time smuggler to full-on criminal mastermind. And it calls for a particular combination of cunning, technical skills, and large explosions—not to mention sheer brazen swagger. But Jazz has never run into a challenge her intellect can’t handle, and she figures she’s got the ‘swagger’ part down. The trouble is, engineering the perfect crime is just the start of Jazz’s problems. Because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself. Trapped between competing forces, pursued by a killer and the law alike, even Jazz has to admit she’s in way over her head. She’ll have to hatch a truly spectacular scheme to have a chance at staying alive and saving her city. Jazz is no hero, but she is a very good criminal. That’ll have to do. Propelled by its heroine’s wisecracking voice, set in a city that’s at once stunningly imagined and intimately familiar, and brimming over with clever problem-solving and heist-y fun, Artemis is another irresistible brew of science, suspense, and humor from #1 bestselling author Andy Weir.

She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled. As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.