The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

So boring. Spend less than you earn. Invest the difference. Learn to money. Blah blah blah. You know all this stuff already. The writing was painful and I don’t understand why everyone likes this book.

Invisible Countries: Journeys to the Edge of Nationhood by Joshua Keating

The author sets out to understand why there are countries and how borders were created. I’m interested in this idea because of the very likely potential of vast swaths of our earth becoming uninhabitable and what that reality does to the idea of borders. You can stop a few million people from leaving to save their lives, but you can’t stop hundreds of millions. We’re a swarming species.

During colonialism and post world wars, we drew borders trying to sort people. The problem with drawing lines is that some people will inevitable end up on the “wrong” side of the line. All borders are arbitrary. No matter how you try to self select for one nationality or another, there will always be some of the “wrong” people on each side. We’re also a migratory species.

I don’t know that I would recommend it though. Kind of interesting, but kind of not.

Guards! Guards!: A Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Humorous novel involving dragons and wizards. This is one part of a universe of books by this guy, apparently. You don’t have to read any of the books in any sort of order, which is nice. It’s a cute read, but fluffy and forgettable and pun-filled.

Locked in Time by Lois Duncan

This was one of my favorite books when I was knee-high to a kangaroo and inspired the stuff I wrote back then. I would call it paranormal mystery.

I just reread it as an adult and, without the nostalgia factor, I’d give it a thumbs down. The book is pretty dated even though the author updated it with cell phones and the like. She uses phrases like “sensitive mouth” and the foreshadowing is obvious. Plus the cover spoils the big plot-twist! Forever young, forever evil. Her new evil stepmother and step-siblings never age!? Thanks for ruining it!

But this realization that the writing I adored as a youngster is kind of terrible thrills me. I think I can definitely write something similar to satisfy 10-year-old-me now. And I hope to prove it to myself in November for Nanowrimo. Woot.

Ego is the enemy by Ryan Holiday

Short, but kind of boring read. I couldn’t connect with the writing style. The author gave a lot of examples with stories of famous people illustrating his advice – focus on the work, get out of your head, etc. etc. –but I feel like everyone is saying the same thing. Maybe I’m self-help book’d out. His advice was good and sensible, but meh.

Here’s an excerpt that I highlighted that will give me a chance to plug my book.

“It’s time to sit down and think about what’s truly important to you and then take steps to forsake the rest. Without this, success will not be pleasurable, or nearly as complete as it could be. Or worse, it won’t last.

This is especially true with money. If you don’t know how much you need, the default easily becomes: more. And so without thinking, critical energy is diverted from a person’s calling and toward filling a bank account.”

Do you want an enough mentality about money instead of a “more” mentality about money? I wrote a book called Operation Enough! How to retire remarkably early.

The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too) by Gretchen Rubin

I’ve read Gretchen Rubin’s blog for years, so there wasn’t any new information in this book, really. She describes a personality framework that separates people on how they meet expectations. The tendencies are Upholder (meets inner and outer expectations), Obliger (meets outer expectations), Questioners (meets expectations they think make sense), and Rebels (resists inner and outer expectations).

I’m an obliger.

Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything by Anne Bogel

Another personality test type book. The author thinks the most important character traits to think about are introversion/extroversion, love language, Meyers-Brigg type, strengths finder, and enneagram.

I had never heard of the strengths finder, but that one isn’t free online, so I didn’t do it.

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware

Kind of interesting book that’s part memoir and part advice. Perhaps too much memoir and not enough focus on the title of the book. Don’t work so hard, express your feelings, live a life that’s true to you, stay in touch with your friends, and let yourself be happy and you’ll avoid regrets, apparently.

People play the victim forever. But who are they kidding? They are only robbing themselves. Life doesn’t owe you anything. Neither does anyone else. Only you owe yourself. So the best way to make the most out of life is to appreciate the gift of it, and choose not to be a victim.

Stop lecturing me.

Why Can’t I Meditate?: How to Get Your Mindfulness Practice on Track by Nigel Wellings

I liked this book and found it extremely helpful to start a daily meditation habit I’ve kept up for a couple of months now. I highly recommend if you also want to start a daily meditation habit.

A Suitable Boy: A novel by Vikram Seth

I got about 154 pages into this book before I decided that life was too short and returned it to the library after borrowing it for months. 1,500 pages is entirely too long. There are other stories in the world that need my attention.