End of Year Reading List

end of year reading list

Winning the Loser’s Game by Charles D. Ellis.

If you want to get serious about investing and want to know what this game is all about for regular investors then this is the book for you. Without having to get into something too technical.

It reads like straight-talking from a friend. When you finish reading this book you’ll understand why stocks and the stock market is such an amazing wealth creation tool. And why you need to start thinking long-term.

Instead of trying to be the genius who beats the market, Charles Ellis shows you how the real winners are those who avoid major mistakes. Before you to try to hit home runs focus on not striking out.

It might sound like basic advice, but some of the biggest names in finance have praised the advice in this book.

Who has recommended it:

Howard Marks: Founder of Oaktree Capital, in his book The Most Important Thing, mentioned Ellis's book as one of three that "did a great deal to shape my thinking”.

David Swensen: Chief Investment Officer at Yale University, described it as one of the few books worth reading out of thousands written for individual investors.

American Caesar by William Manchester

In the era of Donald Trump I can’t think of another American figure that had as big an ego as him than him than General Douglas MacArthur. Hence the fittingly titled book.

When people think of 20th-century US military leaders, most think of people like Eisenhower or Patton. But MacArthur was a much more important figuring of that time. Eisenhower was actually MacArthur's protégé and assistant.

No other US general commanded troops in World War I, led a major theater in the Pacific during World War II, oversaw Japan's post-war reconstruction, and led during the Korean War.

So why is he kind of forgotten today?

He wasn’t just a military leader—he was a political animal. Presidents feared him.

He was so revered by the American public that Eisenhower once admitted that the only time he felt the American Republic was truly at risk was after a public speech MacArthur delivered. Go figure, one solitary speech almost brought down the government and maybe even the entire republic.

This book isn’t just about one man, it’s a journey through some of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century.

Who has recommended it:

First published in 1978, its too old to have any contemporary recommendations. But it is considered the most widely read MacArthur biography.

The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch

If you're curious about the bigger picture stuff this is a book that has the power to completely shift how you see the world. I have the feeling one day this book might become a big deal.

The author is a scientist who works at the frontier of physics and philosophy 🤯, and has a deep understanding of biology, history, and many other fields.

Many chapters follow a structure where Deutsch lays out ideas we all commonly accept as true, but then he demonstrates them to be false, and in many cases turn out to be even the exact opposite of the truth.

He explains the foundations of why progress occurs and why technology and science move us forward.

And answers the question whether human progress can continue indefinitely.

Who has recommended it:

Naval Ravikant: “Go read The Beginning of Infinity and The Fabric of Reality” - They rewired my brain, made me smarter.”

Jim O'Shaughnessy: “If you haven't read it, I urge you to read it. It's a brilliant book. He builds from the foundation level up, which I love, and one of the things that he points out is that the precautionary principle rules often societies where the end result ends up as stasis and death, and that one needs to always be searching for better explanations but to be mindful that we're going to get a lot wrong.”

Culture Series by Ian M. Banks

And finally for those wanting to explore some mind-bending fiction:

The is one of the best sci-fi books I have ever read. And I am not ashamed to admit that i’ve read most of the entire series in the last two years.

Ian M. Banks dives into "the Culture": a post-scarcity, hedonistic society where individuals can synthesize their own drugs, change genders at will, and enjoy the pervasive use of AI - all built over a philosophy where freedom is the ultimate hallmark of civilization.

Sound familiar? not bad considering the first book was written 20+ years ago.

Much of the series centers on how the Culture, the galaxy’s most advanced civilization, interacts with more primitive societies and maneuvers through complex challenges with adversaries. Special Circumstances, a covert branch within the Culture, navigates these encounters, always testing how far can an advanced liberal society can go to defend liberalism.

This is not your usual dystopian future stuff that has been copied a million times. The author really pushes the boundaries of imagination and philosophy.

If tackling a 10 book series seems like Everest, every single book can be read stand-alone. If you just want to read one I highly recommend "The Player of Games" - #2 of the series.

Who has recommended it:

Elon Musk: “I love Banks. Best books in recent years imo are Iain Banks & George Martin”. Elon has names many of his ships after ships in the novels: "Just Read The Instructions", “A Shortfall of Gravitas” and "Of Course I Still Love You".

Jeff Bezos: "The Culture series is certainly, in terms of more modern science fiction, one of my absolute favorites."

And finally, some parting wisdom

Sitting down to read can be a challenge. It might not come naturally, or finding the time can be tough.

You might think, there’s no point in buying a book you don’t know if your gonna read.

But, let me give you the best explanation I ever found as to why you should buy books anyway:

So go buy a book and I'd love to hear your thoughts if you do read any them…