Le Petit Prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1943

Topic

While it is a work of fiction, the primary focus of the book is on the human experience. The novel explores the meaning of life and human relationships through the eyes of a young prince who travels to different planets and meets various characters. The book is a poignant critique of human nature and society, highlighting themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and the importance of cherishing what truly matters in life.

Personal comments

This book has always been my favorite, and its story has even more significance for me now as an adult than it did when I first read it as a child. The tale resonates deeply with the idea that we all inherently know what is truly important in life, but as we grow up, we may lose sight of our convictions, passions, and ideals.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari, 2015

Topic

Human history has been shaped by three major revolutions: the Cognitive Revolution (70,000 years ago), the Agricultural Revolution (10,000 years ago), and the Scientific Revolution (500 years ago). These revolutions have empowered humans to do something no other form of life has done, which is to create and connect around ideas that do not physically exist (think religion, capitalism, and politics). These shared “myths” have enabled humans to take over the globe and have put humankind on the verge of overcoming the forces of natural selection.

Personal comments

I started reading non-fiction / self-help books when I was 20, and Sapiens was the first one of the list. I couldn't start with a better book. The amount of knowledge and understanding about our specie you acquire in just 500 pages is incredible. In my opinion, this is a mandatory read because you can't work on building a better future unless you know how we got here in the first place. This is also the book that introduced me to Yuval Harari, which I've been following since and using his work to take decisions in my career (see Homo Deus and his Youtube channel).

Direct Truth

Kapil Gupta, 2018

Topic

The book challenges readers to question their preconceptions and beliefs about themselves and the world around them, urging them to seek a deeper understanding of their true selves. Through a series of essays and reflections, Gupta delves into topics such as the nature of consciousness, the role of fear in our lives, and the importance of being present in the moment. The book encourages readers to embrace uncertainty and to approach life with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Personal comments

I come back to this book many times. It offers such a unique reading experience, filled with thought-provoking concepts that challenge the mind. Despite the difficult nature of the material, I found that it provided me with a deeper sense of understanding and inner peace. His concept of "prescriptions" is so important and I wish I knew about it before.

You can find an amazing conversation / therapy session between Naval and Kapil here.

The War of Art

Steven Pressfield, 2003

Topic

The main theme of the book is “Resistance” (i.e. fear, self-doubt, procrastination, perfectionism). The core idea is that in order to truly live out our creative lives as we were meant to live them, we must understand what Resistance is, notice when it’s showing up, and ultimately make the decision to “turn pro” in order to defeat our creative block, once and for all.

Personal comments

This was the last book I read before starting to work on this website and I kept thinking back on it whenever I felt lazy. Deep down, we all know what we have to do, but there is always this mystical force, this voice inside our head that try to dissuade us to achieve our craft. And the more this specific craft matters, the more powerful the repelling force is.

The reality is, you'll never going to achieve anything if you are waiting to feel inspired to get to work. You need to sit down at your desk everyday, hoping that a flash of genius strikes you and helps you to get in a "flow state". To quote the final sentence of the book :  < Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on part                                                                                of the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being in it. Don't cheat us of you contribution. Give us what you've                                                                                got. >

Can't Hurt Me

David Goggins, 2018

Topic

For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare - poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. His story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.

Personal comments

I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook. After each chapter, Goggins is interviewed by the narrator and adds new insights through stories and anecdotes. This was a life changing experience.

When it comes to work, my intellect and my thoughts are usually very driven making me naturally resilient. But for the longest time I had a weak mind to body connection and would often quit during physical exercises, until I listened to this book. Nowadays, every time I feel like giving up, I summon Goggins' voice in                                                                                       my head and it always helps me get through it.

The Obstacle Is The Way

Ryan Holiday, 2014

Topic

The Obstacle Is the Way is inspired and rooted in the practical philosophy of Stoicism, but it does not explicitly make it about the philosophy. It is packed with plenty of stories and anecdotes that illustrate the timeless Stoic lessons from some of the greatest men and women who have ever lived. The book shares with you their collective wisdom in order to help you accomplish the very specific and increasingly urgent goal we all share: overcoming obstacles. Mental obstacles. Physical obstacles. Emotional obstacles. Perceived obstacles.

Personal comments

I initially found out about Ryan Holiday through his Medium articles on mindset and productivity, but it's his writings on Stoicism that profoundly impacted me. As a highly sensitive person and overthinker, this philosophy improved my mental health a lot. It offers a framework to approach problem strategically, see things for what they truly are and manage your emotions better in adversity. It has now become the foundation of most of my daily thoughts. Video summary by the author : here

What They Forgot to Teach You at School

The School of Life, 2021

Topic

We probably went to school for what felt like a very long time. We probably took care with our homework. Along the way we surely learnt intriguing things about equations, the erosion of glaciers, the history of the Middle Ages, and the tenses of foreign languages.

But why, despite all the lessons we sat through, were we never taught the really important things that dominate and trouble our lives: who to start a relationship with, how to trust people, how to understand one's psyche, how to move on from sorrow or betrayal, and how to cope with anxiety and shame?

Personal comments

Ah, this book spoke to me in many ways. I particularly enjoyed the last chapters about time, freedom, the arrival fallacy and approaching life with humour. Favorite quote: < Being miserable is the default. Everything makes very little sense. Now let's surprise ourselves with a little irresponsible laughter, the kind it can take a lifetime of sorrow to perfect. >

The Magic of Reality

Richard Dawkins, 2011

Topic

Magic takes many forms. Supernatural magic is what our ancestors used in order to explain, through extraordinary tales, the world before they developed the scientific method. But there is another kind of magic, and it lies in the exhilaration of discovering the real answers to these questions. It is the magic of reality / science.

Packed with clever thought experiments, dazzling illustrations and jaw-dropping facts, The Magic of Reality explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena. This is a page-turning, graphic detective story that not only mines all the sciences for its clues but primes the reader to think like a scientist as well.

Personal comments

I found this book in Elon Musk's recommendation list. After a while, the mundane life of being an adult can take away our ability to find beauty in the world that surrounds us. Sometimes it seems like we have it all figured out and nothing surprises us anymore. This is exaclty when you should read this book. It forces you to look deeper into the natural phenomenom of our universe and realize that even when we can explain these                                                                                     things with science, life and all its components remains absolutely magical.

Zero to One

Peter Thiel, 2014

Topic

Zero To One is an inside look at Peter Thiel’s philosophy and strategy for making your startup a success by looking at the lessons he learned from founding and selling PayPal, investing in Facebook and becoming a billionaire in the process.

Personal comments

It is always a treat to have access to a piece of the thinking process of a great entrepreneur like Peter Thiel. Biggest take away of the book: Competition is for losers. Focus on building a product 10x better than the current offering and no one will be able to tell you anything.