Here are my top reads for 2023!
Most of these I listened to on Audible (not an affiliate just a big fan 😉 I have also included one thing each book taught me.
Soul Boom by Rainn Wilson
Rainn is so easy to listen to, he’s the perfect mix of funny and insightful. And yes, the answers to life’s big challenges can be found in Kung Fu and Star Trek – but you need a bit of both according to Rainn.
Be More Human by Tony Riddle
Tony truly dances to his own beat, so refreshing. This book is him sharing everything he’s learnt about reconnecting with the natural human state. This book makes you want to go run up a mountain barefoot. Or maybe that’s just me? Less stuff, more moving and more feet in the dirt.
The Art of Risk by Richard Harris
This book is a compilation of his own incredible story as well the extraordinary tales shared by some of the guests from his podcast. He explores what it means to be a risk taker and the various ways people go about it. For me the big take away is that risk taking does not equal reckless, it is often the carefully planned and prepared for moments that stretch you a little further than you’ve been before and make you a better version of yourself – or as Richard puts it ‘the incremental expansion of your comfort zone’. I love his reflection that risks aren’t something to be avoided and that in fact, doing hard or risky things is how you learn who you really are. And that you should demonstrate this for your children and allow them the space to take their own risks.
Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday
I always enjoy a Ryan Holiday book, always well researched, structured and surprisingly relevant – despite being lessons sourced mainly from the 3rd century AD. Key takeaway – having a plan means little without the discipline to follow through and stick at it.
Showing Up by Nedd Brockmann
This is one of my top 2 books for the year. It is a tale of doing hard things written in exactly the way you would expect it to be written from a mullet toting sparky from the bush. Loved it. The story of running across Australia from Perth to Bondi in 47 days is an epic tale, but told in Nedd’s voice, it had me laughing out – even when I myself was running alone along the highway. Nedd’s main message – you will be amazed by what you are actually capable of if you simply refuse to quit.
The Storyteller by Dave Grohl
Hands down favourite book of 2023. Couldn’t stop listening and at the same time, didn’t want it to be over too soon so I tried to ration it. He’s just a bloody great storyteller and he’s lived one hell of a life and yet he’s so humble and curious and filled with love for the people around him. It’s very hard to pick one thing this book taught me, so I’m going to to try to sum it up as – follow your heart. Always. Hang on to joy and wonder.
A Runner’s High by Dean Karnazes
I haven’t read any of Dean’s other books, not really sure how I came across this one but I did really enjoy it. Dean isn’t a Goggins (or a Brockmann) touting the need to go hard or go home, he is encouraging and vulnerable. And as generous with tales of failure as he is with tales of success. His message is simply that running is a joy, a gift. Stop comparing and start enjoying wherever you are at with it.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
This book is incredible, I do believe it needs to be listened to so you can hear it in Rick’s voice to get its full effect. When I saw Rick Rubin had written a book I expected a memoir filled with name dropping tales from the music biz, but its not that at all. Rick is some kind of enlightened oracle and this book is his own personal love letter to creativity that we are lucky enough to get to read. This is Rick sharing his best advice for how to stop flirting with creativity and marry it.
Never Finished by David Goggins
Certainly not last on the list for any particular reason – loved it. Loved that it was in the same format with Adam Skolnick reading it and the two of them chatting in between chapters. His first book is a punch in the face, nothing can prepare you for Goggins, you must just jump in. So I had serious doubts going in about how a follow-up would land. But I think I actually enjoyed it more that the first book, its a bit more reflective, little less face punchy. Hard to sum up the learnings – I’m going to go with you can always do more and be more, even when you think your tank is empty, it’s not. Or as Goggins would say – Stay hard.
And since I actually finished a few novels this year too, here they are. I took a creative writing course this year, so what they taught me is more from that train of thought.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Tim Ferriss calls this book the gateway book to fiction for people who don’t read fiction. Not my first Neil Gaiman book, so I knew it would be weird, and it was delightfully so. I took a lot from his character design.
The Infernal by Kim Wilkins
Kim is one of my all time favourite authors and so I decided to go back and re-read her books from the start again. Like the first time I read it, love that this book is set in Brisbane in places I know well in ordinary life and yet the tale that unfolds there is anything but ordinary. Kim is also the queen of dual storylines.
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
This book retells the story of Twilight but from Edward’s perspective. I was intrigued by this idea – and highly doubtful that it would work. But it was awesome, so much extra back story and explanation – made me wish some of my other favourite novels could also have a version from a different character’s view. Having said that, if you weren’t a Twilight fan back in the day, don’t start here.
What were some of your favourite reads this year? What’s on your TBR for 2024?
