All The Books I Read In 2024

Last year, I made reading a hobby—not just an ad-hoc activity for research or recreation. I was amazed that this simple change led me to read 23 books in 2023.

This year, I discovered what happens when you make reading part of your identity. 2024 was the year I began calling myself a writer. I published a weekly newsletter and a couple dozen blog posts and wrote nearly 150,000 words of a book that I’m still drafting 😅.

You can’t be a good writer without also being an avid reader. This year, I read a lot. I completed 33 books and skimmed/DNF’d about a half-dozen more. That’s a lot of books for me!

Like last year, as a kind of note-to-self about what I read—and as a recommendation list for you—I’ve jotted down some quick "reviews" of all the books I read in 2024.

Let’s get started with...

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, it’s a masterful and compelling work of nonfiction, packed with interesting stories and parables about the game of gaining and losing power.

However, I don’t wholeheartedly agree with some of the "laws." Power is a complicated and nuanced subject. But over 800 pages, Greene focused almost entirely on how to effectively gain power and ignored the much harder and more interesting question—how to ethically wield power. That disappointed me.

A New View of Society and Other Writings by Robert Owen

Robert Owen was a 19th-century entrepreneur, philosopher, and philanthropist often attributed as the godfather of the cooperative movement. His pamphlet, A New View of Society, was on my reading list for a while.

I left the book with a much more complex view of Owen. My personal advocacy for a new form of entrepreneurship is directly tied to his philosophy. However, his paternalistic management style and pseudo-invention of company towns gave me "the ick."

Still, it was a great read, and I highlighted a lot of passages.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

I first read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in high school, thanks to a recommendation from my English teacher. Originally published in 1974, it’s a memoir about life, interwoven with stories of trips Pirsig took with friends and family on his motorcycle.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is from this book:

Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place, the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top.

Highly recommend you add it to your reading list if you’ve never had the pleasure.

In Pursuit of the Common Good by Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner

Frequent readers of this newsletter know I’ve been diving into the story of Newman’s Own. This book—published by the founders for the 25th anniversary of the company—is hilarious and full of outrageous anecdotes about two radical entrepreneurs starting a business they had no business starting.

I laughed. I cried. It moved me, Bob.

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Another reread for me this year, Bad Blood is an in-depth exposé into the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos—the billion-dollar healthcare startup revealed to be a complete fraud.

There are moments in this story that I plan to use in a chapter of the book I’m working on, The Five Vices of Founders, to discuss the dark side of the "fake it till you make it" culture in startups. And, oh boy, was there a lot of material to pull from.

It’s a real page-turner. I highly recommend if you’ve never read it.

Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday

It’s a Ryan Holiday book about the importance of staying calm. What else is there to say? Read it.

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone

This book was recommended by a friend at work and is one of the only fiction books I read this year. It tells the story of a necromancer in a magical world where gods are real, and one of them has mysteriously and unexpectedly died.

The rest of the book is a wild thriller to uncover the circumstances of the god’s death, featuring great twists that explore important themes like faith, justice, and power. Highly recommend.

Between Truth and Power by Julie E. Cohen

A great but dense book about big tech, informational capitalism, and the legal system. Cohen charts the formation of modern legal systems that govern big tech companies and makes the case for reforms, particularly how we currently treat data as a private resource rather than a public good.

A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut

While the election was looming this year, I decided to read Kurt Vonnegut’s lesser-known book, A Man Without a Country. It’s a short essay collection and "memoir on life in George W. Bush’s America." His essays on political life, community, laughter, and technology felt relevant and soothing.

It’s by no means an optimistic book, but reading it made me feel oddly tranquil during a tumultuous time.

How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson

I first read this book in college for a class on technological development and reread it this year for fun. It features amazing stories about how subtle, less flashy technologies have shaped society over the years.

I particularly loved the story about the Murano Glass Island, which made it into my newsletter this year and may make it into the book I’m working on.

Metropolis by Ben Wilson

Another reread, this book chronicles the history of cities and makes the case that the city itself, as a social technology, is our greatest invention. Ben Wilson weaves thousands of years of history in architecture, urban development, politics, and commerce into a fascinating and compelling book.

Wellness by Nathan Hill

Look! A fiction book!

Wellness was recommended to me by my wife, Sarah. It’s a story about a couple’s journey falling in, out of, and back into love over the course of their relationship. It was a real page-turner, though maybe 100 pages too long.

Recoding America by Jennifer Pahlka

One of the most interesting books I read this year, Pahlka’s Recoding America chronicles her time as the Deputy Chief Technology Officer to the White House. She makes a compelling case that the U.S. could have much better software systems if we were better at writing policy.

If you work in tech and are baffled by how bad government websites are, this book will demystify why.

Small Is Beautiful by E. F. Schumacher

Originally published in 1973, this collection of essays by economist and humanist Ernest Schumacher spoke directly to the problems of today. At its core, Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered critiques industrial capitalism and the policies supporting massive multinational corporations.

Later in the book, Schumacher presents examples of companies and economic structures that challenge these trends, demonstrating how small corporations and local economies can positively impact people’s lives.

This book introduced me to the Scott Bader Corporation, which brings me to...

The Man Who Gave His Company Away by Susanna Hoe

This biography of Ernest Bader and the Scott Bader Company—one of the first 100% employee-owned corporations in the UK—was published in 1978 and has been out of print since.

A copy of this book costs $125 on Amazon. While I didn’t pay that much, I did pay a pretty penny for it, and it was worth every cent.

After reading about the Scott Bader Company in Small Is Beautiful, I wanted to understand what would compel a founder like Ernest Bader to give up all equity, power, and control of his company to his employees. Over 500 pages, Hoe delivers a thorough, humanizing account of how and why this happened.

I wouldn’t recommend this book to just anyone, but it was invaluable for me.

Until I Am Free by Keisha N. Blain

This incredibly powerful biography of Fannie Lou Hamer, a pivotal yet lesser-known civil rights activist of the 1960s, left a lasting impression on me. She’s now one of my heroes. I highly recommend this book.

Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday

A Ryan Holiday book about justice and discipline. What more can I say? Read it.

The Loop by Jacob Ward

A disturbing book by technology reporter Jacob Ward, The Loop explores how the internet, algorithmic content, and AI systematically undermine free will.

While occasionally alarmist and technically inaccurate, the book raises valid critiques of the unintended consequences of building transformative technologies within for-profit frameworks.

It’s a good book, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re already anxious about AI.

Writing to Learn by William Zinsser

This is a quick, insightful read about how and why summarizing concepts in your own words helps you learn.

Hands of Time by Rebecca Struthers

A calm, contemplative, and captivating history of clocks, Hands of Time is the book I recommended most this year. British watchmaker and historian Rebecca Struthers weaves the history of timekeeping with personal anecdotes and reflections on technology beautifully.

I’ve described this book as "Braiding Sweetgrass but with clocks," and I stand by that. Highly recommend.

Blood in the Machine by Brian Merchant

Blood in the Machine is probably my second most recommended book this year. Brian Merchant recounts the history of the Luddite uprising and the Industrial Revolution in a way that feels as riveting as a Game of Thrones novel.

It’s a fascinating, approachable read about a misunderstood history that’s profoundly relevant today.

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu (translated by Ursula K. Le Guin)

This year, I wanted to add some poetry to my reading list, so I picked the Tao Te Ching. While technically a foundational Taoist text, its verses read like poetry.

I chose Ursula K. Le Guin's translation because of her reputation and was not disappointed. Highly recommend this short yet thought-provoking book.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

After reading her translation of the Tao Te Ching, I decided to revisit A Wizard of Earthsea. Despite its brevity, it’s a masterful piece of fantasy.

If you love magic and haven’t read this classic, you’re in for a treat.

On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense by Friedrich Nietzsche

I don’t enjoy reading Nietzsche (and I imagine few do), but I included a quote from this text in my book, so I felt obligated to read it.

The quote I pulled:

The visionary lies to himself, the liar only to others.

Write Useful Books by Rob Fitzpatrick and Adam Rosen

While writing my book, I thought it would be helpful to read a book about crafting content people actually want to read. This one delivered.

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

I picked this up after DNFing The Overstory but still wanting to learn more about trees. This book is beautifully written and makes trees seem almost magical.

One of my life goals is to one day read it in the original German.

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

This concise book offers subversive, actionable advice on personal finance.

Religion and the Rise of Capitalism by R.H. Tawney

Technically, I haven’t finished this book yet, but I read enough of it to add it to this list.

This seminal work by economist and social critic R.H. Tawney links the "Protestant ethic" with the rise of capitalism while arguing that industrial capitalism contradicts Christian values.

Though dense at times, Tawney’s compelling writing and the book’s legacy made it a fascinating read for me.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

One of my goals this year was to run a marathon. About two weeks into training, I needed to understand why anyone enjoys running, so a friend recommended this book.

Though it didn’t inspire a newfound love of running, it’s a beautifully written memoir about how doing hard things consistently builds character.

Tools for Conviviality by Ivan Illich

The final book on this list!

Tools for Conviviality, a short pamphlet published in 1973, critiques how industrial capitalism erodes the autonomy and agency of communities.

I think Ivan Illich and E.F. Schumacher would’ve gotten along splendidly.

What did you read this year?

I'd love to hear about the books that were on your reading list this year in the comments down below.

Next week, I'll be telling you all about my goals for 2025. If you don't want to miss that, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter using the form down below.

Until next time,
Drew