My Top 5 books of 2020
Abhinav kumar Gupta
Strategic Sales - North America @Whatfix | Building & Solving Sales | ex Founder | ex BCG | IIT Delhi
I ended up reading quite a few books this year - thanks to lockdowns.
Just sharing my favourite five reads across genres which I really enjoyed and still haven't been able to get out of my head.
Here we go:
5) Akbar: The Great Mughal
by Ira Mukhoty
It always surprises me how little we know our own history.
Reading this, got me to appreciate, what really makes Akbar - 'Great'.
It is not merely his conquests and long reign but his tolerance, spirit of assimilation and plural ideas which have formed the essence of Indianess ever since.
Book Link: https://amzn.to/3ou4Hlo
4) All That Remains: A Life in Death
By Professor Sue Black
This book is supposedly about solving mysteries of murders, anthropology, war-crimes etc. using the science of anatomy & bones - but it is really a beautiful love letter to death - written with tenderness and courage.
Book link: https://amzn.to/3oGT4rr
3) The Psychology of Money
by Morgan Housel
The best part is that this book is honest, simple and direct. This does provide you with mantras for managing money but also for living a fulfilling life.
Book link: https://amzn.to/2VY5E9m
4) Good reasons for bad feelings - Insights from the Frontier of Evolutionary Psychiatry
by Randolph M. Nesse
Why we are all so unhappy? - is a pretty gnarly question. This book offers a surprisingly interesting answer by exploring evolutionary reasons for sadness & mental health issues. Changed my perspective.
Book link: https://amzn.to/3m0KLoG
1) The Secret of Our Success - How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter
by Joseph Henrich
Ever wondered - of all the species on earth why us the humans ended up dominating the planet?
Our 'intelligence' isn't the right answer. Us being a social species is part of the answer but not all of it.
The reason it turns out is the fact that we have 'culture' - which we pass from one generation to next, adding to it every new trick we learn on the way.
This book surprisingly, made me see my parent's superstitions & traditions in an entirely new light.
Book link: https://amzn.to/3guD8FD
Would love to know - the best books you read up this year. Please do share up your reading recommendations as well ..!