📖 15 Book Recommendations from 2022
Hi,
I hope you had a relaxing Xmas and New Year. Getting some time to disconnect, and being together with family and friends is important.
As we move into the next year, I would like to share some books with you from 2022. The same way as last year, I hope to make this an annual habit.
The length of the list is the same - 15 books. However, the composition is different, this year I broke down the list into three categories: science, business, and other stories.
Feel free to jump across these categories! I hope you will find something engaging and valuable for you. And with that, I would like to wish you and your family a healthy, happy, and successful 2023!
PS. If you have read any books on the list, feel free to reach out. We could talk about it!
Best regards,
Toto Nguyen
Stories on science
The first category is scientific books but not the dry, university-style textbooks. No, these are engaging stories about scientific breakthroughs. The books in these section feature people - patients, doctors, scientists, and business executives - who have contributed to where science is today. These books delve into complex topics, such as immunology or oncology, but told in a captivating and accessible way. I hope you will enjoy these stories as much as I did.
1) A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence 🧠
(by Jeff Hawkins)
I wrote a separate post about this book but couldn’t help but mention it again. A Thousand Brains covers one of the most interesting questions: how do we think? Instead of portraying the brain as a centralized model, the theory suggests that the brain consists of thousands of cortical columns that create their own model and simulation of the world. It’s not one brain - our reality is orchestrated by a thousand brains working together.
I’m trying to summarize the book in one paragraph, but Hawkins lays out this theory more in-depth with powerful storytelling. The book made me more optimistic about neuroscience research, and the future of AI, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in these topics.
2) The Code Breaker 🧬
(by Walter Isaacson)
The Code Breaker tells the story of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Isaacson does a fantastic job of introducing the people, the hard scientific work, and the legal battles that went into the development of this groundbreaking technology.
What I particularly enjoyed is how Isaacson takes it one step further. Instead of focusing only on the past, he raises questions around the future : what are the future dangers of CRISPR-Cas9? What are the ethical considerations of changing our genome for our gain? What about CRISPR babies? If you’re interested in gene editing and scientific innovation, I would recommend you this book.
3) The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer 🦀
(by Siddhartha Mukherjee)
Speaking of scientific breakthroughts, we have to mention the history of cancer.
Mukherjee is the most impressive author this year to me (a big thing to say I know), and his book won the Pulitzer Prize. He is a master of breaking down complex scientific concepts and explain them in an accessible manner. He brings the people behind the science to life - introducing us to patients, doctors, and others, sharing their backgrounds and personalities. We care about all of them.
The book takes us on a journey through the history of cancer. It made me realize, how medicine is not only a scientific journey - it requires a societal and political change on a larger scale. Familiar? While the COVID-19 pandemic brought these more to the surface, I was too ignorant to see that cancer has been fighting these battles for decades.
For anyone interested in cancer, scientific breakthroughs, or just wanting to read moving stories, The Emperor of All Maladies is for you.
4) An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives 🛡️
(by Matt Richtel)
Another Pulitzer prize-winning book - it seems like effective science communication is the way to win prizes in the field.
I have to be honest, at university Immunology was one of my worst exam performances ever. Despite spending countless hours studying, waking up early and revising at the cafe places, I received a lower-second class,. I ended up hating the subject overall. My relationship with immunology has changed since, and the Elegant Defense has been a part of that shift.
The book tells the stories of four people - Jason, Bob, Linda, and Meredith. Through their lives, we cover the stories of the immune system from immunodeficiency to autoimmunity, and cancer. It helped me understand and appreciate the careful balance of the immune system. I hope it will do the same for you.
5) Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain ⚡️
(by John J. Ratey)
This book changed my relationship with exercise. The book delves into the scientific background of exercising, and its impact on various areas of health. It demonstrates clinical results, and molecular mechanisms covering common disorders like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. I was astonished at how much exercise can positively impact physical health.
Another thing that I would like to highlight is the impact of exercise on mental health. Spark brings several studies demonstrating the impact of movement on learning, stress, or mood. I started to exercise to stay fit physically, but after Spark, I made it stick for its impact on the brain. For anyone curious about exercise, or struggling to make it into a routine - I hope this book will lift you off the couch.
Stories on business
This year, I started to work as a business consultant, so this year’s list would not be complete without business books. You will find books on entrepreneurship, corporate business, organizational structures, creativity, and psychology. They helped me understand human nature and business better - I hope this will do the same for you.
1) Humanocracy: Creating Organizations As Amazing As the People Inside Them 🏢
(by Gary Hamel, Michele Zanini)
My interest in organizational structures is relatively recent. I had to work a couple of years in a corporate environment to understand its problems. Top-down management, working isolated in silos, or internal politics, to mention a few. I used to think these issues were just part of business and came with human nature, but Humanocracy showed me that there is an alternative.
In this book, Hamel and Zanini break down the elements of an effective organization. They provide practical examples and case studies with possible pitfalls and mistakes. While no organization will ever be perfect, this book encourages all of us - even at the “bottom of the org chart - to strive for that and aims to provide a roadmap on how to get there. This a book I recommend to all (current and future) leaders with the hope that we’ll build better organizations in the future.
2) Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness 💰
(by Morgan Housel)
This book arrived in my life at just the right time. I recently started my first permanent job, began earning a stable salary, and I was already thinking about how to manage my money.
Housel collects 20 money lessons that go beyond financials - we learn about the importance of expectations, the impact of compounding or the difference between being rich and being wealthy. And this is only three of them - there are 17 more to come.
Housel presents his lessons in a concise and thought-provoking manner. I would recommend this as one of the first books for anyone interested in personal wealth. It’s a quick read with a bunch of valuable insights.
3) Moonshot: Inside Pfizer’s Nine-Month Race to Make the Impossible Possible 💉
(by Albert Bourla)
I’m always stunned by how accessible information is in today’s age. With a couple of clicks last year I could read the thoughts of Barack Obama or Bill Gates directly. This year I had the chance to read Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla’s thoughts on the development of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Moonshot is a fascinating book - an inside look at the collaboration, boundary-pushing science, and bold business bets that made this medical miracle possible. Moonshot is also the success story of an immigrant making it in America - I found that quite inspiring. One of the best business books for me in 2022 with lessons that I hope to carry on beyond.
4) The Practice: Shipping Creative Work 📝
(by Seth Godin)
I’m a huge fan of Seth Godin and his thinking, and I believe this is one of the gems he wrote. The Practice is a must-read for artists, solo entrepreneurs, or anyone who would like to turn their creative pursuits into paid gigs.
This book is easy to read - Godin collects short stories that are around 2-3 paragraphs long. Creative thinking is a tough battle, and Godin helps fight it with his wisdom.
5) The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers 🗿
(by Ben Horowitz)
The Hard Thing About Hard Things is not the typical silicon valley entrepreneurship book. To me, it felt like a field manual. As someone who has successfully built several companies, Horowitz knows firsthand the challenges of running a business. Here, he offers practical guidance on navigating the hardest (and often most critical) questions that others might not talk about: how to lay off people, when to sell, or when to give up.
I appreciated Horowitz’s no-BS, straightforward style and perspective. I believe this book will be a valuable resource for anyone looking to build and grow a business, either as an entrepreneur or as part of a bigger company.
Other beautiful stories
After all the heavy stuff like science and business, I also read as a form of disconnecting and relaxing. Especially during my travels, I choose to bring fiction books generally. Books that pulled me out of my everyday life to shape me through stories and characters. I plan to follow this path next year - reading more fiction, and I’m proud to present this year’s list.
1) Dune Chronicles - Dune, Dune Messiah, and Children of Dune 🏜️
(by Frank Herbert)
Dune came at a good time. After starting a demanding job, I had to re-discover the importance of reading as a disconnection. Enters Timothee Chalameth and his gorgeous cheekbones. I started Dune because of the movies, of course. But I stayed for much more.
I read the first three books in the series and was immediately drawn into the political, societal, and economic problems explored in the story. The lore of the Dune universe, the world built by Halbert is incredible. I found myself spending hours on YouTube and researching the series even after finishing the books. It may be a challenging read at times (it was for me), but it is well worth the effort.
2) Project Hail Mary 🚀
(by Andy Weir)
Project Hail Mary is another brilliant science fiction novel. I’m a complete layman of physics and astronomy. However, Weir manages to build a new world through continuous experiments and testing - we are exploring space through the lens of engineering which made the journey a lot of fun for me!
Without any spoilers, I want to say that Project Hail Mary was also one of the most heartwarming stories I read last year. I’m smiling now just by thinking back to it.
Whether you’re a fan of science fiction or you’re just looking for a lovely story, Project Hail Mary will leave you smiling I’m sure.
3) Neverwhere 🐁
(by Neil Gaiman)
My first Neil Gaiman book, and definitely not the last. I already heard that Gaiman is a great fantasy writer, however I had no expectations when starting Neverwhere. Now I can tell you he is brilliant.
In Neverwhere, we are taken to a magical world filled with monsters, saints, and an alternative version of London. We meet an angel named Islington and the Earl who holds a Court. We even go to a circus with clowns and beasts…. yeah the Oxford Circus.
Neverwhere made me realize how much I miss London. And for a bit - it managed to fill that void.
4) Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds 🏃♀️
(by David Goggins)
Back to the world of non-fiction. Can’t Hurt Me is a powerful story about growth, willpower, and overcoming adversity.
David Goggins is from a background of true pain and suffering. I can only imagine what it felt like growing up in a world where poverty, racism, and domestic abuse were part of everyday life.
However, he rose above - he became a US Navy Seal and achieved physical feats that I could not imagine were possible. He completed 4030 pull-ups in 17 hours and completed 60 ultra-marathons. He’s a beast.
But it’s not talent - in this story, we get to understand how his mindset and discipline led to the world that he’s living now. There is a lot to learn from him, and I hope you will learn as much as I did.
5) We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story 🦸♂️
(by Simu Liu)
I’m so glad to finish the list on We Were Dreamers. I read it while I was travelling in Vietnam, and I could not have a better book as a companion.
Liu’s story covers his journey of growing up as a second-generation immigrant, navigating the cultural differences between East and West, and finding his own place in the two worlds. All of this while I was discovering my roots at the same time.
Liu writes with incredible vulnerability about his relationship with his parentsl; how as an Asian in Canada, he felt like an outsider sometimes. He talks about the pressure of shame and expectations in Asian families. He opens up about his sacrifices giving up (or getting kicked out of) the corporate world to pursue his dreams as an actor.
And on top, the language with which Liu tells his story is really unique. It’s funny and makes you feel like hanging out with a friend.
This book meant a lot to me. I would like to dedicate this to any other second-gen immigrants, or to anyone who sometimes feel like they're stuck between worlds. I am sure you will enjoy it.
Once again, many thanks for reading this far. Have you read any of the books above? Let me know your thoughts. I would be curious to hear your experience.
Happy new year, wishing you a healthy, happy, and successful 2023 once again!