“One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.” - Carl Sagan
I procrastinated on this part of my activity after not being able to give proper attention to writing following the initial reads. However, I resolved to bring this here for the first quarter of 2024. So, here is my review of six books for the past three months.
The year 2024 started with Charles Wheelan's Naked Economics, where economics and its various concepts are debunked for a layman. He explains how the world works on ideas of economics, spanning from how incentives matter to the workings of governments, the economics of information, financial markets, lobbying, and more. This is not an economics textbook but is brimming with real-life examples that clarify the significant concepts and ideas of economic theories and the world order. The book did not connect with me well; however, if you are a newbie to this subject, I believe Wheelan's Naked Economics will significantly help you.
Occasionally, you stumble upon a book by an author that instantly catches your attention, compelling you to exclaim, "Yes, this is the one!". The sole reason for this quick decision is how the author has created their audience with just one book. Fredrik Backman is one such author, and I fell for him after reading A Man Called Ove. This led me to Backman's My Grandmother Sends Her Regards & Apologies, and I got it. Backman created a world in just one apartment, and he mesmerizingly knitted the life of all the inmates, who revolved around the key character of Grandmother. This book is a true gem, offering an immersive reading experience that never bores. You are immersed in this world that Backman created. You go through the emotional landscape of a young kid who is taken care of by separated parents and grappling with her fears. With all the characters having great depth, the story gives us a great experience.
January ended with an experiment - a foray into audiobooks. Sanjiv Sanyal's The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History is not an exemplary research work. A general audience with a basic understanding of South Asian history will be able to connect the dots. However, the author has missed establishing solid connections with Southeast Asia. At times, the book appears judgmental towards Islamic rulers. The primary takeaway was more about the experience of enjoying audiobooks. I found that non-fiction might not be the best genre for audiobooks, as it's easy to lose track of the author's main argument. This experiment convinced me to stick to fiction for my audiobook adventures (a strictly personal preference).
The disappointment in South Asian history was washed away wholly by another historical work - A Little History of the World by E.H Gombrich. Gombrich narrates the history of the world from prehistory to World War II in forty succinct and engaging chapters. He assures readers in the preface that they can 'relax and follow the story without having to take notes or memorize names and dates.' This good source is accessible for readers of all ages to start or refresh their knowledge of world history.
Some moments in life slow you down, making you feel off-kilter. February marked the beginning of such a period for me and continued to March. This impacted my work and readings, and I slowly returned to two self-help books after a long gap. Ali Abdaal's Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You discusses three aspects of productivity - Energizing yourself, Unblocking the hurdles, and Sustaining the momentum. Ali deals with various psychological experiments to explain the three steps, providing many leads one can experiment with. The author touches on multiple areas, including how to make one's work more playful but not lose its sincerity, the impact of being with like-minded people, exploring in detail about self-confidence, dealing with burnout, conserving energy for the long run, and more.
Cal Newport, one of my favourite authors and podcasters, offers a different perspective in his latest work, Slow Productivity. Aimed at knowledge workers who have some degree of control over their work. He explains how to work more efficiently by slowing down. The principles of slow productivity are described in three long chapters, in which he brings people's lives across diverse fields. One key strategy is to limit your to-do list, as focusing on fewer tasks can boost efficiency in achieving long-term goals. This should be complemented by working at a pace that feels natural to you. Newport emphasizes that humans often underestimate the time required for cognitive tasks. Therefore, he suggests doubling the initially estimated timelines for upcoming projects, allowing you to work at a natural pace. The final principle deals with obsessing over quality so that short-term misses or sacrifices of specific opportunities will help you achieve more gains in the long term. A pertinent question is whether condoning the work schedule in today's hectic world is feasible. Newport addresses this question throughout the book, explaining how slow productivity can enhance productivity. I suggest you go through the book.
The first quarter presented a diverse and engaging reading experience marked by experimentation and refreshing insights. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you read any of these books.
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