Books I Read - Or Attempted to Read - in 2016

Meant to post this New Year's Eve.  But, I'm a parent, so it's two weeks late.  -ND

As the boy gets older, I'm trying to get back that old habit of reading books.  Here's a brief rundown of the 23 books I read - or at least partially read - this year.

The whole list, followed by brief descriptions of the best ones. (And why you should read them NOW)

1 The Life You Can Save - Peter Singer
2 Toddlers are A**Holes: It's Not Your Fault - Bunmi Laditan
3 Between Parent and Child - Haim Genott
4 365 Thank Yous - John Kralik
5 Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk - Ben Fountain
6 A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - Donald Miller
7 The Killing Season - Miles Corwin
8 Attempting Normal - Mark Maron
9 The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo
10 A Framework for Understanding Poverty - Ruby Payne
11 Leviathan Wakes - James Corey
12 Holidays on Ice (Reread) - David Sedaris
13 Getting Even - Woody Allen
14 Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - Angela Duckworth
15 The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Alan Ries & Jack Trout
16 Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution Heather Chaplin & Aaron Ruby
17 The Pleasure of My Company - Steve Martin
18 The Sellout - Paul Beatty
19 How to Dad - Boswell and Barrett
20 The Bin Ladens  - Steve Coll
21 Boundaries with Kids - Cloud / Tounsand
22 The Problems of Philosophy - Bertrand Russell
23 Fluke - Christopher Moore

WORTH EVERY SECOND
Read These 5 Books RIGHT NOW

The Life You Can Save - Peter Singer

If you were walking by a lake and saw someone drowning, would you save them, even if it inconvenienced you?   That's the issue with global poverty, argues Singer.  He's right - we need to get off our duffs.  Donate to Oxfam, and others.  Check out www.thelifeyoucansave.org.  Oh, and read this book.

Toddlers are A**Holes: It's Not Your Fault - Bunmi Laditan

One of the best-written, and funniest books I have ever read - but really hits home if you're a parent.  It's the book I wish I would have written, but so glad she wrote it because I would have never been this funny. But not just funny, it makes us as parents feel a lot less alone and dysfunctional.  Turns out, a lot of people are thinking the same things -  ie: Is it too early to drink?  What did I do with all my time when I wasn't a parent?

Between Parent and Child - Haim Genott

Picked up this book at a used book store on a whim, and it has changed the way I think about parenting and talk to children. Specifically, my children.  Specifically, my son.

365 Thank Yous - John Kralik

Another used book store random find.  (Shout out to HALF OFF BOOKS in Whittier - the best used book store in the San Gabriel Valley - and dare I say, LA County?)  Not well written, but Kralik's a Pasadena attorney, so it feels local, and the effect of writing a Thank You card every day feel real.  Definitely inspired me to start writing Thank You cards.  So inspired, I wrote all of four cards in 2016.  I plan to do better in 2017 - THANK YOU, John Kralik, for reminding me.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk - Ben Fountain

It turns out real literature is still being written. This take on American excess and emptiness told through the eyes of a soldier being honored during a Dallas Cowboys football game is both strange and phenomenal.


REALLY REALLY GOOD 

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - Donald Miller

My sister gave me this book because it's about screenwriting, but it works simply as honest writing about trying to figure out life in your 30s.

The Killing Season - Miles Corwin

LA Times reporter follows a homicide crew through a bloody summer in South Central Los Angeles in the 90s.  It's like reading The Wire, but in LA.

Attempting Normal - Mark Maron

As a fan of his podcast (WTF), I was destined to like this book.  What I didn't expect was the high quality of the writing.  Maron can write, and not just funny stuff, but actually write.  Only negative: discusses sex far too much. (He rarely talks about sex on his podcast, so it's just odd and a little disturbing.)

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo

Almost a spiritual guide to cleanliness that has made me 10% cleaner, but has made it a whole lot easier to throw things out.  Turns out, if you take the thing you're going to throw out and stay OUT LOUD: "Thank you for all you've done for me" to the thing, then throw it away, then you don't feel bad about it.  It's like closure. It works. Strangely. And I don't know why.

WORTH CHECKING OUT
(In order or worth-checking-out worthyness)

A Framework for Understanding Poverty - Ruby Payne

Leviathan Wakes - James Corey

Holidays on Ice - (Reread) David Sedaris

Getting Even - Woody Allen

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - Angela Duckworth

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Alan Ries & Jack Trout

Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution - Heather Chaplin & Aaron Ruby

The Pleasure of My Company - Steve Martin

DID NOT FINISH EVEN THOUGH I TRIED REALLY HARD
MAYBE YOU WILL HAVE BETTER LUCK

The Sellout - Paul Beatty
How to Dad - Boswell and Barrett
The Bin Ladens - Steve Coll
Boundaries with Kids - Cloud / Tounsand
The Problems of Philosophy - Bertrand Russell
Fluke - Christopher Moore

And...that's it.

Currently accepting/soliciting recommendations for 2017.  Any books blow your mind recently?

Because so far in 2017, I've read....nothing.

But, I started another Bunmi Laditan book, so things are looking up.

Seriously.  She is funny as hell.

-ND