Welcome to the Read More section of The Art of Living. If you’re here, there’s a good chance it’s for one of three reasons:
You’re trying to decide what to read next;
You’re looking for well-written book summaries; or
You want to read faster and retain more of what you read.
Well, good news! You’re in the right place for all three.
The first thing to do is check out my 10-step effective-reading cheat sheet. To get it, use the form above. N.B., This is exactly the same 10-step process I use to write the many book summaries you’ll find here on The Art of Living.
Amazon Audible – I always recommend reading with your eyes. But there are times when holding a book just isn’t practical. Or when listening to a book, read by its author, adds something unique (like this one). That’s when Audible becomes awesome. PLUS you currently get two FREE audiobooks with a free trial so it’s basically a no-brainer.
Kindle Paperwhite – The best way to read more is to always have a good book close by. I know you love paper. Me too. But I would probably read 75% fewer books each year if I didn’t have my trusty Kindle to hand, 24/7.
Book Recommendations (A – Z):
One of the best ways to read more this year is to read from good, curated lists. And that’s exactly what you’ll find below. These are my reading lists. The ones that I’ve spent hours researching and putting together from other lists, my own reading and expert recommendations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Syntheses, summaries and notes on some of the best books ever written (or just ones I wanted to read!) in anything from 500 to 10k words. Anything you enjoy in my writing or thinking almost certainly started somewhere here.
10 MINUTE READ | A short, practical guide for students on being more productive and studying more effectively - by veteran student-success writer, Thomas Frank of College Info Geek. Topics:Growth & Learning
3 MINUTE READ | The perfect handbook for anyone interested in a perspective on the history and progression of art, across the world and over 10,000 years – by the wonderful team at Phaidon Press. Topics:Art
7 MINUTE READ | A practical, research-based guide to unlocking the power of your brain to learn math, or anything else you put your mind to, even if you think you're hopeless - by professor Barbara Oakley. Topics:Growth & Learning, Memory
10 MINUTE READ | Three powerful speeches made by Socrates, a founder of Western Philosophy, in his final defence of wisdom, excellence and his life - by Socrates's student, Aristotle's teacher and eminent Greek philosopher, Plato. Topics:Growth & Learning
5 MINUTE READ | THE #1 ranking, uplifting, pocket-sized pep-talk on the power and importance of changing your thoughts as the cornerstone to changing your life - by philosopher and prolific self-help author, James Allen. Topics:Thoughts & Emotions
10 MINUTE READ | A powerful and practical guide to transforming your habits, making change stick and achieving remarkable results – by author and habit-guru, James Clear. Topics:Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance
4 MINUTE READ | A fascinating account of how cognitive biases and fixed mindsets cause individuals and institutions to fail to learn from mistakes (and what to do about it) - by athlete and author, Matthew Syed. Topics:Growth & Learning
10 MINUTE READ | A thoughtful investigation into the primacy of practice and mindset over talent when learning and mastering new skills - by top-ranked table tennis champion and journalist, Matthew Syed. Topics:Growth & Learning
10 MINUTE READ | A timely reminder of the value of deep, focussed work and the dangers of losing yourself in the shallows of entertainment and distraction - by author and associate professor, Cal Newport. Topics:Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance
8 MINUTE READ | A punchy, concise guide to identifying what matters, setting powerful goals and then getting to work on them right away - by productivity and self-development legend, Brian Tracy. Topics:Productivity & Performance
3 MINUTE READ | An inspirational and practical guide for advanced and expert practitioners in any field on finding mastery by getting out of your head and surrendering to your art - by jazz pianist and composer, Kenny Werner. Topics:Growth & Learning
4 MINUTE READ | A bottom-up guide to finding success, growth and happiness through flow - an optimal experience of being, marked by total absorption and joy in the present - by psychology professor, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Topics:Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance
27 MINUTE READ | THE classic life-changing manual on getting organised and building a robust productivity system that can handle whatever life throws at you - by productivity guru, David Allen. Topics:Productivity & Performance
17 MINUTE READ | The ultimate guide to writing great articles and getting them published on some of the biggest blogs, platforms and news sites on the internet - by blogging legend, Jon Morrow. Topics:Business & Career, Writing
9 MINUTE READ | A deeply researched and compelling primer on the promise and importance of whole food plant-based nutrition in preventing and reversing disease – by medical doctor and nutrition expert, Michael Greger. Topics:Health & Vitality
25 MINUTE READ | The perfect manual for anyone wanting to effortlessly retain names, faces, facts, figures, speeches and languages. All the tools you need to develop a perfect memory – by 8-time World Memory Champion, Dominic O’Brien. Topics:Growth & Learning, Memory
17 MINUTE READ | THE classic guide to reading faster, deeper and more effectively than you ever realised was possible - by deep-thinkers, philosophers and life-long learners, M. Adler and C. van Doren. Topics:Growth & Learning
14 MINUTE READ | The classic guide to greatly improving effectiveness and efficiency by mastering the ability to work with and through the people around you – by self-improvement guru, Dale Carnegie. Topics:Family & Friends, Productivity & Performance
5 MINUTE READ | Tools, strategies and stories to help students, teachers and trainers learn more effectively based on 10 years of collaboration between 11 cognitive psychologists - collected and synthesised by author Peter Brown and psychology researchers Henry Roediger and Mark McDaniel. Topics:Growth & Learning, Memory
3 MINUTE READ | A gruelling and yet deeply liberating insight into the why behind each of our whats and hows - by holocaust survivor, psychologist and founder of logotherapy, Viktor Frankl. Topics:Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions
6 MINUTE READ | An exploration of Mastery - its benefits, principles and strategies - enriched with instructive and inspirational biographies of historical and contemporary masters - by modern-day Machiavelli and author Robert Greene. Topics:Growth & Learning
9 MINUTE READ | A deeply humbling and thought-provoking insight into the stoic mindset of one of history's greatest leaders and thinkers - by Roman emperor, philosopher and example to us all, Marcus Aurelius. Topics:Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions
5 MINUTE READ | A research-grounded dive into the self-fulfilling nature and impact of Fixed- and Growth-Mindset beliefs in personal development - by social and developmental psychology professor, Carol Dweck. Topics:Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance
4 MINUTE READ | An overview of the history, science and philosophy of memory set against a year-long sprint from memory virgin to 2006 U.S.A Memory Champion - by journalist, Josh Foer. Topics:Growth & Learning, Memory
10 MINUTE READ | A book so brimming with literary wisdom that it feels like you're clutching a living brain. Writing, about writing, for writers - by writer, editor, critic, teacher and captain of the craft, William Zinsser. Topics:Business & Career, Writing
23 MINUTE READ | A fantastic synthesis of ancient and modern wisdom into a single manifesto on how to live well - by author, coach and modern-day philosopher, Brian Johnson. Topics:Productivity & Performance
4 MINUTE READ | A systematic debunking of the myth that success is mostly determined by talent and hard-work - with quantitative and qualitative evidence from medicine, sport, business, history, music, science and more - by journalist and author, Malcolm Gladwell. Topics:Growth & Learning
5 MINUTE READ | A practical, fact-based primer on the primacy of purposeful and deliberate practice in expert performance - by psychologist and scientist, Anders Ericsson, and science writer, Robert Pool. Topics:Growth & Learning
8 MINUTE READ | A fascinating and practical guide to making your heart and nerve and sinew serve your turn long after they are gone - by modern stoic and devourer of the written word, Ryan Holiday. Topics:Business & Career, Writing
9 MINUTE READ | A practical and extensive collection of ideas, frameworks, tools and tips to supercharge your learning at school, at home and at work - by programmer and life-long learner, Andy Hunt of Pragmatic Programmers. Topics:Growth & Learning
19 MINUTE READ | One of the few must-read handbooks for anyone who's serious about earning their financial freedom - by businessman, investor and best-selling author, Robert Kiyosaki. Topics:Wealth & Lifestyle
7 MINUTE READ | TAoL's ultimate guide to defeating distractions, beating procrastination, setting each day up for success, getting organised and generally getting more done - by thinker, writer and coach, Arthur Worsley. Topics:Procrastination, Productivity & Performance
3 MINUTE READ | Simple strategies and inspirational stories to help you ace courses and enjoy a lifetime of deep, effective learning - by retired Chemistry professor and writer on academic success, Saundra McGuire. Topics:Growth & Learning
21 MINUTE READ | One of the most influential books on the reading list of nearly every successful digital nomad and online business owner I've ever met - by serial entrepreneur, life-hacker and pod-casting legend, Tim Ferriss. Topics:Business & Career, Productivity & Performance, Wealth & Lifestyle
34 MINUTE READ | The ultimate guide to gaining and defending against ultimate control – by author and your nearest dictator’s favourite leadership coach, Robert Greene. Topics:Business & Career, Family & Friends
7 MINUTE READ | A concise, actionable and time-tested guide to letting others know they are loved and feeling loved and appreciated in return - by best-selling author, pastor and marriage counsellor, Gary Chapman. Topics:Family & Friends, Love & Partnership
34 MINUTE READ | A perennial masterpiece on leading a happy, productive and purposeful existence and an unmissable stop for any pilgrim of personal improvement - by educator, author and speaker, Stephen Covey. Topics:Productivity & Performance
4 MINUTE READ | A fascinating dive into the hidden epidemic of trauma, what we've learned about it in the last 30 years and how to better diagnose, face and heal it - by psychiatrist, author and post-traumatic stress researcher, Bessel van der Kolk. Topics:Thoughts & Emotions
3 MINUTE READ | An informative and readable journey into the history, science and consequences of recent research in neuroplasticity - the brain's incredible ability to change and reorganise itself - by psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and researcher, Norman Doidge. Topics:Growth & Learning
14 MINUTE READ | A concise, practical guide to mastering small choices that determine big outcomes which dictate the course of your life - by best selling author, publisher and motivational speaker, Darren Hardy. Topics:Productivity & Performance, Wealth & Lifestyle
8 MINUTE READ | THE timeless classic on leadership and management; on getting the right things done - by the dean of business and management philosophy, Peter F. Drucker. Topics:Productivity & Performance
Perfect for you if: Writing good concise English is important to your success. You can't spot the simple, common and 'obvious' mistake in this sentence. The idea of someone crunching such a sacred work fills you with rage. Topics:Business & Career, Writing
7 MINUTE READ | A provocative and mind-altering Toltec guide to waking up and finding peace in our illusory world - by retired surgeon, author and Eagle-Knight shaman, Don Miguel Ruiz. Topics:Thoughts & Emotions
6 MINUTE READ | An insightful and practical guide to optimizing natural learning and performance with applied mindfulness - by author, speaker and ex-Harvard tennis captain, W. Timothy Gallwey. Topics:Thoughts & Emotions
8 MINUTE READ | 52 short, immediate and practical tips to kick-off your learning, improve your skills and sustain your progress at school, at work, at home and at play - by journalist and author, Daniel Coyle. Topics:Growth & Learning
12 MINUTE READ | A powerful, practical and uplifting book to help get you out of a rut, invigorate your goals and empower you towards success - by life-long motivational writer and coach, David J. Schwartz. Topics:Productivity & Performance
14 MINUTE READ | A beautiful, poetic and easy-to-read self-help book that illuminates the false and unnecessarily dramatic lives we lead, filled with fear and self-rejection, and how to wake up to our own inner power so that we can learn to love others and ourselves — by Toltec Nagual and best selling author, Don Miguel Ruiz. Topics:Love & Partnership
17 MINUTE READ | A practical guide to remembering anything, faster, with simple, millennia-old mnemonics and proven memory boosting techniques - by memory masters, Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas. Topics:Growth & Learning, Memory
5 MINUTE READ | A neuroscience-heavy, research-rich review of the evidence, myths and future of our understanding of intelligence - including what it is, why some people have it and what can be done to enhance it - by psychologist and professor, Richard J. Haier. Topics:Growth & Learning
9 MINUTE READ | A page-turning dive into the power and ubiquity of unconscious habits in shaping our decisions and destinies (plus a practical guide to changing them) - by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Charles Duhigg. Topics:Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance
30 MINUTE READ | A powerful, motivational and practical guide to becoming one of the most successful (and highest-paid) salespeople in your company, industry and the world – by self-help legend and sales guru, Brian Tracy. Topics:Business & Career
6 MINUTE READ | THE classic parable on how to acquire money, how to not lose money and how to make money multiply - by serial entrepreneur and author, George S. Clason. Topics:Wealth & Lifestyle
11 MINUTE READ | A short, punchy, practical guide to the why, what and how of using simple daily disciplines to achieve breakthrough success - by serial entrepreneur, speaker and author, Jeff Olson. Topics:Productivity & Performance
13 MINUTE READ | A best-selling book of all time and a cornerstone guide to the Law of Attraction and the role of the subconscious in transforming your life - by a titan of the self-help genre, Napoleon Hill. Topics:Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions
6 MINUTE READ | A heart thumpingly raw, vulnerable and powerful collection of letters and advice on the power of love, of forgiveness and of finding growth in the darkest of places - by award-winning writer, Cheryl Strayed. Topics:Family & Friends, Thoughts & Emotions
40 MINUTE READ | A curated collection of interview notes on health, wealth and wisdom from over 100 conversations with top performers and curious characters – by author, podcaster and life-hacker Tim Ferriss. Topics:Productivity & Performance
1 MINUTE READ | A short and accessible introduction to mnemonic memory techniques for anyone looking to quickly improve their memory and increase their productivity – by Grand Master of Memory, Kevin Horsley. Topics:Growth & Learning, Memory
5 MINUTE READ | A short, light-hearted parable about the different ways we respond to life's changes and how doing so skillfully can help us find more success and happines in our lives - by best-selling author, Dr. Spencer Johnson. Topics:Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions
17 MINUTE READ | A fascinating and accessible guide to what sleep is, why sleep matters and how to optimise your sleep habits to live longer, feel happier and set your life up for success - by sleep scientist and best-selling author, Matthew Walker. Topics:Health & Vitality
2 MINUTE READ | An effort-and-integrity focussed personal philosophy - spanning family, achievement, success and excellence - by UCLA's famous philosopher-coach, John Wooden, and author, Steve Jamison. Topics:Leadership & Impact
6 MINUTE READ | Decades of writing experience condensed into 55 highly practical tools that will help you improve every part of your writing process – by writer, editor and writing teacher, Roy Peter Clark. Topics:Writing
Articles (A – Z):
In the coming years, I’ll be sharing more and more articles on how to read more, how to read well and how to remember what you read. For now, here’s a couple of thoughts to get started.
