2015 in Review: Books Read, Goals
Overall, I’m pretty happy with my 2015 writing performance, though there is a lot of room for improvement. I published three novels and made progress on my fifth novel, which stands at over 120,000 words… while holding down a full-time job in the technology sector (software development). I believe my writing has evolved quite a bit since I wrote my first book, Stormcaller and can only hope it continues to improve in the future.
I had a couple fitness goals and glad to say I hit one and came pretty damn close to hitting the other. The first was a 500lb deadlift and I managed to pull 505lb. The second was a 300lb bench press, but I couldn’t seem to get past 295lb. I have a great coach who designed a fantastic program for me to hit these goals. He was a former Strongman competitor and has 20+ years of experience weightlifting, so I have to give him a lot of credit for helping me achieve that. I’m going to take a break from serious weight lifting and go back to martial arts, starting with Brazilian jiu-jitsu specifically.
Another goal I had was to get Scuba diving certified and am quite pleased that my girlfriend and I got that. If you had any interest in learning how to Scuba dive, I highly suggest doing it. It’s an incredible world down there. I thought at one pointed I wanted to purchase a semi-automatic handgun, but now I’m not so sure. I had it as a goal, and sort of lost interest as the year progressed.
My Top 3 Books of 2015
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (Incerto) Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Hannibal and Me: What History’s Greatest Military Strategist Can Teach Us About Success and Failure Andreas Kluth
A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson
What were your favorite books from last year?
Books Read (in the order they were read): I had a goal of 100, but going to give it another shot next year.
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (Incerto) Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Magnesium Miracle (Revised and Updated) Carolyn Dean Md Nd
Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story Arnold Schwarzenegger
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman
Mistborn: The Final Empire Brandon Sanderson
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr Ron Chernow
Creating Character: Bringing Your Story to Life (Red Sneaker Writers Book Series 2) William Bernhardt
Starting Strength Mark Rippetoe
50 Fitness Tips You Wish You Knew: The Best Quick and Easy Ways to Increase Motivation, Lose Weight, Get In Shape, and Stay Healthy Derek Doepker
Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find-and Keep-Love Amir Levine, Rachel Heller
Writing Fight Scenes (Writer’s Craft Book 1) Rayne Hall
Understanding Variation: The Key to Managing Chaos Donald J. Wheeler
The Hero with a Thousand Faces (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell) Joseph Campbell
The Artist’s Way Julia Cameron
Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men Leonard Sax
Gardens of the Moon: Book One of The Malazan Book of the Fallen Steven Erikson
Before They Are Hanged: The First Law: Book Two Joe Abercrombie
Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World H.H. Dalai Lama
The Bulletproof Diet: Lose up to a Pound a Day, Reclaim Energy and Focus, Upgrade Your Life Dave Asprey
The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms (Incerto) Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Last Argument of Kings (First Law: Book Three) Joe Abercrombie
A People’s History of the United States Howard Zinn
37 Quickfire Lesson In Trading Options: 10 Years of Trading Experience Compacted Into Easy to Digest Lessons Gavin McMaster
Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Jeffrey Brantley MD DFAPA
Letters from a Stoic: Epistulae Morales AD Lucilium Lucius Annaeus Seneca
The Evolution of God Robert Wright
Red Country Joe Abercrombie
The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone–Especially Ourselves Dan Ariely
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More Chris Anderson
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking Susan Cain
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement David Brooks
How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It Mark Cuban
The Post-American World Fareed Zakaria
The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance Josh Waitzkin
Best Served Cold Joe Abercrombie
Mitosis Brandon Sanderson
Managing Oneself Peter Drucker
As a Man Thinketh James Allen
Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All- —and What We Can Do About It Sean Faircloth
101 Ways to Transform Your Life Wayne Dyer
Legion: Skin Deep Brandon Sanderson
Capital in the Twenty-First Century Thomas Piketty
On Being a Man David DeAngelo
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way Steven Pressfield
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) George R. R. Martin
The Narrow Road: A Brief Guide to the Getting of Money Felix Dennis
The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Getting Your Shit Together John Carlton
The Heroes Joe Abercrombie
Writing Naked Puts: The Best Option Strategies. Volume 1 Mark D Wolfinger
Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut
Hannibal and Me: What History’s Greatest Military Strategist Can Teach Us About Success and Failure Andreas Kluth
Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger, Expanded Third Edition Charles T. Munger
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character Paul Tough
How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming Mike Brown
Manias, Panics and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises, Sixth Edition Charles P. Kindleberger
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t Simon Sinek
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future Ashlee Vance
How to Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed Ray Kurzweil
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell Brandon Sanderson
The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience Chuck Wendig
Revival Stephen King
Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success Shane Snow
The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help Amanda Palmer
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King Rich Cohen
The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon Brad Stone
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Walter Isaacson
Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman Neil Gaiman
The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic Dan Ariely
Warbreaker Brandon Sanderson
The Virgin Way: If It’s Not Fun, It’s Not Worth Doing Richard Branson
The Way of Zen Alan W. Watts
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life Thich Nhat Hanh
Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That?: And Other Reflections on Being Human Jesse Bering
Virtual Light William Gibson
Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned about Life in School–But Didn’t (Life 101 Series) Peter McWilliams
A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person Shonda Rhimes
30 Days In The Word Mines Chuck Wendig
Alan Turing: The Enigma Andrew Hodges
The Girl With All the Gifts M. R. Carey
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