14 Nonfiction Books to Read This Year
some new systems in the making
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It’s been a few years since I created a To Read list, but as I’m trying to build guardrails on my time, a move toward reading more regularly is one that I want to stick.
Below I’ve listed out the books that I want to tackle over the next few months, having danced on the Libby app with some of them for the last year or so, checking them out, starting them, then watching them disappear before I could finish them.
I am highly motivated to read the first two since I subscribed to a deal on Kindle Unlimited and need to finish them before that deal ends. I have one month.
Many of these books specifically relate to systems I’m working on this year, such as regular exercise, unplugging, managing my digital life, and more.
Additionally, since I’m good at walking and reading at the same time, I’m hoping to get steps in on the treadmill at the same time as reading and unplugging. Talk about multitasking…
My List of Books to Read:
God Rest Ye Merry by Douglas Wilson - this is an Advent book that I started in November and never finished. It’s very meaty theologically, so it was a harder go than I expected. I aim to finish it soon, especially since I’ve got it on Kindle Unlimited.
Spacemaker by Daniel Sih - this showed up when I did that search for books about unplugging. I’m intrigued by the subtitle: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Think Clearly in the Digital Age. It speaks to what all the NOISE I was talking about. It seems to have good reviews and since I already had the Kindle Unlimited subscription, I figured why not?
Built to Move by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett - recommended by Huberman, this book falls in line with my desire to develop simple protocols for physical activity in the new year.
The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins - saw this mentioned in a food blogger group I’m in last year and started reading. I enjoyed what I read, but life just got so busy, I didn’t finish. One caveat: I do remember rewording much of her advice along a more Biblical world view.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport - another book in my search for unplugging; Newport is considered a go-to source for learning to focus. The subtitle? Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. We shall see.
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig - I’ve loved Haig’s fiction, especially The Midnight Library. Not sure how this landed in my holds exactly, but I’m happy to give it a go.
Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte - I started the audio book last fall, but realized this is something I need to read with my eyes to get the most out of. A Libby book that is highly sought after, this is about a system of organizing all the information you consume digitally.
Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff - recommended by my therapist, another Libby book that is highly sought after that I’ve started but not finished. We see the theme, right?
The Pivot Year by Briana Wiest - this is meant to be a series of daily readings, so I’m not sure how I will approach it. It’s currently a $10+ purchase so I will wait until I can get it from the library to decide if I’ll buy it. I have loved the essays I’ve read from the author, so I’m looking forward to it.
10x is Easier than 2x by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy - This will the third book I’ve read by these guys, after Who Not How and my fave The Gap and the Gain. I expect to get a lot out of it, so here’s hoping I’m not disappointed.
Reframe Your Brain by Scott Adams - I read the first book in the series and really enjoyed it. The author is a straight shooter which I appreciate. Reframing is one of the things I’m working on in therapy so this could be a useful resource.
The Things That Matter by Joshua Becker - Clearly a theme is being worked out in my list of nonfiction books. I wonder how much they will overlap and repeat? The subtitle of this one is Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life. I’m becoming a meme, I’m sure.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey - This is a classic that I remember my mom talking about when I was a kid! I’ve never read it but am interested to do so. When I read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People, another classic, I was really encouraged.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - This is another classic, almost 100 years old, touted as a personal growth and success book. It’s crossed my path more than a few times over the last month, so I’m adding it to the list.
So, there’s my nonfiction list for the year, subject to change, but I’m eager to read more than I have been.
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What’s on your list of books to read?
I'm participating in the 52 Book Club Challenge this year and one of the prompts is a book by a neurodivergent author, and Matt Haig fits the category. I already read the Midnight Library so I was exploring his other books and reserved The Comfort Book. I have several 'in progress' nonfiction books that I'd like to finish. Atomic Habits is one...