I’m not an avid reader by any stretch, but I did manage to set a new personal record in 2019 by reading/listening to 24 books (thanks ridiculous commute to Redmond!). Here’s my year (in reading) in review (Chronological order, not ranked). 🧵
Army of None by @paul_scharre was a truly fitting way to kick off the year: thinking about the reality, myths, future & implications of national security technology, esp. #AI. I captured many of my take-aways in a piece for @AiCommission call for papers. warontherocks.com/2019/09/doors-…
Hyperwar was a mix of #FICINT by @august_cole, AI futurism by @amirhusain_tx , strategic analysis by GEN Allen & Bob Work, & even part product manual. It seemed more hype than reality, but transformative technology always uses such visions to mobilize key stakeholders.
The Future of War: A History by @LawDavF. I struggled to stay engaged w/ this book, but the core message came through clear. For military professionals, this is a vital read. Our hubris to assert certainty of the future is our weakness & therefore always fight the previous war.
LikeWar by @peterwsinger and @etbrooking was absolutely fascinating & meticulously researched. I’ve read nearly everything by Peter since Corporate Warriors & he continues to get better. This is a must read. Full stop. Cannot wait for Burn In. Early copy? 😉
I had thought that Bad Blood was going to be a break from my traditional tech & national security bubble but 1) wasn’t & 2) was painful to even imagine. So long as humans have had civilizations & markets, there have been grifters & fraud.
Asymmetry was highly recommended & interesting as a novel about modern lives, but otherwise I struggled to get excited about this book. Not sure what I was missing.
Life 3.0 by @tegmark was a gift from a one of my PLs when I was a CO. (He’s a software developer now.) This is an exciting read but I’m still skeptical of the central concerns about AI. I‘d only recommend it to people familiar with the core technology to avoid more AI hype.
Becoming by @MichelleObama was a beautiful memoir read by the former First Lady herself. I continue to be inspired by them. I enjoyed learning her story & gaining some empathy & hope.
The Second Mountain by @nytdavidbrooks. It is always good to remind ourselves why we do what we do. Are you living for your resume or your eulogy? The book can seem slow, but isn’t that the point of self-reflection?
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was simply eye-opening & delightful. My favorite piece of fiction in recent memory (albeit a small sample set) for the power to build empathy through beautiful, vivid characters.
Inside the 5-Sided Box by Ash carter. He was an inspiring SecDef & I was quick to chew through this. Given my career path and current role, this was a delightful read. I should revisit his wisdom if I ever go work inside those halls.
Animal Farm by George Orwell. I somehow skipped this fiction classic until now. It’s short and always relevant to Americans who recognize it’s our imperfect democratic union.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville. I think @KoriSchake reads this every year & that feat is impressive simply based on the length. It is without a doubt a classic of English literature & (even the exhaustive whale biology/anatomy) was well-worth the effort.
Rise of the Machines by @RidT. Wise people study the past to understand where we’re going. This was a delightful history of cybernetics and computers & I plan to catch up on Thomas’ other books in 2020.
The Incredible Years by @IncredibleYears is 1 of 2 excellent parenting books I read this year. All good parents do 2 things: they read to their kids & about kids. Positive engagement strategies have been repeatedly shown to be effective & my 2 boys turned 3 & 1 in 2019.
The Cult is the Dead Cow by @josephmenn was a great read with an awesome punchline. As a newcomer to tech, learning the history is important & this blended facts, legend, anecdote, & secrets into a funny yet serious work.
Say Nothing by @praddenkeefe was another of my top 3 books for 2019. This should be on all military reading lists. If small wars are only viewed as things that happen in foreign backwards countries we will continue to fail in (& lie about) them.
Educated: A Memoir is 1 of my top 3 books for this year & I have recommended it repeatedly for folks who want to break out of their cultural bubble. It changed both how I imagine hardship & cognitive diversity while inspiring me to truly push myself. Must read.
I read How Google Works as I was transitioning from AWS to MSFT & loved it; it helped me understand what I liked about each company’s culture. I want to recommend this to military folks, but I doubt many can appreciate the intense need for cultural reform until after they leave.
Neuromancer by William Gibson is a defining work of the cyberpunk genre & after reading it I was embarrassed that I hadn’t until now. It inspired so many derivative visions of the future that it makes a strong case for most-impactful #FICINT.
Cribsheet by @ProfEmilyOster will be my gift to all new parent friends. Meticulously researched & *funny*, it is a dose of sanity in a world where no parent ever feels good enough & where social media makes truth (about parenting or politics) hard to find.
The Joke by @KunderaSays was a beautiful piece of fiction to close out the year. I certainly can’t capture the book here, but I found it a thought-provoking picture of humanity: guilt, blame, masks, & love.
I’ve been @ MSFT for 6 months & what a way to end 2019. I haven’t quite finished Hit Refresh by @satyanadella, but I know his leadership will be a case study (if it isn’t already). The company isn’t perfect, but leaders w/ humility & empathy can inspire orgs to overcome so much.
@satyanadella As I said at the outset, I’m hardly an avid reader let alone critic. I share these thoughts simply to encourage others to read & learn. Thanks to anyone who bothered to read all the way through this. What are you all reading in 2020? #LeadersAreReaders
