My 10 favorite books

I didn’t learn to love reading until my early thirties—very late by most accounts. I now believe that people who claim to not enjoy reading simply haven’t found the right books for them.

One needs to abandon books they don’t enjoy. Forcing oneself to read when they’re not into a book makes one hate reading. Personally, I enjoy one out of every five books I attempt to read and find one out of every twenty or so to give me a new perspective on life.

Here are my current favorites, in no particular order:

1. The Grapes of Wrath - I read this in my mid-thirties, which I think was just the right time. This story strikes at one of my greatest fears at that time — struggling to stay afloat in a difficult world and live a meaningful life. 
2. The Way of Kings - This book offered me unmatched escapism. I would wake up early in the mornings to get lost in Roshar. I don't remember the details of the plot, but the characters and the setting were so strong, I couldn't stop reading.
3. Thinking Fast and Slow - I found this book incredibly humbling. We are all subject to psychological biases which we are mostly powerless to overcome.
4. Guns Germs and Steel - Growing up, I found it easy to fall into overly-simplistic thinking about culture, jumping to conclusions about why people are the way they are. This book taught me that the world is the way it is as a result of a never-ending chain of cause and effect -- that something like the shape of the continents would have societal implications for millennia.
5. The Road - Given this book's author, I'm sure there's deeper meaning here than I'm picking up. The simple fact is that The Road makes this list because it's the single most engrossing story I've ever read. It's the only novel I've ever read in one sitting.
6. The Prophet - This book of poetry is not at all pretentious. It's filled with so much wisdom and is beautifully written. I plan on giving a copy to all my nieces when they reach adulthood.
7. Siddhartha - Such a beautiful book. It's the best coming-of-age story I've ever read. I've re-read it several times, and every time it brings me back to earth after having been tangled up in the complexities of life.
8. You Are Here - This is another gounding book for me. I find it to be a comforting read whenever I find myself struggling with grief or existential dread.
9. Skin in the Game - I learned a lot about incentives from this book, and incentives, I've come to believe, is central toward understanding how the world works. It's helped me navigate all kinds of situations in life, from making making financial investments, to choosing an A/C repair technician.
10. The Pillars of the Earth - Such a gripping read! I devoured this book and craved more. Follett made me fall in love with the heros and absolutely despise the villain. Every time I opened The Pillars of the Earth, I was transported to a living, breathing 12th century town that felt very real. A masterpiece.