#mypieces

[kennessycognacxo]

Books of 2023 - A Retrospective

With 2023 having finally ended, here's a list of the books of 2023 that left an impression on me:

The Psychology of Money. The book seems to follow the mantra of "keep it simple, stupid". A lot of the insights the book provides seems to be simple, borderline obvious. But that's the appeal of the book and a major reason why it makes for such good reading. Morgan Housel is able to translate seemingly obvious financial truths in such a digestible manner that it makes reading the book a joy. With a lot of books floating around purporting financial freedom, Psychology of Money provides a good entry point for sound financial advice.

Pachinko. There's little that needs to be said about this book that hasn't been said already on BookTok or elsewhere. If you haven't read this book already, do yourself a favour and pick it up immediately. Min Jin Lee's intergenerational story of Korean immigrants moving to Japan set during Japan's colonial era in the early 20th century, the novel not only highlights the lasting discrimination Koreans faced and continue to face within Japanese society, but shows how the threads of family and legacy stretch across time and space. Would recommend this to anyone with a pair of eyes.

Shoe Dog. For all the bootstrap entrepreneurs out there, this book should already be on your shelves. And if you aren't looking to kickstart your own billion dollar shoe company, give it a read regardless. An energising memoir about the founder of Nike and his Herculean task to create the ultimate running shoe, Mark Knight makes you feel like you're in the trenches with him as he and his band of misfits take on the sporting apparel world. For anyone wanting to read a David & Goliath story as the underdog claws their way to claim their own space within an already dominated market, pick it up.

Sapiens. I know I'm a little late to the party with this one, but given its size and heft, you'll have to forgive me. Honestly, it's such a sweeping book that's able to condense history, anthropology, and sociology into a forgiving format. For anyone wanting to learn more about the world we live in, and how we came to be as a species, Yuval Noah Harari makes learning about the history of humanity less of a chore and more of a well made documentary. Also, it does boost your cool literary points by at least 10 anytime you mentioned that you read a book on Obama's reading list.

Confessions of an Economic Hitman. For anyone wanting further confirmation of America's deeply self serving agenda in the pursuit of global dominance, John Perkins' memoir as an economic hitman might be worth the read. With settings and characters akin to a 007 movie, Perkins takes you into the shadowy world of foreign aid as a thinly veiled disguise of neo-colonialism. The memoir dives deep into a setting filled with handlers, joint government partnerships, and coups. Honestly, reads similar to Manufacturing Consent, but with less statistics and graphs which makes it very easy to read.

1000 Years of Joy and Sorrow. Ai Weiwei is truely a singular artist in his own right. From defacing and destroying centuries old Chinese artefacts to make a statement on global consumerism, to investigating the Chinese government's ineptitude in the face of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Weiwei has never shied away from his most hard held beliefs of bring voice to the people. 1000 Years of Joy and Sorrow serves a mirror, reflecting not only his own youth and rise to artistic stardom and subsequent imprisonment by the Chinese government, but the life of his father, a young struggling artist in Paris who becomes a political pariah during Maoist China. For anyone wanting to understand the inherent political power art has, or wanting to read a son's ode to a father's sacrifice, this is a must read.

[kennessycognacxo]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: the makings of a man

Whenever I’m in pinch or I need a quick pick me up, I’m always drawn to my worn out copy of Malcolm X’s autobiography. I’ve read it half a dozen times and recommended it half a dozen more. There’s always something new to learn with each reading. There hasn’t been a book quite as transformative as this, with the myriad of insights into one of America’s most iconic civil rights leaders: 

Action over inaction. There’s an interesting concept that Malcolm uses throughout his life; loci of control. Basically there are two types of loci of control, an internal and external. The external loci of control refers to things outside of our control that we have no part in; the world economy, global politics, or the weather. Internal loci is basically the things we can control, such as our thoughts, feelings, and action. Going through Malcolm’s life from a poverty stricken child to a thriving hustler to a religious and civil rights leader, it’s clear Malcolm chose to operate his life on his term when he could, where ever he could. 

  Walk the walk. Command respect. Don’t beg for it. Don’t ask for it. And for chrissake don’t ever demand it. Command it. Although Malcolm’s striking height and build made him an intimidating figure, his physical presence wasn’t his sole attribute. It may have captured the attention of the room, but it was through his oratory skills that he held onto it. His vast vocabulary coupled with his broad knowledge spanning a variety of topics, from ancient history to the natural sciences to philosophy, allowed him to control the direction and flow of every debate he held. 

  Create your own education. Never being shy to admit his limited formal education, Malcolm makes it a point that he learnt all he could from two places; the streets and prison. The former embedded in him an education on survival that he doubts anyone could get from a book. Learning to live by using one’s own wit and cunning on a day to day basis steels a man’s fortitude. But it was this primal lifestyle that Malcolm admits led him to prison where he received his second form of education. Picking up books and slowly becoming literate after years of mental decay, Malcolm opened up a world of wisdom he had once lost but quickly became appreciative of. 

  The essentials. Its hard to imagine Malcolm X without associating him in his iconic horn-rimmed glasses and dark suit. And credit where credit is due, Malcolm attributes a lot of his wardrobe to his personality. Choosing to don conservative suit and glasses showcases his class and elegance, but he also notes the pivotal role of his briefcase and watch. Often jet setting across America and to other parts of the world to give lectures and interviews, Malcolm notes that a pre-packed suitcase was always present at home should he have to leave last minute for a talking tour. His watch served as his measuring stick for the rest of his day; setting his life to the march of time. Punctuality and being prepared were the guiding principles from Malcolm’s wardrobe.