2021 book list

#24 - Dec.2021

Sharing the books I had read during 2021. A mix of everything! Updating the list shared in the middle of 2021 and including a quick highlight. You can check other books I have read in GoodReads.

1. The World Atlas of Coffee (James Hoffman) - James Hoffmann has been my go-to (youtube) guru when I want to learn about coffee. If possible, go with the hardcover version of this book (I got it as a b-day present!). Informative and very didactic on the fascinating world of Coffee.
2. Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (D. Stone, B. Patton, S. Heen) -  Through a very simple narrative and great examples, this is a great guide to master challenging conversations in your day-to-day life.
3. El Caribe frente a los desafíos del Futuro (Viktor Sukup) - I found this book while staying in an Airbnb. Informative and a great overview of the history and challenges of the Caribbean region, with some highlights of Honduras (my country).
4. The Double Helix (James D. Watson) - A story behind the scenes of the race towards discovering the DNA structure, narrated from the lens of one of its protagonists.
5. The Meaning in the Making (Sean Tucker)- Very inspiring book. A mix of art and philosophy and the constant pursuit of our creative voice. I wrote a dedicated post and definitely one of my best for 2021.
6. A República das Milicias (Bruno Paes Manso) - This was a friend's recommendation on the crude reality of "milicias" - popular armies - and the complex situation on how they're embedded into Rio de Janeiro's city.
7. Fear and Trembling (Søren Kierkegaard) - This is a mix of the theological and moral debate using the story of Abraham, challenged by God to sacrifice his own son, as a philosophical canvas. Søren offers his view on how ethics, morals and faith fit into our human nature.
8. La Guerra civil española (Paul Preston): One of history's most complex conflicts. This is a great book to have an overview of the origins, key actors and ideological perspectives of the Spanish civil war. One of the best history books I had read so far. Thanks to my friend Antonio for the recommendation.
9. INSPIRED (Marty Cagan): If you are a product manager (or are pivoting to become one), this book is for you. Marty synthesized in this book some 101 concepts while highlighting common trends from great product organizations.
10. Information is Beautiful (David McCandless): I love visualizations and I'm always curious about ways to convey simple ideas with images. This book is packed with many examples of how to process information into great infographics.
11. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster (Bill Gates): Bill Gates focused on one of our biggest challenges for the next century: climate change. He shares his ideas on potential solutions, bringing insights into some of the key misconceptions about the root-causes of climate change.
12. Principles: Life and Work (Ray Dalio): Highly personal, Ray Dalio's shares in this book his core life & work principles inspiring people on how to create their own. I found very interesting his systematic approach towards building/refining personal principles.
13. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (Naval Ravikant): I highly recommend reading Naval's ideas. Clear, concise, and insightful content on Naval's mental model towards wealth and happiness.
14. NoEstimates (Vasco Duarte): If you are into the software development world this book will give you a different perspective on project estimates. Although I don't agree with certain points (sometimes highly ambiguous/context-driven) I liked how this book challenges some common practices towards a more agile and iterative approach of managing projects.
15. Show Your Work! (Austin Kleon): Part of the reason I started blogging again was an outcome of reading this book. This is a short and insightful reading on creating more and sharing your skills with the world.
16. Good Economics for Hard Times (Abhijit V. Banerjee,  Esther Duflo): You don't need to be an economist to understand this book. Highly recommended to know more about today's economic challenges including highly debated topics like immigration, globalization, and strategies for economic growth.
17. O livro da Barista (Isabela Raposeiras): I'm a coffee lover! Isabela is the owner of Coffee lab, one of Brazil's (and the world's) most famous coffee shops/lab. This is a quick overview of coffee origins and techniques. Just the tip of the iceberg of coffee's amazing world.