The 10 Best Books I Read In 2020
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I read more books in 2020 than in any other year of my life…
Which is pretty damn unsurprising, for obvious reasons.
Last year, I read 23 books. For some people, that might be chump change. But I’m proud of that number.
More importantly, in 2020 I really began to enjoy reading — to seek it as a pastime, rather than something I “should” be doing.
In this article, I’ll share some tips that have helped me read more, and then I’ll share the 10 books I loved most in 2020.
How To Read More
Reading more is largely just a matter of sitting down and actually doing the damn thing. But there are a few things that make it easier to do that.
Here are some of them…
1. Read Novels and Memoirs
Last year, for the first time ever, I made it a point to read (almost exclusively) novels.
My reasoning?
If I’m going to be stuck at home — my real life is going to be pretty damn boring. That being the case, reading more novels can help me “escape” from these four walls for a bit.
Escapism through reading might not always be a healthy thing — but in the middle of a pandemic, I think it’s one of the best things you can do.
For me, novels and memoirs are much easier to get through than self-help or business books — although I do enjoy those books, as well.
Point being, if you’re just going for volume, i.e. you’ve set a general goal to read one book per week for an entire year…
Or you’re looking for a book you can plow through in a weekend…
Grab a novel or a good memoir.
(Biographies might be good too, but I don’t think I read any last year.)
2. Pick Books You’re Excited About
This might seem like a no-brainer, but I don’t think it is, and here’s why:
When a lot of people set a goal to read more, they’re doing it to better themselves. To learn something. To improve their lives in some way.
That being the case, they pick books like How To Win Friends and Influence People and Think and Grow Rich, etc. and then try to read all those books back-to-back-to-back.
It’s a recipe for a nosebleed.
I’m all for self-improvement books. But if you want to make reading into a habit that you come back to over and over again…
It has to actually be FUN.
So if you’re going to read a book that’s as engaging as a bowl of plain oatmeal, make sure you follow it with something you’re actually excited to read.
3. Read One Book At A Time
Right now, I am reading three books at once… so I’m breaking TF out of this rule.
However, for most of 2020, I focused on one book at a time. And, combined with Tip #2, it’s been a big help for getting me to actually finish more books.
In the past, I’ve found myself reading multiple books at once and finishing either one or none of them.
But if I pick books I like to read, and I don’t allow myself to start a new book until I finish my current one — then it’s a lot easier to actually get to the final page.
In fact, last year, I even forced myself to finish a book I didn’t enjoy just so I could get to the next one!
I know some people would disagree with this strategy and say that, if you’re not getting something from a book, you should put it down. But for me, even if I just get one golden nugget from a shitty book — it’s worth it.
So if you’re planning to read a book that might be boring, schedule an exciting one for right after it. So your book line-up could look something like:
Boring Book
Exciting Book
Rinse and Repeat
… or you could just fill your schedule with exciting books. Your call.
4. Create A Comfortable Place To Read
Last November, I bought a reading chair off a guy on Facebook marketplace for $20.
And before you ask — no, it was not covered in lice, dog hair, or mysterious stains.
It’s an old brown plaid chair, made with what feels like tweed. The armrests are as tall as the back, and they each have two leather straps running over the tops and down the sides.
According to my roommate Cody, it’s the type of chair that practically requires you to smoke a pipe while sitting in it.
Having a dedicated space for reading gives me a spot where I can read, uninterrupted, for hours. And it’s one of the main things that helped me read, on average, about a book per week for the last month or two of the year.
5. Give Yourself A Solid Reason WHY You Should Read More
In 2019, my friend Cole told me that reading good authors makes him a better writer.
This sounds like a no-brainer, but that statement has stuck with me. And in 2020, I found it to be true.
The more I read, the better my writing becomes. And the more I write, the more I realize I need to read to continue writing better.
It’s a virtuous cycle.
So, in addition to “escaping” from the four walls of my house…
I read because it makes me better at my work.
But what if you’re a salesman or a business owner? Why should you read more?
Here’s one option:
Reading, especially reading fiction, helps you understand and empathize with people better.
You gain a better understanding of what makes people tick — why they act the way they do.
And I’d argue that, as a salesman or a business owner, one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is a strong understanding of human nature.
If you understand people — you’re more likely to be able to give them what they want and need.
And if you do that (and you charge the right price for it), you’re more likely to run a successful business.
Look, I won’t tell you that reading more will double your income or get you on the Inc. 500 — but it will make you a more empathetic and more interesting person.
And I think that’s an advantage no matter who you are.
My 10 Favorite Books of 2020
Here are the books I enjoyed most in 2020:
1. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
I read Bird by Bird in college, I think… or at least I was supposed to for a class.
And I tried reading it in the Spring of 2020. But for whatever reason, both of those times, the book just did not resonate with me.
But I picked it up again at the beginning of December and could not put it down.
I think part of it is the way Lamott describes the desire to write:
“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: You can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere.”
Sometimes, when we read something, it’s as if the writer has just shined a spotlight on our soul and put into words what we have never been able to say.
Lamott does that over and over again in Bird by Bird.
If you are a writer — read it.
You may have a few false starts, as I did, but at a certain point, you’ll need to hear what Lamott has to say.
And when you get to that point, reading this book will feel like stumbling into the front door of an Aquafina factory right as you’re about to shrivel up and die of thirst.
2. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
No matter what you do for work, at a certain point — you get sick and tired of it.
You lose passion. You wonder why this thing you’re doing is important in the first place.
“What’s the point?” you’ll ask over and over again.
When you find yourself in that spot — The War of Art is your answer.
It’s a series of short essays that makes you feel like you’ve sat your bare ass on top of a burning stove.
It’s like opening a fresh box of pure motivation and taking a big whiff.
It’s like having someone much older and wiser than you whisper in your ear:
“Hey motherfucker, your time is running out. You better get to work.”
If you’re slowing down, losing purpose, or feeling lost, it will put you back on-track with a vengeance.
3. Dune by Frank Herbert
Holy shit.
That’s about the only way I can begin to describe Dune.
People often talk about the fact that novelists “play God” when writing a novel, because they get to create characters, scenes, and worlds out of nothing, controlling the entire process while they do it.
Dune is the purest example of this I’ve ever seen.
The first 100 pages or so are difficult, because Herbert jumps right into the middle of the action, and you’re left trying to make sense of a world where you understand nothing.
But if you stick with it, the reward is worth it.
Dune is a fantastic book to get — and stay — lost in.
Plus, they’re coming out with a new version of the movie in 2021. (The original was made in 1984 and it’s truly a nightmare.)
So you might as well read the book now. That way, you can watch the new movie and then afterwards, talk about how much better the book was.
4. A Painted House by John Grisham
I randomly picked up A Painted House while I was at my parents’ house for Thanksgiving, and I’m glad I did.
Some people shit on popular fiction, because it’s not their cup of tea.
I am not one of those people.
A Painted House is not the best book you will ever read in your life. And I don’t think it’s going to win any literary awards for groundbreaking material…
But in my opinion, it’s the definition of a GOOD book.
The story pulls you in and keeps you guessing. You keep coming back to the pages to find out what will happen next, and how the characters will deal with it.
It’s just a damn good story.
5. City of Thieves by David Benioff
Realistically, this book is tied with A Painted House.
It’s about two boys in Russia during World War II who meet in prison and are ordered by a General to go find eggs for his daughter’s wedding cake.
If they don’t find the eggs, they will be killed. If they do find the eggs, they’ll be pardoned of their crimes.
The plot is unique. The characters run into more trouble than you could ever imagine. And Benioff does a damn good job of pulling you in from the get-go.
You could read the whole thing in a weekend, and it may end up being one of the best weekends of your year.
6. Dotcom Secrets by Russell Brunson
This is the black sheep of the family.
It’s one of the only business books I read in 2020. But if you’re a marketer — or if you just want to do business online — this book is a must read.
It simplifies a lot of the ideas and concepts in digital marketing and gives you a framework and a language to discuss those ideas and concepts with other people.
If you feel like you’re in-the-dark about digital marketing, this book will turn the lights on for you.
Plus, since Brunson is a long-time student of copywriting, the book is simple and easy-to-read too. Even though it’s a business book, you won’t have to do too much teeth-gritting to get through it.
7. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
If you are a Hemingway fan and you have not read this book, I strongly suggest you go order it on Amazon right now.
Hemingway has become a cultural icon — both for his style of living and his style of writing.
A Moveable Feast gives you an inside look into his life, specifically during the early years while he was living and writing in Paris.
Understanding who Hemingway was while he was still coming up as a writer helps you appreciate his work more. And, as an added bonus, if you’re a writer, it makes you feel cool as fuck for being part of the same “club” as Hemingway.
8. A Very Punchable Face by Collin Jost
I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard at a book as I did this one.
Jost is a good reminder that “being a writer” doesn’t have to mean “pretending to be Hemingway.”
Writing can be light, fun, and humorous too. If you’re looking for something that will brighten your day just a little bit and remind you to find the jokes hiding in the difficulties of life…
Give this one a read.
9. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
If you read A Very Punchable Face and think:
“You know what? I am just TOO happy right now. I want something dark and depressing!”
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is the book for you!
It’s dark. Very dark and graphic in some places. For context, here’s a quote from a NY Times Book Review about it:
“The novel offers a thoroughly ugly view of human nature, especially when it comes to the way Swedish men treat Swedish women. In Larsson’s world, sadism, murder and suicide are commonplace…”
It’s clear that Larsson’s intention is to shine a light on the darkness — which is good. But he makes you pretty damn uncomfortable while he does it, so be warned.
All that said, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a very good book. So if you can stand the darkness in pursuit of a good story — then it’s worth reading.
10. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
Donald Miller is the type of writer who makes you want to be a writer.
You read a few pages of his work and say to yourself:
“I want to do THAT.”
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years is a great reminder that, at this moment right now, we are the authors of our own lives, and at any moment, we can choose to write a different (hopefully better) story.
If you’re feeling jaded or asking yourself that haunting question of “What’s the point?” …
Read this book.
“Reading is fun!” -Your 4th Grade Teacher
But really, it is.
In 2020, I realized that so much of what makes reading fun comes down to choosing interesting books and having a comfortable spot to read them.
If you do that, reading more gets a lot easier. And as an added benefit, it makes you a better writer too.
So go ahead, clear out a corner, order that reading chair from Wayfair, and get after it.
If you’ve made it this far, you’ll probably enjoy my emails too.