Finished reading “The Demon Next Door” by Bryan Burrough, first published in 2019.

Goodreads Best-selling author Bryan Burrough (Barbarians at the Gate, Public Enemies, Big Rich) recently made a shocking discovery: The small town of Temple, Texas, where he had grown up, had harbored a dark secret. One of his high school classmates, Danny Corwin, was a vicious serial killer who had raped and mutilated six women, murdering three of them.

Finished reading “Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” by Max Tegmark, first published in 2017.

Goodreads How will Artificial Intelligence affect crime, war, justice, jobs, society and our very sense of being human? The rise of AI has the potential to transform our future more than any other technology–and there’s nobody better qualified or situated to explore that future than Max Tegmark, an MIT professor who’s helped mainstream research on how to keep AI beneficial.

Finished reading “Origin Story: A Big History of Everything” by David Christian, first published in 2018.

Goodreads How did we get from the Big Bang to today’s staggering complexity, in which seven billion humans are connected into networks powerful enough to transform the planet? And why, in comparison, are our closest primate relatives reduced to near-extinction? Big History creator David Christian gives the answers in a mind-expanding cosmological detective story told on the grandest possible scale.

Finished reading “Power Moves” by Adam M. Grant, first published January 3rd 2019.

Goodreads Navigating the new landscape of power with Mary Barra (GM), Stewart Butterfield (Slack), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook), Eric Schmidt (Google/Alphabet), David Solomon (Goldman Sachs), Ellen Stofan (NASA), and two dozen other leaders, thinkers, and luminaries. Power is changing. Private corner offices and management by decree are out, as is unquestioned trust in the government and media.

Finished reading “Twain’s Feast: Searching for America’s Lost Foods in the Footsteps of Samuel Clemens” by Nick Offerman, first published in 2018.

Goodreads Mark Twain, beloved American writer, performer, and humorist, was a self-proclaimed glutton. With the help of a chef and some friends, Nick Offerman presents the story of Twain’s life through the lens of eight of Mark Twain’s favorite foods. As we explore these foods’ role in Samuel Clemens’ life, we also discover a surprising culinary and ecological history of America.

Finished reading “The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond” by Michio Kaku, first published 2018.

Goodreads Human civilization is on the verge of spreading beyond Earth. More than a possibility, it is becoming a necessity: whether our hand is forced by climate change and resource depletion or whether future catastrophes compel us to abandon Earth, one day we will make our homes among the stars.

Finished reading “Out of My Mind” by Alan Arkin, first published in December 6th 2018.

Goodreads Alan Arkin, one of the most beloved and accomplished actors of our time, reveals a side of himself not often shown on stage or screen. Like many teenagers, 16-year-old Alan Arkin had it all figured out. Then came young adulthood, and with it a wave of doubt so strong it caused him to question everything he thought he knew about himself and the world.

Finished reading “Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup” by John Carreyrou, first published May 21st 2018.

Goodreads The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of a multibillion-dollar startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end in the face of pressure and threats from the CEO and her lawyers. In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup “unicorn” promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood tests significantly faster and easier.

Finished reading “The Art of Invisibility: The World’s Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data” by Kevin Mitnick, first published February 14th 2017.

Goodreads The world’s most famous hacker reveals the secrets on how citizens and consumers can stay connected and on the grid safely and securely by using cloaking and counter-measures in today’s age of Big Brother and big data.

Finished reading “Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies” by Nick Bostrom, first published July 3rd 2014.

Goodreads Superintelligence asks the questions: What happens when machines surpass humans in general intelligence? Will artificial agents save or destroy us? Nick Bostrom lays the foundation for understanding the future of humanity and intelligent life. The human brain has some capabilities that the brains of other animals lack. It is to these distinctive capabilities that our species owes its dominant position.

Finished reading “Jingle Bell Pop: How to Make A Holiday Hit” by John Seabrook, first published December 6th 2018.

Goodreads It seems like every year, the holiday season arrives earlier and earlier. Before Halloween’s ghosts and ghouls have even had their chance to come out of the shadows, sleigh bells and ribbons begin to materialize at the mall and towering tinsel-tinged trees appear in our living rooms. But the most telltale sign of the arrival of yuletide festivities is the unceasingly merry melody of the seasonal songbook, from “Silent Night” to “Santa Baby.

Finished reading “Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein” by Brian Greene, first published October 25th 2016.

Goodreads Best-selling author, superstar physicist, and cofounder of the World Science Festival Brian Greene (The Elegant Universe, The Fabric of the Cosmos) and an ensemble cast led by award-winning actor Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) perform this dramatic story tracing Albert Einstein’s discovery of the general theory of relativity. Featuring an original score by composer Jeff Beal (House of Cards, Pollock), Einstein’s electrifying journey toward his greatest achievement is brought vividly to life.

Finished reading “West Cork” by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde, first published February 8th 2018.

Goodreads This much we do know: Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered days before Christmas in 1996, her broken body discovered at the edge of her property near the town of Schull in West Cork, Ireland. The rest remains a mystery. Gripping, yet ever elusive, join the real-life hunt for answers in the year’s first not-to-be-missed, true-crime series.

Finished reading “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing, first published January 1st 1959.

Goodreads This is a new reading of the thrilling account of one of the most astonishing feats of exploration and human courage ever recorded. In August of 1914, the British ship Endurance set sail for the South Atlantic. In October 1915, still half a continent away from its intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in the ice.

Finished reading “Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism” by Fumio Sasaki, first published June 12th 2015.

Goodreads Fumio Sasaki is not an enlightened minimalism expert or organizing guru like Marie Kondo—he’s just a regular guy who was stressed out and constantly comparing himself to others, until one day he decided to change his life by saying goodbye to everything he didn’t absolutely need. The effects were remarkable: Sasaki gained true freedom, new focus, and a real sense of gratitude for everything around him.

Finished reading “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil Degrasse Tyson, first published May 2nd 2017.

Goodreads What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos.

Finished reading “Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow” by Yuval Noah Harari, first published September 8th 2016.

Goodreads Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity’s future, and our quest to upgrade humans into gods. Over the past century humankind has managed to do the impossible and rein in famine, plague, and war.

Finished reading “So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love” by Cal Newport, first published January 1st 2012.

Goodreads In this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that “follow your passion” is good advice. Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping.

Finished reading “Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us” by Seth Godin, first published October 16th 2008.

Goodreads A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). It’s our nature. Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time.

Finished reading “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari, first published January 1st 2011.

Goodreads How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come?

Finished reading “The Butterfly Effect” by Jon Ronson, first published July 26th 2017.

Goodreads From best-selling writer Jon Ronson and the executive producer behind the TED Radio Hour and Invisibilia, Audible Originals presents a new seven-episode series, The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson. [Contains explicit content] Free for a limited time, hear the story of what happened when the tech industry gave the world what it wanted: free porn.

Finished reading “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” by Adam M. Grant, first published February 2nd 2016.

Goodreads The #1 national bestseller and New York Times bestseller that examines how people can champion new ideas—and how leaders can fight groupthink With Give and Take, Adam Grant not only introduced a landmark new paradigm for success but also established himself as one of his generation’s most compelling and provocative thought leaders.

Finished reading “Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity” by Kim Malone Scott, first published March 14th 2017.

Goodreads From the time we learn to speak, we’re told that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. While this advice may work for everyday life, it is, as Kim Scott has seen, a disaster when adopted by managers. Scott earned her stripes as a highly successful manager at Google and then decamped to Apple, where she developed a class on optimal management.

Finished reading “The Autobiography of Black Hawk” by Black Hawk, first published in 1833.

Goodreads This story is told in the words of a tragic figure in American history: a hook-nosed, hollow-cheeked old Sauk warrior who lived under four flags while the Mississippi Valley was being wrested from his people. The author is Black Hawk himself - once pursued by an army whose members included Captain Abraham Lincoln and Lieutenant Jefferson Davis.

Finished reading “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (Magic Cleaning Book 1)” by Marie Kondō, first published January 15th 2011.

Goodreads This best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing. Japanese organizational consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly declutter your home once, you’ll never have to do it again.

Finished reading “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown, first published December 31st 2011.

Goodreads Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin at home or at work? Do you simultaneously feel both overworked and underutilized? Do you often feel busy but not productive, like you’re always in motion, but never getting anywhere? Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people’s priorities and agendas?

Finished reading “Always Looking Up” by Michael J. Fox, first published September 1st 2008.

Goodreads There are many words to describe Michael J. Fox: Actor. Husband. Father. Activist. But readers of Always Looking Up will soon add another to the list: Optimist. Michael writes about the hard-won perspective that helped him see challenges as opportunities. Instead of building walls around himself, he developed a personal policy of engagement and discovery: an emotional, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual outlook that has served him throughout his struggle with Parkinson’s disease.

Finished reading “Remote: Office Not Required” by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried, first published October 29th 2013.

Goodreads The “work from home” phenomenon is thoroughly explored in this illuminating new book from bestselling 37signals founders Fried and Hansson, who point to the surging trend of employees working from home (and anywhere else) and explain the challenges and unexpected benefits. Most important, they show why – with a few controversial exceptions such as Yahoo – more businesses will want to promote this new model of getting things done.

Finished reading “The Most Wonderful Tales of the Year”, first published December 6th 2016.

Goodreads Here at Audible, we know just how much of an impact a voice can have on a story - taking simple words and filling them with elation, wonderment, tragedy, or pure satisfaction. We rely on our narrators every day to bring our favorite stories and characters to life - to introduce us to new authors and genres, or even to a new (perhaps longer) commute.

Finished reading “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport, first published January 5th 2016.

Goodreads One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you’ll achieve extraordinary results. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time.

Finished reading “In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives” by Steven Levy, first published April 12th 2011.

Goodreads Few companies in history have ever been as successful and as admired as Google, the company that has transformed the Internet and become an indispensable part of our lives. How has Google done it? Veteran technology reporter Steven Levy was granted unprecedented access to the company, and in this revelatory book he takes listeners inside Google headquarters - the Googleplex - to explain how Google works.

Finished reading “Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker” by Kevin Mitnick, first published August 15th 2011.

Goodreads If they were a hall of fame or shame for computer hackers, a Kevin Mitnick plaque would be mounted the near the entrance. While other nerds were fumbling with password possibilities, this adept break-artist was penetrating the digital secrets of Sun Microsystems, Digital Equipment Corporation, Nokia, Motorola, Pacific Bell, and other mammoth enterprises.

Finished reading “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity” by David Allen, first published in 2001.

Goodreads With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, “flow,” “mind like water,” and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you’d almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance. Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-do’s clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists–all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you’re working on.

Finished reading “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” by Ashlee Vance, first published March 3rd 2015.

Goodreads South African born Elon Musk is the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Musk wants to save our planet; he wants to send citizens into space, to form a colony on Mars; he wants to make money while doing these things; and he wants us all to know about it.

Finished reading “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden” by Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer, first published September 4th 2012.

Goodreads For the first time anywhere, the first-person account of the planning and execution of the Bin Laden raid from a Navy Seal who confronted the terrorist mastermind and witnessed his final moment From the streets of Iraq to the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean, and from the mountaintops of Afghanistan to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden’s compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.

Finished reading “The Wealthy Barber: Everyone’s Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent” by David H. Chilton, first published in 1989.

Goodreads David Chilton’s popular The Wealthy Barber is a good starting point for anyone who wants to construct a personal financial plan. Many people are so scared of dealing with their money that they don’t do anything at all–only to suffer for it over the long haul. Chilton shows that planning is simple and you don’t have be a whiz kid to set yourself on the route to financial security.

Finished reading “The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security” by Kevin Mitnick, first published January 1st 2001.

Goodreads The world’s most infamous hacker offers an insider’s view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security Kevin Mitnick’s exploits as a cyber-desperado and fugitive form one of the most exhaustive FBI manhunts in history and have spawned dozens of articles, books, films, and documentaries. Since his release from federal prison, in 1998, Mitnick has turned his life around and established himself as one of the most sought-after computer security experts worldwide.

Finished reading “What Would Google Do?” by Jeff Jarvis, first published in 2009.

Goodreads A bold and vital book that asks and answers the most urgent question of today: What Would Google Do? In a book that’s one part prophecy, one part thought experiment, one part manifesto, and one part survival manual, internet impresario and blogging pioneer Jeff Jarvis reverse-engineers Google—the fastest-growing company in history—to discover forty clear and straightforward rules to manage and live by.