My top book recommendations from 2024
Hi friends,
We’re barreling to the end of 2024 somehow, and the first thing I need to do is apologize (or be thanked for, depending on how well you like my updates) on how spotty my updates have been lately. I mostly think this is because I’ve been busy “book-writing”. Early in the year I published my fifth book, The Purpose Playbook, and I’m currently writing my next book (the title is a secret, but it will fit nicely with this talk I’ll be giving next February.)
So I’ve been writing, just not so much here. I’ll get better in 2025, that’s a promise. (Or a threat, depending how you see it.)
One way I’m using AI (Gemini)
I recently switched back to Android (much to the chagrin of my blue text bubble-obsessed iPhone friends—yes, I’m talking to just about ALL of you.) Part of the reason I made the change is because I believe in Google’s ability to leverage AI over Apple. By like, a large margin. Apple makes great hardware, a kinda-good user experience (though that’s becoming more debatable over time), and generally poor software. Google Drive is much better than iCloud, Google Docs is better than Pages, Google Photos DESTROYS Apple Photos…the list goes on.
So, I’m using Gemini (Google’s AI engine) a lot these days, and it’s been incredibly helpful with the new book I’m working on. My memory is suspect at best, and particularly bad when trying to recall the characters I’ve created in the “universe” where all of my books take place (the Turnaround Leadership Universe.) Yes, I named it.
I uploaded all of my books into Gemini (creating a ‘gem,’ as they call it), and I can ask it all the questions I need to, and I can ask it all sorts of questions that I just can’t remember, like: what kind of coffee Charles likes (black,) where Shera and Megan first met (in a brainstorming meeting,) or how Rosie the Robot talks (‘sarcastic, rude, and a little flirty.’)
It can even speculate on answers in the TLU (yes, I call it that.) For example, I asked Gemini who would win in an arm wrestling contest, Will or Steve?
Will and Steve are fictional characters in the TLU. Through the series, we see that they are both in good shape. Will is a runner who has completed several marathons. Steve is a swimmer, a former water polo player, and a rock climber. Rock climbing is described in the books as a sport that requires a lot of upper-body strength.
It's likely that Steve would have the advantage in the arm-wrestling contest because of the upper body strength he developed through rock climbing.
Word.
A new way to think about your problems
In a 1954 speech, Eisenhower quoted an unnamed university president who said, “I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.”
My five-star books of 2024
This year, I finished 47 books. I think my record is 54 in a year, though I am pretty sure this year I actually read more words as over a fourth of those books were from Brandon Sanderson, whose “short” novellas are still often 350-400 pages. Case in point: I’m currently reading his latest book, and it's…wait for it…1,344 pages. 😳
The list below includes my favorite books of the year, all five-star and worthy of reading, categorized as best I could.
Non-fiction
Humbled on Purpose (brilliant, and wins the award for “Title I Most Wish I Had Come Up With First”)
General fiction
Assault in the Alleyway, by my 14-year old daughter. I might be a little biased on this one.
Toxic Prey (I read everything this author puts out)
Colors of Me (my publishing company’s first children’s book, and it’s so wonderful)
Brandon Sanderson books
I’m in. Sanderson hooked me and once he gets you, there’s no going back. His genre is fantasy, and truth be told I’ve never been into fantasy. Until now. I’ll read everything he publishes from this point (and he writes just about as fast as Stephen King does.)
It’s tough to figure out what to recommend here, because I read SO many and I basically loved them all. I’ll list just a few in case you want to get started.
Mistborn 1 (the entire series is brilliant; I’d either start with this one or Tress)
Snapshot (less fantasy, more science fiction)
Stephen King books
I’m a big old Stephen King super fan (and I feel like I always need to say, not really because of his horror books…yes, he writes a lot of books that aren’t horror. At this point, most of his books aren’t horror, actually.)
You Like It Darker (short stories…King is the master of the short story)
Carrie (finally read it, brilliant book)
If It Bleeds (short stories)
The point
I hope your holiday season is merry and bright, and that you get some time to relax, regroup, and get pumped about next year.
And read more books in 2025. Maybe some of ours.
As always, I hope you're happy.
Recent podcasts
I used to produce a podcast called Begin the Begin and I co-host a podcast called Who has time to read?!, and I’ve started a new YouTube series called, Planting Seeds. I hope you'll consider subscribing. Here are some of the latest episodes:
Thanks for writing and sharing this Jeff! I know the commitment it takes to create this.