A Year In Books — 2021
Another year, another list of books that I hope will propel me to write more articles on this site (spoiler alert: it never does). A few more books read than last year, and I have managed to post this somewhat close to the end of the previous year — so some progress has been made from 2020’s version at least. If you want to hear any more about the list below, or want to recommend some reading, please do reach out!
The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns — Sasha Issenberg
Genre: Politics, Society & Education
Rating: 6/10
This one found its way on to my list during the 2020 American election campaign as recommended reading. A lot of information on microtargeting came into public knowledge during the Trump campaign in 2016. This book was published in 2013 so does not take that into account, but takes you through a great history over the years of how data and microtargeting has been researched and used, up to giving a fascinating insight into Obama’s campaign and how they used microtargeting, right down to examples such as picking specific bus routes to advertise on.
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention — Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer
Genre: Management
Rating: 7/10
Talent density is a topic that I have always been fascinated in upon first encountering it. Reed Hastings provides great insights into how they both hire and retain talent at Netflix. I will say, reading it as someone more familiar with British HR processes than American, the regular talk of firing was eye-opening.
Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Fall of WeWork — Reeves Wiedeman
Genre: Business
Rating: 8/10
Most of us have experienced working in a WeWork office by now. I have always found them enjoyable places to work from, whilst also keeping an eye on what has been going on in the company which seemed unable to avoid being in the press. Wiedeman documents the rapid rise of the office provider/tech company (depending on who you talk to) along with its often controversial co-founder, Adam Neumann. The book is full of interesting and head-shaking stories, along with some fascinating insights into the finance of the company throughout its growth.
Reasons to Stay Alive — Matt Haig
Genre: Mental Health
Rating: 5.5/10
Matt Haig provides a very open and honest account of his experiences with depression and some of his darkest moments. The title implies that it is a self-help book but is much more of a personal memoir. A decent enough read, and one that can provide hope and positivity to those in need.
AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order — Kai-Fu Lee
Genre: Technology
Rating: 4/10
Lee’s taken on the future of AI is certainly an interesting one, particularly in regards to how the US and China differ in their approaches to it, however, too often it feels like Chinese propaganda rather than an objective view.
Genre: Technology
Rating: 3/10
Having plenty of experience working with Customer Data Platforms, I was excited to dive into a book written on the topic, particularly looking forward to reading relevant use cases. Covers the topic of what a Customer Data Platform is in basic form, but essentially is just a glorified piece of sales material for Salesforce.
Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future — Ashlee Vance
Genre: Biography
Rating: 6/10
I didn’t take into account that this book was from 2015 until I had finished it. A lot has happened for Musk and his businesses since then so this is a little outdated. However, a well-written and informative take on the life of a man whose achievements cannot be questioned, even if some of his methods might be. Some really interesting tales of the growth of Space X and Tesla from those involved.
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men — Caroline Criado Perez
Genre: Politics, Society & Education
Rating: 9/10
I am always interested in reading up on data bias across any topic, and Perez’s Invisible Women is a fascinating look at how the data bias impacts women on a daily basis. Some intriguing and wide-ranging insights into the world involving topics that I would never have even thought to consider (car crash dummies being just one example!). A definite must read.
And it was Beautiful: Marcelo Bielsa and the Rebirth of Leeds United — Phil Hay
Genre: Sport
Rating: 7/10
Following on from reading The Quality of Madness last year, I was always going to purchase Phil Hay’s take on Leeds United’s return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa. I have always been a fan of Hay’s writing and he doesn’t disappoint in this book that brought back a lot of wonderful memories. That being said, for those who have followed Leeds United closely over the last few years, there will not be too many surprises in there.
Genre: Management
Rating: 8/10
A brilliant take on how to implement a culture of psychological safety at work. One of the first management books I have read that gives deep and meaningful examples, along with a model and toolkit for implementing. Having a team culture where everyone feels comfortable to speak is so important. I would highly recommend any manager to read this and take examples from it.
Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy — Serhii Plokhy
Genre: History
Rating: 8/10
I have to admit to being a bit in the dark about the events of Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986. Plokhy brilliantly documents the events surrounding the disaster, not just what happened the day of the disaster, but setting the scene by providing the relevant history of Chernobyl itself and also the Soviet political system’s relationship with the nuclear industry. Another non-fiction book that reads like a thriller.
Uncanny Valley: A Memoir — Anna Wiener
Genre: Biography
Rating: 2/10
I remember being recommended this book as it was described as a fascinating view into someone working in Silicon Valley, but this was a real disappointment for me. No real major events or insights into the industry. It reads as a memoir of someone who is simply bitter about the environment that they worked in.
Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas — Natasha Dow Schüll
Genre: Psychology
Rating: 7/10
I encountered this book after listening to an episode of Dark Net Diaries which covered a bug that was found in a video poker machine, allowing the exploiters to win excessive amounts of money. Schüll takes you through the history of casinos and how the technology (and addictive tricks) advanced over time, along with looking at the psychology of a gambler. Some very interesting insights into the technical and psychological traits of gambling.
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 8/10
I decided to read the final chapter of Winslow’s Cartel trilogy despite being disappointed with the second instalment, but I’m glad I stuck it out as The Border is a huge improvement on The Cartel. It’s another incredibly long read but is action packed throughout.
Diddly Squat: A Year On The Farm — Jeremy Clarkson
Genre: Biography
Rating: 7/10
I had no intention of watching Clarkson’s Farm when it first came out, but was convinced after rave reviews from friends. I was certainly not disappointed, and found the series both hilarious and insightful. Similar to most of Clarkson’s books, it is simply a collation of his newspaper articles, but that does not stop this from being a great read. Funny throughout, and with a few extra insights that you may not have seen in the television series.
My Life in Red and White — Arsene Wenger
Genre: Biography
Rating: 3/10
I have always admired Wenger as a manager, but I found his autobiography very disappointing. Not only did it lack much in the way of details or interesting stories and read like a glorified Wikipedia entry, I also found Wenger to come across as incredibly arrogant throughout. For example, there are a few pages about his first season as Nancy manager and how well he did, followed by a few paragraphs on season two, ending with a one liner of “we were unfortunately relegated in the third season”. I’m sure Arsenal fans may enjoy reading it, but there really is not a lot to the book to excite.
How Spies Think: Ten Lessons in Intelligence — Sir David Omand
Genre: Politics, Society & Education
Rating: 4/10
I was quite excited by the title of this book, but was let down by its contents. It starts off well but very quickly becomes quite repetitive and not that insightful. Enlightening in parts and a few interesting spy stories, but overall not a great read.
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music — Dave Grohl
Genre: Biography
Rating: 8/10
I absolutely loved reading Dave Grohl’s memoirs, despite not being a big listener of Foo Fighters or Nirvana. The book jumps around a bit chronologically, but in a really fitting way that is relevant to each chapter. Full of utterly fascinating tales throughout his time in music, a really enjoyable read.
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 5/10
Despite having watched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Night Manager, I have never read any of le Carré’s novels before — and I’m not even sure if this one technically counts as it was finished off by his son after his death. A strangely short novel with a storyline that never really gets going, it finishes before you have even had a chance to delve into the background of any of the characters or even set up any resemblance of suspense. I will try to revisit some of his earlier work this year.
Originally published at https://timhutton.co on January 16, 2022.
