leo burghaus

a Fort of Nine Towers – Qais Akbar Omar

this is an often-brutal account of the author’s experiences growing up in Afghanistan once the Taliban took over. it’s a heart-breaking book, that’s even more important now that history is repeating itself.
it’s also a story of coming together in hard times, and a story about family.
it’s a long book, difficult to put down, and that in some way or another will live with you for long after you’ve finished it.
it’s a must-read.

todo se puede entrenar – Toni Nadal

this one is for the Spanish speakers, as there is unfortunately (or fortunately) no English version yet of this book.
Toni Nadal is Rafael’s Nadal uncle, trainer and mentor, and in this very raw book he accounts what has shaped Rafa’s strong character and his success. he argues that mental strengths, discipline, and good manners can all be trained, and insists on the moral duty parents have to raise children to the best of their abilities. he believes in a society in which everyone is more accountable, and gives the best version of themselves.
Toni has very strong opinions, a very sincere writing style and clarity of mind. he has a lot of experience to draw from, and this book will at least make you understand Rafa Nadal’s success, and probably inspire you along the way. actually, it might be a slap in your face, but a good one.

the Power of Us- Jay Van Bavel & Dominic J. Packer

an exploration into identy, individual identity but especially collective one. how the stories we tell ourselves about our groups affects who we are, and how to use these findings to construct a better humanity. i felt it was a positive book, focused on what makes un work together.

four thousand Weeks – Oliver Burkeman

the premise of this book is that, on average, a human lives only 4,000 weeks. you read that right. 4,000.
Burkeman writes about how to cope with this fact, and use it to make the best out of the limited, very limited, time we have on earth. the main argument he makes, is that we should embrace our limitations instead of denying them.
this book is liberating, and I strongly recommend it to everyone.
what on first glance looks like a time-management book (to be fair, the subheading is time-management for mortals), is actually a great philosophical work that will change your vision on life.

the Power of Geography – Tim Marshall

this is an exploration of ten countries and regions, which revisits their history to explain what paper they could play in the future of global politics. fact-filled, clear and full of curiosities, this is a great book to read for anyone interested in thinking a bit further than what seems newsworthy nowadays.

the Elements of Eloquence – Mark Forsyth

witty and entertaining, Forsyth writes about the many rhetorical figures that have shaped so many of the brilliant, and beautiful, English lines. it’s an exploration about what made the greatest phrases so great, and why the most memorable lines are so memorable.
this is a fun little book, that you should definitely read if you’re interested in writing better, and specially more beautifully. or if you’re just curious about the topic.

the Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion

everything by Joan Didion is great, always clear and precise. she has a way of turning every phrase beautifully, and her unique writing style, restrained yet honest, affecting yet never sentimental, can only be described to someone who has read her. Didion is by far my favorite writer.
the Year of Magical Thinking is both my mum’s and mine favorite book by her. it’s a very naked account of the months revolving the death of her husband, and relates the grief she faces. it’s honest, personal, warm, cold, puzzling, and relatable.
it’s not science, it’s not self-help, it’s not an autobiography, but you will still learn, grow and empathize.

meditations – Marcus Aurelius

meditations is in basically every ‘must-read’ list, and for good reason. there’s just something very soothing in knowing that you struggle with many of the same thoughts and worries than the most powerful man of the world at the time.
for those unfamiliar with the book, it’s the private diary of the roman emperor and philosopher, not necessarily in that order, Marcus Aurelius. he reflects on the challenges he faces making sense of himself and the world. It is one of the most important works representing stoic philosophy. 
i can’t think of anyone who would not benefit of reading this book.

Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl

another classic on most must-read lists. Viktor Frankl was a psychologist who became a prisoner in Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camp.
both a vivid account of the life in the camps, and the way victims deal with suffering, this time-less book introduces the reader to what Frankl calls logotherapy. logoteraphy is, in short, based on the premise that our primary motivation is to find meaning in life.
this book will make you appreciate life and take decisions more consciously.

being mortal – Atul Gawande

someone smarter than me has already described this book way better than I could dream of:
Gawande, a practicing surgeon, addresses his profession’s ultimate limitation, arguing that quality of life is the desired goal for patients and families. Gawande offers examples of freer, more socially fulfilling models for assisting the infirm and dependent elderly, and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person’s last weeks or months may be rich and dignified.
if you think you, or someone you love, will get older or face death someday in the future, then you will want to have read this book.

open – Andre Agassi

incredibly well-written. honest, blunt, candid; open. an autobiography of one of the most iconic tennis players ever. the definition of a page-turner.
i’m very happy this was the book that introduced me to autobiographies.
you should have a copy in your book-shelve, and you should definitely read it.

thinking, fast and slow – Daniel Kahneman

the book is not totally accurate anymore, as in the last 10 years the field of behavioral economics has advanced rapidly, leaving some of Kahneman’s ideas behind; he himself has corrected some of his previous theories.
still, this book will make you smarter and change, to the better, the way you see your decision-making. he talks about biases, heuretics, intuition, choices, our sense of self, overconfidence, etc…
this book is not for everyone, but if you are already interested in the topics that are discussed in the book, it’s a great read.

the Almanack of Naval Ravikant – Eric Jorgenson

200 pages of pure wisdom of one of the most successful investors in Silicon Valley. 
mental models, life philosophy, wealth, happiness, mindfulness, you name it. it’s full of great advice, the digital version is free, and it doesn’t take more than 4 hours to read – there are no excuses for not reading it.
i recommend this book to everyone. and if you’ve read it already, re-read it.

when Breath becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi

after completing 10 years of neurosurgical training, Paul Kalanithi is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. facing death and the birth of his child, the author reflects about the meaning of life, the present, death (although mostly about being alive), children, marriage.
it’s gasping and powerful.
is it everyone’s cup of tea? no.
my recommendation: read it unless you know that this is not your type of book.

the Defining Decade – Meg Jay

this book is about your 20s, it urges you to live them consciously. Jay makes the point that the decisions you take in your 20s will live with you your whole life.
work, love, brain, and body all get their fair share of attention, exploring how to navigate the uncertainty that everybody lives through during this, well, defining decade.
this book is a must-read for everyone in their 20s.

digital Minimalism – Cal Newport

Newport gives practical advice on how to deal with the massive inputs we get from the digital world, and how we can best avoid losing our focus.
i see most people struggling in some form of another with digital distractions, and this book gives good foundations to design, or redesign, your relationship with these tools, whilst still maintain the advantages they give us.

get rich or lie trying – Symeon Brown

Brown is a journalist who explores the influencer economy, and how it is filled with deceit and fraud.
he exposes cases from cosmetic surgery, MLMs and BLM ‘activists’, to day traders, fast fashion and live-streamers.
it puts the all-to-normal desire to be a ‘hustler’ under question, and writes about some very shocking cases that will make you see social media in another light.

possessed – Bruce Hood

a work on ownership in our day and age. what’s mine? what does it mean for something to be mine? what can I claim? it shows the connection between ownership and identity, lands, liberty, body,… to name a few.
it’s both a psychological and philosophical exploration on the topic, that will help you make sense of what you own, and don’t own.

Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

i’m a sucker for Sherlock Holmes. i really enjoyed the books, and recommend them to anyone who has enjoyed the films and shows.

Brave New World – Aldous Huxely

powerful story playing in a dystopian future. scary how Huxely wrote this nearly 80 years back, he was on to something. maybe that’s why, to this date, this book has spoken to so many people.
a great read.