Thinking Bat's Reading List

A collection of the most interesting books and blogs that I savored during the lockdown.

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

by Nassim Nicholas Taleb | Non-fiction

Fragile is what breaks easily, the opposite of fragile, one might think, is something that is rigid, that doesn’t break easily. But according to Taleb, rigid is not the opposite of fragile. Logically, it should be something that becomes stronger when subjected to a crushing force.

In this book, Taleb outlines one can gain from disorder and chaos while being protected from fragilities and adverse events. I have, till now, read only a fraction of this book, so there isn’t much I can tell you about it.

The Da Vinci Code

by Dan Brown | Fiction | Dark, thriller, crime, conspiracy

One of the most factually correct controversial crime thriller. I regret reading it so late. It’s a book that will put your beliefs to question and make you skeptical about the factual authenticity of historical events.

The first book that I read during the COVID19 lockdown.

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It

by Chris Voss | Non-fiction

I like reading books that make me question the things I believe in. This book is something like that. Never Split the Difference is the most authentic book on business communication and negotiations.

It smashes the popular belief that negotiation is a fallacious and threatening trick, a way to manipulate people for signing business deals. He talks about how empathy is the biggest tool for effective negotiation and persuasion.

Negotiations are not manipulative, they are collaborative.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery

by Agatha Christie | Fiction | Detective Thriller, crime, classical

A classical masterpiece from one of the most influential writers, Agatha Christie. It’s a detective crime thriller that has a major unexpected twist at the end. I’m very sure you’d enjoy reading it.

A very dear friend of mine, who is doing his graduation in literature gave me this book to read.

Kafka on the Shore

by Haruki Murakami | Fiction

An abstract book with deep and dark metaphors that were stuck in my head for months. A must-read.

1984

by George Orwell | Fiction | Political, dystopian

A dark dull future envisioned by one of the most politically active writers. Written in 1950, this book is a reflection of the worst that the future could turn out to be.

A masterpiece for genuine reasons.

The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves

by Matt Ridley  | Non-fiction

One of the most insightful books I’ve read during the lockdown period. In this book, the bestselling author Matt Ridley describes how things are getting better over the course of history and how trade enables innovation.

Man's Search for Meaning

by Viktor E. Frankl | Non-fiction

This book is a classical tribute to hope from the world’s most renowned psychiatrist and neurologist, who also happens to be a holocaust survivor.

The first half of this book is about Viktor’s experience in Nazi concentration camps and the other half is about the philosophical lessons he learned from his days of agony. A great read for existentialists.

All Things Are Possible

by Leo Shestov

The name of this book may sound like a diabetically positive book written by a modern-day social media influencer. But it’s exactly the opposite of it.

“All Things Are Possible” is a 1920 English translation of the 1905 work by the Russian existentialist philosopher Shestov. It draws on the aphoristic style of Nietzsche and deals with as diverse issues as science, rationalism, and religion.

Highly recommended for those with an interest in philosophy, and particularly existentialism.

The Art of the Pitch

Guy Kawasaki, the founder of Canva, wrote this insightful blog creating startup pitches.

Validate Your Idea For Less Than $75

Ankur Warikoo, the founder of Nearbuy and a very wise content creator, wrote this practical twitter thread for Idea Validations.

Save Like a Pessimist, Invest like an Optimist

by: Morgan Housel

How To Write A Sales Email People Want To Respond To

One of the most detailed blog on Writing Sales Emails. It’s a long blog, so long that it can be converted into a 100-page book.

Peter Thiel on the End of Hubris

Peter Thiel on the End of Hubris and Lessons from the Internet Bubble of the late 90s.

7 Questions For First Time Founders

by: Seth Godin

The “Jobs to be Done” Theory of Innovation

Clayton Christensen, professor at Harvard Business School, builds upon the theory of disruptive innovation for which he is well-known.

How to Decrease the Odds That Your Startup Fails

Obviously, nobody wants their Startups to fail. Yet we can't change the fact that most startups shut down within the first founding years. Here's a detailed, information-rich blog by Mark Suster!

News in the Age of Abundance

David Perell, one of my favorite writers, writes about the redundancy of news in today’s world.

Relegion of Peter Theil

A lot of writers have written articles about Peter Theil and his ideas, but none is as insightful as this.

Ads Don’t Work That Way

by: Kevin Simler

Is this real life?

Julian is a writer I recently came across, not many people know about his blogs. But his ideas are immensely enjoyable and feel fresh to read.

Four Quadrants of Conformism

Paul Graham, the founder of YCombinator, also happens to be an incredibly interesting writer. This article reveals ways to classify people by the degree and aggressiveness of their conformism. I saved the best for last.

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If you enjoyed my recommendations, share this article with your dear ones and help them grow. What’s the most interesting article or book you read recently? Comment below and help me grow my reading list.