Books
Exceptional Books.
Books that transformed how I think / view the world profoundly
The Black Swan by NN Taleb (note: avoid Taleb's twitter if you value your
life)
Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graeber
The Baroque Cycle + Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
Any nonfiction on Rome by Adrian Goldsworthy
Power, Sex, Suicide by Nick Lane
Goliath by Matt Stoller
1491 by Charles C Mann
The Most Powerful Idea in the World by William Rosen
Defining Books.
Books that transformed how I see topics / areas / sections of the world
Democracy by Paul Cartledge
Chip War by Chris Miller
Russian Revolution by Robert Pines
The Inheritance of Rome by Chris Wickham
Hamilton by Chernow
Washington by Chernow
Grant by Chernow
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card
Carthage Must be Destroyed by Richard Miles
1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric Cline
The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore
LeMay by Warren Kozak
LBJ Series by Rob Caro (Starting with Master of the Senate)
The French Revolution by Ian Davidson
Great Books.
Books I recommend
Russian Revolution: Robert Pines
The Martin by Andy Weir
Rogue Heroes by Ben Macintyre
Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner
The China Mission by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan (about Gen Marshall + China in the
late 40s)
The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard
Radical Markets by Eric Posner + Glen Weyl
Undermoney by Jay Neuman
The Blazing World by Jonathan Healey
The Making of Oliver Cromwell by Ronald Hutton
1493 by Charles C Mann
Justinian's Flea by William Rosen
Miracle Cure by William Rosen