Ranking every book I read last year

[@redsalamander9999]

Gaunt's Ghosts? I see you are also a man of culture. Also, gateway drug is the most apt description for any standalone Black Library novel I've ever heard.

[@reeferbeard5140]

Watching because I saw ‘Brothers of the Snake’ in that pile! Didn’t realize the thick boys were Gaunts Ghosts, Traitor General was my start to the series and it’s a great read, I couldn’t wait for Armour of Contempt. Started my Warhammer journey with ‘Soul Drinker’, I highly recommend it!

[@fernhausluv44]

Haven't read Traitor General, but listened to soundtrack someone made inspired by the book - was very evocative. I've only read Necropolis, but the ending was so moving, that am planning to get The Founding and start from beginning soon! :)

[@TheDandelionblush]

I’ve literally read 8 books since the start of isolation and usually I would read that in a year 🙈

[@appleslover]

Same here

[@waynepooley6950]

great job

[@appleslover]

Love my past self Spoiler alert: you're about to see your failure in the SAT exam but let's see next week..

[@taxavoider9889]

Oh no, more books to add to my already excessively long list

[@mitchell.9632]

That is a signal of a book reader.

[@clioaspinade9275]

I have a growing library of books I have not read.

[@appleslover]

@E how can remember that much information ? Especially if it was nonfiction

[@appleslover]

@E i read 15 a year ..

[@mohammedismailkhalid4395]

Books I highly recommend: Fiction: Brandon Sanderson's work, read first 'the stornlight archive' . And in Audible: Sherlock Holmes definitive collection read by Stephen Fry. Nonfiction: My Journey by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. What I'm reading now: Principles by Ray Dalio. In audible I'm listening to Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Read by Roy McMillan.

[@theawantikamishra]

the Non-Fiction: My Journey by APJ Abdul Kalam, is it also known as Wings of Fire?

[@mohammedismailkhalid4395]

@@theawantikamishra no, these two are separate books.

[@viachaslautsyvina2169]

Thanks for the video. Added the Silk Roads to read later. Just recently finished "The Little History Of the World", pretty simple, yet enjoyable book about the whole human history up until WWII. My top 5 from 2019: 1. Introduction to Ethics, George Wall 2. Weapons of Math Destruction, Cathy O’Neil 3. Educated, Tara Westover 4. Memoirs of a Revolutionist, Peter Kropotkin 5. Ethics in the real world, Peter Singer

[@benjesterw]

Hi Simon! I love that you put out videos like this, because it reminds me of just how much joy and knowledge I can get out of books! I need to read at least some of these! My top book which I read last year was: "When breath becomes air" by Paul Kalanithi, which is such an amazing first person account of terminal illness and mortality. Paul's writing is great and because he's a doctor, he fully understands medically what he's going through, making you feel very closely the inevitability of his death and the hard decisions he and his wife have to make.

[@caitlingoodhew7805]

When Breath Becomes Air was also my top book of the year. The perspective of the transition from doctor to patient, and as you say, the way it touches on mortality was fascinating. I read the whole book cover-to-cover in one sitting.

[@l4l755]

Some recommendations sorted by genre... Fantasy: Stormlight Archive and/or Mistborn Trilogy (Brandon Sanderson) Fiction: All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) Non-fiction: Book Of Joy (Douglas Abrams with Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu) Popular science: The Selfish Gene (Richard Dawkins)

[@ashlengovender4240]

I'm studying med definitely going to read those books! Thank you

[@Nimbus3000]

I would recommend The Expanse series. Maybe Arc of a Scythe.

[@Deviseeeer]

Behave by R.Sapolsky was one of those non-fiction books, which, alongside books by Y.N.Harrari and O.Sacks, changed how I looked into the world. He talks about why we do the things we do, but in an extremely broad sense - Sapolsky discusses our genetics, hormones, environment, culture, evolution and so on. He talks about how all these aspects influence the way we act and think, he provides a ton of info about various researches, but he does so in a very elegant, welcoming and reader-friendy way. Highly recommended, I think you'd enjoy it. And it has looong in depth chapters :D. Oh, and Oliver Sacks wrote a ton of books, not only " The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat". Highly recommended checking his other books out. His book "Hallucinations" is probably my favorite non-fiction ever. Thanks for a great video and keep reading!

[@marcjohnson5991]

Thoroughly enjoyed brothers of the snake and agree with most of your recommendations for the best Gaunt’s ghosts books (I haven’t read past traitor general yet)

[@MrSpickzettel]

If you like books that help with understanding the world, I totally recommend Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo. It's about the work they won a nobel prize for and gives a great insight into development and behavioural economics. For the same reasons "Thinking, fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman is amazing. Also if you loved Silk Roads (like I did), you'll also like everything Jared Diamond wrote (e.g."Guns, Germs & Steel" or "Collapse").

[@dylanzondag5224]

I recommend ‘You Talkin’ to Me?’ By Sam Leigh. Through this book one will completely change the way you look at persuasive language and the formation of arguments.

[@jameshodson1274]

The Vaccine Race by Meredith Wadham. One of the best books on medicine and medical progress that I've ever read. Similar to Immortal Life but heavier on the science side.

[@ca673]

If you're interested in language and how it's shaped history, cultures, people, etc. I would highly recommend: The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and Civilization by Martin Puchner. Super interesting read!

[@anka1901]

Thanks for recommending The silk road. I really enjoyed reading Sapiens so I'm excited for this one. :) Recommendation from me: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. If you're into medicine, literature, stories of human lives and deliberating meaning of life, you might enjoy it.

[@Johan_DHo]

If you haven't read them already, i think you'll like Jared Diamond - Swords, Horses & Germs, and also Ian Morris - Why the West rules - for now . I havent read Silk Road yet (on the top of my list now); absolutely loved Immortal Life of H L.

[@k.e.1760]

Please read Behave by Robert Sapolsky, The First Cell by Azra Raza and DNA Is Not Destiny by Steven J. Heine!

[@sambulls]

Hey Simon, I'm also and physics and do music. What was that score on the piano. Anyway I also read a lot, not as much as you but anyway. I really really recommend, anything by Dostoevsky namely (crime and punishment, and brothers Karamazov) life changers. Also recommend War and Peace, but as far as British books, I really really really recommend The Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, the movie Master and Commander (2003) is based on book 1(of the same name) and ten, there are 21 books in the series! (im at book 13) You definitely leave me excited and eager to read Silk Roads, (just got it) and Sapiens. I have to finish war and peace first. Also I read your blog post and have been following you for years, I really wish you luck with those troubles, and glad to see you doing well!

[@evieherriot3447]

Totally agree about the Lucy Worsley book! Bill Bryson's book on it is really good! I'm also having to research it a bit more in depth for a chapter of my History thesis about the Edwardians :-D

[@evieherriot3447]

Also my top book is nice and short, Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet

[@marypapadopoulou4624]

This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay. This book is a collection of numerous diary entries that gives you a strong and revealing insight into life as a junior doctor in the most hillarious way.

[@jolaechen_r6]

Nice, another book video! I always really enjoy them

[@DMofTheWorld]

First and Only!

[@KandiQTC]

If you want a beautifully written science book: The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli. Just to note, Benedict Cumberbatch reads the audiobook version, so extra plus if you listen on audible! Thank you for ask adding to my TBR list btw! lol Honestly, great reviews and suggestions.

[@sidhanselmo131]

I have a book suggestion!! One of my all time favorite books is Bushman Lives by Daniel Pinkwater. It does do the stop start thing but in a way that I find quite enjoyable.

[@travisbroneske3711]

Great video, thank you very much! For you, I would highly suggest "Feeding the Fire: The Lost History and Uncertain Future of Mankind's Energy Addiction" by Mark Eberhart. It is a historical recap starting from the "beginning" of the universe and creation of the first elements building up to present day society. Written by a Mark Eberhart Chemistry Faculty professor. Thank you again!

[@krutikdesai845]

Read Use of Weapons, Ian M Banks. The Culture series is really good.

[@SimonClark]

I read Consider Phlebas and really enjoyed it! Will have to give this a go

[@tobiaslarsson6297]

I have to recommend global magic by Alf hornborg and fossil capital by Andreas Malm.

[@AlvinSilvester]

Hey Simon, Your videos and the way you explain these books is something I've not seen before, absolutely love it! Also, if I want to start to read the Warhammer series, what should I start off with??

[@sarahhaeger2010]

My favorite fiction book of 2019 is Endgame: The Calling by James Frey. For nonfiction, I'd recommend How To by Randall Munroe but I'm sure you know all of his books :)

[@kristelh]

I love your book videos. I read Sapiens last year because you recommended it. I just finished reading Bad Blood by John Carreryrou and I thought it was absolutely amazing and shocking. It's about Theranos and how Elizabeth Holmes was able to fool investors, companies, and consumers. She claimed she had revolutionized biotech that with a drop of blood you could run lots of tests, which did not exist.

[@veloxlupus303]

Silk roads is a nice book! got to read some of the other ones you mentioned tho. Since your last video I read: Persian Fire by Tom Holland The Little Prince by Antonie De Saint-Exupery The World in Conflict by John Andrews China A History by John Keay The History of the Medieval World by Susan Bauer Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy by Serhii Plokhy The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett The War of the Roses by Dan Jones Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Volume 2 by Douglas Adams Othello by William Shakespeare India: A Short History by Andrew Robinson The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethian England by Ian Mortimer The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman The Cantebury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Poetics by Aristotle The Opium War by Julia Lovell Hamlet by Shakespeare Still Friends by Saul Austerlitz The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Volume 3 by Douglas Adams Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque The Complete Fables by Aesop The Penguin Book of Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt by Joyce Tyldesley Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Macbeath by Shakespeare Letters from a Stoic by Seneca Ok, so, what I recommend: China by Kaey is a amazing book in the general history of China, probs the best one out there. Chernobyl by Phloky is AMAZING!!! Really best book i read this year I think. Also Gatsby is suprisingly funn!! Leviathan Wakes is good fun too. All quiet on the western front is also a lot of fun. Don Quixote is alright, but loong. But yeah, Chernoby by Phloky is the best one I read of the above.

[@sambulls]

omg such a book list can we be friends omg

[@jieunsong6557]

love your book contents!!!

[@collegeopera]

I'm curious what you would think of the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. It is science fiction dystopia and touches themes on leadership and rebellion.

[@ralucaprepelita8428]

It's good to see you back, Simon! Keep up the good work :) xx

[@ds7241]

Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston probably took my spot for favorite nonfiction book of all time this year. As a successor to his older books The Demon in the Freezer and The Hot Zone, it focuses on some of the most important individuals and locations at the heart of the 2014-16 West African Ebola outbreak, as well as the global repercussions it had and will continue to have for years to come.

[@ronaldgarrison8478]

Feeling some relief that you didn't talk up any books that I hold in utter contempt. In the last several years, that has happened to me fairly often. OTOH I've also learned that sometimes there is real value in reading bad books. You may be familiar with the Dorothy Parker quote "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." Yeah, I run into those, a lot.

[@giovannicarmona1050]

Just finished reading "Cant Hurt Me " by David Goggins. Best book I have ever read.

[@umb3rto641]

How so? - I heard it was great, but I didn't understand why that... is?

[@giovannicarmona1050]

@@umb3rto641 have you seen the JRE podcast with him? If you havent you should watch it, its number 1080. It's really really good. Its basically a summary of his book tbh.

[@umb3rto641]

@@giovannicarmona1050 I'll surely give it a go, right when I will have a little more free time...

[@JustinSmith-ug9wm]

My top book of last year was Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik. It tackles materials science in such a beautiful and entertaining way you forget you're even reading about concrete and metals. I never knew nonfiction could be so good until this book.

[@Belisarius536]

I’ve went from rarely reading when in my youth to reading a book a month and sometimes two or three at a time. I can’t read fiction any more though. I came here for the Silk Road book. I’m probably going to buy it tomorrow.

[@salama931]

If you loved Oliver Sacks, I highly recommend Siddhartha Mukherjee, especially The Emperor of Maladies. It's a 'biography of cancer', so a heavy subject matter but I highly recommend it. Mukherjee's writing, to me, come across as inspired by Sacks and it's very well executed.

[@renzojose6555]

I recommend Haruki Murakami Blind Willows

[@emilyslack6209]

My top book was The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene. It's a fiction book about an unnamed whisky priest in Mexico during the '30s when priests were persecuted by the Mexican state, especially in the southern regions of Mexico. I devoured it. The story was deeply touching and I read it three or four times last year. Another one was Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. This one was also moving, but more personally as opposed to seeing the tides of faith, like in The Power and the Glory. Overall, incredible books that I'd recommend to anyone.

[@Th3L0st0ne]

oh man, you just added the silk roads to my list. my ever growing list! when will i watch netflix?!

[@Kdhrheee54]

Top in my list are Homo deus and Voyagers of Hell. Both r awesome books.

[@cogitoergosum2846]

If you have not read the books by Steven Strogatz, Please give it a try. I anxiously await your review

[@alexandersumer4295]

@Simon can you review Doughnut Economics?

[@carlosbornes]

A book the changed my way to look at the work is the Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker

[@EAG369]

You might enjoy Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum by Wallace-Hadrill.

[@flynnmartienssen6459]

Excellent non fiction books on Octopuses (I am applying for marine biology and have a slight obsession) The Outer Minds ,and The Soul Of the Octopus

[@weirdandthensome]

I am currently reading 'Why We Sleep' by Matthew Walker- although not written in the same smooth and poet format as the 'HeLa' or 'The Man Who Mis...' books - it is a great and interesting read from a purely scientific standpoint! :)

[@sydneysmit8463]

Read Henrietta lacks and it is absolutely one of my favourite books of all time. However I can not get through the man who mistook his wife for a hat... I wish I could since I’m a medical student but Yeesh is it a hard pill to swallow.

[@BrokenBlocks]

This man did not read Bodega: tales of the bodegaverse, my disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined....

[@5hadow5talker]

Yeah I want him to read Bodega too!!

[@markrichardson21]

Do not get too disappointed with the new Silk Road. It has unfortunately not much to do with the original. Well, not surprising as he had covered the whole history in the first Silk Roads, which was as you said great to read.

[@inessamaria2428]

I love this kind of video.

[@Deimnos]

Are you planning to read "The Infinite and the Divine" WK 40k book by Robert Rath? It is stand alone as far as i understand, and it is about a rivalry between two necron lords over the millenia! I have not read it yet, but it looked interesting from the description and one comment in particular really made me laugh. I quote: " This is a book about two immortal NERDS fighting and trolling each other over a mcguffin" :)) If that doesn't sell it, I don't know what will :))

[@kendrajohnson6535]

Absolutely loved this - thank you, Simon! I have resolved to read the top three you recommended here this year :)

[@tarond57]

At work atm, dropped a like and will be back later to watch the vid! Keep up the good work!

[@isabellagould4900]

Please do an updated version!

[@BluetheNerd]

The Inheritance Cycle are an amazing series of books with possibly one of my favourite magic systems in any fantasy, I definitely recommend reading them!

[@benjesterw]

I agree. I think the magic system is one best Ive read about.

[@samvdheisteeg]

You should maybe read books from Vaclav Smil if you like non-fiction in a more elaborate, textbook like style

[@samvdheisteeg]

Great youtube channel btw! I love every production from you that I have watched thus far.

[@tejpatel5320]

“Hot Zone” by Richard Preston is about the Ebola outbreak and is an interesting read. I read it in high school. Also keep up the good work, I love your channel and have been a very silent member since 2017!

[@baxterclagmoar9333]

Definitely putting the top 3 on my reading list. Awesome video. I'd recommend some books but they've been mostly about atheism and it's pitfalls, not sure if that's your cup of tea. If you wanna bite, I would recommend "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist." It's interesting if you are religious or not. A new way of seeing things, I guess. Also finally read Sapiens and it is beautiful.

[@buttonsmasherable]

Found a book a while ago at my college's library book sale called Where the Wizards Stay up Late, about the creation of the internet. Might be interesting. I haven't gotten to it yet.

[@abraham5781]

The affirmation by Christopher priest was pretty good imo.

[@maishamahboob7423]

You can try Word Perfect if you like Etymology

[@saramartins95]

Oooh im about to start the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks!!

[@anna.t._7224]

Excuse me but I’m going to need more book videos than this Please

[@ryancooper2143]

yes the silk roads is a fantastic book - i apporve

[@natalieclamp]

Completely agree with your review of the secret life of trees, in fact I think I gave up on it...

[@SimonClark]

I did too! Just couldn't face any more after about a quarter

[@achillesdota2820]

Trees are fascinating - Dr. Clark 2020.

[@harleywykes4971]

Hey, best book I read last year was Dominion by Tom Holland, would definitely reccomend

[@Chloe-cv1zx]

The Stormlight Archive - can't go wrong

[@SwordHallow]

Have you tried any books by Sam Kean - I have a feeling you will like them

[@marquisdehoto1638]

I hate if they change the size of the books during a series O-o Why are they doing it?

[@thadremaw]

I wasn't quite so impressed with Silk Roads, but I don't know if that's because I listened to it on Audible and kept feeling irriated by the narrator's insistence on doing funny accents. Also I'd just finished a couple of Great Courses, one on ancient Mesopotamia and another on China and totalling 30+ hours between them, and I thought Frankopan's focus was more on East-West relations than it was a history of Eastern civilisation in its own right.

[@bentroake3926]

What’s that book in the background?

[@lordgigenshtain]

how many words did you not know? in those books.

[@carmencita22]

I absolutely love your book reviews! Also, I think you would enjoy The Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov, one of the best sci-fi books ever written!

[@jonopriestley9461]

This is likely gonna get so much slack, which is fine, but I am actually really curious to see you read a religious text in its context (so like probably with some history books alongside it), because the way you talk about those books made me think like “I wonder what he’d think of the bible or the Quran or something like it” (would probably take a fair while to read them properly but yeah). Just a thought.

[@SimonClark]

Well I have read the bible twice. Not putting my thoughts on it out there though! Far too complex, controversial, and ultimately personal.

[@anhduynguyendinh1167]

"Why would you watch this Simon dude? He's just a PhD student in Atmostpheric Physic, have a tight curriculum, giving opinion and suggest books?" You've answer your own question right there

[@nope110]

No longer a student, he's a doctor of atmospheric science!

[@InfiniteSocks]

I would suggest you read The Skeptics Guide To The Universe. It's a great book about science, critical thinking and science communication. It covers a broad range of topics including conspiracy theories, logical fallacies and the traps of pseudoscience.

[@kabeeram5289]

Is "a mind for numbers" a good book

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

If only I could include comic books as the “books” I read because I unfortunately haven’t read an actual book in years lol

[@nitheshbalasubramanian5845]

Can't see why not mate :)

[@TetsuShirenai]

what physics book should I read if I just ended high school?

[@orangesky8864]

Simon has a few existing videos on physics book recommendations

[@Cocopocoloca]

I would recommend Losing Earth: A Recent History by Nathaniel Rich! It looks at the decade(s) following 1979 when it became clear in the scientific community that climate change was happening and that there is a solution to it. How did we get here- fossil fuel industry's lobby, climate denialism, failed policies , etc.

[@Karecmeister]

I've really been enjoying "The Southern reach" trilogy. The "New weird" genre is really good

[@arinad2]

Loved this series

[@sebucwerd]

Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson

[@medpodcast99]

Are u gonna follow back on good reads 😇😇 pleaseee?

[@PedramNG]

How about a few nonfiction books? Think like a monk, from Jay Shetty. The code of extraordinary mind, Vishen Lakhiani. All Jordan B. Peterson's books. All of Simon Sinek books. 5 AM club from Robin Sharma. Neil deGrasse Tyson's books. Super Human, from David Asprey. If anyone knows anything else, just let me know to add them to my reading list. Nonfiction books of course. 😁

[@user-wo6hr5xv1z]

Alchemist by Paolo Coilo is magnificent one

[@xjonasxonexpiece]

Silk roads is such a good book, love it

[@harrysmith1700]

Good to see a fellow 40k fan!

[@Laniwit]

Interesting background!

[@franciscogouveia6465]

What's the first of the warhammer series ?

[@SimonClark]

First and Only! Though I'd definitely recommend Brothers of the Snake as the better introductory read

[@semitangent]

"but I figured people didn't want thirty minutes of me dorking out over Gaunt's Ghosts and how good Blood Pact is"* * - citation needed

[@SimonClark]

Well, if there's demand...

[@appleslover]

@@SimonClark do a special channel for that

[@missblueskyelo]

For a tree-related story, my favourite fiction book of last year was The Overstory by Richard Powers. Also non- fiction wise, anything by Thor Hansen is a win, especially Buzz.

[@jondejoy5780]

I really want to get into the Warhammer books but as I am a student I have no money lol.

[@jondejoy5780]

btw I read the book about Henrietta Lax as well

[@Arcticcfoxx]

If you look for them you can get alot of the Horus heresy books as free PDFs online.

[@TheTozmoGaming]

Pandora's Star by Peter F Hamilton. Amazing space opera/nearly hard sci-fi that you absolutely need to read.