In 2018, I read 200 books. Of the 200 books, I managed to narrow down to my top five favourite non-fiction books of 2018. I love reading non-fiction books because of wealth of information I walk away with. These books made my list because they were memorable and they taught me a lot:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming made it on “my absolute favorite book of all times” list. I have always had a fascination with the Obamas and what their life was like before they made it into the White House, more specifically how they coped with all the fame. In Becoming, Michelle Obama spoke all about it. This is Michelle like we have never seen her; she was human, relatable and reading this book moved me in ways I didn’t expect. What really stood out to me was Michelle’s impeccable work ethic; it is clear she wanted to make an indelible impact on this world, (which she did) and she would stop at nothing. I also loved that in this book we see that women can have it all and nothing is impossible. This book is a reminder that as a woman, it is a great time to be alive and we can achieve.
Factfulness Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund
I do not watch the news daily. I find the news is generally doom and gloom. One can get bogged down by being constantly bombarded by atrocities of what is taking place in the world. It is for this reason that I adored reading Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think. In this book gives us solid, irrefutable evidence on how great the world is actually doing in technology, health, education, economy, women’s rights and literacy. This book isn’t about painting a positive picture because we all know there are areas we still need to work on. However, reading about the progress we’ve made does make you hopeful that we can achieve and meet other milestones. If you are looking for a great conversation starter, this is book you should pick up.
Bad Blood Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup is written by John Carreyrou, a writer at The Wall Street Journal. He gives an engrossing account of the whole Theranos/Elizabeth Holmes debacle. Elizabeth Holmes decided to drop out of Stanford to launch a company that would revolutionize the entire medical industry. As CEO of Theranos, Elizabeth aimed to build an at home device where with “one drop of blood” you could be given a reading of any disease or illness you have… sounds plausible right? WRONG. Lauded as the next Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Holmes was given money by top investors to launch this device. Millions of dollars were pumped in Theranos research and development without anyone knowing for certain if the device works, much less if it should be regulated. Elizabeth Holmes pulled off the biggest scam of the twenty first century and Carreyrou gives us a deep dive into how this happened.
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
I think Tara Westover’s story is one that deserves to be read and read widely. This is a well written memoir about Tara Westover’s struggle to get educated. Westover grew up in the mountains of Idaho with her parents and six siblings. They were taught not to trust the government, doctors, and hospitals- most importantly they were “home schooled.” Her parents are devout Mormons but do not let that fact side track what this book is actually about. It takes strength and courage to tell a story such as this, I remember crying at some points of this book because I was so shaken by Westover’s experience. This memoir is definitely a standout for me for 2018.
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink
Time…. it is the most limited thing we have on this planet and we all want more it. Daniel Pink shows us in this book how we can make the best use of our time. When:The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing deep dives into when is the best time for us to make major decisions, go for a run, ask for a salary increase, go before a judge, do an interview, etc. This is the kind of non-fiction I love to read. The ones that are grounded in facts, tells a story, and really helps to get a conversation started. I learned so much from reading this book and as a “Lark” I know that I should make the biggest decisions in the morning and so too, do my most important work then. If you find yourself having those mid-afternoon crashes, this book might be for you. so too, do my most important work then. If you find yourself having those mid-afternoon crashes, this book might be for you.
—
Cindy Allman is a Caribbean Girl Reading the World. A Jamaican living in Trinidad & Tobago, she is a top Goodreads reviewer and hopes to inspire you with her passion for books. Follow her at www.bookofcinz.com or @bookofcinz on Twitter and
Instagram.