Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
245 Pages, Published In 1877
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Black Beauty, the Autobiography of a Horse is an 1877 classic by English author Anna Sewell. The novel is told from the perspective of a horse, named Black Beauty, chronicling his life through the hands of various owners, both kind and cruel. A horse can be well-treated by a kind and compassionate owner or easily tortured by a cruel and neglectful one. The author wrote it to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
327 Pages, Published In 1884
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Mark Twain’s 1884 classic is narrated by Huck Finn, a teen who escapes his abusive father by faking his own death. He encounters Jim, a runaway slave, and together they embark on a raft journey down the Mississippi River. Far beyond a mere adventure tale, it delves into profound themes such as slavery, racism, morality, and conscience. Much darker and complex than its Tom Sawyer prequel. Vivid characters, intricate plots, entertaining and thought-provoking. A true literary masterpiece!
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
241 Pages, Published In 2006
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The 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner by Cormac McCarthy is about a father and a son traveling along The Road, through a ravaged, burned America, to the coast in a post-apocalyptic world. Bleak, Dark, Depressing, Suffocating, Devastating. No chapters, No quotation marks, No names, No grammar, No Plot. Nothing matters. “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you. Okay” The only light is the love the father has for his son.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
244 Pages, Published In 1876
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Mark Twain’s 1876 novel is about the mischievous adventures of a boy, Tom Sawyer, young and carefree, growing up along the Mississippi River. Tricking his friends into whitewashing his fence, exploring caves, impressing girls, and even attending his own funeral. Lighthearted, humorous, insightful, also addressing serious issues such as morality, societal norms, and the loss of innocence during the transition to adulthood. An American literature classic. An enjoyable (re)read for all ages.
The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason
158 Pages, Published In 1926
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A 1926 personal finance book by George Clason, giving timeless principles for building wealth via a set of parables set 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon, told by a fictional Babylonian character, the richest man in Babylon. 7 Cures For a Lean Purse: -Start thy purse to fattening (Save 10% each pay) -Control thy expenditures -Make thy gold multiply (Invest) -Guard thy treasures from loss -Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment -Ensure a future income -Increase thy ability to earn
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
1412 Pages, Published In 1869
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Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace, translated by Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsk. 1412 pages, 361 chapters. For me, 2 attempts in 3 years, over 2 months to finish. Stories of several Russian aristocratic families before, during and after the 1812 French invasion (and retreat) of Russia. A War book, a Romance book, a Philosophy and a History book. Virginia Woolf called Tolstoy “the greatest of all novelists”. Gary Saul Morson referred to the book as the greatest of all novels.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
391 Pages, Published In 2013
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Written by a professor of Biology and a member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the book is about the natural world: the plants & animals around us, who are our oldest teachers for us to listen and notice; Indigenous wisdom and science; Gratitude, reciprocity, and conservation of our earth. Poetic, scientific and philosophical. “I could hand you a braid of sweetgrass, as thick and shining as the plait that hung down my grandmother’s back. But it is not mine to give, nor yours to take…”
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
304 Pages, Published In 2021
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The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet, by John Green. Written during the Covid pandemic, the book is a collection of 40+ essays, his reviews on 40+ human phenomena. At the end of each essay, Green rates each one on a scale of 1-5 stars. The phenomena include the song “You’ll Never Walk Along”, Air-Conditioning, Googling strangers, Indianapolis, Teddy Bear, Plague, etc. Hilarious, Factual, Thought-Provoking. While he gives Canada geese two stars, I rate the book five stars.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
110 Pages, Published In 1925
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The Great Gatsby, written ~100 years ago, is one of the greatest American novels in history. The story was about a young man, Jay Gatsby, moving from Mid West to New York, to win back his lost love from a beautiful lady, Daisy Buchanans, who was already married. Elegant writing. Intriguing plot. Unexpected ending. A quintessential portrait of Jazz Age America. Loved the closing line: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Starting a Business 101 by Michele Cagan
272 Pages, Published In 2023
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As part of Adams 101 series, this book provides the basic knowledge and tips on starting your own business, covering all business aspects (e.g. business plan, marketing, budget, tax, etc.) in a short read. A solid primer on the subject.
Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson
304 Pages, Published In 2019
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A retell of the DISC personality training I took at work. The DISC are 4 personality styles: Dominance 🟥, Influence 🟨, Steadiness 🟩, and Conscientiousness 🟦. The absurd title was inspired by a CEO who said he was surrounded by idiots. In fact, they are not idiots, just different styles. The color-coded DISC framework can help us understand the “idiots” around us and communicate with each other effectively at work and in life.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
480 Pages, Published In 2024
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A story about young women’s experiences serving as nurses in the Vietnam War and then dealing with the aftermath after returning homeland. Learned about the controversial, lost Vietnam War, the forgotten veterans, and the women most of all. As a fan of Hannah, I was a little disappointed in the first half as the war narration feels dull and contrived. The second half gets much better: unexpected plot development and twists; very emotional towards the end.