The Books I loved in 2019

Over the last year, one of my focuses has been taking time to read. Although there are continually more books on my to-read shelf than in my have-read pile, I did make a pretty good dent in my reading list this year. As 2019 has officially come to a close, I took a moment to reflect on the books I’ve read over the last twelve months. There were many that I enjoyed, but only a few made a lasting impression. Here are the ones I loved in 2019.  

Let me start things off with the two books that impacted me the most:

Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car by Lawrence D. Burns

Some people love the idea of autonomous cars, others are scared of them, and others still, don’t trust the tech. Before reading Autonomy by Lawerence D. Burns, I was in the middle of these two camps and not sure I could choose between them. This book changed that. I'm now a full believer in autonomous cars with its pros easily outweighing its cons. This book gave me a foundation for what driverless cars are, and the story behind the individuals working tirelessly to bring this tech to the masses. With 2020 officially here, I think the next ten years of autonomy will be similar to what the last ten were for the smartphone. This book helped me see that. You can read my full review here.

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport

The smartphone has transformed the way we interact, communicate, and spend our time. With everyone carrying micro supercomputers in their pockets, the possibilities around this tool are almost endless. But with this power comes responsibility, and as its newness wears off, we start to see the good and the bad of what’s been created. Digital Minimalism is a call to action, a manifesto of sorts, focused around not letting tech drown us in likes, emojis, emails, and endless scrolling. This book helped me take responsibility for my digital life, and provide effective tools to take back control over this buzzing thing I carry around everywhere. You can read my full review of Cal's book here.

Autonomy & Digital Minimalism have transformed the way I see transportation, technology, and have even provoked changes in my habits. [which is no easy feat] The next two books I've added to this list as honorable mentions because they were enjoyable reads, and provided lots of value. 

Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor E. Frankl

Out of all the books I’ve come across, this one has been one of the most recommended, and for good reason, it tackles a question that everyone has thought about -the meaning of life. For Frankl, the answer to this question was realized in the concentration camps of World War II and seasoned by his career as a psychologist. The book details many of the struggles and suffering Frankl and his inmates endured during his time in the concentration camps all while outlining his thoughts on finding meaning in life. It’s a very humbling read. You can view my full review here.

Pedaling Revolution by Jeff Mapes

Although this book is somewhat dated now [over ten years old], this book is still a great introduction into the world of cycling, commuting, and transportation. Out of all the books I’ve currently read about cycling and transportation, this one does the best job of giving the reader a well-rounded look on urban cycling. Because of this, I can confidently recommend this to cyclists and non-cyclists alike. You can read my full review of Jeff's book here.

So there you have it, my top books from 2019. Happy reading!