Best Books This Year (2024)

Author

Curious Worldview
December 23, 2024

Jack laughs at the notion, but agree’s that this book is his final effort to ‘rescue the Mongols from their reputation as uncivilised marauders’.

Emperor of the Seas is the story of Genghis’s grandson, Kublai Khan. It’s written with same style and passion as ’Making Of The Modern World’. It’s wonderful, I interviewed Jack a few weeks ago. He is also shortly going to appear on Lex Fridman.

The story of Renaissance Technologies but told through the lense of it’s founder, Jim Simons.

The closest thing to a money printing machine ever assembled. I interview Greg a few weeks ago, that episode will be published in the new year.

Coincidently before all the nonsense of ‘Churchill being the chief villain of WWII’. I listened to this biography whilst camping out in Fårö this Summer.

Like him or loathe him, something undeniable about Churchill is he lived one of the most interesting lives in history. He was a quote machine, there likely hasn’t been a wittier author so prolific in the English language. His use of metaphor is astonishing.

Anything Andrew Roberts writes is amazing. I tried getting him for an interview, but was politely declined as he is working on another book.

One of my favourite interviews of the year, downstream of potentially my favourite book of the year as well. Gareth’s ‘Opus’ is remarkable.

It is the true unveiling of the catholic cult that is Opus Dei. Listen to the interview here or buy the book. But what makes it so good is that Gareth uncovered so much rich sourcing material that has otherwise never been accessed.

The most enjoyable read all year. Kudos to my mate in Australia who listens to the podcast and dm’d me with the recommendation. Aidan and I sorting out when we’re going to do an interview (it might be on his ranch in Kenya).

This is the autobiography of a prolific conflict journalist and story of belonging as an English man born to, raised in and worked throughout Africa his entire life.

The only fictional book to appear on this years list. Fictional probably only takes up 5% of my total reading, but Dune has changed all that. I’m in the deep end of Sci-Fi now and have a long list of books I’m eagerly anticipating for next year.

I think the movies are better, but the details the book shines upon the Bene-Gesserit make those parts of the book 100% better.

Listened to this over a sunny two day period it Sweden’s rural Hälsingland. Between kub, grilling and a bit of sjuströmming.

It’s the latest in the ever-winding Murdoch saga. Big recommendation.

Close listeners to the podcast will at this stage will recognise my affinity for Rory. After Brexit, the second biggest wound the UK has struck upon itself is to elect BoJo over Rory for PM in 2019.

But this book is unpolitical, it retells a journey Rory took walking across Afghanistan a week after 9/11. He was there the same age that I am now. And makes me feel like I should be doing more.

Books I Re-Visited

Bradley is the absolute man. I will read and listen to everything he does. Blood and Oil I’ve listened to three times now. The story of MBS and Saudi Arabia. It’s a 10/10. My interview with Bradley about this book will come out next Monday.

If only his Musk book hit the same. Walter’s job with the life of Steve and Apple stands this biography right up the top of Business Biography cannon.

Steve was a cunt, but man did he move the world.

I return to specific chapters in this book routinely. How cultures, government and a country respond to existential forks in the road told through 11 case studies. It’s amazing.

Hall of fame negotiation book. Chris joined the podcast earlier this year. I also wrote a very brief summary of the book.

Maybe my favourite interview this year. In January I spoke with Sam at this home in London about his book about Rhetoric. Ethos, Pathos, Logos and everything in between.

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