Thinking About Thinking

A couple of years ago, I switched off the radio during my daily commute and turned on audio books (through Audible). I’m usually in the car about an hour a day, and a typical book is about 10 hours. So, one book a month is more than reasonable. Here are my top 15 favorite audio books based on a mix of entertainment value, substance, and pure enjoyment. There’s not a huge delta between #1 and #15 – these are all worthwhile books to listen to.

1. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand: An epic story of survival that made me wish my commute wouldn’t end.
2. The Last Lecture, by Randy Jeffrey: I won’t lie – shed some tears during this one.
3. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua: Hilarious cultural memoir, not how-to parenting book.
4. No Easy Day, by Matt Bissonnette and Kevin Maurer: I felt like I was watching an action movie blockbuster.
5. The Everything Store, by Brad Stone: A total page turner about Jeff Bezos and the Amazon.com story.
6. A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson: I had no idea a book about a hike could be so entertaining and funny.
7. Crazy Love, by Francis Chan: A great reminder about what’s at the heart of the Gospel.
8. Bossy Pants, by Tina Fey: This book, read by Fey, is laugh out loud funny. Her comedy is genius.
9. How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie: Classic book with principles that stand the test of time.
10. Radical, by David Platt: A challenging and stark look at the Bible in light of the American dream.
11. Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg: Some really prescient observations that make it a worthwhile read.
12. The Locust Effect, by Gary Haugen and Victor Boutros: Powerful book revealing how violence impacts the poor.
13. Quiet, by Susan Cain: An eye-opening book on introverts, that all extroverts should read.
14. Money, Possessions, and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn: A biblical framework about money and giving.
15. Francona, by Dan Shaughnessy: I love “behind the scenes” books. This being about the Red Sox was a bonus.