Robert’s Reads – Christmas List 2024
My Top 10 list is going to be a bit skewed on subject matter this year due to all the work I’ve been putting toward my memoir, Millrat but I think you'll still enjoy it!
Over a decade ago, I was inspired when former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels released a reading list each holiday season during his time in office. As an avid reader, it motivated me to put together a few of my own from 2014-19, but I never created consistency year to year.
My Top 10 list for 2024 is going to be a bit skewed on subject matter due to all the work I’ve been putting toward my memoir, Millrat. I’ve finished 53 books so far this year (with several half complete). You can find older reads of mine on Goodreads.
Writing a book requires a LOT of research. For the memoir category, reading other memoirs is imperative to understand an author’s style and prose. I often joke that there should be a category called ‘millennial trauma memoir’ because of the number of books that have been released since J.D. Vance’s New York Times Bestseller, Hillbilly Elegy, in the summer of 2016. In addition, if you’re picking around in history, it’s best to use factual citations instead of recalling things purely from memory because if I have learned anything from The Invisible Gorilla or Thinking Fast and Slow, it’s incredibly fallible. Being attacked for “lying” because you don’t remember the exact time and date from a pop culture reference 30 years ago is annoying but a reality. Lastly, I highlight anything relevant in the book and then within a week, transcribe it into a notes app for future reference. I’ve used Ryan Holiday’s note card system in the past, but much like a traditional Rolodex, it did not travel well.
I’m a person that appreciates most subjects looked at from all perspectives so I hope this list inspires you to read more, approach thought provoking material that challenges your beliefs and helps you find fulfillment with each page turn.
Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob Henderson (2024)
This read is in the ‘comparable titles’ section of my book proposal (a business plan for selling a book). Rob’s memoir goes into untapped territory as he documents the rocky challenges of childhood he endured as part of the foster care system in America. He draws different conclusions as to what outcomes we should strive for as a country (family > education). The military gave his life order and purpose but his experiences at Yale led to his popular coining of the phrase “luxury beliefs” in 2019, an idea or opinion that confers status on members of the upper class at little cost while inflicting costs on lower class people. I’m thankful Rob sent me his book proposal and connected via a Zoom call to discuss his work and where our stories have a shared audience.
The Anxious Generation - Jonathan Haidt (2024)
While this is not a parenting book, I believe it is the most consequential book for parents in the 21st century. In my book, I coined the phrase ‘tech triad’ as the emergence of high-speed internet, smartphones, and social media but Haidt goes way deeper on how Americans went from a play-based to a phone-based childhood because of the false perception that the real world has become more dangerous than the digital one. Haidt correlates that to many of the mental illnesses we see in the youth today and differentiates how social media negatively impacts boys and girls. The book's last section offers practical advice for parents dealing with this challenging landscape, which requires collective action. If my dad were alive today, he would give this book five stars and say, “Get off your damn phone and get in the woods!”
Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women - Batya Ungar-Sargon (2024)
A narrative comprises interviews with working-class Americans of all races, political orientations, and occupations. They explain struggles and opportunities along with what policies might improve their lives regarding achieving the American Dream. The book includes reporting and deep data combined with expert opinion. Batya has had great interviews on American Compass and Aaron Renn podcasts, both of which I highly recommend.
Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture - Aaron Renn (2024)
Aaron is a thinker and cultural commentator based in Indianapolis. In this book, he reviews the history of Christianity and puts the faith into what he calls three phases: embrace, mere acceptance/tolerance to outright rejection in American culture. He offers guidance for churches, institutions and individuals on how to live faithfully without driving a one size fits all approach to being missionary engaged. I highly recommend subscribing to his Substack.
Between Two Trailers - J. Dana Trent (2024)
Written by a fellow Hoosier, Dana’s memoir details her childhood working for her dad as a preschool drug dealer. Both of her parents suffer from mental illness, which leads to her homelessness and bankruptcy. Dana moves to North Carolina, where she can truly never adapt to the Southern culture, given her past. Even after graduating from Duke University and becoming a Southern Baptist Minister, Dana learns the only way to make peace with her past is by returning home to Indiana.
The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes - Nancy Pearcy (2023)
I met the author during one of her speaking events on Capitol Hill. While the title is a bit ‘red meat,’ Nancy is able to use deep research combined with statistics and surveys to show that men who regularly attend church are the most loving husbands and engaged fathers, among other facts. In tandem, she can blow up some of the anti-male stereotypes that are cast on Christianity by the secular world.
The Gary Anthology - (various) Edited by Samuel Love (2020)
Belt Publishing puts out books with personal narratives and stories from around the Rust Belt. This book includes a collection of stories from various authors about my favorite city: Gary, Indiana. Civil Rights, union strikes, immigration of 50 ethnicities/races in its first 15 years, Magic City to deindustrialization to murder capital of the nation. It’s all in here with a positive theme that the city’s best days are still ahead. Enjoyed meeting editor Samuel Love during a recent visit home.
The PARA Method: Simplify, Organize, and Master Your Digital Life - Tiago Forte (2023)
A short and quick read with easy, actionable items on how to spend less time on email, sorting files, completing tasks, maintaining responsibilities, and the like. I compare this to the Eisenhower Matrix of ‘urgent’ and/or ‘important.’ I guarantee this book will help you spend less time organizing and spend more time doing the things you enjoy. Appreciate social media guru and fellow Barbell Logic client Thomas Frank for the rec.
This is my favorite subject and serves as an underlying theme in Millrat. During the 20th century, there were 6 million Blacks, 8 million Appalachians, but few have tracked another 12 million whites (some call them flatlanders) that migrated to the north, including my family. Gregory is able to talk about similarities and differences between the groups through the two major migration waves after World Wars I & II. The book gives us insight as to how the stereotype of ‘Hillbilly’ comes about through music/tv along with the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement. Those who internalize this book are best equipped to create a more perfect union.
I actually read this book in November of 2023 but was so impacted by it, I would be remiss if it were not included here. Patrick is a Bush Republican but often quotes David Shor, a Democrat data scientist and pollster. Their big data approach provides hard evidence as to the issues facing working class people, noting that they transcend religion and race, among other things. If you want to understand the 2024 Presidential election, this is by far the best place to start.
Bonus: Undoing Urgency: Reclaim Your Time for the Things that Matter - Ryan Matt Reynolds (2024)
This book comes out on December 10th. Barbell Logic CEO Ryan Matt Reynolds has been my personal strength coach for the past five years. All of the foundational principles and wisdom he has passed on to me is included in this read. Coach Reynolds applies those principles to his faith, family and community as well as his business and mentorship practices. His GAME Plan (Goals, Actions, Metrics, and Execution) allows one to apply the same approach to all aspects of life in their pursuit of value and joy. If you’re looking to increase your quality of life, spiritually, emotionally and physically, this is the book for you.