6 Most impactful books I read in 2024.
And Other Favourites.
14th February 2025, 3:27 PM. Greetings from Patna (India). How’s 2025 treating you so far?
Today I bring you the Ultimate 2024 book recap. My goal was to read 100 books, but I was just able to get to 92, including the books I reread. And It’s fine.
My plan for 2025 is to reduce this to 50 books, allowing myself to completely soak up the idea and not rush through it.
There are two types of books:
One that requires action to see the results.
And then there’s another type: books that challenge you and make you look at the world in a different way. These books don’t require action; they inspire action.
Just by virtue of reading them, your life doesn’t remain the same; it might not make a big difference, but it sure does, almost like a software update.
I read over 90 books this year, and only 6 left a mark on me.
(#-1) The Third Door by Alex Banayan.
This book was on my shelf for a long time until I eventually got around to reading it, and I was like, “Damn, that’s so good,” and it ended up becoming my all-time favorite non-fiction book I’ve ever read.
It’s sort of a memoir where Alex writes about his journey from being a pre-med student feeling like something was wrong with his life to trying to uncover how most successful people like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, & Steven Spielberg kickstarted their careers by interviewing them.
He realizes there are three doors to something.
(i) The normal crowded door with a long line.
(ii) Door for VIPs so they just bypass the line.
(iii) The backdoor, Down the alley that no one talks about.
And most successful people you can think of probably used the third door, making their way in unconventionally.
The fact that Alex interviewed and met so many people I admire throughout the book and uncovered so many cool stories about them made this book my all-time favorite. Tim Ferris, Stephen King, Warren Buffet, Elliot Bisnow, Steve Wozniak—you name it, they are going to be there! And on top of that, so many stories from these people that will nearly make you think about it for years to come.
And then there’s the 5-page acknowledgement that I guarantee will make you cry.
(#-2) The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.
Ali Abdaal Praised it on his newsletter. Mark Manson Quoted it in his video. Matthew Dicks praised it on his daily Blog. That Was it. I knew I had to read this book.
Johan argues that social media has increased mental illness problems among teenagers and tweens radically. He cites so much research to back it up that there’s around a hundred pages of notes and references in the back of the book.
No surprise, this book took the world by storm and became an overall sensation among policymakers in the U.S.A. and around the globe.
And what shocked my earth was how much social media has affected girls more than boys. There’s a breathtaking difference between them. I was like, How is that even possible? Well, the book has answers to that too.
And the book has laid out a framework on how we should fix this problem as parents.
(#-3) Never Enough by Andrew Wilkinson.
This book is the memoir of Andrew Wilkinson and his Barista to Billionaire Journey. James Clear said, “This book is like going to Buisness school and therapy at the same time,” and I couldn’t agree more.
If you are the kind of person who hates billionaires, I’ll tell you what: by the end of the book, you’d have no reason to hate Andrew Wilkinson.
And it’s going to change how you look at money yourself.
This book is just... I don’t even have words. It’s incredible, and it’s beautifully written.
If you like memoirs as much as I do, you are probably going to fall in love with this book.
(#-4) Everything is Fu*ked by Mark Manson.
First things first. If you don’t know who Mark Manson is, he is the guy who wrote The Bright Orange book that you have probably seen in the book stores called “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fu*k,” selling millions of copies.
Everything is Fu*ked It’s his second book, and I think it’s just as good, but it’s a little too controversial with Sections Like How To Start Your Own Religion and lines like God Is Dead, and arguments like humans would be better off with AI Ruling them, “AI Gods,” as he called it. You need to read the book to understand it all and if you are not biased, you’ll clearly see why he is right.
I mean He is Mark Manson, he is not going to leave you thinking what you want for dinner, he might as well make you forget about the dinner.
The theme of the book is hope and how it is the cause of all misery and good in the world. I never realized Hope had a deskside too.
(#-5) How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury.
I’m not a hopeless romantic, but this book changed everything I knew about dating and finding your true love in general.
It isn’t your typical dating guide listing green flags and red flags; the whole thesis of the book is basically throwing away the flags and your own preferences too.
And if you think you shouldn’t have to buy a book on love because love is natural, you fall in love and not think your way to it. You really need this book. Because love is natural, but dating isn’t.
This book has debunked a lot of misconceptions around dating and a lot of mistakes we all tend to make that cost us finding our best possible partner. Spoiler Alert: Disney Lied to us.
Very, very interesting book. If you are in your dating phase, this book should be your bible for finding your partner. And even if you aren’t, how often do we really run out of people who need dating advice?
(#-6) Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood.
18-year-old Mallory finds herself defeating the sitting world champion, Nolan Sawyer (21 years old), in a random charity tournament in which her best friend dragged her. That led to an incredible rivalry and slow-burn romance between two players in the backdrop of Mallory rediscovering her love for chess.
First of all: This book is hilarious; the plot is just perfect, and I’m in love with all the characters involved. Expect The Antagonist, off-course.
And this book made me fall in love with chess.
For someone who isn’t not even decent at a single outdoor sports, and hasn’t played any mobile or PC game in last two years, discovering the love for chess has done a massive improvement in my life.
Other favorites from 2024.
(in no particular order)
That’s it for today, Folks.
I hope you had something to take away from this article. Have you read any of these books? Please share your thoughts in the comments, and book recommendations are most welcome.
Your Friend
~ Abd Sid.