I thought Educated by Tara Westover was a fascinating look at how people grow to have radical views when they're surrounded by people who hold those views (In Westover's family's case, survivalism, extreme Mormonism, and anti-governmentism).

“Design Is a Job” by Mike Monteiro.

“Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover.

The audiobook version of “The Martian” by Andy Weir is also great.

I also listen to a number of audiobooks about self-compassion and positive parenting.

For comparison, here is Goodreads readers' choice winners:

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2018

Overlapping books look to be:

- Circe

- The Kiss Quotient

- Educated

- Cravings: Hungry For More

- Children Of Blood And Bone

The Book Thief and Educated made realise how important is to have the freedom to learn and how improving yourself is never a waste of time.
Crucial Conversations improved my communication skills by 10x.
In terms of tech I really enjoyed The Unicorn Project. Made me realise how awesome our industry is and how easy you can make your work count.

Three standouts for me this year:

Educated - Tara Westover: Perhaps the best memoir I have ever read.

Killing Commendatore - Haruki Murakami. Japanese mystical fiction.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing - Hank Green. A really fun page-turner

Educated is also on both of their lists, and also my alumni book club's current book coincidentally. Maybe I should give that one a go myself, although the subject doesn't immediately draw me in for some reason.

The books:

1) Educated: A Memoir - by Tara Westover;

2) Army of None - by Paul Scharre;

3) Bad Blood - by John Carreyrou;

4) 21 Lessons for the 21st Century - by Yuval Noah Harari;

5) The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness - by Andy Puddicombe

Factfulness (2018) by Hans Rosling is fantastic about the real state of the world.

How the Internet Happened (2018) by Brian McCullough is a fantastic read about the history of the internet from first internet bubble to the iPhone.

Educated (2018) by Tara Westover is an amazing autobiography.

Enlightenment Now (2018) by Steven Pinker is pretty good, even if he doesn't know that much about the actual enlightenment.

Autonomy (2018) by Lawrence Burns about self-driving cars is well worth a read.

Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff is good about the very strange world inside the Trump administration.

Right now: "Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction" (Judith Grisel)

Recommend. Addict turned neuroscientist who doesn't hold back, so a good mix of gritty details—

> After I got sober, it took me a little over a year to go a single day without wishing for a drink, but it was more than nine years before my craving to get high abated.

—and science.

Before that: "Educated: A Memoir" (Tara Westover)

Recommend. A good break from typical non-fiction books: easy to read, sometimes thrilling, and emotional.

Before that: "The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America" (Margaret Pugh O'Mara)

Don't recommend. I really wanted to like this book, and I believe some of the themes are important and aren't often discussed. E.g., the support the Valley received from politicians, the lobby groups, the size of military spending back in the day…

It's possible my expectations were in the wrong place—I wanted to be inspired like with "The Idea Factory" (Jon Gertner), "The Soul of a New Machine" (Tracy Kidder), "Dealers of Lightning" (Michael A Hiltzik), etc.

The Design of Everyday Things makes me rethink every user interaction or problem I face, and not just at work. Every time I open a door, I begin to think about that experience.

Recently, Educated by Tara Westover, and in the past The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, both have taught me to approach individuals with the true ignorance of their lives that I have. You don't know where people come from and what life led them to where they are when you meet them. Try not to make assumptions. Additionally, I have to remind myself that I grew up loved, cared for, and privileged compared to so many other people.. the fact that I could read their story and post here is a testament to that, helps me try to stay down to Earth and that I had some advantages growing up that others did not.

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker... I used to be a chronic advocate for sleeping less until I read this and did my own scrappy post-research. I'm much more conscious of my health and my sleep now.

I could go on and on..

-Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker

-Educated By Tara Westover

-Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think — Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Ronnlund

-The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World — Melinda Gates

See https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/62787798-bill-gates?sh...

Hugely matters even from one block to the next - https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/06/raj-chett...

As for the American women Vs Saudi women question check out Tara Westover's book Educated (which Gates has also recommended). We are all usually and blissfully unaware of things we don't see even if they are happening right next door.