The P2P Reading List (2023 July)
Read the best books first, otherwise you will find you do not have time.—Henry David Thoreau
There is no best book this month. July was strong; there are three. That being said, a best-of list is coming soon.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
With The Slow Regard of Silent Things A Kingkiller Chronicle Novella (The Kingkiller Chronicle), I am leaving the universe of The Name of the Wind for a while. Before that, I indulged in the gentle prose of this short piece, following the extremely uneventful life of one of the weirdest characters, Auri. Time gets stretched when we follow her while getting ready for his visitor. Then, her inner world opens up, reminding us that though things might seem weird from the outside, from the inside, they can look like the obvious thing to do.
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia
Peter Attia is one of the scientists/podcasters I admire for his efforts to decipher the newest science and communicate it to the broadest audience possible. Outlive is Dr. Attia's response to how to live a possibly long and healthy life, but this is not the (only) reason why I would recommend his book. It is because he aggressively reconsiders his earlier stance in light of new evidence—this is something everyone should do more often.
After a comprehensive but easy-to-understand monograph on how the new generation of medicine could look like, the last chapter puts an unexpected half-sweet—half-sour cherry on the top: by writing about emotional health, Peter Attia argues that to live long is worthless if there is nothing you could live for. That is: family, friends, kids, and a higher purpose. This is simple to state but not so easy to follow. Screw-ups are evident, but what matters is how you come out of them: life dealt serious blows to the author, who writes about those with cruel honesty—a character treat I value the most.
If you cannot self-reflect on what you screwed up, you cannot improve. It is not a sign of strength if you pretend to be infallible; but it is the highest form of courage to share your vulnerabilities to help others, and a bit yourself, too.
The Art of Ruling (Hungarian) by Bonaparte Napoleon
This collection of quotes opens the mind of one of history's most successful generals. It added shades to the picture I had of Napoleon, but I still could not overcome his seemingly insatiable hunger for more.
The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul
The second reason why I cannot name this month's best. Annie Murphy Paul guides us through research pinpointing how spaces, movement, and groups contribute to how humans think. It gave a few answers to why I can sometimes think the best while doodling in my notebook or walking. If you work with your mind, your reading list just got longer.
Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat
To add insult to injury, I also read Salt Fat Acid Heat, which shattered my preconceptions about what an exceptional book about gastronomy looks like. I am by no means a good cook (what am I joking about, I am not even a cook), but I have a great appetite for understanding how the world works.
Since my brother does magic in the kitchen, and multiple colleagues recommended Salt Fat Acid Heat, I delved into this unorthodox cookbook by Samin Nosrat. For me, not the recipes were the pinnacle, but the rather long preamble about the four essential ingredients of good cooking. In the author's words :
there are only four basic factors that determine how good your food will taste: salt, which enhances flavour; fat, which amplifies flavour and makes appealing textures possible; acid, which brightens and balances; and heat, which ultimately determines the texture of food.
What this book gave me was the language to talk about food. It is like lighting up a candle in the dark. You knew something was there, but now you can name it.
If you are interested in all the books that piqued my interest, you can also visit my Goodreads profile.