The P2P Reading List (2025 June)
Read the best books first, otherwise you will find you do not have time.—Henry David Thoreau
High Functioning by Judith Joseph
Is it possible to feel down while performing well? Judith Joseph gives this feeling common to type-A pushers a name: high-functioning depression1. An eye-opening book about what it takes beyond achievement to have a full life.
Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson present a blueprint for politics on the left in the US, based on abundance: by fighting crises with more (housing, energy, etc). They argue that Democrats need to build more, both literally and figuratively. They are not shy in doling out harsh critique to the Democrats, showcasing how some of the crises in the US are caused by regulations enforced by Democrats.
The Uncontrollability of the World by Hartmut Rosa
Sociologist Hartmut Rosa dives deep into the drawbacks of the prevalent desire to control everything. It is not a coincidence that Mihály Csíkszentmihályi's flow or optimal learning environments require some randomness (uncontrollability, if you wish)-the same holds for how the most effective slot machines (or social media) are designed: by providing rewards randomly. If you know the outcome, it's not interesting. Pairs well with High Functioning.
Thanks to
from for the recommendation.Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Kelly Starrett
This is a book I wanted to read at the end of 2021, but I forgot about it, for my own peril. I had lower back pain already in high school from sitting too much-that got better when I started doing sports, but my approach was not rigorous.
As I chose biomechanics to be the theme of my reading and learning for this summer, I finally read (i.e., devoured) this book. Highly actionable, and surprising about some of the "ergonomics" craze I believed, with lots of actionable advice. Let's see how much sticks.
See also Andrew Huberman’s interview with the author here:
Going to Pieces without Falling Apart by Mark Epstein
A curious journey into the amalgam of psychotherapy and Buddhism. You need to read it, I cannot say much more.
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut
Many breakthroughs in science in the 20th century pushed our understanding to the limits. How do you grasp scales from atomic nuclei to black holes? Benjamín Labatut puts a fictional spin on the lives of the people behind the mustard gas and the fertilizer (this was the same guy), quantum physics, and mathematics. His prose will make you cringe at times; it is so visual and often quite dark. Pairs well with The Uncontrollability of the World.
If you are interested in all the books that piqued my interest, you can also visit my Goodreads profile.
This is very different from low-functioning, clinical depression!