My wife, Hill, is big into goal-setting. And she spends significant effort convincing the kids and I to follow suit. I’m grateful for her encouragement to dream big! So, I wanted to share my goals for Nate’s Book Club this year:

  1. I hope to make Nate’s Book Club the best site to find a book to read. I plan to make the site easier to use and more functional to find great books of different genres. I’ll let you know when those updates occur.
  2. I want to get to 1000 subscribers. Currently I stand at 100 so I’ve got a ways to go and some work to do. If you love what you read each week, please forward this link to someone who you think might enjoy it.
  3. I plan to make the experience more interactive by selecting a book each month in advance so that readers know what I’ll be writing about (I know, super original idea…). I put a lot of time into finding great books and so far I’ve got nine that I’m very excited about.

I hope you will read along with me on every book and share your thoughts throughout the year. Here’s the list:

January – Die With Zero: Getting All You Can From Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins. This week Peter Attia said there are three books he read last year that changed his life in relation to his well-being. Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks, and Die with Zero by Bill Perkins. Given that Four Thousand Weeks was my book of the year for 2022 and I loved From Strength to Strength, and had written about both of them, I feel compelled to read the third. The podcast interview with the author was so interesting. Many times throughout our marriage Hill has accused me of over-saving and under-spending. According to Bill Perkins, she’s probably right (I know, big shock there)!

February – Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality by Tomiko Brown-Nagin. I love reading about black history and the Civil Rights movement. Constance Baker Motley was the first black female to argue a case in front of the Supreme Court (she argued ten). She clerked for Thurgood Marshall (absolutely one of my heroes) at the NAACP. She defended Martin Luther King in Birmingham, helped to argue Brown vs The Board of Education, and played a critical role in the fight against Jim Crowe laws in the south. Anita Hill said, “A must-read for anyone who believes that equal justice under the law is possible, and is in search of a model for how to make it a reality.”

March – The Wim Hof Method by Wim Hof. The three pillars of the Wim Hof method are Breathing, Cold Therapy, and Commitment. He teaches that his method will “reconnect us – to ourselves, to others, and to nature.” With hard work and dedication we can master our body and our mind. I’ve got a great start with deliberate cold exposure, so I look forward to taking it to the next level!

April – Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned by Brian McLaren. I’ve heard numerous references to Brian McLaren on different faith-related podcasts. I recently listened to one where they discussed this book and each of the ten reasons to leave or to stay. Sometimes I think we avoid confronting the ideas and information that challenge our most closely held beliefs because we fear what things will look like on the other side of that exploration. But can we truly be committed to a cause without going deeper? I love this thought from author and columnist, Jana Reiss, “This book gives me a map for finding what lies beyond – a Christianity that’s bigger, wiser, and more powerful than I dared to dream.”

May – A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. This is absolutely one of my favorite books. Amor Towles wrote a masterpiece. I can’t wait to listen to this one again.

June – Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia. I’ve mentioned Peter Attia before. His work and information on health span and longevity are excellent. He recently appeared in the Disney+ Series Limitless, with Chris Hemsworth (which I absolutely loved). I’m looking forward to having this book to help narrow down the most important aspects of longevity. I’m not sure how long I’ll live, but I want to be as healthy as possible while I’m at it.

July – How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion by David McRane. One of my good friends has focused much of his reading and study on critical thinking and challenging beliefs and opinions. This was his recommendation. We live in a world of strong opinions, biases and constant discord. I think it’s important to have the knowledge and tools to look at our own beliefs

August: Saving Yellowstone- Exploration and Preservation in Reconstruction America by Megan Kate Nelson. In 1872 the Yellowstone Act was passed and the world’s first National Park was created. Megan Nelson explores the complex realities that existed at the time and the protagonists who vied for control of the stunning land. I absolutely loved my visit a few years ago to Yellowstone. I was in awe at the majestic beauty of the land and I’m so grateful for the efforts that have been made to preserve all of our national parks.

September: Sapiens- A Brief History of Mankind by Yuval Noah Harari. I feel like I’m the only person who hasn’t read this book. It’s been recommended to me many times and I’m not sure why I’ve been hesitant. Possibly because I know it will challenge some of my beliefs. But I can put it off no longer and I’m looking forward to finding out what the hype is all about.

I still have three books to add for the end of the year. I’d love to hear of any suggestions you might have for consideration in the comments below.

 

  • Paul
    2 years ago
    The only link I could find to subscribe was in your post! Maybe place more subscribe links all over your website!! 😁😁
    • Nate
      2 years ago
      Yes! I need to make that more obvious. Thanks for your feedback. Thanks for checking out the site