Pub crawling with a nerd
As someone who is an equally embarrassing companion for both a teetotaler and a mixology student, I thought of going to an imaginary bar with an imaginary friend to seek some advise based on the books that came to my head. Can you guess who this preachy friend was? I took my first shot and just heard them yap, here is what they said last night-
Welcome to the literary version of a pub crawl! We’ll be hitting up all the bestsellers and business books that have influenced the world — but let’s do it with a twist! We’ll be cracking jokes, enjoying a pint or two, and not taking ourselves too seriously.
First up, let’s try some Atomic Habits. Not to be confused with atomic wings, but just as addictive. With this book, you’ll learn how to build good habits and break bad ones — kind of like how I built my habit of never saying no to another drink.
Next, let’s swing by the Lean Startup. Think of it like a lean cuisine, but for entrepreneurs. Eric Ries teaches us how to launch a business with as little waste as possible — unlike my last attempt at a food truck business, which ended up with a lot of wasted ingredients and a bad case of food poisoning.
Now let’s slow things down a bit with Thinking Fast and Slow. Daniel Kahneman’s book is a real mind-bender, teaching us how to avoid cognitive biases and think critically. But let’s be honest, after a few drinks, we’re all guilty of some fast thinking and questionable decisions.
Speaking of questionable decisions, let’s chat about Radical Candor. Kim Scott’s book teaches us how to give honest feedback in the workplace. But let’s be real, sometimes it’s better to keep our thoughts to ourselves and just smile and nod.
Moving on to Steve Jobs, the man who changed the tech game. But let’s not forget, he also wore those iconic turtlenecks — maybe he was onto something there? The book by Walter Isaacson takes us through Jobs’ incredible journey, from Apple to Pixar and beyond.
Ben Franklin is up next, but let’s not hold his kites and lightning rods against him. In his autobiography, he teaches us about self-improvement and entrepreneurship. Plus, he’s the only founding father who seems like he’d be fun to have a drink with.
Let’s turn to Freakonomics now, where we’ll learn how economics can explain everything from sumo wrestlers to drug dealers. Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner are basically the Mythbusters of economics.
If you want some tough love, The Hard Thing About Hard Things is the book for you. Ben Horowitz’s memoir takes us through the highs and lows of being a CEO. But sometimes, you just need to take a break, have a drink, and forget about work for a bit.
On to How to Win Friends and Influence People. Dale Carnegie’s book has been around since the 1930s, but the lessons still apply today. And if you can make friends while drunk, you can make friends anywhere.
Our Final Invention may sound ominous, but it’s actually a fascinating look at artificial intelligence and the potential dangers. Maybe we should all have a drink before the robots take over?
Liar’s Poker takes us to the wild world of Wall Street in the 1980s. Michael Lewis’ memoir is full of greed, deception, and — you guessed it — poker. But we’re just here for a good time, not a long time, right?
Born a Crime is Trevor Noah’s incredible story of growing up in South Africa during apartheid. It’s a testament to resilience, humor, and overcoming adversity. And who doesn’t love a good underdog story?
Jaya is Devdutt Pattanaik’s retelling of the Mahabharata, a Hindu epic full of gods, heroes, and epic battles. It’s like Game of Thrones, but with more elephants.
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is a classic guide to value investing. But let’s be honest, sometimes it’s easier to just invest in another round
I am still a bit hungover, with the wisdom of course!
