My Book/Audio/Podcast List
INTRO
Throughout my life, I have come across many life-changing/inspiring books. Recently, I began exchanging book titles with friends. Below is a list of books that I have enjoyed and learned from over the years.
The books are divided into the following categories:
- Church (Essential Reads)
- Self Development
- Personal/Finance
- Corporate Finance/Programming
- Business
- Perspective/Interesting
- Historical
- Autobiographies/Biographies
- Medieval
- Early Colonial
- Westerns
- Fantasy
- Dystopian Society
- Sci-Fi
Church (Essential Reads)
Book of Mormon - A daily "must" read. This book will help you draw nearer to God than any other written book. It will change your life. It will give you the revelation you need in your day-to-day life. The book teaches of Christ, His Atonement, and how we worship Him. It gives a history of some of the civilizations that lived on the American continent and how Christ came and visited them. The Book of Mormon tells us why we are here, where we came from, and where we are going. It touches on the points of the Gospel of Jesus Christ such as faith, repentance, and baptism. It tells us to care for the poor and to serve. It gives powerful allegories such as the Parable of the Vineyard, The Tree of Life, and many more. The Book of Mormon tells us that God is a God of miracles and that if we pray to Him, He will answer. It shows us patterns in society, such as the dangers of the Pride Cycle. It foretells the Gathering of Israel in the Latter Days. It mentions the temple and the work in the Latter Days. It exhorts us to repent and prepare ourselves for when we come to the judgment bar of Christ.
New Testament - Talks about the doctrine and life of Christ. Important topics are discussed throughout the book. Touches on a lot of deep doctrine and about church history when Christ was on the Earth.
Old Testament - Every member should read this book cover to cover at least once in his/her life. Great understanding of other scripture and doctrine can come through reading this book. The books of Genesis and Jeremiah contain insightful topics.
Doctrine and Covenants - Important procedures and rich doctrine are discussed throughout this book.
Pearl of Great Price - Talks about the real history of the Garden and shows some of the character of our Heavenly Father.
Preach My Gospel - Plain and simple truths of the Gospel.
Jesus the Christ - In-depth look into the life of Christ. Walks through the premortal, mortal, and postmortal ministry of Christ.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith - A book that I believe is an essential read in understanding the depth of revelations the prophet Joseph Smith received.
Lectures on Faith - Great discourses on faith by Joseph Smith.
Greatest Sermons and Writing of Latter-Day Saints - This book contains the most popular sermons and writings of Latter-day prophets.
LDS.org - This is the greatest resource one can use. I have read countless talks and material that have shaped my gospel understanding.
Joseph Smith: The Prophet - If you want to have an in-depth study of the prophet and his life, this is the place to start.
Presidents of the Church - This audio book highlights the lives of every President of the Church.
Joseph Smith: The Prophet - If you want to have an in-depth study of the prophet and his life, this is the place to start.
Presidents of the Church - This audio book highlights the lives of every President of the Church.
Currently Reading- Discourses of Brigham Young, The Miracle of Forgiveness, The Infinite Atonement
Yet to read - Hugh B. Nibley Collection, Truman G. Madsen's ‘The Highest in Us’, The Power of Everyday Missionaries, In Tune, Divine Signatures, Hearing the Voice of the Lord, The House of Our Lord
Self-Development
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - GRADE:A++ Essential read on relationships. I am planning on re-reading this book throughout my life.
Grit - GRADE:A++ Angela Duckworth shows the power of grit and its correlation to success. It reinforces the concept of how perseverance and hard work can overcome intellect and talent. Also gives great perspective on parenting and how to implement grit into one's own life.
The 5 Love Languages - GRADE:A Very insightful book that is great at identifying effective communication methods in relationships.
How Will You Measure Your Life - GRADE:A- Great read about formulas in business that apply to personal life.
How To Win Friends and Influence People - GRADE:B Reinforces great principles about how to treat people.
The Wisdom of Oz - GRADE:A Talks extensively about the principle of personal accountability and what attributes are associated with it. The book goes over the results pyramid, which is one of the most powerful models in interpersonal relationships one can use.
Leadership and Self-Deception - GRADE:B+ Great way to think about your relationships with others.
Ego is the Enemy - GRADE:C+ Great book that helps one examine him or herself and has great solutions on how to act and think about things. Has a little bit of language, including an F bomb.
Extreme Ownership - GRADE:A Great book that drives home the principle of taking ownership in every aspect of one's life. This book was written by Jocko Willink, a Navy SEAL platoon leader who fought in the Battle of Ramadi. My brother trained at his MMA gym for a year.
The Art of Learning - GRADE:C- The author writes on his life experiences with chess and Jiu Jitsu.
Tim Ferris (Podcast Series) - GRADE:B Great way to explore different topics, hobbies, interests -- can get crude in some episodes so you will want to read the descriptions before.
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre - Grade:A This book is the best gardening book.
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre - Grade:A This book is the best gardening book.
Currently Reading As A Man Thinketh, English Grammar Boot Camp
Yet to Read Good Leaders Ask Great Questions
Personal/Finance
Total Money Makeover - GRADE:A+ A must-read for all my friends about the basics of personal finance. Talks about getting out of debt, staying out of debt, and planning for your financial future.
The Five Mistakes Every Investor Makes - GRADE:A Reinforces over and over not to time the market, and to nail down your investing strategy the right way.
Corporate Finance/Programming
How to Become an Investment Banker - GRADE:A Goes over key accounting terms and breaks down how to create financial models.
Financial Modeling & Valuation - GRADE:A Takes you step by step in Excel-based financial modeling. A must-read if teaching yourself how to create financial models and valuations.
Learn Python the Hard Way - GRADE:B Recommended to me by my teacher at Dev Bootcamp, this book helps one learn how to code using Object Oriented Programming in Ruby.
Excel 2016 Power Programming with VBA - GRADE: C Teaches one how to code in Visual Basics (I use it as a reference guide).
Practical Object Oriented Programing in Ruby - GRADE:A Great introduction to Object Oriented Programming using the medium of the Ruby language.
Practical Object Oriented Programing in Ruby - GRADE:A Great introduction to Object Oriented Programming using the medium of the Ruby language.
Business Books
Secrets of Closing the Sale - GRADE:A+ Key in sales and personal relationships. Great one-liners and a must-read for any marketer.
Tribes GRADE:A - Very great analysis on how the market works and how to break into a niche market.
The Book on Managing Rental Properties GRADE:A Great book on what to do if you own a rental property. Provides helpful resources.
The Personal MBA GRADE:B - Encyclopedia of business concepts. Great reference tool.
Predictive Analytics - GRADE:TBD Goes over how productive analytics will affect business/the future.
Currently Reading - The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need, The Personal MBA, Rich Dad Poor Dad
Yet to Read – Good to Great, Venture Deals, Pitch Anything
Perspective/Interesting Books
Mere Christianity - GRADE:A+ C.S. Lewis at his finest.
The Alchemist - GRADE:B+ Great symbolic book that follows the life of a boy shepherd and his journey that starts when he meets a man called Melchizedek. Talks about his life journey and aspirations.
The Millionaire Next Door - GRADE:A Profiles millionaires and how they live more frugally than one would expect.
Outliers - GRADE:B+ Malcolm Gladwell dives into what makes great people great.
The Next 100 Years - GRADE:A Insightful book that talks about trends in society that lead to a number of theories on how the geopolitical world will shape, how technology might go, and the possible political revolutions could take place.
Currently Reading – An Economic History of the World Since 1400
Historical Books
The Constitution- GRADE:A++ The founding document of our country.
Common Sense- GRADE:A++ Book by Thomas Paine that talks about the infractions brought about by King George. In the pamphlet/book, Paine lays out the definition of a tyrant.
Dan Carlin Hardcore History (Podcast Series) GRADE:A+++ The best teacher on history I have ever come across.
1776 - GRADE A An inspirational analysis of the revolution that made me realize how miraculous the events of the founding of this country were.
1776 - GRADE A An inspirational analysis of the revolution that made me realize how miraculous the events of the founding of this country were.
The Republic - I am halfway through reading this book. It has been very enlightening learning about how people must have thought during Ancient Greek times and the philosophy behind their idea of government.
Currently Reading – The Republic, Art of War, Essays –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Autobiographies/ Biographies
Education of a Wandering Man GRADE:A An autobiography on Louis L'amour and his amazing life. Dives into his history, upbringing, experiences, what he learned, and how he viewed the world. Great perspective and a read you won't regret.
Elon Musk- GRADE:C- Stopped reading a couple of hours early, due to language. Other than that, fascinating biography on Elon which talks about his South African roots, his family history, and his aspirations to not only go to Mars, but to settle and terraform the planet.
The Immortal Irishman: B+ This book is about Thomas Mar and and his life starting in Ireland as a revolutionary and how he became a hero in the US Civil War. Fascinating life. A little explicit in some areas.
Yet to Read – To the Rescue, Alexander Hamilton
Fiction
Medieval
The Walking Drum - GRADE:A Such a classic and adventurous novel. Would recommend to anyone. All-around great.
The Samurai’s Tale - GRADE:A Great short book on what life might have looked like in Feudal Japan. I read it as a teenager and loved it.
Early Colonial
Fair Blows The Wind - GRADE:A++ Just love this book. It is about an Irish boy who escapes the English who just tried to kill his family and finds himself in England. He meets a Scotsman who teaches him the sword. As a wanted fugitive, the Irish boy plans to make his way to the New World to start a new life.
Westerns
Sacket Series – GRADE:A Great series about a family from the British Isles that makes their way to America and conquers untamed land. Spans two centuries.
Son of a Wanted Man – GRADE:A Great story, very original and classic. It talks about how a boy was taken in and raised to be an outlaw gang leader.
The Iron Marshall – GRADE:B Surprisingly good story about a city boy who turns Western Marshall and turns around a town.
Bowdire – GRADE:C Unmemorable.
The Riders of High Rock – GRADE:B+ Great characters and story.
Kid Rodelo – GRADE:C+ Surprisingly better than I would have thought.
North to the Rails – GRADE:C
Chancy – GRADE:C+
The Man from the Broken Hills – GRADE:B+
Milo Talon – GRADE:B+
KilKenny – GRADE:B+
Guns of the Timberlands – GRADE:C+
Flint – GRADE:A+ A great story about a guy who can do anything. He has you rooting for him throughout the book.
Matagoda – GRADE:C
The High Graders – GRADE:B+ Classic Western story told really well.
The Quick and the Dead – GRADE:B
Borden Chantry – GRADE:B+
Brionne – GRADE:C+
The Man From Skibbereen – GRADE:C+
Kiowa Trail - GRADE:C
Dark Canyon – GRADE:B+
Radigan – GRADE:B
The Riders of Lost Creek – GRADE:A
Last Stand at Papago Wells – GRADE:C-
Fantasy
The Riyra Revelations: Theft of Swords – GRADE:A Really enjoyed reading this book. One can tell the author is holding back a little bit. The story gets really interesting by the second half of the book.
The Riyra Revelations: Rise of Empire – GRADE:A Love this book. Great character/plot development. Royce and Hadrian make a great team.
The Riyra Revelations: Heir of Novron – GRADE:A++ This series' ending is perfect. The third book makes up for the slow start. The chemistry with the main characters is perfect, and Michael J. Sullivan pulls off an epic tale.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - GRADE:A Fantastic start to an epic series.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - GRADE:A
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - GRADE:A
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - GRADE:A
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - GRADE:A+ This is my favorite book of the series.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - GRADE:A
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - GRADE:A
Ranger Apprentice series - GRADE:B+ Will and Halt make a great duo. Great teen book to read. Will make sure to secure for my kids to read if they wish.
The Seventh Tower Series - GRADE:B I read these in middle school and remember really enjoying them.
Brother Band series GRADE:C – Interesting, but not essential.
Stormlight: The Way of Kings - GRADE:B+ Hard to keep track of all the story lines, but still a great read. A little long.
Stormlight: Words of Radiance - GRADE:B+ Progresses nicely. A solid book overall.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe GRADE:A A must-read for kids. It is very captivating and symbolic.
Prince Caspian - GRADE:A— A-must read for kids. It is very captivating and symbolic.
The Shadow of What Was Lost GRADE: B The writer had to take some time to find his groove, but it was entertaining.
An Echo of Things To Come GRADE:B+ This second installment makes this series entertaining.
Sins of an Empire GRADE: A Great all around. Great writer. If you want, you can go back and read the original books, though they were a little too much for me.
Mistborn Trilogy GRADE:B Really came together at the end of the series. Sometimes it drags on. Overall entertaining, but was not for me.
LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring GRADE:A- Classic must-read.
LOTR: The Two Towers: GRADE:A- Classic must-read.
LOTR: The Return of the King GRADE:A- Classic must-read.
Inheritance Cycle - B- Well Written, not essential though.
Wheel of Time Books 1 & 2: B+ Good first two books but decided to stop cause I didn't like direction author was going.
Currently Reading - Wheel of Time series
Inheritance Cycle - B- Well Written, not essential though.
Wheel of Time Books 1 & 2: B+ Good first two books but decided to stop cause I didn't like direction author was going.
Currently Reading - Wheel of Time series
Dystopian Society
The Giver – GRADE:A A story that illustrates the importance of the individual in the midst of a twisted society.
Hunger Games: The Hunger Games – GRADE:B A thought-provoking start to a series that explores what life would be like as a second-rate citizen that had to pay for its community's past mistakes.
Hunger Games: The Hunger Games – GRADE:B A thought-provoking start to a series that explores what life would be like as a second-rate citizen that had to pay for its community's past mistakes.
Hunger Games: Catching Fire – GRADE:B
Hunger Games: Mockingjay – GRADE:C+ I did not like the story as much, but the redemptive quality portrays that you can never entrust power to a mere man.
Fahrenheit 451 -B- Talks about burning certain books that don’t agree with a certain society.
Maze Runner: The Maze Runner – GRADE:C Entertaining at best, but not essential to read.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – GRADE:C Entertaining at best, but not essential to read.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure - GRADE:C Entertaining at best, but not essential to read.
The Among the Hidden Series GRADE:C – Has a great start, but as the series continues it turns out to be very disappointing.
Sci-Fi
Jedi Apprentice Series - A+ Read these in Elementary school. Well written, with great morals.
Steel Heart - GRADE:C+ Different type of writing that is, at the very least, entertaining.
Steel Heart - GRADE:C+ Different type of writing that is, at the very least, entertaining.
Firefight - GRADE:C+ Different type of writing that is, at the very least, entertaining.
Calamity – GRADE:C+ Different type of writing that is, at the very least, entertaining.
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