Books Read in 2010

Although this year I’m focusing more on what I read than how much, it still looks like the number is going to grow at least close to last year’s 53. On this page, I am documenting the journey by listing books as I start and finish them. All links are affiliate links to Amazon (e-book links are affiliate links to the book authors’ web sites), so if you buy a book through them, I get a share. However, many of these books can probably also be found at your local library or BookMooch, too. You don’t have to spend much money unless you really want to!

And one more thing: this year, unlike last year, I am counting e-books as books. There are too many great e-books out there to be left out! And going paperless is the future, like it or not.

January

1. The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
2. Red Letters: Living a Faith That Bleeds by Tom Davis

February

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2. Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuck
3. Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin. I first listened to this book as an audio book. Twice. Then I ordered a copy from Amazon and am now reading it on paper so I can take notes.
4. A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
5. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan. This book changed the way I think about food.

March

1. Kotona maailmankaikkeudessa by Esko Valtaoja
2. Walking by Henry Thoreau

April

1. The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
2. In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré
3. The Art of Being Minimalist by Everett Bogue (e-book)

May

1. Olimme kuluttajia by Roope Mokka and Aleksi Neuvonen
2. Debt is Slavery by Michael Mihalik
3. Minimalist Business by Everett Bogue (e-book) Proven advice for starting your own minimalist business.
4. Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Not a quick read (and at points even a bit boring) but still absolutely worth reading and re-reading.
5. Simplify by Joshua Becker (e-book). An uplifting and inspiring guide to simplifying your life to make room for the things that really matter. I loved the chapters about becoming minimalist with children and about sticking to minimalism even after the first crush burns out.

June

1. Living the Simpler Life by Sam Spurlin (e-book). A refreshingly holistic approach to simplifying your life. I wouldn’t recommend this as your first e-book on minimalism, but a good read with many actionable steps nevertheless.
2. Jeesuksesta (Om Jesus) by Jonas Gardell (not available in English). A well written, objective yet extremely personal take on the historical Jesus and his role in Christianity.
3. Rework by Jason Friend and David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals founders share their business philosophy. I like it — a lot.
4. Essays in Idleness by Yoshida Kenko. Ancient Japanese wisdom, with a minimalist touch and surprising moments of humour. One of my favorites this year.

July

1. Enough: Breaking free from the world of more by John Naish A great, actionable book on the philosophy of enough. We need to start to apply these lessons NOW.
2. Tyylikkään köyhäilyn taito by Alexander von Schönburg (Not available in English, original German title “Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens. Wie man ohne Geld reich wird”) Witty, interesting book about how to live with less money, with style.
3. Kuoleman ja unohtamisen aikakirjat by Kari Enqvist (Only available in Finnish). A touching, humane book on life and death, and how we should appreciate what we know to exist for sure (instead of focusing on what happens in the afterlife).

August

1. Blindness by José Saramago
2. Kaikki pääsevät taivaaseen by Antti Kylliäinen (Only available in Finnish). When the book was published in 1997, it created a lot of buzz in the Finnish media and even more within the church (maybe not so surprisingly most people who complained about the book never read it). In the book, Kylliäinen, a pastor in the Lutheran church himself, explains among other things why he believes that God cannot be loving and almighty at the same time and how there is no hell. It’s a small book, but a good read if christian faith and its open questions are something you’re interested in.