Best Reads of 2017

Jānis Lanka
4 min readNov 28, 2018

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I’ve never been a big reader — I recall rejecting the idea of reading a book (i.e. “The Wind in the Willows”) when my parents suggested this as better way to spend my time. In fact, my first voluntary reading was while in university — “Lord of The Rings” that I checked out all three volumes under my professor’s name so I wouldn’t incur late fees. Those books were ginormous! Start big, or go home! The last book I handed back after year and a half. With the movies augmenting my own imagination, I started to appreciate what books could bring to my life.

In 2016 I set an aspiring goal on Goodreads that I knew not how to achieve — complete 20 books. I did 21. Inspired by that, I set a goal of 20 books again for 2017, only to crush it with 26. Some with help from Audible. And before haters kick in, according to science (link) + (link), it’s not cheating. So, zip it! Shush! As long as I’m not saying that I READ a book. Anyhow…here I’d like to highlight top three books — something from a shelf of a fiction, something from a business, and something from a philosophy.

You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto

by Jaron Lanier

One of my best friends Jordan Espheter recommended it as we enjoy random conversations that cross philosophy, theology, technology, futurism, etc. He raved enough about it that I gave in, and downloaded an audiobook to be able to keep up with him. I distinctively remember walking to work and somewhere within 20 minutes into the book saying to myself: “what I’m hearing is so cool and deep that I want to enjoy this book. I must buy a physical copy.” So, I did.

I started with a mind that this book will go into the idea that technology, while prevalent, is nothing to compare to what we are as humans. Instead, a totally different perspective was presented exploring how the limitations of technology will possibly limit the development of human evolution.

“A self-proclaimed materialist movement that attempts to base itself on science starts to look like a religion rather quickly. It soon presents its own eschatology and its own revelations about what is really going on — portentous events that no one but the initiated can appreciate.”

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

Everyone spoke about this book, and it took me an announcement of the movie to pick this up and discover its worth. I have never dived into a book and finished it as fast as I’ve done with this gem. The nostalgia of 80s, the simplicity of language, the game, the past and the future, all intertwined together in a captivating story.

If you’re one of few who hasn’t seen the movie, read this book first. The movie, from what I’ve heard from a friend who was on their animation team, was an incredible challenge to work on — jamming all the most famous iconic cultural artifacts and seeking trademark / copyright permissions to showcase them in the movie. But read a book first and let your imagination create the world of 2044.

“I’m not crazy about reality, but it’s still the only place to get a decent meal.”

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age

by Dale Carnegie, Brent Cole

Was Carnegie Foundation a bit low of revenue to justify a rewrite of this classic? No matter what the true reasons are, this book is a great reminder to most of us that we have and will deal with people until the last day of our lives.

In essence, a book that has inspired millions of regulars (and people like Warren Buffet…was revised to address the fact that today our communication is a lot more multifaceted, micro, faster, immediate, instant. But that doesn’t change the underlying idea that to be successful and liked you must smile, listen, remember names, ask questions, and aim to leave each person you meet a bit better than before you met them.

“When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be.”

I often feel like recommending books is like recommending art — it’s very difficult to succeed because of our individual preference and styles. But I do feel strongly about these three ones being fairly universal and relatable. Give it a try. As for 2018, I’ve set a new lofty goal — 30 books. I found it import to do an annual weeding of my To Read list on Goodreads to purge books that I’ve found not relevant to my future journey. After all, even with 30 books, there needs to be some focus!

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Jānis Lanka

Building a better internet, one digital brick at a time.