Edward J. Larson examines the election of 1800 in deep detail in this engrossing history. The minute battles between John Adams’ Federalists and Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans are covered. This is a fascinating look into the early history of the United States and Larson writes the story in approachable style.

Grade: A-.

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Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the two founders of web application company 37signals, chronicle their unconventional ideas about entrepreneurship and innovation in this incredibly inspiring book. In sensible axioms and insightful explanations, they describe how to break the rules, defy the status quo, and build a successful, agile company.

Grade: A+.

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Barbara Sher delivers a practical guide about setting goals and creating a path to achieving them in this well-written, approachable book. She takes us through defining a target and breaking through the different types of resistance that stand between our present circumstance and the realization of our life’s passion.

Grade: A.

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Hiro Protagonist, a swordfighter, and YT, a young female skateboard Kourier, team up to investigate Snow Crash, a virtual reality narcotic. Full of rich symbolism and cues from ancient Sumerian mythology, this chaotic novel has an absurd tone, linguistic virus, and a rich menagerie of characters, groups, organizations, and challenges.

Grade: A-.

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Geoff Colvin provides an in-depth examination of skill acquisition in this book, full of practical advice for individuals and organizations. Through deliberate practice and focused effort, talent shortcomings can be overcome, but only if passion for the goal is high. This useful examination is worthy of multiple careful reads.

Grade: A.

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In this novel set in Italy during World War I, American ambulance driver Lt Henry falls for a British nurse, Catherine Barkley. Their budding relationship is hampered by the ongoing war and Henry’s escape from the army. This wonderful novel follows an unlikely romance through war to a tragic conclusion.

Grade: A.

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Dr. Herbert Benson and William Proctor offer a self-improvement book that promises a panacea, a method of enhancing creativity, athletic performance, and personal self-actualization. Unfortunately, when they’re not wallowing in spiritual mumbo jumbo, they’re laboriously revealing ideas that have been better covered in practically every other similar book.

Grade: D+.

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This classic Pulitzer-winning coming-of-age story focuses on two friends, Gene and Finny, at an exclusive New England preparatory school in the early days of World War II. The push and pull of their friendship and the sometimes seething competition between the boys leads to a tragic accident.

Grade: A.

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Larry McMurtry recounts his memories as a writer, teacher, and bookseller in this short rambling memoir that frequently wanders on tangents and lacks a cohesive focus. The book reads like a complaint about the fact that his work isn’t always reviewed or respected, despite a Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar.

Grade: C-.

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Santiago, a young Spanish shepherd, follows his personal legend across the Sahara to Egypt, facing poverty, sandstorms, and warring desert nomads. This short endearing allegory shows how a grand adventure to follow one’s dreams yields unexpected treasures and that hardship is a small price to pay for finding one’s destiny.

Grade: A+.

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