My Best Books of 2022

With 2022 coming to an end its a good time to look back at the seven best books I read in 2022. I love reading, it's one of my favourite hobbies and a great way to unwind at the end of a work day or on a weekend, while still learning something new, expanding your understanding, or challenging your existing ideas.

The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1982116676?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

I'll start with this one because it was my favourite read of the year. A wonderfully detailed and vibrant retelling of the events that led to the Battle of Actium, a pivotal moment in the formation of the Roman Empire. The battle at Actium and the manoeuvring and battles that lead to it are some of the most important events in western history, as they directly lead to the formation of the Roman Empire under Augustus. However, they are not well now and it's great to have a book dedicated t the topic.

Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1250275814?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

An excellent dissection of the art and science of finding talented individuals. Based heavily of research, this books provides a wealth of practical tips and strategies that can be used right away in your own business.

With a worker shortage well documents being able to identify and attract talent is more imporant than ever.

Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0465019595?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

Brad DeLong's wonderful economic history of the 'long twentieth century', from 1870 to 2010, that saw human wealth, health and standards of living explode to unimaginable levels. The book breaks down how this unprecedented explosion of wealth occurred, how it transformed the world, and why it failed to deliver us to utopia. It shows the last century to have been less of a march towards utopia and more  a slouch in the right direction.

This books covers so much ground its unmissable. It's important to know how we got here, so we know where we are going.

Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1984881574?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

Another practical book that looks at the root cause of conflict between gangs, parties, or nation states and what causes them to explode into violence. This books took on extra relevance with Russias invasion of Ukraine and provides a great framework for understanding the thought process that led Russia to take what to a rational observer seems like an insane step, invading Ukraine.

Best of all its a hopeful book, providing detailed and practical advice on how to work around or avoid each of the avenues that lead to violent conflict. The strategies to avoid conflict can be applied in your day to day business dealings as well.

The Price of Time: Interest, Capitalism and the Curse of Easy Money

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0241569168?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

Another very timely book that cover the history of low interest rates. Over the centuries whenever interest rates have collapsed and money was too easy, financial markets have become unstable. This book runs through the history of interest rates and takes a detailed looks at the distortions that ultra low interest rates cause and especially, the bubbles that are created and the productivity destruction that occurs from ultra low interest rates.

It's an important book to read an understand as the world economy recovers from the low interest rates cycle of the last two decades so that we don't make the mistake of ultra-low interest rates ever again.

Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1800750544?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

This books deals with an important cultural issue that has snuck up on Western society and it not getting enough play in the wider discourse, the deterioration of outcomes for boys and men, especially those in lower socio-economic demographics.

The books relies heavily on research, but it is conveyed in a simple and understandable format that is easy to follow. And, like all good books in this space, this one provides actionable steps that individuals and policy makers can take to being to resolve the issue.

The War on the West

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0063162024?ref=x_gr_bb_amazon

Another important book given our times, that discusses the current trend in western countries to demonise our own culture and ignore the shortcomings of others. While I don't really agree with all of the authors positions, and he goes too far at points, it's always good to read books that expand your range and challenge the position you already hold.

Given the many wonders that western democracy has brought the world, and the march these countries have made towards freedom and equality, it's important western institutions are defended. While it's obvious that western nations still have shortcomings and challenges to tackle, we've come a very long way, and that progress should be a focus that is celebrated. This books is an entertaining and incisive takdown of some of the extremes of anti-western sentiment.

Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World

Talent is the result of a collaboration between economist Tyler Cowen and Venture Capitalist Daniel Gross and it reflects their careers with a focus on how they both go about finding talent in their respective careers. While a lot of the advice is still worthwhile for those hiring for their business, expect to be doing some selective application of the ideas in the book.

Talent provides some brilliant practical advice, with detailed ideas for running interviews, an interesting section on optimising interview questions with examples, and a timely guide to interviewing remote candidates. I particularly liked one of the proposed interview questions “What are the open tabs on your browser right now?” as a clever way to get an insight into how a candidate uses their free time and what is interesting to them.

I was also particularly fond of the chapters on Disability, Women, and Minorities, which highlight the benefits that can accrue to an organisation through a more diverse workforce. They also provide practical tips on how you can modify your talent search and hiring process to better accommodate more diverse candidates. This is an area that is underexplored in other books I’ve read on this topic so I especially appreciated it here.

Unfortunately, Talent also strayed off into more philosophical territory that’s less valuable. In particular, it spent far too much time exploring the five-factor theory and its dubious benefits.

Talent is petty short and I appreciate that way it avoids lengthy diversions into stories and examples. These appear far too often in ‘advice’ style books and make the books longer than they need to be. It was a bit of a slug to read, with some dense sections that hammer on a point longer than I thought was necessary.

Overall Talent is a useful book that I would recommend to anyone involved in the hiring process or who has interested in improving their ability to spot talent. It’s a quick read and had more than enough valuable ideas to make it worthwhile.