Things I read

Since they seem to really fill my now page, I figured I'd have a separate page to track the books I'm currently reading, or have recently read. I also thought this would be a logical place to list blogs I like to read.

Updated: 2026-05-27

blogs

Blogs I go to when looking for something inspiring or interesting to read.

• Derek Sivers
  • Probably my favorite thinker and writer.
• Seth's Blog
  • Seth is right up there, too.
• What the Fran
  • I have no actual facts on how this blog is "rated", yet I feel confident saying it's underrated. I don't read any blog daily, but every time I drop by here, there are multiple posts that just resonate hard. And not just the topics, but the voice and style of the writing/thinking.
• Imperfect
  • Probably the main attraction for me are the pro-AI perspectives. As someone who's a lot less pro-AI, I keep finding perspectives that challenge my thinking — in the best possible way.

books

my reading pile

Currently reading or to be read next, probably.

• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Sum by David Eagleman
• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
• 1Q84 trilogy by Haruki Murakami
• Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa (re-read)
• Influence by Robert Cialdini (re-read)
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (re-read)
• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

recently finished or DNF (+ quick thoughts)

Starting from most recent.

• After Dark by Haruki Murakami 😊
  • Not quite on the level of the three previous Murakami masterpieces I read, but nonetheless a very enjoyable, shorter example or Haruki Murakami storytelling at it's best. Might work as an easy-to-approach entry book for someone interested in his books?
• The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami ❤️
  • Yeah, I'm on a bit of a Murakami-binge right now, it seems. This was another masterpiece. Basically on par with, or at least very close to Kafka on the Shore. I love how Murakami writes about both the physical world and the "other world", and the connections between these two. Whereas Kafka on the Shore was more about metaphors, this was more about dreams and the subconscious.
• Normal People by Sally Rooney 😐
  • Not bad but a little disappointing. The premise was intriguing, but too many times the writing (dialogue) just didn't work for me. Maybe translation had an effect here, but too many times I just found myself "not believing" these are real people. The constant time skipping format, although interesting on paper, is probably not for me either. For me it would work better when used a bit more sparingly and intentionally.
• Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami ❤️
  • Wow. I think is my new favorite book. Reading it was such a unique experience, it's somewhat hard to put into exact words. Like experiencing a vivid dream; Everything makes sense when you're experiencing it, but as soon as you zoom out or try to understand or explain it with logic, you can't. That's OK. I think that's the point, if there is one. It's not a book to be understood, but to be experienced. The meaning is not given to you, it emerges within you.
• Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos 🤓
  • Might be the most interesting book about math I'll ever read. Probably because it's not so much actual math as it's about the history and practical, real-life meaning and implications of key mathematical concepts. Starting from the most basics, like how and why people think about numbers like we do, all the way to the concept of infinity.
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 😖
  • Never have I wanted to like a book so much, yet couldn't. Never have I wanted to DNF a book so much, yet couldn't. (I wanted to finish it so I'd earn my right to criticize it.) This book had a great premise / overarching theme, which was properly explored in one chapter, near the end of the book. Otherwise, story was boring as hell, nothing pulling me into the next chapter other than feeling obligated to continue. All characters felt completely intangible: either uninteresting, pointless, or both. The one that was supposed to have some human relatability, I guess, made absolutely no sense within the context of the story (looking at you, John). So glad I don't have to read or want to read this anymore. Now I would just want to ask from any of the many people praising this book: What makes this a good book for you?
• The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery ❤️
  • Got recommended to me. Came into not really knowing what to expect, and got completely hooked immediately. One of the very rare books that have made me laugh out loud, find myself in deep philosophical thought on one of the many great lines in the book, and at times, sad.
• Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey 🤨
  • The first ⅓ I was not really feeling it and was really close to DNF, but it was barely interesting enough to keep me going. The second ⅓ was awesome, and got me all hyped up again. Then the ending was really disappointing for me, which made me wish I had just stopped earlier. To me, the ending felt forced and was neither satisfying nor made sense story-wise.
• Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami ❤️
  • A masterpiece. For some reason it's referred to as a love story, which is a bit misleading. Without spoiling anything, it's about much more: the full range of colors in the complexity of life, death, people, and memories.
• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke ❤️
  • Mysterious, beautiful, and captivating read. Finished in two sittings. Instantly one of my all-time favorites. Best enjoyed by knowing as little as possible beforehand.
• Certified Beauties: More of Hockey's Greatest Untold Stories by James Duthie 😁
  • Fun, easy, and casual read. A collection of mostly fun (few sad) stories the world of hockey. Might actually be a fun read even for a non-hockey fan, to get a glimpse of how unique that world is. If you're a hockey fan, you should definitely read this.
• The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (DNF) 😣
  • I tried, but couldn't get through this one. Too much of an effort. This book needs someone to edit it into a more readable format. (Or perhaps I just wasn't interested enough at this time.)