My Top Books of 2015

One of the most important changes in my life over the last 10 years is trying to carve out some time every day to do some reading. My parents used to do this every evening when I was growing up. I have never been able to read in the evening. But I try to start my day with 15-30 minutes of reading. These were my top 3 favorite books from 2015 as well as a list of other books I enjoyed.

1) The Innovators by Walter Isaacson -- this was my favorite read of the year. It connected a lot of dots for me about the development of this machine I am writing on right now and the internet. I loved it, and I read it all on my iPhone -- mostly while waiting in line. I am not sure if that is truly to be bragged about, but an interesting way to squeeze a relatively long book into a busy life. The book is filled with stories of the somewhat lesser known luminaries of the tech revolution. My favorite story is that of Robert Noyce -- founder of Intel. A true golden boy from rural Iowa, he was thrown out of Grinnell College for a wild party but returned a year later more mature, more focused and went on to become a billionaire. A great story for parents of this era who worry that their kids dumb decisions will ruin their lives. Noyce proves they can recover and still change the world!

2) How Bad Do You Want It by Matt Fitzgerald -- the subtitle to this book is "Mastering the Psychology of Mind Over Muscle" which I think is a little misleading because it sounds like the book is heavy on science. The book is a series of stories about athletes who in one way or another produce performances that are beyond what anyone would expect of them. This was my second favorite book of the year, and I bought additional copies to give to coaching friends. To me the greatest lesson of sports is the ability through work and determination to create a performance beyond anything you thought you could do. This book illustrates just how much better we all can be. Read it!

3) Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson -- if I was to recommend one book that everyone -- coaches, athletes, teachers, parents, etc -- should read in the next year, it is Just Mercy. Being married to an English teacher, I have some good contacts at the Winnetka Book Stall and early in 2015, one of the sales people at the Book Stall stopped my wife Kathy, and was told she had to read Just Mercy as it was the most important book in store. Kathy then told me to read it and I initially ignored her until an early morning phone call from a long time coaching friend -- Tim Beach. Tim and Kathy are friends too but their reading habits are quite different. Tim, though, said I had to read Just Mercy. When people as different as Tim and Kathy agree one book is super important to read, you read it. Just Mercy was one of the most painful reads of the year. It will make you cry, and I am not crying kind of reader. Bryan Stevenson will also be at North Shore Country Day to speak this spring.

Here were other books I read this year

Loving Learning by Tom Little and Katherine Ellison -- this was the book our faculty read this summer. It is about the Park Day School's work on progressive education. It made me think a lot about why an athletic program is an important component to a progressive educational program.

The Art Of Learning by Josh Waitzkin -- the author was a chess prodigy. He also became a Tai Chi world champion. He writes about his true talent which he believes is as a learner.

Thrive by Ariana Huffington -- a self help best seller. Huffington collapsed physically starting the Huffington Post and that led her to re-evaluate what is most important. She shares her lessons.

Johnny Cash By Robert Hilburn -- definitely one of the greatest American singer song writers and one of my favorites. This is a very dark portrayal of an exceptional talented person who had a lot of demons. Another good lesson that truly exceptional battle with their own issues. Maybe its best to be average.

80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald -- The great debate in distance running training is about volume and intensity. This book focuses more on the issue of intensity and that regardless of volume, our training should be a mix of approximately 80% relatively relaxed paces and 20% a combination of harder paces -- with some tweeks based on key upcoming races.

Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar -- a great book to read if you think you are having a bad day. This is the story of the Chilean Miners stuck in the earth. It is an amazing story of both how the miners kept from going crazy and how the people above them figured out how to save them. The book redefines what a bad day really is.

Which Comes First Cardio or Weights by Alex Hutchinson -- a must read for all those interested in sports science.

Missoula by John Krakauer -- a very sad chronicle of all that is going wrong in higher ed and the issue of campus rape focusing on one campus - the University of Montana.

What Makes Olga Run by Bruce Greirson -- close to being one of my favorite reads of the year. Its a book about aging and remaining an athlete and what science can tell us all through the life of Olga Kotelko a 90 year old champion.

David Hemery Another Hurdle -- David Hemery was once the greatest hurdler on the planet. This is his autobiography. He grew up and was partially educated in the US but is British. So the combination of both the training and influences from both sides of the Atlantic was particularly interesting.

What Do You Do When It Is Your Turn by Seth Godin -- a challenging series of short essays on creativity and persistence and what it takes to find your voice. As usual an inspiring read from Godin.