Below are some of the highlights of my readings for the first half of the year. As I’m always on a journey of knowlege of self-improvement, I enjoy delving in to a variety of topics. Society has pinned the individual as becoming an expert in one field, while neglecting the whole person, including the humanities and soft skills!

If you’ve been following my micro.blog (this site), you’ve noticed that the Bookshelves features allow me to post when I’ve completed a read. This is a culmination of those.

Who Knew by Barry Diller: A fresh read completed just yesterday! The biography of a media mogul who ran companies such as ABC, Paramount, Fox, QVC and more.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari: A thought-provoking, delving into the challenges of our current era.

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder: A crucial and vital read on safeguarding democracy.

Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence by James Clapper: Gaining insights from the accomplished intelligence professional who ran the ODNI and other agencies.

America’s New Map by Thomas P.M. Barnett: Exploring geopolitical shifts and their implications discussing free-trade, climate change, and international cooperation.

Beneath a Surface by Brad Sams: A deep dive into the intricacies of introducing and developing the Microsoft Surface, at the time, a new line of product.

Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror by Michael Hayden: Understanding the complexities of intelligence operations.

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams: A compelling narrative about ambition and its consequences at Meta and it’s various properties.

The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World’s Most Endangered Resource by Chris Hayes: A timely reflection on our most valuable resource.

The Gutenberg Parenthesis: The Age of Print and Its Lessons for the Age of the Internet by Jeff Jarvis: Connecting historical media shifts to our digital present.

The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity by Amy Webb: A critical look at the future of AI and its impact; highly focused on the United States vs. China.

From Cold War To Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia by Michael McFaul: Essential reading on modern international relations.

Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft’s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone by Satya Nadella: Inspiring leadership and corporate transformation.

The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology by Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel: Exploring the frontiers of synthetic biology.

Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment by Jason Schreier: A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the gaming industry.

Autocracy, Inc. by Anne Applebaum: A crucial examination of the rise of authoritarian regimes.

Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller: Understanding the geopolitical battle for semiconductors.

I’m currently reading two more titles, and hopefully I’ll find the time to keep it up through the remainder of the year! I will be looking forward to making a second half ‘25 post on what’s next.