Books and Records - March ‘24
A little peak into what I have been reading and listening to this month
A lot of people love getting recommendations on what to read, listen to, or watch from friends. I’m no different. And as a lifelong learner, I view my experience reading books, listening to music, and watching movies and television as something that enriches my life. Sometimes I learn something new (about a subject or about myself), sometimes I feel a deep connection to the material, sometimes I am just entertained, and sometimes the opposite happens.
Since I started this space, I have been looking for a way to share the material that educates, moves, and entertains me. I’ve done a little in past posts, but I don’t think it quite fits there. So I’m trying something out with this post, which is solely focused on material that I think is worth sharing with the world. And just as I like sharing what I’ve found meaningful, I equally like hearing from others about what I should be reading, listening to, and watching, so please don’t be shy about making suggestions.
What I’m Reading
The Women, by Kristin Hannah
This is the best fiction book I’ve read in a long time. It centers on the experience of nurses in the Vietnam War, following one woman through two tours and then her return back to the United States. I’ve read all of Hannah’s books since she published The Nightingale. They are all good, but this one is the best. Highly recommend picking it up if you’re looking for a wonderfully satisfying read. And from the perspective of an aspiring author, I found it particularly interesting that she sat with this book idea for several decades. She had the idea in the late 1990s, but did not feel prepared to tell the story until much later. I like knowing that even established authors struggle with doing justice to the story that they want to tell.
The Captain Class, by Sam Walker
As a huge sports fan, I enjoyed the unique leadership perspective offered by this book. The thesis is, essentially, that the most successful teams in the history of sports win at a high level because of their captains, think the San Antonio Spurs with Tim Duncan and the New England Patriots with Tom Brady. The author identifies seven traits that each of these world-class captains has:
Extreme doggedness and focus in competition
Aggressive play that test the limits of the rules
A willingness to do thankless jobs in the shadows
Low key practical and democratic communication style
Motivates others with passionate non-verbal displays
Strong convictions on the courage to stand apart
Ironclad emotional control
While the focus is on leadership in sports, the author draws strong parallels to other areas of society, especially business.
Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
I’ve mentioned this book before, but it’s worth another shout-out. While not always the most engaging or compulsively readable book, the takeaways are worth the investment. More than any of the other books I’ve read this year, it has dramatically reshaped my perspective on several key areas of my life, namely work and faith, in a way that has made me a lot happier. I keep very few non-fiction books to read again after I finish them. This one, though, is worth revisiting every year or two.
What I’m Listening To
MetaModern Sounds in Country Music, by Sturgill Simpson
My wife gave me a subscription to a monthly record club a month or so ago. It’s called Vinyl Me, Please, and it remasters old albums and rereleases them with high-quality pressings. This was one of the first albums that I received from the club. It is an old favorite of mine, and one that I had not listened to recently. Over the last few years, I have really strayed from listening to my music, as opposed to the music that my wife likes. Now that we are using the record player with regularity, I have good reason to revisit a lot of my favorite music. It is incredibly satisfying to sit with an album that feels familiar, like an old friend, and that’s how this one sounds. While it is relatively new, released in 2014, it sounds like it is from the 1970s. If you like outlaw country music and you haven’t listened to Sturgill yet, he’s worth checking out.
Nebraska, by Bruce Springsteen
Growing up, I never really listened to Bruce Springsteen. I heard his most popular songs, as we all have, but I never delved into his albums. I suppose on some level I thought he was for New Jersey dads. That changed recently as I enjoyed his autobiography and learned more about his background, influences, and approach to music. I gained a whole new respect for him, and picked up his album Nebraska. It’s haunting and soulful, and one that I find myself pulling off the shelf a lot.
Luke Grimes, by Luke Grimes
This album was released this week. It’s phenomenal. Grimes is an actor, including on Yellowstone, and this is his first album. I heard one of his songs on our radio station and was so captivated by it that I had to look him up (this is very rare). He reminds me strongly of Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, probably my two favorite artists working today. Finding someone else that is on their level, in my opinion, makes me very happy. The songs “Ghost of Who We Were,” “No Horse to Ride,” and “Black Powder” are all fantastic, but the album is strong from top to bottom. And this is his debut, can’t wait until he comes through Denver!
As always, thank you for reading. Please send me a note or leave a comment with any reactions.