Island by Aldous Huxley

Some of you may know Aldous Huxley by his famous narrative “Brave New World”. This piece of literature is an iconic anti-utopia that has raised a whole generation.

However, not many people know that there’s one more book by Aldous Huxley called “Island”. It’s a wonderful fiction book in the style of Jules Verne, with many huge philosophical thoughts that would make you think about them for days straight.

It’s much better than Brave New World, in my opinion, and I would highly encourage you to read it, not once, not twice, but re-read it every year.

In fact, when I meet someone new, I always buy him or her this book. Because I want the present to be meaningful, this book directly shifts the way you look at life, especially if you’re living in an urban city.

It’s a book that seems like every other but has so many things to think of that Nitche wouldn’t even stand nearby.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

“Meditations” is a true masterpiece written many decades ago. It’s a storage of the most magnificent insights that Marcus Aurelius expressed in only one book.

If Stoicism was a kingdom, Marcus would be its king.

For those of you who are not familiar with Stoicism, it’s a constructive philosophy that just helps you to live better and simpler. It teaches you how to keep your chill, no matter what life throws at you.

It’s like mental armor for your soul. Marcus was a Roman Emperor, so you can bet he had a lot on his plate — wars, politics, you name it.

This book is like his personal diary, where he spills all his secrets on how to do that.

Reading Meditations is like having a deep conversation with Marcus himself. When you read it, you’re diving deeper into yourself, and at some moments, you can realize something truly powerful. That’s the main reason why it’s called Meditations.

So, this book is also a great piece of literature and I would definitely recommend you to read it as soon as it’s possible. Especially, in the current world of chaos and mental illnesses.

The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

So, you’ve heard of “expect the unexpected”, right? Well, “The Black Swan” takes that idea to an absurd level and fully expresses why you can’t predict anything in life.

Imagine you’re just cruising through life, thinking you’ve got it all figured out. Then — BAM! — a Black Swan event swoops in and changes everything. It could be anything from a stock market crash to a global pandemic.

These ‘Black Swans’ are pretty usual, and you’ve faced them many times throughout your life. These events are unpredictable, but they have a massive impact.

Nicholas has been in the sphere of finances and had a lot of experience in trading, investing, etc. The main thing is that most of the things that people ‘try’ to predict are unpredictable. Even the most popular traders in the world are just gambling and cannot predict anything on the market.

However, it’s still worth trying, and even if you can’t predict everything, you can still be ready for anything.

I’ve recently re-read it for the third time and still got much more insights than from the previous times. So, yeah, I would also recommend you read this book and then re-read it throughout your whole life.

By the way, I’ve read a whole article exploring the insights and tips from this book. Don’t forget to check it out ;)

Martin Eden by Jack London

Here’s one of my favorite writers — Jack London himself. I’ve been reading many books from him, such as White Fang, The Call of the Wild, and of course Martin Eden.

In my opinion, it’s the best novel written in the 20th century. And here’s why.

Martin Eden is this regular guy, not born into privilege or anything, but he’s got big dreams. He wants to be a writer — not just any writer, but a great one. The catch? The world’s not making it easy for him.

As you can understand, I’m a writer myself, so this book has shifted the way I look at writing and added a little bit of soul to it.

What’s awesome about Martin Eden is that it’s not just a story; it’s a journey. It’s like Jack London has invited you to step into Martin’s shoes and walk a mile — or a hundred.

If you wanna relax for several hours and dive into an exciting journey, then this book is definitely for you. When I have no passion for reading and run out of books to read, then I come up to this one and always see it from another perspective.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

The biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson is a comprehensive look into the life of one of the most impactful entrepreneurs of our time.

And trust me, I’ve read tens of biographies, and it’s probably the best one out there. It’s not just a boring story or a catalog of achievements; it’s a history.

Isaacson presents Jobs in all his complexity, capturing both his brilliance and his flaws. The book serves as a balanced narrative, offering insights into his management style, his approach to design, and the personal sacrifices that came with his ambition.

So, I’ve read it twice and still will read it over and over.