Thread.

2020 was a good year in terms of the books I managed to read. Here are 10 (non-fiction) books that I enjoyed the most.

In no specific order.

1. Antifragile by @nntaleb: Antifragile is a philosophical treatise on how to live and thrive in a world we don’t understand. It discusses problems of risk and how the world can gain from uncertainty. Taleb is a revolutionary thinker and everyone should read Antifragile!

2. Talking to Strangers by @Gladwell: MG crafts a compelling tale based in historical, cultural, legal and psychological contexts to dispel misplaced assumptions we make while decoding a stranger. Reading MG is fun, even if you disagree with his ‘profound insights’.

3. 16 Stormy Days by @tripurdaman: A riveting account of how the notorious first amendment to the Constitution was made. It makes several new arguments and challenges popularly held beliefs about free speech & the Constitution. An extremely relevant and interesting book.

4. Justice by Michael Sandel: Embarrassed that I read Justice so late in my life. An extraordinary book, full of moral and philosophical dilemmas. It tries to answer how a just society should be structured. Also, a comprehensive guide into the daunting world of political theory.

5. Educated by Tara Westover: A heart wrenching memoir blurring the thin line b/w reality and fiction. A true tale of blood ties, power of education, and the innate human desire to understand who you are. It’ll make you cry, yet leave you with endless hope.

6. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis: A masterful story of an unlikely friendship b/w Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. A friendship which changed the way we understand human cognition forever. At its heart, the book is the story of 2 brilliant minds, trying to speak as one.

7. India’s Founding Moment by @MadKhosla: A stellar book which reimagines India’s democratic origins to provoke curiosity around our founding document. A brilliant account of the Constitution, written as if it were a novel. Simply unputdownable.

8. Democracy on the Road by Ruchir Sharma: An unrivalled picture of how India and its democracy work, drawn from Ruchir’s two decades spent on the road chasing elections. Interesting insights into how the Indian voters think and exercise their franchise.

9. Republic of Religion by Abhinav Chandrachud: It traces the development of secularism in India and explains the influence of colonial rule on it. Abhinav Chandrachud’s ability to write on complex legal issues in simple English is unbelievable. Lots to learn from this book.

10. Humanking by @rcbregman: Presently reading this book & its turning out to be a great read. It is a tribute to our better nature and suggests that most people, deep down, are pretty decent. A comforting, warm book which makes you feel good about the world and the human race.