I discovered Audible about a year and a half ago. Before the pandemic I used to commute to work to a nearby city by train, so including my walk to the train station and back, I have almost three hours every day to spare. I suffer from motion sickness, so reading while on the train or texting is out of the question. I was listening to a lot of music and language learning courses and as great as that might be, sometimes I just needed something different. I had many people recommending it to me so I wanted to listen to David Goggins' 'Can't hurt me'. I found it on Audible and pretty much since then I've set a little goal for myself to listen to an audiobook for at least an hour every day, whether I'm commuting or not.
I feel like I'm using my time a lot wiser if I'm listening to an audiobook whenever I'm walking to the shop, tidying up the house, cooking or rearranging some cupboards. I think I'm not the only one when I say I wish I could read more but sometimes I just don't have enough time. If you have a busy schedule Audible might be the solution for you too.
I've compiled a list of books which I found to be very useful for me personally. Whether I learned something directly from them or they made me think a bit more about certain aspects of life in general, I thought I'd share them with you in the hope that they might help you too.
1. Can't hurt me: Master Your Mind and Defy The Odds - by David Goggins
Goggins is a phenomenon, he completely transformed himself and pushed himself into becoming whatever he wanted - Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, Air Force Tactical Air Controller and the list goes on. His highly vivid description of his life story and how he overcame everything life threw in his way can only motivate you and push you to become what you truly want to be. He's beyond inspiring and he is a brilliant example of how you can transform yourself when you have the right mindset.
2.The Happy Brain: The Science Of Where Happiness Comes From And Why by Dean Burnett
I absolutely love his style of writing, if all science books would be written like this, the world would be a better place and everyone would be more knowledgeable. By the end of it you'll have a better understanding of some neuroscience principles and how happiness 'works' inside the brain. It's not a 'how-to' book and it won't claim to give you the secret to happiness although reading it definitely made me happy (for a bit).
3. Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss and J. Richard Gott
A wonderful introduction to Astrophysics, talking about planets, galaxies, black holes, time travel and everything in between. If you're interested in how the cosmos works, this book will help to answer some of your questions. When you buy the audio book you also get some reference material so make sure to check that out for a better understanding of the matter discussed.
4. Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
I can't recommend this one enough. It's eye-opening and it gives you the tools to analyse whether the news articles you see in the media about scientific research are actually true or just an exaggeration designed for the front page. He explains how drug trials work, how some 'renowned experts' have no base for their claims and are not experts in the first place and so on. It's a brilliant read (or listen) and it will clarify some claims made by popular 'alternatives' to medicine.
5. 12 Rules For Life: An Antidote To Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson
I heard a lot about it so I had to try it for myself. I've seen quite a few of his interviews and I like the way he explains certain aspects of human behaviour. If you're looking for 12 rules on how to live a better, more meaningful life, give it a go. It's not as easy to read as the above-mentioned ones as it does explain some of the points a bit too much for my liking. It is an interesting take on life and human behaviour and even if I don't necessarily agree with some of his points, it is thought-provoking and we generally need more of that around.
6. Gut - by Giulia Enders
The way our bodies function is a fascinating topic but some parts of the body such as the gut are not discussed at length most of the time. The more you know about how your body works, the better it will be for you in the long run. Talking about recent research in the domain, the book explains in an entertaining manner how taking care of the gut helps you live a better and healthier life.
7. The Selfish Gene - by Richard Dawkins
Dawkins' take on the theory of natural selection published initially in 1976 has stood the test of time. Providing a wonderful explanation on gene behaviour and evolution, the book, narrated by the author, is so well written you'll feel quite sad when you reach its final pages. This one is definitely in my top favourite books of all time.
What's your top 7?