Best books read in 2019

November 12, 2019May 24, 2020Leave a comment

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As a published writer, I read a lot and consume many audiobooks.

During 2019, I consumed over 52 audiobooks via Audible (paid link) and Hoopla (free thanks to my local library).

Disclosure: Links to other sites may be affiliate links that generate us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I wanted to share the two best books that I consumed in 2019. Both of these books are original, well-researched and have plenty of actionable advice. They are my favorites from 2019. You can see my favorite books from previous years here.

If you are looking for a holiday gift for someone (or yourself), take a look at these two new books:

Questions?

Best books consumed in the past few years

May 5, 2018May 8, 2019Leave a comment

Writers get better by writing more and reading more. Some writers will purposely read outside from their genre to learn something else.

Here are a few of the best books I have read in the past three years:
Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio

Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
by Kim Scott

A Beautiful Constraint: How to Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, and Why It’s Everyone’s Business

by Adam Morgan, Mark Barden

Before taking the altMBA, this was one of the books we were mailed and asked to read prior to the month-long course. Found the reframing of constraints from limitations to advantages very helpful with their models and real-world examples.

Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
by Jake Knapp

Went to the book launch for this book, read this book, suggested a number of startups use this model to help them, led a 5-day workshop to use this Sprint process and it was very fruitful use of our time to resolve big challenges for those startups.

What are your favorite recent non-fiction books?

Starting Low Country Non-Fiction Writers

January 13, 2018February 12, 20192 Comments

Since moving to Bluffton, South Carolina a few months ago, I researched and visited a number of writers groups in the area, including the Island Writers’ Network (IWN) of Hilton Head Island and South Carolina Writers Association (SCWA). Attended a few their meetings and met a small number of non-fiction writers like myself. There are other groups I have not attended since I don’t live in Charleston like Rough Writers

Most writers I’ve met in the Lowcountry are fiction writers. This is not uncommon especially in the land Pat Conroy made famous among other authors.

A few other [unnamed] writers groups were more interested in upselling their membership dues instead of forming a local chapter to provide support and value to writers.

So I saw a gap in the market beyond myself where other non-fiction writers were underrepresented and underserved. After speaking with another local non-fiction writer named Roy Austin, we decided to start the Low Country Non-Fiction Writers (LCNFW) to meet monthly at the Beaufort County library which also supports and promotes our meetings to their own patrons.

All experience levels welcome. You don’t have to be published yet to join. We will have some networking among writers and share resources.

Our first meeting is scheduled on Tuesday January 16, 2018 from 6 pm to 7 pm at the Bluffton Community Library in Bluffton, SC. All are welcome and the meetings are free of charge.

We will meet monthly and future meetings will be announced shortly.

Click on the library poster below for our 1-hour schedule.