Best of: 40 Selected Books I Read in 2014

40 Selected Books I Read in 2014

I read some really great books in 2014, and many of them are a part of my informal liberal arts education. I have been thinking about this post for a while, and wasn’t sure how I should approach it. I read many books that are frequently found on the best books of all time lists, but I didn’t enjoy them for one reason or another. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad that I invested the time to read the books – a few of them were downright depressing, making me feel a sense of hopelessness after reading them. I know that I like what I like, and although I did not enjoy reading them, they are very well written, and hence the dilemma. We are shaped by our experiences, and it affects how we view the world.

After much thought, I have decided to list some books, then I will have another list of those that impacted me. I have to remind myself that The Invisible Mentor blog should be about my readers and not just about me. Any given year, I read about 200 books, but I was sloppy in 2014, and didn’t record the names of all the books I read. Except for The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon, I have written books reviews for the books that I have really enjoyed.

Selected Books I Read in 2014

1. The Castle of Otranto (Dover Thrift Editions), Harold Walpole (Review): In The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story (Oxford World’s Classics, Walpole uses supernatural means, to restore the castle to its rightful owner, Theodore, and expel Manfred. Manfred finally admits how his grandfather had poisoned Theodore’s grandfather to claim the castle.
2. My Antonia, Willa Cather (Review): First published in 1918, at the end of the First World War, My Antonia by Willa Cather, tells the story of what life was like in the American West in the 1880s.
3. The Republic, Plato (Review): I've chosen to focus on The Republic because it is usually included in the list of the best books of all time. The Republic isn't the type of book that you read over the course of a day, like I did. After reading it, I realize that you have to read it in small portions.
4. Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis (Review): Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis contrasts, the boss, who's bookish, with Zorba, who's unschooled and uncouth. I read in a literary criticism that Zorba the Greek is “Nikos Kazantzakis’ self-portrait as an artist and philosopher.” That may or may not be so, but I still can't figure out why Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis is on a list of the greatest books of all time. I had a very difficult time with the book because of the way women are depicted.
5. Walden, Henry David Thoreau (Review): Henry David Thoreau was a transcendentalist, and his book Walden, is a literary expression of transcendentalism, and an examination of nature. On Independence Day, July 4, 1845, Henry David Thoreau moved into his hut. While I was reading that part of the book, I was reminded of Jim Rohn’s book, The Seasons of Life.
6. The Social Contract (Penguin Classics), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Review): Rousseau mentions Plato in his book, and there are some overlapping themes between the Social Contract and the Republic of Plato. Unless you're a political scientist or a theorist, or simply someone who's very much interested in all things politics, then The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau will not interest you.
7. Think and Grow Rich: The Original 1937 Unedited Edition, Napoleon Hill (Review): At first, I thought that I enjoyed Think and Grow Rich better the second time because I liked the contemporary version of the book, but after I reflected for a while, I believe that at this point in my life, I am prepared to hear what Hill has to say.
8. All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque (Review): Born on June 22, 1898, in Osnabrück, Germany, Erich Maria Remarque fought in World War I. The Nazi government banned and destroyed All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel and his other book, The Road Back. As a rule, I avoid reading books about war, but in the course that I took, Books that Changed the World, All Quiet on the Western Front was among the list of books. I liked this book because it doesn’t glorify war.
9. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation (Bilingual Edition) (Review): Beowulf, a young warrior, and 15 of the bravest men sail to Denmark to assist the Danes by slaying Grendel. There's much rejoicing, and Hrothgar bestows Beowulf with many gifts for releasing his people from Grendel’s reign of terror. This book was easy to read.
10. Season of Migration to the North (New York Review Books Classics), Tayeb Salih (Review): In Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih, I am not impressed with the character Mustafa Sa’eed. The book is a surprise because there's a lot of graphic sexual references in the second half of the book, which is unusual because Sudan is an Islamic country, which frowns upon such things. The book is an important one because it deals with the immigrant experience.
11. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Dover Thrift Editions), Arthur Conan Doyle (Review): The Return of Sherlock Holmes is Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant way of bringing back the fictional detective to life. Watson is missing his friend Sherlock Holmes, who ‘died’ 3 years before at the hands of Professor Moriarty. Shortly after Watson returns home, the old man appears, and we learn that he's in fact Sherlock Holmes.
12. The Woman in White (Penguin Classics), Wilkie Collins (Review): When Walter first meets Marian, he tells her about his encounter with the woman in white, and she promises to get to the bottom of things by going through her deceased mother’s letters. This is an intriguing story.
13. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (Review): In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood tells the story by interspersing Offred’s present story with her past, and I was impatient to learn what happened to her in the past that led up to her present. But in the end, I enjoyed the story.
14. The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster (Review): Although the book has some profound lessons, I chuckled often because of the inventiveness of Norton Juster, the way he names places and things in The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo, Tock and Humbug venture on the Island of Conclusions where people are always jumping to conclusions (Isn’t that priceless).
15. The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket (Review): (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket is on Amazon’s 100 Must-Read Books and since I've wanted to read a Lemony Snicket book for a while now, I purchased one. I wouldn’t give this book to a child to read because it would give her/him nightmares.
16. Little House on the Prairie (Little House Nine-Book Box Set), Laura Ingalls Wilder (Review): Reading Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder took me back in time to when I used to watch the series on TV, which is based on this book. When the story starts, Charles Ingalls wants to move his family, wife Caroline, and daughters, Mary, Laura and Carrie from the Big Woods of Wisconsin to the West.
17. Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf (Review): Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1925, is a day in the life of the character Clarissa Dalloway, the perfect hostess. While I am reading Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, I wonder how Septimus’ story connects with Clarissa’s and the mystery is solved during her party.
18. BrainRead – Effective Speed Reading – Reading like the Swedish, Göran Askeljung (Review): I appreciate the book, BrainRead: Effective Speed Reading Reading by Göran Askeljung because he talks about the science of reading and the book is loaded with exercises. I recommend BrainRead: Effective Speed Reading – Reading like the Swedish by Göran Askeljung because it is interactive and the reader gets many speed reading drills.
19. Clover, Dori Sanders (Review): Gaten is truly happy in his relationship with Sara Kate, though his family has objections to the relationship because of his girlfriend’s color. The relationship between Clover and Sara Kate is rocky at first, and the young girl doesn’t trust her stepmother. There isn’t clear communication between the two, and Kate doesn’t set boundaries for Clover because she's unsure of how to perform her new role. This book deals with the challenges interracial couples face.
20. The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand, Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio (Review): The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio is an important book because it not only shows us, but tells us what we need to know about visual storytelling.
21. The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules, Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg (Review): If you're looking for a book to make you laugh, then The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg delivers.
22. Catching the Catfishers: Disarm the Online Pretenders, Predators, and Perpetrators Who Are Out to Ruin Your Life by Tyler Cohen Wood – What’s Your Digital Footprint? Catching the Catfishers, Tyler Cohen Wood (Review): In Catching the Catfishers, Cohen Wood points out that to get access to some types of information, you have to give up some of your privacy, and that resonates with me because there are times when I decide to not get a report or e-book because I believe that too much information is being requested. You can also read Tyler Cohen guest post, ‘Don’t Let Your Social Media Identity Ruin Your Hard-earned Business Reputation“.
23. Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories, Truman Capote (Review): I have often heard that Truman Capote is an excellent writer who has a unique style of writing, and that Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of his best pieces of writing. I finally got around to reading Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a novella, and I didn’t like. The unnamed narrator of Breakfast at Tiffany’s has returned to the neighborhood in which he lived over 15 years ago – during World War II in 1943 – while he was seeking ‘fame and fortune’ as a writer. He returns to the neighbourhood because Joe Bell, a bartender and mutual friend of Holly Golightly, calls and requests to see him. Joe has news about Holly Golightly, whom they both hadn’t seen in a long time.
24. Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers, Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur (Review): Are you seriously thinking about starting a business? Has the environment in which you are operating your business changed significantly? If you answered yes to any of the two questions, read Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur.
25. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving (Review): Published in 1819, Rip Van Winkle is the name of the protagonist in the story, which is set in the Catskill Mountains of New York. His wife, Dame Van Winkle, is a nag and one can't help but wonder if she's a nag because her husband fails at every business venture, or if Rip Van Winkle fails because of his wife’s constant nagging.
26. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving (Review), Washington Irving: Are you up for a ghost story? The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a short story, first published in 1820, and is among the books included in the Harvard Classics. The edition of the book I have includes: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, The Specter Bridegroom and The Devil and Tom Walker, all ghost stories.
27. The Three Questions [Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy] (Review): The Three Questions [Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy] is a short story that can literally be read in five minutes. Despite that, the story is very profound and the lessons are suitable for all age groups. When Nikolai arrives at Leo’s place, he asks the turtle his three questions. Jon J Muth recommends that you read the original The Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy, so I did, and I can say that he has done an excellent job of retelling the story. Learn what the three questions are!
28. Kane and Abel, Jeffrey Archer (Review): A few years ago, I interviewed Andrew Warner, the founder of Mixergy. One of the 5 books that Andrew would like to have with him on a desert island is Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer. In the Bible story, Cain kills his brother Abel, but that’s not the case with the Jeffrey Archer’s book. Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer is among 100 books listed in The Big Read Book of Books, a list of books chosen by the British public.
29. Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Susan Vreeland (Review): In Susan Vreeland’s Girl in Hyacinth Blue, the star in the story is an Johannes Vermeer painting. At his apartment, Cornelius Engelbrecht shows Richard an unsigned painting that is in the style of Johannes Vermeer. For a math teacher, Cornelius knows an awful lot about Johannes Vermeer and his paintings, and tries to convince Richard that the painting is an authentic Vermeer. This is an intriguing story.
30. Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft, Thor Heyerdahl (Review): Kon Tiki isn't a project management book, but by following the process that Thor Heyerdahl used for his expedition, you'll learn how to manage a project. Kon Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl chronicles their amazing journey from Peru to the Pacific Islands. The expedition wasn’t smooth sailing all the time, but they were excited because they had successfully made it to the Pacific Islands on the balsa wood raft.
31. Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success One Post at a Time, Mark W Schaefer and Stanford A Smith (Review): While I was in Indigo bookstore one day, I noticed Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success, One Post at a Time because the last copy was bent out of shape, and hanging off the shelf, and to me, this was a sign that I should buy the book. I wish I had read this book before I started blogging nearly six years ago.
32. How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life, John C Maxwell (Review): How Successful People Think by John C Maxwell is a small book in size and number of pages, but it will take some time to read because you have to carefully process the information so that you will get the most from it. In the introduction, there is a section on how to become a better thinker which reminded me of the Art of Thought by Graham Wallas.
33. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley (Review): Chief Bottler, Director of hatcheries and Conditioning, Director of Predestination, Deputy Assistant Fertilizer-General, Professor of Feelies in the College of Emotional Engineering, Dean of the Westminster Community Singery, Supervisor of Bokanovskification, State Conditioning Centre – I invite you to step into the world of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.
34. Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier (Review): After her mother dies, Mary makes the journey to her Aunt Patience and uncle Joss Merlyn. While on the journey, Mary learns that people don't think highly of her Uncle Joss, and in fact, he's despised by his neighbors. While Joss is away, one day, Mr Bassat, a magistrate, raids Jamaica Inn, but finds no evidence of smuggling or other wrongdoing because the evidence had been removed the night before. Are you intrigued yet?
35. Ender's Game (Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet)), Orson Scott Card (Review): Preeminent science fiction and fantasy author, Orson Scott Card won both the Hugo and Nebula awards for best novel for Ender’s Game and Ender’s Game: Speaker for the Dead, his best known novels. Although I found Ender’s Game difficult to read because of the child abuse and bullying, I found myself taking notes because the book is an excellent training course on strategy and tactics.
36. Girl With a Pearl Earring: A Novel, Tracy Chevalier (Review): For the main character, 16-year-old Griet in Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, her father loses his ability to work and support his family after a kiln explosion damages his eyes. The book is about Johannes Vermeer, an artist. In the story, he is an aloof character, however, every so often, when he senses interest from Griet, he takes the time to explain what he's doing.
37. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, Ryan Holiday (Review): The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday is about transforming the obstacles we face into opportunities by taking directed action that allows us to leapfrog much further. I extracted 15 great ideas from the book that I'd like to share with you. In the book, the author includes many case studies, and several of the people he refers to, I've profiled them on this blog.
38. The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity (Voices That Matter), Marty Neumeier (Review): At a recent event that I attended at the Rotman School of Management on the Rules of Genius, I was given a copy of The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator’s Guide to Creativity by Marty Neumeier. It is the kind of book you can dip into when you need a creative hit.
39. I, Robot, Isaac Asimov (Review): Asimov’s robot fictional stories are in 5 volumes I, Robot, The Rest of the Robots, The Complete Robot, Robot Dreams and Robot Visions. The Three Laws of Robotics are first articulated in I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, and they quoted from the textbook, the Handbook of Robotics. This is about the sixth book I have read written by Asimov. It was insightful reading about where Asimov predicted the field of robotics was heading.
40. Storyscaping: Stop Creating Ads, Start Creating Worlds, Gaston Legorburu and Darren McColl (Review)

20 Books I Enjoyed in 2014

1. Storyscaping: Stop Creating Ads, Start Creating Worlds, Gaston Legorburu and Darren McColl
2. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, Ryan Holiday
3. Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers, Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur
4. The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand, Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio
5. Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft, Thor Heyerdahl
6. BrainRead – Effective Speed Reading – Reading like the Swedish, Göran Askeljung
7. The Three Questions [Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy]
8. Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success One Post at a Time, Mark W Schaefer and Stanford A Smith
9. Think and Grow Rich: The Original 1937 Unedited Edition, Napoleon Hill
10. All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
11. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation (Bilingual Edition
12. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
13. The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
14. Little House on the Prairie (Little House Nine-Book Box Set), Laura Ingalls Wilder
15. Catching the Catfishers: Disarm the Online Pretenders, Predators, and Perpetrators Who Are Out to Ruin Your Life, Tyler Cohen Wood
16. The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules, Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg
17. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Dover Thrift Editions), Arthur Conan Doyle
18. Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier
19. The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity (Voices That Matter), Marty Neumeier
20. Ender's Game (Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet)), Orson Scott Card

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Author Bio: Avil Beckford, an expert interviewer, entrepreneur and published author is passionate about books and professional development, and that's why she founded The Invisible Mentor and the Virtual Literary World Tour to give you your ideal mentors virtually in the palm of your hands by offering book reviews and book summaries, biographies of wise people and interviews of successful people. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

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