Read a goddamn book

The second-best way to learn is to surround yourself with talented people who care about your goals as much as you do.

And the third-best way to learn is to read stuff that makes you smarter.

Today, we’re going to focus on #3. I’m proud to present the very first Drunk Business Advice Summer Reading List!

This list is composed of books that improved my outlook, challenged my assumptions, taught me skills, and made me an easier person to be around.

So if you’re looking for some sunburn-inducing pages to get lost in while you’re lounging by the pool this summer, I recommend starting with these….

Anthony Bourdain’s debut bestseller gave me permission to write how I actually think.

Kitchen Confidential may be positioned as an exposé of the culinary industry, and it is, but you should read it regardless of how many shits you give about the best day of the week to order mussels, or how the restaurant staff really feels about —shudder— brunch. Because at its heart, this book is about outsiders finding their tribe.

And it’s criminally good f*cking writing.

David Epstein opens Range by comparing two of sports’ most decorated masters: Tiger Woods and Roger Federer — a comparison that has been profoundly useful to me as I try to explain what I actually do for a living.

And while Kitchen Confidential gave me permission to write like I think, Range gave me permission to build a career around how I think. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit into a neat little box, go read it. It will open up your world.

So. Damn. Practical. I swear, if you implement just 5% of what James Clear teaches in Atomic Habits, your life will feel a helluva lot easier.

I’ve spent the last year recovering from major surgery, and one principle from this book absolutely saved me as I adopted perpetual physical therapy into my life. It’s called “habit stacking” — and here’s how it worked for me:

Going for a pee? Gotta do 20 squats first. Brushing my teeth? Time for two minutes of heel raises. Waiting for water to boil? Ten minutes of pelvic tilts is just what the doctor ordered. Suddenly, remembering (and making time) for all the exercises I was supposed to do every day was easy peasy.

So if you’re not one of the 25 million people who have already read this book, I suggest you rectify that immediately.

From the guy who brought you the mantra “You can’t prepare for everything, so you have to prepare for anything,” comes the book that explains how to actually do that.

Frank Supovitz developed the first NHL Winter Classic outdoor hockey game, produced 31 NFL, NHL, and MLB Drafts, and directed the Super Bowl for a decade. What to Do When Things Go Wrong compiles all the lessons from his illustrious career at the highest level of broadcast sports, and presents them as a system you can adopt at work, at home, or anywhere shit is bound to go wrong.

I know what you’re thinking. I probably love this one for the language alone. And you’d be f*cking correct.

But The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is so much more than exquisite use of profanity — Mark Manson’s book begs you to be intentional about what you give your heart, mind, time, talent, and life to. And it’s a “three ghosts in the night” warning about what might happen if you don’t.

You won’t agree with everything Ray Dalio touts in Principles. He doesn’t want you to.

But the guy who built one of the most successful hedge funds in history has a tip or two on how to make a great goddamn decision, and stress-test your assumptions. One of my favorite takeaways? Don’t trust experts just because they’re experts.

At some point around the middle of the last century, we collectively decided that the pinnacle of success was a big house, a long driveway, and enough land to ensure we never accidentally interacted with another human being. I hate that shit.

Economist Edward Glaeser proposes a dramatically different utopia in Triumph of the City, quantitatively demonstrating how crowded cities are engines for ideas, and reminding us that humanity’s greatest achievements occur when people who don’t agree are forced to bump into each other.

Work can be fulfilling. Work can be meaningful. Work can be a robust part of our identity. But things get hairy when we tie our entire self-worth to our jobs.

And in The Good Enough Job, Simone Stolzoff finally convinced me that I should stop f*cking dong that.

I also love his latest book, How to Not Know.

For someone who earns a living by talking, writing, teaching, and generally having opinions about damn near everything, this book was an uncomfortable read.

Which is exactly why I loved it.

In The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut (or “STFU”), Dan Lyons makes the case that most of us dramatically overestimate the value of speaking — and underestimate the value of listening. You need this book.

And now… one novel. My favorite.

Every generation thinks it's living through the most chaotic chapter in American history.

Then you read Ragtime.

Set in the early 1906, E.L Doctorow’s masterpiece is packed with industrialists, immigrants, activists, dreamers, grifters, radicals, celebrities, and people desperately trying to hold on while the world changes around them. It's a reminder that transformation has always been the American default setting.

And as we celebrate 250 years of this strange national experiment, Ragtime is a useful corrective to nostalgia. The good old days were f*cking complicated, too.

Happy Reading! 🍻

-Kristin :-)

P.S. — I don’t just write Drunk Business Advice — I bring it to life on stage. And I’d love to speak at your next event. Hit reply or click here to learn more.