19 most important books of the year

A useful annual reading list should offer different ways to examine a question, rather than declare that every reader needs the same books. This selection looks back at nineteen nonfiction titles from 2019. It is a historical reading guide, not a current sales ranking or a claim that these are objectively the year’s most important publications.

The subjects range from attention and learning to society, medicine and human behaviour. Choose an area that interests you and approach each author’s argument critically. A compelling example can start a discussion without settling it.

Attention, learning and judgement

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell examines difficulties in interpreting people we do not know. Read its cases as an invitation to question confidence in quick judgements, while considering alternative explanations for the events described.

Loserthink by Scott Adams discusses habits of reasoning that the author considers unproductive. The provocative framing works best when directed towards examining your own assumptions, rather than attaching a dismissive label to someone who disagrees.

Indistractable by Nir Eyal, written with Julie Li, explores distraction and deliberate attention. Its practical themes include understanding interruptions and deciding how time should be used. Productivity advice still needs to accommodate actual working conditions.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport asks readers to choose technology according to what they value. It offers a useful companion to Eyal’s book: compare their approaches before deciding which changes would fit your own circumstances.

Ultralearning by Scott H. Young considers ambitious, self-directed learning projects. Define a concrete skill, find useful feedback and practise the relevant activity. Speed alone is a poor measure if the learning cannot be applied.

Range by David Epstein explores the value of broad experience in a specialised world. It encourages discussion about exploration and transfer between fields, without establishing that generalists are always better suited to every task.

Emotions and the experience of being human

Mark Manson’s 2019 book about hope examines meaning, progress and dissatisfaction. Its challenging tone invites disagreement as well as reflection. Consider which assumptions persuade you and which require stronger support.

Mama’s Last Hug by Frans de Waal explores animal emotions and their relationship to human experience. The book encourages attention to behaviour while raising questions about how researchers interpret experiences that animals cannot describe verbally.

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald Robertson connects Marcus Aurelius and Stoic philosophy with ideas about handling difficulty. It provides a historical and practical perspective, without replacing individual mental healthcare.

Good Reasons for Bad Feelings by Randolph M. Nesse examines emotions through evolutionary psychiatry. Explaining why a vulnerability might exist is different from diagnosing an individual or identifying the treatment they need.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb brings together her perspective as a therapist and her own experience of therapy. Its personal narratives provide a different kind of reading from a collection of simple self-help rules.

Science, innovation and uncertainty

Alchemy by Rory Sutherland challenges narrowly rational explanations of choice. Its marketing examples can prompt useful questions about context and perception, but an intriguing idea still needs testing before it becomes a business decision.

Loonshots by Safi Bahcall examines how organisations handle unusual ideas. It directs attention towards the conditions that allow proposals to develop, instead of relying only on the image of an isolated visionary.

The Body by Bill Bryson offers an accessible exploration of human biology. It can encourage curiosity about familiar processes, though a general science book should not be used as a personal diagnostic guide.

Chasing My Cure by David Fajgenbaum describes his experience with Castleman disease and the research effort surrounding it. It is a particular medical memoir, not a prediction about every patient’s outcome.

Society and collective choices

Upheaval by Jared Diamond considers national crises through comparative case studies. Examine both the proposed parallels and the differences between countries; a framework can organise discussion without explaining every historical development.

Civilized to Death by Christopher Ryan questions common assumptions about progress. Its argument is worth comparing with other accounts, particularly when broad claims risk overlooking differences among societies and periods.

The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates discusses women’s empowerment and barriers to opportunity. It connects personal accounts with wider questions about participation, voice and social change.

Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society by Nicholas A. Christakis investigates cooperation and social bonds. Together, these nineteen books offer contrasting viewpoints. Reading a few carefully, recording questions and comparing evidence can be more rewarding than rushing through the entire list.

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