August Book Recommendations
A Reading List
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David Blight
The United States does not have a pleasant history with black people. Most blacks who arrived in the United States during its early years came there as enslaved people, and since then, it has been a battle for black people to establish their identity, rights, and freedom. From 1776 to 2008, it took 200 years for the US to have its first black president. Between these years stands Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass was born a slave. He escaped from slavery and built a career as a public speaker and crusader for freedom for the men and women of his race. Douglass's life is a fascinating one. It is a story of tragedy, triumph, and the power of words. This book won a Pulitzer prize; it deserved it.
The State of Africa by Martin Meredith
The year 1960 is recognized in Africa as the Year of Freedom. It was the year many African nations gained their independence. But what happened? How has this continent failed to deliver a better life for its people despite more than 60 years of independence? Well, this is the story, excellently written by Martin Meredith. It is a story of a tragedy of corruption, mismanagement, and abuse of power and how the leaders of African countries have failed to deliver any form of development to the wonderful people of this continent. It is an indictment of African leadership, so it is no surprise that a lot of them hate the book. And maybe that’s why you should read it. Read any book that the people in authority do not like.
From Third World to First World by Lee Kuan Yew
This is the story of Lee Kuan Yew, which is actually the story of Singapore. When Singapore gained independence, it had a GDP per capita of $320; today, it has a GDP per capita of $72,000. The groundwork for developing and transforming this country was the handwork of Lee Kuan Yew. You can criticize Lee Kuan Yew for his dictatorial tendencies and for running a paternalistic state, but you can’t argue with his results. He has changed his country for the better. The Western analyst has often criticized him. As someone who lives in Nigeria, I have often laughed at debates that argue whether the absence of some freedom is worth sacrificing for economic growth. If you ask any Nigerian whether they prefer Singapore or Nigeria in terms of development, the only ones that will choose Nigeria are probably those living outside Nigeria. For us, this is not a theoretical question; it is real. We live in a country without freedoms and without development. The conversation is more complex than zero-sum. Charlie Munger calls him the most outstanding leader of the 20th Century. This book will help you understand the man's thinking and policies. It is a development textbook.
How do you influence people to do what you want? How do you get people to follow you, buy from you, or at least listen to you? Robert Cialdini can teach you. Wait, why do you need to learn these things? 1. You can shield yourself against those who want to use you. 2. To understand human psychology, you may need to sell something one day or contest for a political position. It is a worthy read.
Religion, Politics and Power in Northern Nigeria.
Nigeria is an aberration. Nothing shows the level of this aberration more than Nigeria's relationship with religion. Northern Nigeria is the hotbed for this controversy. A controversy that has led to the death of thousands. Matthew Kukah exposes the problem with Nigeria's abuse of religion. Is there an answer to this dilemma? Surely, but first, we must understand how religion has been used and abused in Northern Nigeria. Matthew Kukah is the perfect authority to guide us on this.
A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Loconte
This is a beautiful book about friendship and how it can shape our lives. CS Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien were buddies for life. Their friendship changed the world in a good way. I wrote a full review of this book here. It is a book you should read and give to your best friend.
Amma Darko changed my life. Yes. She introduced me to the level of social ills in our society. I read her book Faceless while in secondary school, which inspired me greatly. I went ahead to organize a Press Club Day with the theme “The Future of the Nigerian Child", it was all inspired by Amma Darko. This is a touching book that will reach your heart and mind. You will finish the book hating the story and wanting more of the writer’s words.
Ego Is The Enemy by Ryan Holiday
A man who hasn't controlled his ego will face many problems in this world. A single thing that has been the number cause of many talented folks is their ego. Ego is truly the enemy. Ryan Holiday does an excellent job of exposing this danger with this book. Ryan is a stoic who has popularized the work of these ancient men who lived a virtuous life. By the way, Ryan Holiday is the inspiration behind this newsletter edition. He writes a recommended list every month, I thought you may find the same helpful as I did.
Many people have read the remarkable autobiography of Nelson Mandela, and most have stopped there. Yes, that autobiography is a masterpiece, but I realized this one does excellent work covering the gaps in the autobiography. This is a good read that shows you Mandela from another lens. You will still respect Mandela and even love him more like I did, but it will show you the faults of the man too. Martin Meredith never disappoints.
The Reason for God by Timothy Keller
These days, one common thing amongst intellectuals is to laugh at religious people. People say religion is foolish, senseless, and just gibberish. Of course, we know that’s not true. People have reasons for why they believe what they believe. In The Reason for God, Timothy Keller wrote an excellent book that explains why Christians believe in God. It draws from his many years of teaching in New York, a place that brought him in contact with many skeptics. Both skeptics and believers have a lot to learn from this book.
There goes the Read List for August. Every month I will send a reading list of 10 books with my thoughts on each. Hopefully, you find at least one that is useful to you. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others.
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I’m so glad I found your Substack! I’ve been in a reading slump this week and I believe your list is the cure. Thank you!