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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,608 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Elon Musk

Christian Mayer Why did I love this book?

I love the new book Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson because it delves deep into the life of one of the most altruistic figures of our time.

Elon Musk's unwavering commitment to bettering humanity and ensuring its survival in the vast universe resonated deeply with me. Isaacson's meticulous research and firsthand interactions with Musk provided an unparalleled insight into his life, making it hard for me to put the book down.

The narrative not only educated me about Musk's monumental contributions but also inspired me with his vision and determination. It was a journey that left me in awe, reflecting on the immense potential of human spirit and innovation. Highly recommended read!

By Walter Isaacson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Elon Musk as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of Steve Jobs and other bestselling biographies, this is the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era—a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Oh, and took over Twitter.

When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Book of Satoshi: The Collected Writings of Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto

Christian Mayer Why did I love this book?

The Book of Satoshi by Phil Champagne offers an unbiased, first-hand view of Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous architect behind the world's largest peer-to-peer system. As a former distributed systems researcher, I was fascinated by Satoshi's technical proficiency and cryptographic genius.

Champagne meticulously curated all of Nakamoto's publicly available writings, from emails to forum posts, presented in chronological order, providing an unparalleled window into the mind of a polymath in computer science, systems theory, cryptography, and even economics theory and community management.

A warning: the book is very technical at times, and some parts will get boring for a non-technical reader not interested in distributed systems.

By Phil Champagne,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Book of Satoshi as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Have you, like the rest of the world, speculated as to the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, anonymous creator of Bitcoin? The world's first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin went online in 2009 and has since revolutionized our concepts of currency and money. Not supported by any government or central bank, completely electronic, Bitcoin is a virtual currency based on advanced cryptographic systems. Like the currency he created, the identity of Bitcoin's creator Satoshi Nakamoto is virtual, existing only online. The Nakamoto persona, which may represent an individual or a group, exists only in the online publications that introduced and explained Bitcoin during its…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level

Christian Mayer Why did I love this book?

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks explores the self-imposed barriers that prevent us from realizing our fullest potential.

As I journeyed through its pages, I was confronted with the profound concept of the Upper Limit Problem, which illuminated the subconscious ways I might be holding myself back from true success and happiness. Hendricks' delineation of the four zones - Incompetence, Competence, Excellence, and Genius - was a revelation.

It provided a clear roadmap for navigating my own life, urging me to transcend mediocrity and strive for that elusive Zone of Genius where passion and talent converge.

The book's insights into how we often sabotage our own success resonated deeply, making me reflect on my own patterns and behaviors. It's not just a guide to achieving external success but a call to inner fulfillment and true self-realization. By the end, I felt equipped and inspired to take that 'big leap' into a life of greater joy, creativity, and accomplishment.

By Gay Hendricks,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Big Leap as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"The Big Leap" reveals a simple yet comprehensive model of life fulfillment, presented in a way that engages both mind and heart. Gay Hendricks, a major voice in the fields of relationship transformation, and body-mind therapies, developed these methods over the last thirty years by working closely with more than one thousand extraordinary achievers in business and the arts. Readers will discover what prevents them from fulfilling their true potential so they may enjoy the highest levels of success. Through a step-by-step program, Hendricks shares his proven method for identifying and breaking through our personal upper limits to achieve ultimate…


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