The best books of 2024

This list is part of the best books of 2024.

Join 1,593 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2024

Book cover of Psych

Olivier Sibony ❤️ loved this book because...

An enlightening and accessible Psych 101 course in a highly readable format. Anyone with any interest in humans should know all this book contains.

Note: This book is apparently published, confusingly, under two different titles in different parts of the world (the other one is "The Human Mind: A Brief Tour of Everything We Know").

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Teach 🥈 Thoughts
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐕 Good, steady pace

By Paul Bloom,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read

A compelling and accessible new perspective on the modern science of psychology, based on one of Yale’s most popular courses of all time

How does the brain—a three-pound wrinkly mass—give rise to intelligence and conscious experience? Was Freud right that we are all plagued by forbidden sexual desires? What is the function of emotions such as disgust, gratitude, and shame? Renowned psychologist Paul Bloom answers these questions and many more in Psych, his riveting new book about the science of the mind.

Psych is an expert and passionate guide to the most intimate aspects…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2024

Book cover of Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World

Olivier Sibony ❤️ loved this book because...

There are lots of book that claim to help you think. There is even a "smart thinking" category in some bookstores, presumably to distinguish the books it contains from the ones that promote dumb thinking. I have read many such books (and written a couple myself). This one is my favorite. It is packed with concrete examples and fun to read. You will genuinely be smarter after reading this book.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Teach 🥈 Writing
  • Writing style

    👍 Liked it
  • Pace

    🐕 Good, steady pace

By Carl T. Bergstrom, Jevin D. West,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Calling Bullshit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Bullshit isn’t what it used to be. Now, two science professors give us the tools to dismantle misinformation and think clearly in a world of fake news and bad data.
 
“A modern classic . . . a straight-talking survival guide to the mean streets of a dying democracy and a global pandemic.”—Wired

Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news abound and it’s increasingly difficult to know what’s true. Our media environment has become hyperpartisan. Science is conducted by press release. Startup culture elevates bullshit to high art. We are fairly well equipped to spot the sort of old-school bullshit that is based…


My 3rd favorite read in 2024

Book cover of The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time

Olivier Sibony ❤️ loved this book because...

This is NOT yet another diatribe against "wokeness." It is, instead, a thoughtful, nuanced analysis of the intellectual foundations of what the author calls "the identity synthesis" (and others call "identity politics," or other names). Not only is it fascinating in its own right; it is also a model of the nearly-lost art of intellectual critique. It is clear where Mounk's sympathies lie, but he is does his best to present his opponents' views in the most respectful, dispassionate way possible, before he points out the limitations and contradictions of their thinking. Readers who enjoyed this book should also enjoy Mounk's podcast and blog.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Teach 🥈 Thoughts
  • Writing style

    👍 Liked it
  • Pace

    🐕 Good, steady pace

By Yascha Mounk,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Brought to you by Penguin.

The origins, consequences and limitations of an ideology that has quickly become highly influential around the world.

For much of their history, societies have violently oppressed ethnic, religious and sexual minorities. It is no surprise then that many who passionately believe in social justice have come to believe that members of marginalized groups need to take pride in their identity if they are to resist injustice.

But over the past decades, a healthy appreciation for the culture and heritage of minorities has transformed into an obsession with group identity in all its forms. A new…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake: How Biases Distort Decision-Making and What You Can Do to Fight Them

By Olivier Sibony,

Book cover of You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake: How Biases Distort Decision-Making and What You Can Do to Fight Them

What is my book about?

“A masterful introduction to the state of the art in managerial decision making. Surprisingly, it is also a pleasure to read.”
—Daniel Kahneman, recipient of the Nobel Prize in economics and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow

“Finally! Actionable advice for leaders based on decades of decision science. Succinct, accurate, and even-handed. I loved it!”
—Angela Duckworth, bestselling author of Grit

“A book filled with some fascinating, and frightening, stories of decision-making failures… it provides reassurance and advice to all of us with choices to make. It is also an easy read with actionable advice.”
—Financial Times July 2020 business book selection

“Brilliant, fun, and wise — a tremendous guide to sensible decision-making, in business and in daily life. Filled with vivid stories and big lessons, this book might well be the best investment you make this year.”
—Cass R. Sunstein, co-author of Nudge

“You’re probably familiar with many of the biases that can ruin your decisions. The question is what to do about them when you’re building your business strategy. Olivier Sibony has some compelling answers. Drawing on his extensive experience as a consultant and his impressive knowledge of behavioral science, he shows how you can make your team smarter than the people in it.”
—Adam Grant, bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take

Book cover of Psych
Book cover of Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World
Book cover of The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time

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