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- All Aboard - Best books of 2024
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Closing out the year!
Read 24 books
Here are my favorites
This edition of All Aboard is brought to you by ROKU!
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The 5 Best Books I read in 2025!
If you’re unable to click on the thumbnail, you can find the video here: Click Me
For the best experience and most information, I highly suggest you click the video!
My Five Favorite Books of 2024
#5 - Mentors by Russell Brand
Russell Brand is typically known as a comedian and for some of his iconic roles in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (total banger of a movie) and Get Him to the Greek. He opens up about his personal battles with addiction and the people who helped him along the way. Whether he’s being forthcoming or not - What you can see clearly is a person who has done a tremendous amount of work on themselves and has spent extensive amounts of time looking inward and reflecting.
What really resonated with me is how he talks about mentors—many of whom might not be the ones we typically expect—and it reminded me that coaches come in all shape and sizes. Different types of mentors are needed for different purposes in life. Its not only business, fitness, life, etc.
I have worked with a coach off and on for years, and after reading Mentors I got back in the saddle and hired myself a coach. Now I work with someone who is helping us grow Next Call Club’s SDR services!
#4 - The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
Continuing on the mentorship theme, this book is a quick, actionable read. I actually read this after Mentors because I was looking for ways to improve my own coaching abilities fort he people I work with and lead.
The book takes the approach of being a better coach, but its really a book about relationships.
The core idea? Stop talking so much, and start asking the right questions.
By asking insightful questions, you help others solve problems and get to the root of the issue. I’ve applied this with my coaching sessions and have already seen the difference it makes. I use it in my personal relationships too. I’ve killed my “advice monster” and its helped me become a better listener… 10 fold.
This book is perfect for anyone looking to listen more and communicate better Aka….everyone.
Plus, it’s short—so no excuses
#3. Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly
I’m a huge fan of Kevin Kelly’s work, and Excellent Advice for Living did not disappoint.
Kelly is best known for his work in the early days of writing on the internet and for his essay A Thousand True Fans, which really shaped my approach to building an audience and sharing more of my work with all of you.
This book is a collection of his personal advice and insights about life. It’s packed with gems.
One of the best takeaways for me was the reminder to be the person who says good things about others behind their back. That’s a principle I’m trying to live by every day.
It also has multiple reminders on why and how to be an independent thinker, especially in a world where it’s easy to fall into the echo chamber of popular opinions.
If you’re looking for quick, actionable wisdom, this one’s for you.
Its perfect to re-center yourself going into the new year.
P.S - I’ve linked to the article “1,000 true fans” down below.
#2. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
An all time classic. Written more than 500 years ago, The Prince is often thought of as a guide to power with a bunch of advice on how to manipulate people.
I think thats an unfair characteristic of the work. It is really a study of human nature and how power dynamics played out centuries ago. You’ll be surprised how much of the advice from the 1500s still holds up today.
After reading it, I’ve found myself pondering a lot of the leadership strategies I use and where they might need refinement.
It answers the age old question that Machiavelli has become famous for:
“Is it better to be loved or feared?”
This will be a perennial re-read for me in the coming years.
I’ve included a link to some takeaways from the book down below if you’re on the fence about reading it.
#1. American Kingpin by Nick Bilton
Breaking up the “self-help” and business streak here.
American Kingpin is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Full stop.
This book tells the story of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road—a marketplace on the dark web where people could anonymously buy and sell illegal goods. It’s a story about ambition, ego, and the rise and fall of a man who thought he could control it all.
What’s fascinating here is the look at the intersection of technology, law enforcement, and human behavior. It’s not just about the crimes committed, but about the larger story of how someone can think they’re invincible, only to have it all come crashing down. It’s a gripping read and, for me, one of the best books I picked up this year.
Ego is a hell of a drug.
This book proves it.
I could not recommend it more.
So there you have it!
My five best books of 2024.
What was your favorite book you read this year? Let me know with an email response! I’m building my 2025 reading list as we speak!
Resources from video:
Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans: Click Here
15 Takeaways from Machiavelli: Click Here
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Happy New Year to you and yours!