Top 5 Favorite Books

Here is a list of my Top 5 Favorite Books. My book tastes are all over the place - from finance/business self help (Timothy Ferriss, Suze Orman, Napoleon Hill, Millionaire Mind) to fantasy (Harry Potter series) to mysteries (Dennis Lehane, Agatha Christie).

1) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: is the best book I have ever read. I was a bit skeptical before I read it. I figured: what would I have in common with a story about 2 boys growing up in Afghanistan? The book provides a historical perspective of Afghanistan before and after Taliban rule and examines the spectrum of human nature (unconditional love, loyalty, fear, cruelty, self preservation). It has a little bit for everyone: history, romance, and a story with enough twists that make it hard to put down.

2) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown: the book is well worth all of the hype it received. Before I read it, I read all of his other stuff first (Angels and Demons is actually the first book in the Robert Langdon series). The book opens up with a murder and follows Langdon (a famous symbologist) as he tries to unravel the mystery through religious cover-ups and secret societies. You know a book is great when it has an impact on people's religious beliefs by mixing fact and fiction. It is an "edge of your seat" thriller which keeps you hanging on each chapter.

3) The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene: this book is cut from the same cloth as Sun Tzu's Art of War and Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. It is a how to guide (of sorts) on how to be successful in life by using historical examples. The first 3 laws in the book: Never Outshine the Master, Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends & Learn How to Use Enemies, and Conceal your Intentions. Its a cynical book, but it has some pretty good life applications.

4) The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss: Neil Strauss (Rolling Stone writer and author) follows and lives with a pick-up artist (Mystery) to learn the "art of picking women up". The book discusses Mystery's Method of picking up women: I.O.I.'s (Indicators of Interest), DHV (Demonstrations of Higher Value), befriending men within a group of women (so everyone lowers their guard), and using Negs (back handed compliments to break the ice). Mystery later got a reality show on VH-1 called The Pickup Artist where he teaches socially awkward guys to pick up women.

5) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon: I read this book (along with Life of Pi) because Amazon suggested it as a book purchased by people who also purchased Kite Runner. The book is a mystery written from the point of view of an autistic teenager. The author conveys how it is to be autistic (missing social nuances, taking things literally, allowing colors to determine his mood, and preferring not to be touched) without being autistic himself. Its entertaining, insightful, and a quick read.