Books I Read in 2024

Here is a list of books I read in 2024, shared with the hope that you might find some you’d like to explore.

Categories:

• History of Business and Biographies
• Social Impacts of Technology
• Countries and Cities
• Brain and Anthropology
• History

In previous years, I compiled lists of books I read in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019. As mentioned in the book Curious from the “Brain and Anthropology” section below, curiosity evolves by building upon what we learn. Sometimes, it’s essential to step away from work-related topics. This year, I focused more on the “Brain and Anthropology” and “History” categories. For those who might find my reading on the social impacts of technology insufficient, I’ve also included newsletters I follow in this domain at the end of this document.

Business

Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World by Parmy Olson- I picked up this book after hearing the author speak at The Heat conference in Oxford last September. It compellingly discusses the competition between OpenAI and DeepMind and explores their fundamental differences in approaches. I wrote about DeepMind’s founder, Demis Hassabis after he won the Nobel Prize.

• Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter by Kate Conger and Ryan Mac — This book, also featured in our newsletter, explains how Elon Musk acquired Twitter and what he did afterward. Over time, we’ve seen that Musk didn’t just acquire Twitter — he also positioned himself as one of the most influential figures in American politics.
• The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant by Tae Kim- This year, Nvidia became the world’s most valuable company. This book, an excellent piece of investigative journalism, recounts its journey from its founding in the 1990s to its current dominance.

Social Impacts of Technology

• Future Money: Fintech, AI, and Web3 by Ronit Ghose- I first heard Ronit speak at TransformBase in London last year, and when the book was published, I bought it immediately. What’s great about this book is that it doesn’t just explain fintech dryly — it narrates engaging stories featuring examples from around the globe, including one from Deniz Güven, who appeared on my podcast (in Turkish).
• The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI by Fei-Fei Li- Written by the so-called “mother of AI,” this book goes beyond explaining machine learning algorithms. It delves into how a Chinese immigrant woman navigated life in the U.S. during the 1980s.
• The Care Dilemma: Caring Enough in the Age of Sex Equality by David Goodhart- The author, a former journalist at the Financial Times, uses data to explore a provocative question: Did the rise of women in professional life create a care and affection deficit? He asks, “If all women work, who will care for the children?”

Countries and Cities

• Kaput: The End of the German Miracle by Wolfgang Münchau- Germany’s crisis has recently been one of the most striking topics. Münchau, who has long been one of my favorite writers at the Financial Times, now writes for the New Statesman. This book delves into Germany’s crisis and traces its historical roots. I also covered this topic and the book in one of my columns.
• Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century by Simon Kuper is Written by one of my favorite FT writers and offers an entertaining take on Paris. I read it before the Olympics, and this year, with the games and the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris has been in the spotlight. Kuper blends his personal life into the narrative, making it a delightful read.
• The Small States Club: How Small Smart States Can Save the World by Armen Sarkissian- This book, written by the former president of Armenia, explains why small states have advantages in an era of rapid technological transformation. I also discussed it in one of my columns.
• Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers by Jason M. Barr- Why do we build skyscrapers? This book explores the economic reasons behind these structures, such as land value and the attraction created by iconic buildings like Dubai’s Burj Al Arab. However, it also looks back 100 years to the skyscrapers of Chicago and New York. The author, an economist, also demonstrates a strong understanding of architectural issues.
• Every year, I try to read at least one book each on China and India. This year, I chose two books that present the perspectives of individuals close to the current administrations (a Chinese academic and a retired Indian diplomat) on their countries’ foreign policies. For example, does China aspire to dominate the world? And how has India developed a system based on small alliances?
• China’s World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict by David Daokui Li
• Why Bharat Matters, by S. Jaishankar

Historical books on China and India are in the related section below.

Brain and Anthropology

• Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind by Gary Marcus- Professor Marcus is an academic neuroscientist and entrepreneur who sold his previous company to Uber. After hearing him speak at DLD last year, I read his book and subscribed to his newsletter. Through evolutionary insights and practical examples, Kluge explains why the human mind doesn’t operate as systematically as AI. Marcus often discusses in his newsletter how current AI models fall far short of human intelligence.

· Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are by Frans de Waal- Some of the best explanations about human nature come from anthropologists studying primates. Unlike those who study humans, primate researchers tend to provide objective observations without being constrained by moral judgments. Last year, I read Robin Dunbar’s, which belongs to the same school of thought. In this book, de Waal, one of the world’s foremost primatologists, compares his observations of chimpanzees and bonobos to human behavior.

• Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It by Ian Leslie-
  Curiosity is one of the most essential traits of intellectual life. But how can curiosity be nurtured? For instance, do those who know more become more curious, or is it the other way around? In many of my talks, I emphasize that maintaining diverse interests is one of our most vital traits against AI. This book explains how to cultivate and sustain curiosity effectively.
• The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and Civilization by Martin Puchner — This book, Written by a literature professor, explores the relationship between literary texts and human intelligence, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to The Lord of the Rings. It’s like a world history told through literature. What stood out was how it made me reflect on large language models in AI. If you want to understand ChatGPT better, I recommend reading this book.
• A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains by Max S. Bennett- I loved this book, a Brief History of Intelligence. The author, though not from an academic background, approaches the evolution of human intelligence with academic rigor, explaining how the characteristics that emerged through this process might (or might not) guide AI development. It pairs well with Gary Marcus’ Kluge but is much more comprehensive. It becomes especially intriguing as it nears the stages of evolution leading to humans.
• Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport & Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress by John Fitch, Max Frenzel, and Mariya Suzuki (Illustrator)- These two books use insights into the brain’s workings to explore how to rest effectively. From these books, I drew a few key takeaways:
• Evaluating mental work with the same parameters as physical labor is incorrect. Productivity in mental work is closely tied to concentration, which requires proper rest.
• Digital distractions significantly impact productivity. Both books offer suggestions for managing these distractions.

You can read these two books in the order I’ve listed them.

Political/Economic History and Historical Biographies

· Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History by Alex Von Tunzelmann-
I happened to read this book during the week of the Assad regime’s downfall in Syria. The book examines the symbolic significance of statues and the reasons behind their destruction, with a detailed discussion of figures like Saddam Hussein and Lenin. Its key message is clear: toppling a statue sends as strong a message as erecting one. Many of the book focuses on statues brought down during the “Black Lives Matter” protests. I was surprised to learn that even George Washington’s statue was toppled in the U.S.

• The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Eugene Rogan- Did you know that one of the earliest modern ethnic conflicts in the Middle East involved the massacre of Christians in Damascus? I didn’t. After the Tanzimat reforms, Christians in the Ottoman Empire rapidly integrated into the Western economic system, with some even gaining foreign passports or honorary consulships to benefit from capitulations. This enraged the traditional Muslim Arab elites in Damascus, and the rest is a classic pogrom story: one day, a rumor spreads, and… Interestingly, Circassians from Algeria protected the Christians. Following the events, the Ottomans paid substantial reparations to the Christian community, showcasing the strength of our state tradition even back then.
• The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017 by Rashid Khalidi- Written by a member of one of Jerusalem’s leading Arab families and a Western-educated intellectual, this book delves into how British mandates and Zionist policies institutionalized settler colonialism. Khalidi contrasts how few Arabs like himself integrated into the Western system while the Jewish community fully adapted and built institutions. This book pairs well with Daron Acemoğlu’s works for a broader perspective.
• We Are Your Soldiers: How Gamal Abdel Nasser Remade the Arab World by Alex Rowell- Nasser, who ruled Egypt for many years and even united it with Syria, is unfortunately not well-known in Turkey. His era parallels the coups in the Middle East with those in Turkey (this book complements Murat Yetkin’s Meraklısı İçin Ortadoğu). The most intriguing part for me was how Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, encouraged by Nasser, was unsure how to govern Libya the day after his coup. He waited for Nasser to send advisors. Later, during a meeting in Cairo with King Hussein of Jordan, Gaddafi whispered to Nasser, “May I just shoot Hussein and end this?” This meeting is depicted in a photo included in the book.
• Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and the New Fight for the Future of Russia by Anna Arutunyan and Mark Galeotti- This book narrates the life of Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia’s private military group Wagner. Prigozhin rebelled against Putin last year and later died in a mysterious plane crash. His empire began with a restaurant in St. Petersburg that attracted the city’s elite, including then-mayor Vladimir Putin. If Turkey were more like Russia, Sunset Grill in Istanbul might have evolved similarly. However, Turkey operates differently. Prigozhin’s life offers valuable insights into patterns found in similar stories across many countries.
• ‘A Seditious and Sinister Tribe ’ by Donald Rayfield -As my ancestors migrated from Crimea to Bulgaria, I’ve always been interested in the Crimean Khanate. Unfortunately, some of the histories closest to us have not been sufficiently studied in Turkey. This book provides a concise and comprehensive history of the Crimean Tatars. Although annexed by the Ottomans during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror, the Khanate often acted independently. Interestingly, its primary economic activity was the slave trade. At the time, women enslaved from Ukraine and Russia were called “Natashas.”
• Vienna: How the City of Ideas Created the Modern World by Richard Cockett-
  I often compare Vienna to Istanbul — both were once imperial capitals at the center of the world and later relegated to the periphery. Vienna’s intellectual peak occurred roughly between 1870 and 1940, during which Jewish intellectuals became pioneers in disciplines ranging from advertising and literature to mathematics and nuclear physics. Most fled to the U.S. to escape the Nazis. The book also highlights the backlash from the working-class suburbs, which is still relevant today.
• Royal Fraud: The Story of Albania’s First and Last King by Robert C. Austin-
  Did you know Albania’s first and only king was a graduate of Galatasaray High School? I didn’t. This book tells the fascinating story of a unique monarch. At the time, Albania was one of Europe’s most underdeveloped countries, much like today. After ascending the throne, the king’s primary ambition was to secure a good marriage. He even placed ads in U.S. newspapers stating, “Our king is reasonably handsome but seeks a bride with an annual income of xx dollars.”
• Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire by Roger Crowley- One of history’s greatest entrepreneurial stories is how Vasco da Gama set out from Portugal with a few ships and colonized India. This book explains how da Gama and a few other “entrepreneurs” achieved this feat. Portugal, much smaller and weaker than India then, succeeded through technological advancements and political acumen.
• The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World by William Dalrymple- India was the cradle of global civilization before the Portuguese arrived. Books like this are essential for challenging stereotypes about India. For instance, the concept of “zero” originated in India and later spread to Europe via the Arabs. Buddhism began in India before spreading to China, Korea, and Japan.
• Making China Modern: From the Great Qing to Xi Jinping by Klaus Mühlhahn- It is one of the most comprehensive books on Chinese history I’ve read. While many sources discuss the Communist Party era, I found the period from the Opium Wars to the end of World War II particularly fascinating. Shanghai, for example, was like a scaled-up version of İzmir in Turkey, with each European power carving out its sphere of influence.

· Both/And: A Memoir by Huma Abedin- I first met Huma years ago during an event in Istanbul we organized for Afghan and Pakistani women entrepreneurs as a photo opportunity. At the time, she was Hillary Clinton’s “traveling chief of staff.” Unfortunately, Hillary couldn’t attend the event due to her mother’s passing the day before, so we took the photo with then-Undersecretary of State Bill Burns (later CIA director) and Ahmet Davutoğlu. Huma was born in the U.S. and grew up in Jeddah. Her memoir beautifully recounts her childhood, youth, and personal life (the latter is also depicted in the film Weiner). Working within a political system for an extended period is incredibly challenging, and I think it’s commendable that she wrote this book at a young age. Most people hesitate to share their experiences and feelings from such environments. We need more memoirs like this in Turkey.

· The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century by Steve Coll- This book tells the story of Osama bin Laden’s father and family, one of the wealthiest business families in Saudi Arabia. His father was one of the kingdom’s largest contractors. The book offers fascinating details about how the system operates in Saudi Arabia. My favorite tidbit: the family’s eldest brother, who took over leadership, had a close friend from high school in England who went on to establish and still owns the famous Catamaran Disco in Bodrum, Turkey.

· Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House by Jared Cohen- Jared Cohen is an intriguing figure. He worked under U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at a young age. Later, he joined Eric Schmidt at Google and founded Jigsaw, a think tank within the company. At Goldman Sachs, he epitomizes the “Davos Man” archetype. In his free time, he writes books. This one explores the retirement lives of six U.S. presidents. For example, John Q. Adams later became a congressman (you might recall this from the movie Amistad), and another president fulfilled his dream of becoming a Supreme Court justice after leaving office. I didn’t know George W. Bush became a painter after his presidency — like Kenan Evren in Turkey. Another fascinating fact: until 60–70 years ago, U.S. presidents did not receive pensions, which led many younger retirees to face significant financial difficulties.

· Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present by Fareed Zakaria- Fareed Zakaria’s books are always worth reading, and this one is no exception. Once again, as a true “Davos Man,” he skillfully frames global historical trends within a straightforward and engaging narrative.

Other Books

This section includes four books that don’t fit into any specific category but reflect some of my other interests:

• The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition by Donald A. Norman- As someone who struggles with motor skills, I thought my inability to use specific devices was my fault. However, this book argues that it’s poorly designed if everyone cannot use a device. For example, why is the water control in hotel bathrooms always so strange? Why is it so difficult to figure out which burner a stove knob control? As someone who has never lit a stove because of these challenges, I found this book incredibly insightful.
• Ways of Curating by Hans Ulrich Obrist- I encounter this author annually at various European events. Although this book focuses on artistic curation, it’s also valuable for anyone curating content (like my newsletter). There’s much to learn here.
• Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib- Two years ago, I read Grand Hotel Europa by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, which included a memorable quote: “Tourism is the denial of authenticity. It is the celebration of the imitation of what was once unique.” This book similarly examines how modern tourism experiences have evolved. Despite being the fifth most visited country in the world, we rarely discuss the philosophy of tourism in Turkey.
• Shopkeeping: Stories, Advice, and Observations by Peter Miller- This book is about the life of a shopkeeper. How do you run a shop? How do you ensure customers return? Topics like these deserve as much attention in writing as academic research.

Newsletters on the Social Impacts of Technology

• The Exponential View- This newsletter, curated by Azeem Azhar, is one I reference so often that I don’t need to explain it again. Don’t miss it!
• Benedict’s Newsletter -Written by Benedict Evans, one of the most prominent technology analysts, this concise weekly newsletter is perfect for tracking trends in internet-related businesses.
• Stratechery- Ben Thompson, an excellent technology analyst based in Taiwan, started this newsletter before Substack existed. The content mainly focuses on publicly traded companies — not stock price analysis but deeper trends.
• Platformer- Casey Newton is a journalist who writes about the topics I’m interested in. After growing tired of mainstream media, he launched this newsletter. It covers the intersection of technology, society, and politics, focusing on Internet businesses.
• Newcomer — While I find it less compelling than Stratechery and Platformer, it’s still a good source for keeping up with private tech companies and venture capital investments.
• Understanding AI -This newsletter’s unique strength is that it was written by a journalist with a background in computer engineering. It does an excellent job of simplifying and explaining technical topics.
• Air Street Press -Air Street Capital, the publisher of the annual State of AI report, has launched this newsletter. It’s very well done.
• The Global — Rest of the World -One of my favorite publications, this newsletter focuses on internet news in developing countries. Reading it, you’ll notice that the issues they discuss are often the same as ours: What are delivery workers doing in Mexico? Who has been banned in India?
• Just Think- At GE, I met Marco Annunziata, the company’s chief economist and renowned thinker. I can’t leave this newsletter off the list. It’s filled with original ideas I enjoy reading and often reference in my columns.

Closing Note- I read these books on a Kindle. If you enjoy reading, I highly recommend getting one. It’s ideal for instantly purchasing books and reading anywhere.