Yay, one year of excellent reviews! Well, technically, this blog is less than one year old, but I think I started early enough to have a year-end conclusion of 2017 already.

In 2017 I read and rated 15 books, and posted two special reviews, as well as two additional articles. I reached an average of more than one view per day, which is in tune with my efforts at promoting this blog. At least I now repost my reviews on goodreads.com.

For the next year I aim for more of everything: more content, more books, more buzz, more growth. Let’s see how well that goes! But first, you’re in for the obligatory best-of section.

Best book reviewed in 2017:

That’s a very easy choice: How to Win Friends and Influence People is probably my favourite non-fiction book of all time. This is easily the single most valuable book I have read in my life. Pretty much every tip Carnegie gives can be applied immediately, in uncountable situations. I learned from this book how to understand and relate to other people better, and have much more satisfying social interactions ever since.

Best book published in 2017:

Barking up the wrong Tree has exactly the right combination of storytelling and science to be both entertaining and informative. Barker does challenges common success myths and analyzes, which techniques REALLY work. The one insight I could apply immediately: stopping sh*t to have more time for meaningful activities. Right after reading Barking up the Wrong Tree, I noticed that keeping up with all the blogs and YouTube channels I followed has become a chore rather than a pleasurable activity. So I deleted most of my bookmarks and unfollowed every medium that was neither outstandingly enjoyable or useful to me.

Most surprising book reviewed in 2017:

The Dictator’s Handbook was quite shocking for me to read. The book reveals how dictators hold their own people hostage to profit from disaster relief and humanitarian aid. Between the dripping sarcasm, Bueno de Mesquita and his co-authors taught me how ruthless and corrupt leaders, western foreign policies, and sofa samariatrians who mindlessly give money to random charities just to feel good about themselves all work together to cement the status quo, at the expense of the world’s poorest. I have revised my donating habits after reading.

I learned a lot this year, an I hope you did, too. I wish all my readers a belated HAPPY NEW YEAR, let’s all be our best in 2018!