The other day I tagged along with my boyfriend for a day-long business trip. I found myself in an unfamiliar city with a whole day to explore and/or get some work done. I wound up starting my day at a coffee shop at one end of a large shopping center and ended my day at a bookstore on the opposite end.
Normally when I go to a bookstore my heart just fills with excitement of all the possibilities to discover wondrous ideas hidden inside the pages of the various books. For some reason on this day with hours and hours to spend immersed in books of my choice, I couldn’t decide on what to read. I couldn’t figure out what topic or genre would be worth my time in that bookstore. So I wondered to myself:
“What would an untemplater do?”
Now I didn’t mean ‘what someone would do in that moment’, but rather ‘what would an untemplater read?’ What kind of books would seasoned untemplaters recommend to the younglings who are just dipping their toes in the pool for the first time?
The Untemplater motto is: “Work where you want. Live how you want. Be who you want to be.” Is there a book that you’ve read that has inspired you to do these things? Is there a book that has given you clarity or direction?
As of this writing, Untemplater has posts about five different topics:
- Business
- Mobile Lifestyle
- Personal Finance
- Relationships
- Self Improvement
Have you come across any books that are “must reads” for any of the given categories? What books should be included in an Untemplater “Suggested Reading List” or even a “Required Reading List?”
Or… would you be so untemplated that you’d respond to this question with, “Forget it! I’ll do and read what I want!!”?
I recommend “Moonlighting on the Internet” by Yanik Silver
Work The System by Sam Carpnter
There are a couple of books that stick out to me:
Tim Sanders “Love is the Killer App” – Tim has a great way of simplifying what truly matters in business and life. I’ve read a lot of books recently, and this was the only one that incited true self-reflection and change.
Baldassare Castiglione “Book of the Courtier” – This is a renaissance-era book that discusses what it means to be a respected member of the court. In it, Castiglione discusses that the courtier is expected to have a warrior spirit, to be athletic and to have good knowledge of the humanities, classics, and how to draw and paint. Basically, to be a well-rounded person.
There are many others, but those stick out right now.
I’ll go wit carlos and christopher
I used to read rich dad poor dad and other books in the series bt soon realized its a how-to-book. Books like that really dont put the initiative on ur palms. Now i read philosophical books and i must say my view’s changed. The Robert Greene books, art of war, the prince, samurai zen. People say philosophy books are radical, for me thats the untemplater lifestyle – dare to be different. infact i recommend ‘the meditations of marcus aurelius’.
(if anyone needs it, inbox me -salisu8@yahoo.com – nd i’ll be glad to forward it)
A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson – easily (but not that easy) digested book about science and earth from the big bang until today.
I’m kind of burnt out with the business and personal finance books which regurgitate the same thing over and over and over and over and over again…
Some of them are really good, but I think I find more original and ingenious business-related ideas in non-business books.
Thank you. I sat racking my brain for a good 15 minutes trying to remember the name of that book yesterday before I gave up and posted my list without it. It’s a really good book, but in the years since I’ve read it, it’s been kind of merged together in my mind with the other hundred or so science books I’ve read.
Ok, after my short rant yesterday about standardizing the untemplater experience, I do actually have some positive contributions to make.
Over the summer, I read The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. It’s 600 pages, but informative and easy to read. He talks about how changes in technology are making changes in how the world does business and we will have to either adapt to it or be left out.
Back in high school, I read How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci by Michael Gelb. He distills the essence of Da Vinci’s genius into 7 qualities and shows how we can incorporate them into our own lives.
God Emperor of DUNE by Frank Herbert (although I would recommend reading the first three books first). This book changed my life by making me see the symbolism and pageantry around me used obfuscate the real meaning of actions.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. Best right-leaning science-fiction novel ever. So much sci-fi is liberal/progressive, where conservatism is a dirty word (yes, I’m talking to you, Bova). So seeing the future through a libertarian’s eyes is refreshing.
Comments have made me really think about this, lol. Very good points…
I’ve been thinking about the kinds of books I want to pick up, since soon I’ll be on summer break from school and unemployed. Right now I’m reading books on freelance writing, because it’s what *I* want to do, not because it’s the “new thing to do.”
After I get started on some of those, I’ll probably pick up some photography books (my other possible freelancing love), coding books (I want to teach myself coding, scary but useful) and some other interesting ones, like Godin’s The Purple Cow, Vaynerchuk’s Crush It and some other ones that have caught my interest. (Because, well, *I* want to read them, not because somebody told me I should!)
I really liked the 4HWW, but I guess because it got me to think outside the box and introduced me to the idea of “nontraditional” employment. Travel’s nice, but totally not my thing… I want my freedom so that I can go racing. 😀
For freelance writing books, check out Jenna Glatzer’s “Make A Living As A Real Freelance Writer”. It’s a serious must-read. I’m starting up my freelancing career myself… got any other book/website recs? Here’s some websites you might like if you haven’t seen them yet: http://allfreelancewriting.com/ http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com http://www.completewritingsolutions.com/ http://www.telecommutejoblist.com/blog/12
As for coding, I personally find it super helpful to pick up books that have you working on fake “projects” so you can assess whether or not you’re learning the code correctly. A lot of those books can be had very very cheaply at discount stores like Ollie’s because of how quickly the computer market moves… but that’s okay, if you’re learning the basics from a cheap book it’s easy to use the internet to update your skillset. Don’t forget a lot of coding can be learned online… for free… w3cschools.com is a fantastic place to get the basics & then branch out.
You know, when I go into bookstores, I look at poetry, history titles, coding books, and craft books. Poetry & history books challenge me to look at the world in a new way. Programming & coding are important part of my skillset, and I think learning to knitting has taught me more about how to break the rules than anything else I’ve ever done in my life… I learned to read patterns so I could make my own. 🙂
Untemplaters should read books that teach them something. What do you want to learn about? What DON’T you already know about, or think you could use a new perspective on? That should be what you think about when you go into a bookstore.
In the bookstore on that day as I describe in the post I asked myself, “What don’t I already know about or think I could use a new perspective on?”
My answer to that, and what I eventually ended up reading was…
A comic book. :]
Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto and The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. Books that tell why rather than how, make you think, and leave the rest in your hands.
I like the “why rather than how” approach also. Your suggestions are intriguing. Thanks for sharing!
The Other 8 Hours by Rob Pagliarini is good.
I keep hearing good things about this book! I can’t remember where from though… might it have been from your blog Sam? :]
Rich dad poor dad – read it when I was 15 and changed my life
sales dogs – rich dad poor dad series – great book on how all personality types can sell for types who don’t think they are cut out for that kinda thing
the intelligent investor – best all round investing book
the second coming of steve jobs – story of a true untemplater
the art of defense – awesome awesome book on social engineering, seriously read an abstract or something this guy was off the charts
vagabonding – I know very 4hww esc but still good
’emergency’ and ‘the game’ by neil Strauss – both very untemplate books
Thanks so much for a great variety of recommendations Vinay!
And I’m almost certain my bf has read “The Game.” Haha!
I’d lean towards the “forget it; I’ll read what I want” argument. If the whole idea of untemplating is not following somebody else’s path, why should we be saying that a certain book is required reading? If one more person tells me to read 4-Hour Work Week, I think I will scream.
Generally, I read whatever I feel like. Right now I’m reading Utopia. Last week I was reading Grad Expectations which is about how to succeed at your first corporate job. Before that The Picture of Dorian Gray, Say It Right the First Time, and a Short History of England.
I’m totally with this guy. Tired of hearing about the four-hour work week. Isn’t anybody original anymore. It seems like the same community of people are reading the same books (4 -hour work week, linchpin, i will teach you to be rich, etc.) and same authors (seth godin, remit, tim ferriss, etc.) What’s up with that. Seems like a whole new template complete with a pre-designed curriculum and everything.
I read half of the 4HWW and almost killed myself. I don’t find value on Seth’s books anymore, either. You know what helps? Philosophy and history books. Let’s learn to think, how does that sound?
I have to agree… I don’t like the idea of a “required reading list” for a community that focuses on breaking templates. The idea behind this post came from having a curiosity as to what other people in the community have read that have either inspired them to live an untemplater lifestyle, has changed a person’s perspective, or were “life changing” reads.
By asking about a “Suggested Reading List” or “Required Reading List,” I was hoping to encourage people to submit what they think are the most essential books for this community. That was my bad. I should have rephrased.
While I see how 4HWW and some of the other common books and authors can seem tired and not necessarily for everyone, for many people those books are their gateway to discovering that an alternative lifestyle exists. So I still see the value in suggesting those books.
And of course being untemplaters and free-thinking human beings, we don’t have to read every single book that’s suggested. We ultimately decide what to consume. :]
I agree with all of Sids choices.
But… to be different I’ll suggest the “Sociology of Sexuality”. It’s a fascinating look into sexuality, it’s history, and all the areas in encompasses .
Thanks Arsene, this book sounds perfect for me to read for two reasons.
1. I’m a sociology major.
2. Sexuality (and sex) is awesome. 0:-)
Hey Dariane,
The Four Hour Work Week immediately jumps out as a must. Along with that the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People/Getting Things Done/Zen To Done (pick whichever you like 😉 )
I have also really enjoyed Seth Godin’s recent work – Tribes and Linchpin are two books that I think definitely speak to our culture and the direction individuals and business organizations are headed.
Thanks Sid!
I’ve read ‘7 Habits’ and ‘Getting Things Done,’ two books I wish I’d read earlier in my life before I started college. I just started reading 4HWW. Great picks!