My Year in Books – 2024

I set a goal to read 10 books this year. I have missed this by 2. But I may miss the goal by only one because I’m enjoying Benjamin Franklin’s biography by Walter Isaacson. I started reading Franklin’s biography about 2 years ago. It’s a long but enjoyable read. Benjamin Franklin is, as one of my mentors used to say, [my] favourite American. His approach to personal development was incomprehensible, not to mention his countless acts of patriotism to America. 

The recent civil unrest in Kenya reminded me of Benjamin Franklin’s letter to his son William:

… America should not replicate the rigid ruling hierarchies of the Old World, the aristocratic structures and feudal social orders based on birth rather than merit. Instead, its strength would be its creation of a proud middling people, a class of frugal and industrious shopkeepers and tradesmen who were assertive of their rights and proud of their status.

The above quote demonstrates Benjamin Franklin’s belief in democratic systems and the importance of the middle class in an economy. But even more important, it reveals the identity of America – or at least the one that Benjamin strived to forge. 

The book is peppered with instances where he embodied frugality and industry in business dealings. His policy suggestions, too, advocated for the support of the middle class. For example, as Walter Isaacson notes in the book, Benjamin Franklin believed that “Policies that encouraged hard work were good, not because they led to great accumulations of private wealth; they were good because they increased the total well-being of a community and the dignity of every aspiring individual…”

These ideologies are embedded and form a vital fabric of the American culture to date, a reminder that a country’s identity is cultivated right from its independence. 

Most African countries, though still relatively young, lack clear moral and governance identities. For instance, Kenya’s moral and governance identity remains unclear to me. It’s not quite clear how we are weaving into our identity the values and principles such as accountability and integrity that Tom Mbora envisioned, selflessness and sacrifice that Dedan Kimathi demonstrated, or patriotism and collective identity that Jomo Kenyatta and Oginga Odinga demonstrated. It’s high time we revisit our history and embrace the values and principles that our country was established on.

Still, on reflection of the recent civil unrest in Kenya, Benjamin Franklin’s propaganda article he anonymously wrote for the English papers in 1773, titled “Rules by Which a Great Empire May be Reduced to a Small One,” vividly describes our current predicament. In the piece, wrote:

Resolve to harass [citizens] with novel taxes. They will probably complain to your Parliaments that they are taxed by a body in which they have no representative, and that this is contrary to common right… and treat the petitioners with utmost contempt. 

The arrogance of our members of parliament in passing the controversial Finance Bill 2024 (which the president later declined to sign into law) together with many other taxes that the current regime has forcefully imposed on Kenyans reflects on Benjamin Franklin’s quote above. I guess Benjamin Franklin would conclude that our great country is being reduced to a small one.

I bought Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger about a week before Charlie Munger died. I had long been a fanatic of his ideas and philosophies after encountering them on the Farnam Street blog. The book, which is a compilation of Charlie’s ideas and philosophies from speeches, lectures, and interviews, is a page-turner.

Not to piss you off but reading this book was like the literary version of a premature ‘happily ever after; —it was so good I devoured it too quickly, and then I was left with post-climactic depression. I learnt my lesson, and I’m now taking time with Benjamin Franklin’s biography, digesting and savoring the wisdom on each page. (I went back four chapters not because I didn’t understand those chapters but because I wanted to redigest its content and feel good).

The book mirrors Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography Poor Richard’s Almanack in format and intent—to disseminate practical wisdom. The wisdom in this book can’t be quantified. But the wit involved in disseminating the wisdom is what makes the book an enjoyable read. I remember chuckling on a bus on my way to work while reading it, prompting an awkward stare from my neighbor who might have thought I was mad.

In Chapter Three, Munger advices the reader to “Quickly eliminate the big universe of what not to do; follow up with a fluent, multidisciplinary attack on what remains; then act decisively when, and only when, the right circumstances appear.” His multidisciplinary approach to life, learning, and decision-making stood out for me; he borrows a lot from biology, physics, and chemistry. He emphasizes that “You must think in a multidisciplinary manner. You must routinely use all the easy-to-learn concepts from the freshman course in every basic subject.”

His commentary on behavioural psychology is the sole reason I bought Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow. That is to say, he likes psychology, rational thinking, and lifelong learning. You need to listen to his 1995 Harvard University commencement speech, The Psychology of Human Misjudgment. 

Munger humorously advises people who want misery in their lives to be unreliable, learn from their own experiences, go down and stay there when faced with life’s challenges, and ignore the importance of mental and physical health. He also warns that envy, resentment, revenge, and self-pity are disastrous modes of thought.

On how to get things done, he advises having checklist routines. He continues to say that “… Another thing you have to do is have a lot of assiduity,” which he defines as “[sitting] down on your ass until you [get something done].”

My last highlight from the book is “Continuous thinking and learning, done with joy, can somewhat help delay what is inevitable.”

I have been learning a lot about digital colonialism, which includes overreliance on foreign digital products to meet our needs. The tools are rarely designed with African contexts in mind. Eventually, we end up blindly using these products or conforming to Western ways. The long-term consequences are enormous, but I fear globalization which is solely defined within the confined lenses of the Western countries. As such, I resolved to start appreciating and consuming African literature. 

I’m a staunch believer that information technologies are not ends in themselves, but rather means for people to achieve their dreams, and therefore, should be tailored to community contexts. In other words, communities must be taught to understand how ICTs are complimenting their ways of living by strengthening their values and principles instead of replacing them.

As a Kenyan, there isn’t a better way to kick things off other than by reading Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s books. This year, I read Weep Not, Child, which explores themes of family, education, colonial oppression, land economics, and the intricacies of our liberation.

I have also bought A Grain of Wheat (by Ngugi wa Thiong’o) and Facing Mt. Kenya (by Jomo Kenyatta), but I haven’t made significant progress in reading them. In line with this goal, I was privileged to develop a curriculum for the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Academy on Development of ICT Projects in Community Contexts: ICT Networks in Indigenous and Rural Communities.

My Spotify Wrapped 2024 is littered with gospel hymns, courtesy of David Brook’s book The Road to Character. I read The Social Animal about 7 years ago, and, man, that was a terrific read. Since then, David Brooks has always been on my radar. This year, which was challenging in so many different ways, demanded me to conduct a deep reflection. Among the few literacy figures that came to mind to assist with the process was David Brooks. I perused through his titles and found The Road to Character to match my needs – an in-depth soul-searching expedition. I wasn’t disappointed. 

The Road to Character explores the complexities of a meaningful and virtuous life by contrasting two types of virtues: resume and eulogy virtues. The former involves the skills that contribute to one’s career success whereas the latter focuses on the qualities that define one’s inner character and moral legacy. The book scans the history of humanity and uses figures such as Augustine, Dwight Eisenhower, and Samuel Johnson, among others to argue for or against the qualities that contribute to true fulfillment. 

Kevin Kelly’s Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier book format surprised me, but not so much about its content. Pieces of advice such as “Investing small amounts of money over a long time works miracles but no one wants to get rich slow,” “Life gets better as you replace transactions with relationships,” “Gratitude will unlock all other virtues and is something you can get better at,” and “Don’t measure your life with someone else’s ruler” reminded me not to overlook the basics, which compliments how Charlie Munger lived.

I freelanced at Global Innovation Valley (GIV) as a digital manager. The refugee-led organization empowers refugees at Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement to become self-reliant through digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and educational scholarships. I was privileged to travel to Kakuma and Kalobeyei and interact with the refugees to hear their stories. This prompted me to read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, which highlights the struggles of Sudanese refugees, Salva Dut and Nya. 

The novel which is inspired by real events explores the characters’ struggle with survival, perseverance, and hope. After reading the book, I became more appreciative of the work that GIV is doing in empowering refugees. I’m also thankful to my friend John Gitonga—who works with a South Sudan-based non-profit organization empowering marginalized youth in Ariang Village in South Sudan—for recommending A Long Walk to Water to me. 

I finally read As a Man Thinketh by James Allen. I partially read Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil, and Contagious by Jonah Berger.

I’m currently reading Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom. The book explores the paths to the development of potential artificial superintelligence and the dangers involved. I tried to ignore the artificial intelligence (AI) hype but found it too strong. I tried reading articles about it but I couldn’t get a clear picture of what the hype was all about. So I resolved to read a foundational book that was published before the current hype. I have read 23% of the book. I find the AI field to be complicated. So I’m taking my time with the book. So far so good. 

I have mixed feelings about the AI technology. It has great potential to change the course of humanity for the better or worse. I recently wrote an article on its implication on the institutions of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa. I’m of the view that AI should be keenly regulated starting at these nascent stages of its widespread uptake. 

I enjoyed reading these articles:

• How Ivy League Admissions Destroyed America by David Brooks (The Atlantic).
• The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books by Rose Horowitch (The Atlantic).
• Edna O’Brien, The Art of Fiction No. 82 by Shusha Guppy (The Paris Review).

I listened to a lot of rap music, especially Kendrick Lamar. His most recent album, GNX, is great. Check out the album’s review on Pitchfork, NPR, Vulture, and The Guardian. My guilty pleasure, this year, has been reading rap music album reviews; the reviews are so rich in vocabulary. I enjoyed reading the reviews for K. Dot’s latest album – in addition to the commentaries of his battle with Drake.

I enjoyed watching Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, a documentary about writer Robert Caro and his editor Robert Gottlieb. I learnt a lot about the book publishing world. I also gained a glimpse into the dynamic of writing and editing. I even learnt a proposed proper usage of semicolons!

Watching the documentary reminded me of my time as an editor of Tunapanda Institute’s Medium publication. Up until I watched this documentary about a month ago, I thought the primary role of an editor was to correct grammar and punctuation. I have been so wrong for so long. But I take solace in Kevin Kelly’s advice: If you are not embarrassed by your past self, you have probably not grown up yet.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope you will pick some of the books or other mentioned materials. Also, check out my previous lists (2022, 2021, 2020).