My Two Favourite Books of 2023

I generally read over 300 books each year but there are some books whose impact on me lives on well after I finished reading. Here are my top two favourite books that I read in 2023:

1. "Finding Ultra" by Rich Roll: This memoir appeals to my love of all things adventure, quest and self-improvement and did not disappoint. I was inspired to read Finding Ultra after listening to Rich Roll's interview on the Diary of a CEO podcast. His story was so unbelievably inspiring and engaging, but what I loved most was the way he answered questions. You can tell a person who has really worked through their shit by the way they speak and I was beyond impressed by his emotional intelligence, genuine compassion and insight. If you like running marathons, are interested or curious about veganism, peak performance, overcoming addictions or the like, this book is a great read. 

2. "Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts" by Josie Shapiro: As a kiwi, I have a confession to make. I'm not big on New Zealand fiction. I find a lot of it blah if I'm perfectly honest. However, this novel is an absolute triumph. The emotional depth of the writing and the complexity of the characters is everything, and it reminded me greatly of the Alex series by Tessa Duder which may or not be the best children's book series ever written. The plot centres around a girl from a difficult family background who takes up running. It deals with themes of sexual abuse and eating disorders and follows the main character into her early adulthood. A completely absorbing, poignant read.


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