Vern Gambetta

Vern Gambetta’s top 10 reads of 2023

/by

I am a confirmed bibliophile. I cannot walk by a bookstore without going in and browsing and frequently buying a book. My reading does not follow fixed patterns. It is driven by my curiosity, and the desire to learn new things. My reading is not focused on sports, coaching or training. You can see from my top ten list that it is quite eclectic.

» Related Content: Vern Gambetta shares his top books each year. Read his recommendations from 2022 and 2021, as well as the recent GAINcast 277 where he discusses his favorite books of 2023.

This year I read 103 books, significantly down from the 150 plus books that read the past several years. It was conscious decision to read fewer books. I read several book two or three times.

Someone the other day asked when I read. I have no set time, although I read every night in bed. Seldom is there ever a time when I do not have a book in hand. I prefer actual books to Kindle but find the Kindle or my iPad easier when a I travel. Here is my technique when reading:

  • Start with a quick read – No underlining or annotation.
  • Second read – I underline in black or blue ink and annotate in the margins in the same colors.
  • Lately I have started to go through my annotations and put them in my notebook.

My book of the year, one that I have read three times Is The Creative Act a Way of Being by Rick Rubin. So, stimulating with rich and varied ideas that make you think.

Additional, these nine books made it into my top 10: