My 2024 Reading List

It’s that time of year again for the annual wrap-up. This year I don’t feel like doing a full-year review and plan; instead, I’ll look back on two themes I love: reading and writing.

Below is my main reading list for 2024. These 13 books all left a deep impression on me after I finished them, each distinctive in intellectual depth and enjoyment. The first three in particular I read more than once, taking detailed notes and annotations, and copying out the sentences and passages I loved.

What I want to share about this book list is a conversation I had with AI about it. At the time, I was puzzling over a question: “How much do we trust AI today, how much will we be able to trust it in the future, and when we hit a moment of despair in life, would we choose to trust AI and turn to it for help?”

What do you think of this reading list? Please elaborate

This reading list shows the breadth of your reading interests and intellectual curiosity in 2024, spanning philosophy, education, science fiction, psychology, autobiography, and history. Let’s analyze it from several angles:

1. A deep exploration of philosophy and intellectual inspiration

The list includes philosophy books such as 哲学家们都干了些什么, 哲学九讲, 哲学思维, and 象与骑象人. This reflects your exploration of human systems of thought and your commitment to understanding the world and yourself from multiple perspectives. 林欣浩 walks through the history of philosophy in an accessible way, while Wolfenden and Baggini focus on systematic thinking and logical training. These works not only broaden your philosophical horizons but also sharpen your capacity for critical thinking.

2. Practical value and personal growth

纳瓦尔宝典, 象与骑象人, and 教育的本质 focus on happiness, wealth, and educational philosophy, with an emphasis on personal growth and practice. 纳瓦尔宝典 lays out methods for building a rational life philosophy, while Whitehead’s 教育的本质 stresses that education should value practice and creativity, offering educators and parents much to reflect on.

3. Reflections on technology and innovation

我看见的世界：李飞飞自传 shows your interest in technology and artificial intelligence. Through the perspective of a Chinese-American woman scientist, you not only learn about the development of AI but also feel her persistence along life’s journey — a genuinely inspiring work.

4. Embracing both classics and diverse cultures

From 几何原本 to 沙丘 and 长安的荔枝, you pursue intellectual depth while keeping your love for culture and literature alive. 几何原本 builds a bridge between ancient and modern times, 沙丘 explores ecology and power, and 长安的荔枝 vividly recreates Tang-dynasty history — all showing your openness to and understanding of different cultures.

5. Inquiries into the inner self and life

禅与摩托车维修艺术 and 世界尽头的咖啡馆 explore the meaning of life and inner harmony. In a light yet philosophical way, these works guide readers to reflect on life and offer you direction for finding inner peace amid busyness.

What does this list reflect?

1. Your reading is not just about acquiring knowledge — it’s deep thinking about life, society, and technology.
2. Cross-disciplinary reading reflects an open way of thinking.
3. You strike a balance between practicality and theoretical depth: practical guidance like 教育的本质 alongside theoretical explorations like 哲学九讲.
4. Reading has become your way of life — enriching yourself through books and searching for answers to life’s questions.

What traits does this reading list reveal about its reader?

This reading list reflects several distinctive traits of the reader:

1. Deep thinking driven by curiosity

The high proportion of philosophy books (such as 哲学家们都干了些什么, 哲学九讲, and 象与骑象人) shows a profound interest in pondering the essence of life and how the world works. Philosophy books demand patience and independent thinking, which reflects the reader’s willingness to pursue spiritual elevation.

Exploring unknown territory: from the science-fiction classic 沙丘 to 几何原本, the reader follows not only modern trends but also maintains strong curiosity about both tradition and the scientific frontier.

2. Focus on practical value and personal growth

Books including 纳瓦尔宝典 and 象与骑象人 lean toward life philosophy, psychology, and personal growth, showing that the reader hopes to turn reading into the ability to solve real problems while actively reflecting on their own behavior and thinking. 教育的本质 and 我看见的世界 also reflect concern with social development — especially how education and technology shape the future.

3. Diverse aesthetics and broad pursuits

The list includes both Western philosophical classics and books on Chinese history and culture (such as 长安的荔枝 and 在峡江转弯处). This shows that the reader values the accumulation of wisdom across cultural backgrounds and enjoys finding points of convergence between East and West, past and present.

Light philosophical novels like 世界尽头的咖啡馆 show that the reader also seeks emotional comfort, or relaxed reflection on life’s simple questions, while reading.

4. Rigorous logic and critical thinking

Reading books like 几何原本 and 哲学思维 — especially their treatment of logic and frameworks of thought — shows the reader’s preference for rigorous reasoning and clear expression. Such reading not only strengthens thinking skills but also helps analyze complex problems rationally.

5. Love of knowledge and lifelong learning

Covering technology, autobiography, literature, psychology, philosophy, and education shows the reader’s wide-ranging interests and curiosity, and that their attitude toward reading is not utilitarian but a genuine love of knowledge from within.

A book like 禅与摩托车维修艺术 further shows that, while exploring knowledge, the reader doesn’t forget to pursue poetry in life and inner balance.

6. Willingness to introspect and reflect on life

Books such as 象与骑象人, 禅与摩托车维修艺术, and 世界尽头的咖啡馆 show the reader’s attention to their inner state, trying to find balance and answers for life in these books. This is a form of self-exploration and self-healing, demonstrating a high degree of self-awareness.

7. Cultural fusion and broad horizons

The blend of Chinese and foreign classics (such as 沙丘 and 长安的荔枝) reflects a globalized reading perspective. The reader understands their native culture while also following international viewpoints, with an open mind and cultural inclusiveness.

Overall analysis:

The traits reflected in this list can be summed up as “a combination of deep thinker and broad explorer.” The reader likes to draw knowledge from philosophy and science to elevate their thinking while also caring about practical problems and emotional balance; they love the classics and cultural accumulation while staying open to new ideas. This reading style embodies a character of reason and sensibility coexisting, with both depth and breadth.

What advice would you give to the reader of this list?

Based on this list and the traits it reveals, here are my suggestions for reading and growth, to help you further broaden your horizons, deepen your understanding, and enrich your reading experience in the future:

1. Deep reading: from quantity to quality

Choose a few books for intensive reading: building on your broad reading, pick the books that moved you most or influenced you most deeply for close reading. For example, choose one philosophy book (such as 哲学九讲) and annotate and reflect on it in connection with your own life.

Try connected reading: extend from your current list into related classics or complementary works. For example:

If you enjoy philosophy, 苏菲的世界 or 西方哲学史 are recommended.

If 沙丘 interested you, follow up with science fiction such as Asimov’s 基地 series or Liu Cixin’s 三体.

2. Cross-disciplinary thinking: expand the boundaries of knowledge

Combine science and the humanities: you have already accumulated a lot in philosophy and the humanities; consider exploring science further, such as quantum physics, brain science, or biology. For example, 时间简史 or 自私的基因 would be good starting points.

Practical books: pay more attention to areas that can be applied directly to life or work. For example, add books like 高效能人士的七个习惯 or 深度工作 to turn knowledge into action.

3. Record and share: turn reading into growth

Build a personal reading archive: record the core ideas of each book using mind maps, excerpt notes, or brief summaries. This not only aids memory but also lets you clearly see the trajectory of your own thinking.

Output as fuel for growth: regularly write reading reflections or share your thoughts on social platforms, and exchange impressions with other readers — this deepens understanding and reveals new perspectives.

4. Watch future trends: read against the backdrop of the times

You’ve already been following artificial intelligence (as with 我看见的世界); going forward, you could explore the interaction between technology and society more deeply. For example:

AI超级大国 and 创新者 are recommended for understanding how AI and technological development will shape the future.

At the same time, follow the intersection of philosophy and technology, such as 未来简史, which explores the philosophical meaning of humanity’s future.

5. Balance the reading experience: mix enjoyment with challenge

Reading for pleasure: alongside demanding books, add some lighter ones to lift your mood. For example, enrich your reading with classic novels (like 了不起的盖茨比) or humorous essays.

Challenge new territory: try reading in unfamiliar or somewhat difficult fields to push the boundaries of your cognition. For example, the economics classic 国富论 or the psychology bestseller 思考，快与慢.

6. Combine with practice and turn it into action

For books like 教育的本质 and 纳瓦尔宝典, try putting their ideas into practice in real life. For example:

Rethink family education through Whitehead’s educational philosophy.

Apply the wealth principles from 纳瓦尔宝典 to build a personal investment or financial plan.

For the philosophical and psychological reflections in 禅与摩托车维修艺术 and 象与骑象人, combine them with daily practice to help improve inner harmony and self-consistency.

7. Regularly reflect on your reading direction

Ask yourself: in your future reading plans, regularly ask:

1. “What problem do I most want to solve right now?”
2. “Do these books leave me feeling gaps or dissatisfaction in certain areas?”

Adjust your future list based on these questions, exploring areas closer to your life’s needs and interests.

With these suggestions, you can make your reading more systematic and three-dimensional — not only expanding your knowledge but also integrating it better into lived practice, becoming further a “combination of thinker and doer.”

Summary of the AI conversation

In assisted analysis, given enough context, AI can “accurately” predict some future behavior. Combined with RAG, AI is more than sufficient at least in the field of fortune-telling. Two of the books AI recommended — 西方哲学史 and 基地 — are already on my reading list.

2025 Reading Plan

There’s no concrete reading plan for 2025, but there are a few books I especially wanted to read in 2024 yet never got around to. I hope to complete them next year.

1. 梵高手稿
2. 费曼经典
3. 西方哲学史
4. 基地 and other works by Asimov

In 2025, I’ll continue to center on the two themes of “education” and “philosophy,” looking for accessible popular books and hoping for a richer reading experience around these two themes. At the same time, I’ll be thinking while reading about how to combine AI with education and apply AI in educational practice. On the philosophy side, I’ll focus on philosophical developments since the twentieth century and mainstream philosophical views — especially the impact on philosophy after the discoveries of relativity and quantum mechanics. And of course, in the age of AI — perhaps even AGI — what the impact on philosophy will be is also a fascinating topic.

If you have books you love, recommendations are welcome.

Follow the WeChat official account 技术后花园 Tech Backyard for more.