everything i read this summer

well, almost everything

These last few months have been a bit of a reading drought for me. Between starting a new job and committing to a new project (which is still a secret), I’ve had little time to read as extensively as I used to. Even though things have been busy, I spent the summer reading a wide range of essays and the occasional book to help keep myself mentally sharp without going overboard.

That said, here’s (almost) everything I’ve read this summer, mostly the works I found to be the most profound or interesting.

Essays and excerpts

Economic Possibilities For Our Grand Children by John Maynard Keynes (1930)

As I’m currently self-studying economics, one of my main learning goals for 2025 is to read more work from some of the most notable economists in history. To start, I read an essay by John Maynard Keynes, the British economist widely regarded as one of the founders of macroeconomic (the branch of economics that studies the economy as a whole, like interest rates, GDP, inflation, etc)

In this essay, Keynes speculates about what life might look like 100 years from 1930 (2030). Surprisingly, a lot of what he predicts is slowly — or for some already — coming to fruition. He theorizes that as technology advances, work hours will decrease and people will have more leisure time. Because of that, Keynes encourages us to use this extra leisure wisely, creating and living more meaningful lives. As Keynes puts it, “For the first time since his creation man will be faced with his real, his permanent problem — how to use his freedom from pressing economic cares, how to occupy the leisure... to live wisely and agreeably and well.”

As we continue to automate more of the mundane, we're left with the responsibility of using our freedom meaningfully and making sure we’re actually living. It’s a great essay and with 2030 around the corner, it’s worth the read.

To read the essay, click here.

The Politics of Intelligence by Andrea Dworkin

I personally have mixed views about whether or not I like Andrea Dworkin. But a creator on substack (I forget who she is and I can’t find the article) shared this specific chapter from her book Right-Wing Women and I’ll admit, despite my iffy-ness with Dworkin, I enjoyed reading The Politics of Intelligence chapter.

In this chapter, Dworkin claims that “a woman must keep her intelligence small and timid to survive.” Intelligence in women is often seen as masculine and ambitious, and according to Dworkin, “men hate intelligence in women.” Intelligent women therefore have to tone down their intelligence, so that we’re not assertive and demanding of more, but rather, we remain ~soft~ and ~ladylike~

Of course, this book was published in 1983, and since then a lot of the societal and social shifts have happened. Dworkin’s beliefs might appear too rigid or no longer at par with current societal consciousness, but as a woman who has been questioned and occasionally side-eyed for prioritizing her career and educational ambitions over marriage and a family, I actually somewhat resonated with Dworkin’s POV.

Note: I don’t think all men hate intelligence in women. Honestly, I find that idea pretty harmful. But I do think dating/romance can be tougher for intelligent or ambitious women sometimes. And my purely observational evidence is me, lol

Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson

This summer I discovered that I really enjoy Emerson’s philosophy and work. I bought a book that includes all of his essays and writings, which I love picking up whenever I’m in the mood for some philosophical wisdom. I wouldn’t call myself a transcendentalist, but I do find the philosophy and its thinkers really interesting and thought-provoking.

Nature is one of Emerson’s most important essays, since it lays the foundation for transcendentalism.

I had to read it twice (and still feel like I need to read it a few more times) to fully understand its abstract ideas. In it, Emerson explores the connection between human nature and the universe, diving into topics like beauty, spirituality, idealism, language, and discipline.

One of my favorite quotes from the essay is:

“In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life — no disgrace, no calamity... which nature cannot repair.”

I love this quote because nature has always been my safe place. Whether I was feeling lost, heartbroken, unsure of my future, or just needed to breathe, it was nature that grounded me and reminded me everything would be okay.

This essay is amazing. I highly recommend reading it a few times since it's packed with wisdom.

To read the essay, click here.

American Scholar by Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is a commencement speech Emerson gave at Harvard in 1837. In it, he calls for intellectual independence and free thinking, especially in contrast to British influence, and talks about the role of the scholar in American society

If I had to choose a favorite Emerson piece, this would be it. I love how he encourages original thought and questions our tendency to rely too much on the ideas of others.

One idea that stood out to me in this speech was Emerson’s warning about reading too much: “Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst.”

There are plenty of ways to interpret this quote, but in the context of the speech, Emerson is saying that while books are great for inspiring thought and connecting ideas, reading too much can lead to a weak mind that struggles to form its own thoughts or beliefs. When we rely too heavily on books or the ideas of others to shape what we think, we give up intellectual independence and critical thinking.

To read the full speech, click here.

Love by Ralph Waldo Emerson

This essay isn’t necessarily my favorite, and I actually wrote substack trying to wrap my head around what Emerson means by "love." But the main idea is that love is a universal and spiritual experience. If you’re capable of feeling love for one person, then you’re capable of feeling it for all. Love elevates us, spiritually and emotionally.

Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson

I also read Self-Reliance, another highly regarded essay by Emerson. In it, he emphasizes the importance of being independent, non-conformist, and thinking for yourself. Emerson writes, “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.” While society often sees it as virtuous to follow one way of thinking or being, we need to resist that pressure and learn to think for ourselves.

Like Emerson, I don’t believe there’s any virtue or freedom in everyone thinking the same. A truly healthy and democratic society is one where people have the ability and the freedom to think differently and speak up about it without facing harsh consequences.

To read the full essay, click here.

Civil Disobedience by Henry Thoreau

Another transcendentalist I got to know this summer was Henry Thoreau, Emerson’s mentee. One of Thoreau’s most notable essays is Civil Disobedience, where he argues that we have a moral and civic duty to rebel against unjust governments and laws.

“….but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.”

One part that stuck out to me was Thoreau admitting he refused to pay a tax because it was funding slavery, which led to him being jailed. His friend paid the tax for him, and he was eventually released. But despite being jailed, Thoreau remained adamant about not paying the tax because it supported a system he found deeply immoral.

It’s a great essay and well worth the read. To read it, click here.

Books

Walden by Henry Thoreau

Despite my admiration for Thoreau’s essay Civil Disobedience and everyone else’s rave for Walden, I wasn’t especially ~wowed~ by this memoir. It’s definitely full of wisdom, but I found some parts of it pretty dull.

In Walden, Thoreau writes about the two years he spent living alone in solitude at Walden Lake. He shares details about his life, expenses, and thoughts during that time. Like his predecessor Emerson, Thoreau emphasizes the importance of self-reliance, simplicity, and non-conformity.

It’s not a horrible book, and I can see why it gets so much praise, but I had a hard time sticking with Walden.

To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

Last year, I read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, which quickly became one of my favorite novels. Wanting to explore more of his work, I picked up To Have and Have Not.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t as impressed with this one. To Have and Have Not follows a Floridian fisherman named Harry Morgan, who, in an effort to survive during the Great Depression, starts smuggling people and various goods from Cuba to Florida. The book explores themes like moral ambiguity, class, and desperation. While the premise sounded promising, I found the execution disappointing.

How Democracies Die by Ziblatt and Levitsky

I won’t go too in depth about my thoughts and feelings on this book since I have a review coming out soon, but I think How Democracies Die is a good read for anyone interested in examining the fragility of democracy throughout history. The authors lay out a framework for identifying what an autocratic ruler looks like and how we can protect democratic societies from them. They apply this framework to different countries throughout history—like Peru, Chile, Italy—and also use it to analyze Trump’s 2016 term.

It’s a solid book. Nothing groundbreaking but a good reminder nonetheless.

The Prince by Machiavelli

Don’t hate me for this one, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Prince. Was Machiavelli a little devilish to write it? Sure. But he’s not wrong. Much of his wisdom comes from empirical evidence, observation, and patterns he recognized throughout history. While in exile, Machiavelli wrote a how-to guide for new princes seeking to gain and hold onto power based on that knowledge.

What I appreciated most about the book is that it helped me understand why governments and politicians behave the way they do. What we see as unjust as citizens, political elites often see as necessary to maintain power. I’m not saying this is the right or ideal way for society to function, but it definitely opened my eyes to why the world works the way it does.

On Writing Well by Zinsser

Last but not least, I read On Writing Well by Zinsser. I was already impressed by his writing and ideas in the first book I read, Writing to Learn, and since On Writing Well is his most well-known book, I decided to read it too—and I’m glad I did. I loved it.

I’m not a great writer by any means, but I enjoy using writing as a tool to connect the ideas in my brain and share what I’ve learned with others. On Writing Well is especially for aspiring nonfiction writers (aka meeeee), and Zinsser covers strong writing practices that apply across all disciplines.

I highly recommend this book even if you’re not much of a nonfiction writer, because I’m sure some of the wisdom can transfer to all kinds of writing.

What I love most about this book is the focus on simplicity and thinking. Zinsser makes two main points: first, “Clutter is the disease of American writing,” and second, “Writing is thinking on paper.” He taught me two things: writing should be simple and clear, and writing helps us become better thinkers. I think both ideas are essential for anyone who wants to write well.

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Thanks for reading! These are all the books and essays I read and enjoyed this summer. I definitely read other stuff too— started a few books I never finished because I got bored, and read random essays from various intellectuals. But these are the ones that really stood out to me and that I remember best.

I’m thinking I might start sharing my very informal notes online, mostly just because I like sharing what I’ve learned. Anywhoooo, if you’re into reading about books, learning, self-education, and all that, subscribe!!!!