Lately, we’ve been getting requests to bring the rapid-fire questions back to the podcast. If you haven’t listened to the older episodes, or are new to the platform, you likely won’t have a clue what I’m referencing.
At the end of every interview, I used to ask each guest a series of simple questions such as, most memorable hunting experience, favorite travel destination, best gear purchased under $100, etc.
But, my favorite question by far was about books. Favorite books. Most gifted books. Books that had an impact on a guest’s life. You name it. I love to read, as does much of our audience, and book recommendations were a highlight for everyone.
So, in the spirit of book recommendations, below you will find the most notable books I read in 2018. Some are old, some are new. Some are non-fiction while others are fiction. Regardless of your tastes, there should be something on this list that will pique your interest.
Oh, and a quick note on the book links below. These are not affiliate links. The JOMH doesn’t make a dime off these recommendations. I only want to make finding the books easy.
Now that that’s out of the way…in no particular order, my favorite books from 2018:
The Great Game:
Recommended by numerous veterans that deployed to Afghanistan, this book was on my radar for years. If you’ve heard Afghanistan referred to as the “Graveyard of Empires” and wondered why, buy this book. In the hunting community, we idolize the great trappers and explorers of the North American continent. I’m as guilty as anyone. If those tales get you jacked up, this book takes things to a whole other level. The scary part? Change the dates, the equipment and modes of travel and it could be a story from today’s headlines. A lot of what’s going on in geopolitics today makes a lot more sense after reading this book.
The Terminal List:
I may be cheating with this one as I don’t recall whether I read it in early 2018 or late 2017. Either way, it hit bookstores March of last year so, it counts as far as I’m concerned. It’s one of the most visceral and authentic thrillers I’ve ever read and, written by a guy I’m fortunate to now call a friend. The author, Jack Carr, has been a guest on the podcast a few times so you may have picked this one up already. If not, it’s now available in paperback and will have you glued to the pages.
Trust Me I’m Lying:
This book sat on my shelf for years before I finally dove into it last summer. In all sincerity, I would consider this must-read material for anyone that consumes or produces content online. Meaning, everyone. Yes, if you post anything to Instagram or Facebook on a regular basis, OR get a lot of your information from social or digital media, buy this book.
American Spartan:
The second book on this list that focuses on Afghanistan. I’ve been fascinated by the history of this part of the world for some time and, with my trip to Tajikistan on the calendar, 2018 was the year I dove into some Central Asian reading. Based on a Special Forces (Green Beret) Major’s experience in Afghanistan, this is a riveting read for those interested in the complexities of this region.
The Power of the Dog:
I was late to the Don Winslow party. I first read The Cartel a couple years ago, then The Force, and most recently The Power of the Dog. In truth, any one of these is worth your time. The Power of the Dog makes this list as I read it last year and if you’ve never heard of Winslow, this is where to start. If you’ve watched Narcos on Netflix or enjoyed the Sicario movies, The Power of the Dog and The Cartel need to be on your fiction must-read list. His novels are deeply researched and incredibly raw. This is the kind of fiction that leaves an imprint.
