Recommend Reading List: My Favorite Books

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

It was the first book that really changed my way of thinking about earning, saving and spending money.  My real father always taught me to save, not spend, and to work hard.  But realistically, he doesn't really understand money either.  Reading this book is like having a proper education in money, things your real dad should have taught you but didn't know how.

4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris

I'm sure a lot of you have heard of this book before, some of you may have even read it.  But how many people have actually acted upon it?  When I first read it, I thought, wow this is cool.  Then put it down and went back to my same old boring office job and life.  It wasn't until I read it again and actually did the exercises that I got some value out of it.  If it wasn't for the four hour work week and Tim Ferris, I don't think I would have had the courage to move to Thailand. The chapter that really made the difference was.

"If shit hit the fan and everything fucked up, how long would it take me to rebuild my life."

I guessed, about 3-4 months I could have my life back on track.  Four years later, it was the best decision to roll that dice I've ever made.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max

Not a life changing book or anything, but funny and an easy read about one guy going out getting drunk and laid every weekend.  His newer book, Assholes Finish First is surprisingly even better than the first.  I thought it would suck as most sequels do, maybe he became a better writer, who knows, but it was a better book. 




 Vodkaberg: 9 years in Russia by English Teacher X.

This book was AWESOME.  I didn't expect much out of it but a good friend recommended it to me.  If you liked Tucker Max, you will LOVE Vodkaberg.  The book is a memoir of an American guy that moves to a small town in Russia to teach English between the years 2000-2009.  It's a crazy time there especially in the early years when Russia's economy was fucked after the USSR, the girls were just as hot and all wanted to have sex with anyone that spoke English.  


  

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

I have a rule with books, I keep it in mind when someone tells me I should read something.  I look into it if a second person recommends me the same book.  If a third person recommends a book to me, I go out and buy it, no questions asked.  This time, I happened to be in Sydney, Australia and a guy from my scuba diving group recommended it to me over dinner.  I asked him to drive me to a bookstore, and was shocked when I saw the $37.99AUS price tag.  Everything is more expensive in Australia.  But it was worth every penny.  Till this day Shantaram is one of the best books I've ever read.  It's about an Australian guy who escapes from prison and flees to India where he starts up a new life and somehow gets mixed up with the mob.





Born to Run by Christopher Mcdougall
 If you're a runner, read this book.  You'll love it.  And I'm sure I'm the third person to recommend it to you by now, so just go and buy it.




Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I'm sure you've heard of the Hunger Games, maybe you've even seen the movie.  But trust me, the book is really good.  It's the best Fiction book I've ever read by far.  In the book, you really get an amazing back story about life, hunger, and overcoming suffering.  I wouldn't recommend you read Twilight, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or any other poorly written popular crap, but this is actually a very good book.




12 Weeks in Thailand: The Good Life on the Cheap by Johnny F.D.

And of course, I highly recommend you read 12 Weeks in Thailand, not just because I wrote it, but I genuinely feel that everyone that reads it will get something out of it.  The book is a combination of the lessons I've learned from Rich Dad, Poor Dad, The 4-Hour Workweek, and living and traveling around Thailand for the past four years. 

I tried to write the book in an easy to read style such as my favorite books listed above, and they contain lots of funny stories about hooking up, traveling, all while educating you on how cheap it is to live in Thailand, go scuba diving, train Muay Thai, and to travel.  If you haven't read it yet, just do it.  It's on sale for $9.99US and it's worth every penny, I promise you.




I sincerely hope you enjoy reading some of my favorite books.   I never used to read much as a kid.  Growing up watching TV, playing video games, and surfing the internet was the norm, but then I discovered that each book I read, wasn't just for entertainment.  Books like these are often experiences, it's like traveling the world, fucking up and learning from the ups and downs without having to waste 4 years of doing it yourself.  These books are 4 years of the author's experiences for the $10.  A good book is literally the best value in the world. 

Warm Regards,

Johnny F.D.
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Here's a gangster ass list of the books I think you should read.