Favorite Books – Steve Schmidt

Some personal favorite books. Especially ones that I have read or listened to more than once, gifted to others, and / or frequently refer to. All non-fiction titles for now. Includes audio book-only releases. My comments in italics.

Jump to: § History / Politics, § Medical, § Philosophy / Self Help, § Reference, § Science, § Sociology / Crime, § Technology.

History / Politics

• On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder
  “The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience.”
  Most important book of the 21st century. This version is great. Expanded audio version better. Graphic novel version very hard to follow.

• On Tyranny (Expanded Audio Edition): Updated with Twenty New Lessons from Russia’s War on Ukraine by Timothy Snyder
  “In this exclusive audiobook edition, which includes eight hours of new content, Snyder combines the original essays from On Tyranny with twenty new lessons that answer the questions everyone is asking about this [Russo-Ukrainian] war.”
  Recommend this longer audio-only version over the original short book.

• Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity Audible audiobook original recording by David Christian (Narrator, Author) and The Great Courses (Author, Publisher)
  “How is it possible for the disciplines of cosmology, geology, anthropology, biology, and history to fit together? These 48 lectures answer that question by weaving a single story from accounts of the past developed by a variety of scholarly disciplines.”
  If you only ever listen to one thing about history, let it be this Great Course that covers it all.

• The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War by Mark Galeotti
  ” In an age when America threatens Europe with sanctions, and when China spends billions buying influence abroad, the world is heading for a new era of permanent low-level conflict, often unnoticed, undeclared, and unending.”
  I think about all relations between nations, civil authorities, private institutions, businesses, and people in terms of their weaponisation.

• The Color of Time: A New History of the World: 1850-1960 by Dan Jones (Author) and Marina Amaral (Illustrator)
  “This illustrated narrative is a collaboration between a gifted Brazilian artist and a New York Times bestselling British historian. Marina Amaral has created two hundred stunning images, using rare photographs as the basis for her full-color digital renditions.”
  Marina’s amazing colorizations steal the show.

• Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security by William E. Burrows
  “Examines how space technology is being used for espionage, discusses the clashes between the Air Force and the CIA for control of the vast system, and details the rivalry between Washington and Moscow.”
  Excellent coverage of the Cold War as fought in space.

Medical

• The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for When Help is NOT on the Way 4th Edition by Joseph Alton MD and Amy Alton APRN
  “… a 700 page book that encompasses trauma care, first aid, chronic care, medical procedures, and much more. It’ll be an essential reference for anyone concerned about the uncertain future.”
  The medical reference book for when professional medical care is not available.

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision DSM-5-TR 5th Edition by American Psychiatric Association
  “… the most comprehensive, current, and critical resource for clinical practice available to today’s mental health clinicians and researchers.”
  Very helpful to understand people and their issues.

• The Society of Mind by Marvin Minsky
  “Minsky brilliantly portrays the mind as a ‘society’ of tiny components that are themselves mindless.”
  Fascinating theory about how the mind works at many different levels.

Philosophy / Self-Help

• The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
  “… offers 366 days of Stoic insights and exercises…. Every day of the year you’ll find one of their pithy, powerful quotations, as well as historical anecdotes, provocative commentary ….”
  Philosophy that has stood the test of time, in bite-sized pieces.

• Before & Laughter: A Life-Changing Book by Jimmy Carr
  “A memoir and self-help manual by one of the country’s [the UK] most treasured comedians - for anyone who feels stuck in a rut but doesn’t have the tools or self-belief to shake things up”
  Quite profound for a guy known for his controversial and juvenile humor.

• Eat, Pray, #FML: a story of love, heartbreak, and sour searching by Gabrielle Stone
  “What does a woman do when her life has fallen apart and her heart has been ripped out and stepped on twice in two months? She goes on a wild adventure, makes some bad decisions, and does a sht load of soul searching.”
  A very interesting story of her solo trip to Europe and her journey to forget and to find herself.*

• License to Parent: How My Career As a Spy Helped Me Raise Resourceful, Self-Sufficient Kids by Christina Hillsberg with Ryan Hillsberg
  “Christina shares their distinctive approach to raising confident, security-conscious, resilient children, giving practical takeaways rooted in CIA tradecraft along the way.”
  Especially appreciate the chapter on writing / how to write.

Reference

• The Oxford English Dictionary, Volume 1-20, (20 Volume Set) by John Simpson (Editor) and Edmund Weiner (Editor) (and James Murray, Henry Bradley, William Craigie, and Charles Talbut Onions)
  “In all, nearly 2.5 million quotations–illustrating over a half-million words–can be found in the OED. Other features distinguishing the entries in the dictionary are the most authoritative definitions, detailed information on pronunciation, variant spellings throughout each word’s history, extensive treatment of etymology, and details of area of usage and of any regional characteristics (including geographical origins).”
  “Among the wonders of the world of scholarship” indeed.

  • The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary 2nd Edition by Simon Winchester
    “‘The greatest enterprise of its kind in history’ With its 15,490 pages and nearly two million quotations, it was indeed a monumental achievement, gleaned from the efforts of hundreds of ordinary and extraordinary people who made it their mission to catalogue the English language in its entirety.”
    The fascinating story of one of the greatest books ever written.

  • A Guide to the Oxford English Dictionary First Edition by Donna Lee Berg
    “This is a clear and precise guide, a handbook to a reference book, a ‘learner’ to a great well of knowledge, or, using a new phase, recently coined, ‘a good knowledge analyzer.’”
    An important companion to get the most out of the Oxford English Dictionary.

• The Associated Press Stylebook: 2024-2026 by The Associated Press
  “Master the style guidelines of newswriting, editing and common usage with this indispensable guide perfect for professional writers and students everywhere”
  Also an indispensable guide to useful miscellaneous information.

• The Slang of Sin 1st Edition by Tom Dalzell
  “Lists and defines the terminology used in association with such vices as drinking, sex, drugs, and gambling”
  The most readable of his slang dictionaries due to its organization by subject instead of purely alphabetical.

• Rand McNally 2025 Deluxe Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas
  “The #1 selling trucker’s road atlas in North America is as tough as the rig you’re driving.”
  Helpful to see the overview of your roadtrip. Laminated pages, one or more large pages per state, with metro area detail maps.

Science

• Hothouse Earth: An Inhabitant’s Guide by Bill McGuire
  “provides a … perspective on the climate emergency, acknowledging that it is now practically impossible to keep this side of the 1.5°C dangerous climate change guardrail. … we can no longer dodge the arrival of disastrous, all-pervasive, climate breakdown that will come as a hammer blow to global society and economy.”
  Assume the worst, prepare for worse, as relates to climate change / disaster / collapse.

• Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime Audible audiobook original recording by Benjamin Schumacher (Author, Narrator) and The Great Courses (Author, Publisher)
  “Become immersed in the fascinating study of gravity, experiencing the scientific breakthroughs alongside the great minds of physics: Galileo, Newton, Cavendish, Einstein, Hubble, Hawking, and more.”
  The best explanation for non-scientists of the many strange facets of gravity.

Sociology / Crime

• 400 Things Cops Know: Street-Smart Lessons from a Veteran Patrolman by Adam Plantinga
  “Plantinga shows what cops experience of death, the legal system, violence, prostitution, drug use, the social causes and consequences of crime, alcoholism, and more.”
  These are things that everyone should know about the gritty job of police work and the people they come into contact with.

• Murder Investigation Team: Jack the Ripper: A 21st Century Investigation by Steven Keogh
  “Ex-detective and true crime consultant Steven Keogh shares how today’s investigation methods and technology would solve the world’s most famous cold case.”
  Combination modern-day reinvestigation of the Jack the Ripper case and description of modern criminal investigation techniques.

• Corrections in Ink by Keri Blakinger
  “An electric and unforgettable memoir about a young woman’s journey-from the ice rink, to addiction and a prison sentence, to the newsroom-and how she emerged with a fierce determination to expose the broken system she experienced.”
  Powerful memoir, especially the parts about her experience in different women’s jails / prisons.

• Dyatlov Nine: Death Below Zero by Catt Dahman
  “The mysteries surrounding the deaths of nine young, experienced ski hikers in 1959 have never been solved. Dyatlov Nine: Death Below Zero offers a theory that fits all the evidence including diaries, forensics, and photographs.”
  Best book on the enduring mystery I think, and I agree with its conclusion.

• The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything by Mike Rothschild
  “Its messaging can seem cryptic, even nonsensical, yet for tens of thousands of people, it explains everything: What is QAnon, where did it come from, and is the Capitol insurgency a sign of where it’s going next?”
  This subject matter is so crazy, reading about it in Mike’s book is similar to experiencing an acid trip.

• Pastels and Pedophiles: Inside the Mind of QAnon by Mia Bloom and Sophia Moskalenko
  “Two experts of extremist radicalization take us down the QAnon rabbit hole, exposing how the conspiracy theory ensnared countless Americans, and show us a way back to sanity.”
  The only other book about QAnon worth reading, it contains advice on helping family and friends out of the cult.

Technology

• The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary Edition by Frederick Brooks Jr.
  “With a blend of software engineering facts and thought-provoking opinions, Fred Brooks offers insight for anyone managing complex projects.”
  A classic, still relevant today, and applicable to more than just software projects.

• Encyclopedia of Database Systems 2nd Edition by Ling Liu (Editor) and M. Tamer Özsu (Editor)
  “… provides easy access to crucial concepts relevant to all aspects of very large databases, data management, and database systems, including areas of current interest and research results of historical significance.”
  Very comprehensive encyclopedia focused on database management.

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