Reading

I read (sometimes reread) across economics, history, politics, science, and fiction, as well as other forms of writing such as doctoral theses. This page collects brief notes on books I have found illuminating, enjoyable, or worth revisiting.

I have kept a record of my reading since 2021. The links below lead to the yearly lists.

By year

2026 (ongoing)

Selected notes from this year’s reading so far.

The Thinking Machine — Stephen Witt (2025)

Non-fiction | technology | business

Another strong book on Nvidia and Jensen Huang. It overlaps in places with Tae Kim’s The Nvidia Way, but the two books are complementary, with Witt offering a somewhat more technical account of the company and its ecosystem.

The Birth of Korean Cool — Euny Hong (2025)

Non-fiction | culture | Korea

An informative and highly readable account of the rise of Korean popular culture on the global stage. Particularly useful on the role of the Korean state in backing the cultural and entertainment industries from an early stage.

The New Geography of Innovation — Mehran Gul (2026)

Non-fiction | innovation | global economy

A very good account of the global networks behind innovation and technological change. One of its strengths is showing how firms, capabilities, and places fit together—from Apple and TSMC to ASML and CATL.

Revisiting Globalization — P Athukorala & H Hill (2026)

Non-fiction | trade | Southeast Asia

A timely and important contribution on global value chains, with Southeast Asia at the centre of the story. It combines long-standing work on production sharing with sharp political-economy analysis of trade and globalisation.

Industrial Policy for Development — The World Bank (2026)

Non-fiction | industrial policy | development

A useful report for broadening the industrial-policy debate beyond tariffs and subsidies. At the same time, it serves as a reminder that policy choices need to reflect coordination problems, state capacity, and fiscal constraints.

Non-fiction | Australia | Southeast Asia

A provocative essay arguing that Australia has long neglected Southeast Asia. Whether or not one agrees fully with the claim, it is a sharp intervention in the debate on Australia’s regional imagination and strategic priorities.

Chokepoints — Edward Fishman (2025)

Non-fiction | geopolitics | economic warfare

A very readable account of how economic power is deployed in contemporary conflict. Particularly useful for understanding sanctions, trade controls, and the ways in which finance and supply chains have become instruments of war.

Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobsen (2025)

Non-fiction

I have listed this under non-fiction, though it reads almost like fiction: a scenario-driven account of what could unfold in the event of a full-scale nuclear war. It is fascinating—and terrifying. Reading it feels a little like watching Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, but with more technical detail, institutional context, and procedural realism. I came to the book after hearing Jeff Sachs refer to it in a talk. Its conclusion is difficult to escape: when it comes to nuclear warfare, fear is not irrational. It is necessary.