What We're Reading Over the Holidays

At a time of fairly widespread economic illiteracy, I highly recommend The Shortest History of Economics by Andrew Leigh. This summer, I return to Leigh's book for a second read for a concise overview of the history of economics and compelling examples to explain how economic concepts influence humanity in practice. One of my favourite takeaways is how Leigh attributes the Black Death to the end of feudalism in Western Europe. By killing so many peasants, the plague shifted the balance of power between labour and lord, forcing changes in working relationships across the region.

These days, it isn't unusual to see smart people say the world is shifting toward multipolarity and that we are witnessing the end of Western hegemony. What is unusual? A well-stated argument as to why that very shift is a good thing, even extending benefits to Western states and their societies. That is the premise behind Amitav Acharya's latest, The Once and Future World Order. Acharya's own unusual background, as an academic who specialises in non-Western political thought, permeates this innately counterintuitive perspective on the world – historically, today, and tomorrow.

I am gifting all of my friends a copy of Phoebe Saintilan-Stock's debut book The Right Hand: Conversations with the Chiefs of Staff to the World's Most Powerful People this season. The West Wing's beloved Leo McGarry first introduced me to the role of a chief of staff, but I understand it more deeply after serving as a special assistant at the U.S. Department of State. As a former policy adviser at the Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Saintilan-Stocks portrays the unique dynamic between leaders and their chiefs of staff. Through conversations with the chiefs of staff to Jacinda Ardern, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and others, she reveals what it's like to help shape some of the most challenging policy decisions of the twenty-first century and offers an insider's view of the hiccups and quirks along the way. Those curious to know who was sent home from Balmoral by the Queen, or which head of state refuses coffee, will find the answers within.

I praise Astrid Jorgensen for providing a choral experience for even the most tone deaf amongst us. In her book, Average at Best, she discusses the inspiration behind Pub Choir, and how she balances life as an “imperfect perfectionist.” But from hosting Pub Choir events at Australian embassies overseas, to sold-out tours in Australasia and abroad, I struggle to see Jorgensen as anything other than a perfect perfectionist. This book is an excellent reminder of the lessons of entrepreneurial thinking, and the power of perspective. Bonus points if you manage to get tickets to her 2026 tour to experience the magic in person.

As a former student of modern South Asian history, it feels almost obligatory that I read everything William Dalrymple writes. I had the chance to meet him at this year's Sydney Writers' Festival, where he previewed his latest masterpiece, The Golden Road. In this book, Dalrymple restores India to the centre of world history, exploring the subcontinent's role as a premier trading partner of the Roman Empire long before the Silk Road. From mathematics to textiles, the modern world owes much of its foundation to India's enduring legacy—and Dalrymple shows us how.

My Christmas reading this year begins with Catherine Lumby's Frank Moorhouse: A Life. Although often hailed as one of Australia's great modern writers, I did not know much about Moorhouse other than that we shared the same love of martinis (he wrote about them hilariously in Martini: A Memoir) and an interest in diplomacy (his “Edith Trilogy” touches on the establishment of the League of Nations and the United Nations). Lumby's book offers a nuanced perspective on Moorhouse's life, exploring his love for the bush, feelings of societal alienation, and sexuality.

If you appreciate the art of journalism, reach for Three Revolutions: China, Russia, Cuba, and the Epic Journeys that Changed the World by Simon Hall. The book explores how the Western world owes its understanding of the three great revolutions of the 20th century. Lenin, Mao, and Castro, all feature, as do three great journalists, John Reed, Edgar Snow, and Herbert L. Matthews.

Finally, for all Bond lovers, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Nicholas Shakespeare's Ian Fleming: The Complete Man. Setting it apart from other Fleming biographies, Shakespeare focuses on the years before Bond, choosing instead to detail both Ian and his once more famous brother Peter's involvement in British intelligence services during the Second World War. The book weaves together remarkable insight into the world of war, intelligence, and London society, all before the creation of Bond. It leaves no doubt in the reader's mind where Fleming may have drawn inspiration for his prolific 007 character.

My wife Sherry and I have been traveling to Bhutan for more than a decade, visiting several times each year. My fascination with the Himalayas stems not from climbing or trekking, but from my practice of Tibetan Buddhism and my interest in preserving the faith structures embedded within Himalayan cultures. There is still (thankfully) so much about these remote regions we do not fully understand. We are especially excited about our upcoming trip to the “Gross National Happiness” country, as it coincides with a three-day monastery ceremony held only once every three years. My reading list is setting the scene for the journey.

High: A Journey Across the Himalayas by Erika Fatland follows the author's travels through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China. Drawing on her background as an anthropologist, Fatland avoids the clichés of “spiritual tourism” and instead seeks to understand the region by engaging with its many layers of society.

The Heart of the World: A Journey to Tibet's Lost Paradise by Ian Baker recounts his quest to find a legendary hidden valley deep within the Tsangpo Gorge, long described in Tibetan tradition as a paradise on earth. A mountaineer and scholar of Buddhism, Baker and his National Geographic-sponsored team traverse gruelling terrain before finally discovering a 108-foot waterfall once thought to exist only in myth.

Both books deepened my appreciation for the region, and it would be remiss not to acknowledge how each has influenced a book I plan to write about my own travels in Bhutan and the ways of life that endure in its remote mountain communities.

For anyone interested in how technology shapes geopolitics, Chip War by Chris Miller is an outstanding read. It explains how semiconductors became central to the global economy and why control of their supply chains now defines strategic competition between nations. It's the perfect primer for how we define power and resources in today's world.

Even if sci-fi isn't your thing, I am still going to recommend Foundation by Isaac Asimov. For me, it offered a break from the pace of everyday work while still engaging with big ideas about how societies deal with change. Through fiction, Asimov explores foresight, institutions, and the challenge of predicting the future when everything keeps shifting. It's the rare novel that makes you think differently about strategy and human behaviour, and that's part of what makes this one so compelling.

Finally, Tom Holland's Rubicon is one of those books that reveals how power operates when systems begin to fail. It's a vivid account of the final years of the Roman Republic, when ambition and principle collided in ways that still feel familiar. I found it valuable for what it shows about how institutions respond to pressure and what that can teach us about leadership today.