SIX Novels to Help You Become a Better Engineer, or Person

While there are many non-fiction books written to teach you something, “10 Steps to Become a Better X”, “The Five Rules of Y”, “The 23 Secrets of Z”, I’ve found that some lessons are best learned through fiction (especially the important ones). Because, while it’s become a trope “that one cannot learn without doing”, fiction (for me at least) seems quite the foil.

Why fiction? Because a great novel is not a ‘case study’ (as is true of even the best business biographies), but a distillation of life’s abstractions into a single concrete form: the novel. From the best novels (or works of fiction in general), we gain situations and characters that allow us to better describe the world around us.

For example: Current General Manager of Chumba Casino, Lloyd Melnick uses the term “Kobayashi Maru” from Star Trek to describe a certain type of situation (read his blog post here). Though you might not remember the detail of every lesson from his blog, the term “Kobayashi Maru” will stick with you and you might even find yourself using it in your own life.

Fans of Robert Heinlein working on a AI Persona might have many ideas of what they want it to do, but if they were to say “It should be like Mike, from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” then they’ve saved much time not only expressing what it ought to be, but what it ought not… The things that entertain and inspire us become guiding lights, themes in our work: consider the Python programming language, inspired by Monty Python’s Flying Circus, OR, consider Amazon’s Mechanical Turk based on the 18th Century Fake Chess Playing Automaton. (If you find this interesting, you may enjoy reading Steven Johnson’s “Wonderland: How Play Made The Modern World”).

Productivity luminary Eliyahu Goldratt thought the same thing, which is why he had written “The Goal” as a novel, as opposed to in the form of a self help/business book.

REGARDING BOOK SELECTION AND HOW THEY’RE REVIEWED IN BRIEF: in Safi Bahcall’s book “Loonshots”, Bahcall talks about two archetypes of people in any organization: The Soldier, and The Artist. Once upon a time, when I’ve achieved some stability there’s a novel I’d like to write by that title: “The Soldier and The Artist”, possibly irrelevant to mention here, but I do because I think it helps illustrate the point that the novels highlighted below are not your typical clickbait hodgepodge of “Top X”, but something close to my own heart. Lastly, while each book is worthy of its own review, in the context of this article, I’ve attempted to highlight how the book will help you become a better soldier, better artist, or both in life and your organization. To clarify and quote Bahcall:

“The soldiers are the ones who are in manufacturing, in marketing, in product design, or in product delivery. They are the ones who are responsible for getting products on time, on budget, and on spec consistently to customers. You have the artists who are responsible for coming up with the crazy, wacky new ideas.”

Safi Bahcall via Wharton Interview

THE BOOKS

THE GOAL by Eliyahu Goldratt – this book conveys Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints, a problem solving approach that focuses on the entire system and its purpose as opposed to any one part. To stick with the Soldier/Artist analogy, it’s a presentation of the archetype “The Warrior Poet,” because EVERYTHING is on the line for the hero of the book: family, job, the lives of all those in the hero’s employ… This book will not only help you become more efficient at whatever work you do, and embody the “Soldier” as described by Bahcall, but also help you think about whatever you’re doing like an “Artist”. It ought make you a better engineer (software or otherwise) by giving you a framework to look at the problem you’re solving, perhaps as a limb on an even greater monster. Goldratt’s book will give you the context and “experience” to step back from whatever you’re working on and ask: is there a different problem I might solve that will solve this as well? … you might also enjoy: IT’S NOT LUCK (the sequel to the Goal).

THE PHOENIX PROJECT by Gene Kim – this book is an awesome read. In a sense, it is a remake of THE GOAL, but tailored to the realm of software, devOps, etc. You can read this one as a standalone, but you’ll get more out of it if you read THE GOAL First. While I feel this book helps less in making you an Artist as does THE GOAL, it is rich with archetypes you will encounter in the tech world. The archetypes you encounter in THE PHOENIX PROJECT, I believe, will help you become more empathetic with the types of personalities you encounter in a large corporation, or in the tech field at large. Thus, armed with a better approach to empathizing with your coworkers, superiors, and underlings: you will make yourself someone easier to work with, and well positioned to rise. … you might also enjoy: BEYOND THE PHOENIX PROJECT, a book of anecdotes that are worth their weight in gold, especially introductions to real life superheroes you’ve probably never heard of: W. Edwards Deming, a man many credit to Japan’s Post World War turnaround.

MUSASHI by Eiji Yoshikawa – Considered as impactful on Japan as GONE WITH THE WIND was in America, this book chronicles the life of the Ronin Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi dedicated his life to “The Way of The Sword” which might be summarized as living one’s life to the fullest. Not in the sense of ‘enjoying all life has to offer’, but in a much more epic sense, that whatever you do, in whatever situation… YOU must be fully present in the moment, that you are staking your life on every decision you make. Though there is much in terms of The Art of War, ideas of strategy, swordsmanship and beyond, MUSASHI, to me, is not a book to become a better soldier (though it will help), but to become the ultimate artist. Too often the artist is presented as a Being of Whimsy, a Gambler… but MUSASHI slices that portrayal to bits with an archetype of “Dedication to One’s Craft In Spite Of Prevailing Wisdom.” Part of the reason Musashi has become immortal in history and looms large as mountains is that his every move was imbued with creativity, but also with his life. Most artists risk only rejection or obscurity with their newest innovation, Musashi risked death. And yet, his every “gamble” was not a roll of the dice, but a decision born out of dedication to the craft of swordsmanship. A software engineer, or any business professional, that brings a Miyamoto Musashi mindset to their work seems guaranteed to excel in any realm. Also, perhaps just as important, this book portrays despicable villains in ways you might not normally think. The villains are not necessarily “the strongest” but often they are the most conniving and fundamentally dishonest. Villains who make a show of their goodness while attempting to sabotage Musashi at every move. … if you read this, you might also enjoy THE FIVE RINGS by Miyamoto Musashi, as well as THE UNFETTERED MIND by Takuan Soho. As a side note, my own introduction to Miyamoto Musashi was from reading The Unfettered Mind by Takuan Soho. It’s worth mentioning that both of those books are far superior to Hagakure which (for me) reads like this historical equivalent of a collection of blog posts.

FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand – Ayn Rand is much maligned due to petty politics, and I was reluctant to include this book on the list, so deranged is the state of intellectual openness. That said, if what you’ve read above seems reasonable, I hope you’re willing to give her book a chance. FOUNTAINHEAD is one of the few books that will change your life. It is, in short “What It Means To Be An Individual, As An Artist, as One Who Lives or Dies By Their Creative Force”. Not necessarily a physical death, but an existential one. Surprisingly, there is much overlap in the themes of FOUNTAINHEAD and MUSASHI. Though the book focuses on an unconventional architect, with a cast of heroes and villains (every possible archetype you’ll encounter in the creative arena and beyond), it seems like this book would be a great help to the Founder of a Startup, or anyone who wants to leave their mark on the world. This is a book for those who intend not only to Create The Future, but to “Blaze New Trails” in the face of impossible opposition. Though “Dedication to Artistry” reigns supreme, it is more about Dedication to Artistry as An Expression of The Self. In that context, this is almost more about about soldiering on. Not in the sense of minimizing risk, but of fighting an unseen battle. …you could alternately read ANTHEM, Rand’s dystopian novella if you aren’t sure you wanted to commit to Fountainhead. However, if you feel that if you’re gonna read one Rand book, then it might as well be ATLAS SHRUGGED (instead of FOUNTAINED)… don’t. ATLAS has all the archetypes of Fountainhead, and IS worth reading as an apocalyptic vision (that seems to be coming true), but Fountainhead will helpp give you the fortitude you need when fighting through any difficult or lonely task. ALSO, if you enjoy books about building, Ken Follett’s PILLARS OF THE EARTH is an exciting historical/fantasy adventure about the building of Cathedrals and medieval intrigue.

AGONY AND ECSTASY by Irving Stone – Like MUSASHI, the touchstone book of this blog post, AGONY AND ECSTASY is a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. In this case Michelangelo. In some ways it emulates the “soldiering” of FOUNTAINHEAD, but takes it to the next level of what it means to be a professional craftsman. In the context of being a software engineer, designer, or any professional “Thought Worker”, AGONY AND ECSTASY gives you a sense of what it is to be a hired hand that is smarter than the bosses (all the bosses). While, that probably won’t be the case for us, most of us do chafe at being ordered around, working on tasks that seem to make little sense (in our own narrow perspective), even if they make perfect sense in the grander scheme of things. Michelangelo, known to us mostly for his work on the Sistine Chapel actually considered himself first and foremost a sculptor. He also was responsible for vast feats of engineering (to quarry marble) for his equally stunning feats of architecture. In all endeavors of his, he was the consummate soldier (as described by Bahcall), often subduing his own passions and desires in order to Get The Job Done. There are no “real villains” in this book, so much as human obstacles to success. In that way, I consider this book a MUST for anyone who feels their personal desires thwarted by professional practicalities. The AGONY AND THE ECSTASY will help you mature into the type of person that pursues excellence in any and every situation. A sense of honor (professional or otherwise) that you will also have read about in FOUNTAINHEAD, MUSASHI, and the next book on the list TRUSTEE FROM THE TOOLROOM. …Irving Stone also has written biographical fiction about Van Gogh, and Lewis and Clark which I have not read, but look forward to reading (moreso Lewis and Clark than Van Gogh). Also, for additional context of the time period, you might enjoy Machiavelli’s THE PRINCE, and Walter Isaacson’s LEONARDO DA VINCI.

TRUSTEE FROM THE TOOLROOM by Nevil Shute – This might be the shortest book on the list. It was a pleasant read, with almost no villains, or no conflict in the traditional sense. And yet, having read it, it stays with me always. The story of a man leading life mediocre by the standards of most, but exceptional in his commitment to professional excellence. He leaves his tool shop in London to go on an adventure to Do The Right Thing (to seek out an inheritance for an orphan in his stead). He is armed with only his wits, commitment to doing the right thing, and commitment to excellence — always and unconditionally. If you read MUSASHI before this, you might view the hero of this book as something of Takuan Soho, a traveling monk of secular variety. It is a portrait of honesty, kindness, and excellence, but also something more than that. I remember reading a review that compared it to LORD OF THE RINGS, except a fellowship of professionals and hobbyists. This book actually lives up to that review. If you have grand ambitions, this book will help provide peace of mind in the pursuit of excellence regardless the outcome. For any “soldier/manager” seeing a task through to the end, or “artist/innovator” trying to give life to a new idea, the ethos displayed in this book is one to emulate. … if you enjoy this story, you may also enjoy RUINED CITY (also by Nevil Shute) which focuses on a businessman who sets out to save a city. He is also the author of ON THE BEACH, an existential/apocalyptic novel (that was turned into a movie) which focuses on the last survivors of a nuclear war doing their best to lead good lives in the face of certain death.