The Code. The Evaluation. The Protocols. Striving to Become an Eminently Qualified Human by Jocko Willink, with Dave Berke and Sarah Armstrong, 1/5

I have a ton of respect for Jocko Willink…BUT…this book is so absolutely ridiculous that I’m not even sure if his advice to “Set physical goals like running a 5K or deadlifting 8000 pounds” (2.4) is a typo or not. Overlooking the trademark typewriter font (which is borderline unbearable), awkward formatting, and repetitive language, I still cannot imagine many scenarios in which a rigorous, score-based method of evaluating one’s progress towards godhood would be necessary or useful. The “Protocols” are a one-size-fits-all series of steps for addressing each of life’s little problems (such as death, trauma, and addiction) in a style that can only be described as bizarrely confident and obliviously motivational.

Why I read it: my husband bought several of Jocko’s books.