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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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March 7th, 2025 | by Kyle Brennan
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Thought of the Week
The Anti-Reading List
Sam Enright recently posed a question that went viral on X
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I think I would find more value in an "anti-reading" list—a list of bad books and articles that are commonly recommended by smart people, but which are detested by people with deep expertise in the subject. What are the most harmful ideas in a field I am at risk of being taken in by?
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The four most common responses?
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I'm a bit surprised to see Freakonomics and Sapiens on this list since I actually really enjoyed both books. I know there are a lot of people who love to hate on these types of books since they're considered to be more 'pop-psychology' than timeless trade books (i.e. most of Malcolm Gladwell's work), but I feel like so long as you treat them as exploratory investigations into sacred cows, they are fun and open your eyes to new ways of thinking about things.
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I wouldn't say I have an "anti-reading" list per se but there are a handful of traditionally popular books that I think are very overrated and personally would not recommend to most people for a variety of reasons. That list is as follows:
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The problem is most books aren’t ‘timeless’ but are pitched as such in reading lists. Every book will elicit a different response from each reader, so by no means would I ever steer someone away from reading a book they're genuinely interested in. However, I may recommend some alternative sources based on my own experience.
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What are some books you would put on your 'anti-reading' list?
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Send me a response with your thoughts!
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What I'm Reading
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Mostly just baby books at the moment! Little Macy girl has been keeping me busy.
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Between feeding, burping, and changing diapers, I haven't even had the chance (or energy) to pick up a proper book in the last week, but I have a couple of books on my nightstand waiting to be finished and/or opened:
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New Exercise Equipment I'm Loving
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With a newborn in tow, I haven't had the time to make it to the gym so I've started planning out the equipment I want to build a solid in-home gym.
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I mentioned in a previous newsletter that I've mostly been doing kettlebell circuits from the great Pat Damiano along with some long Zone 2 cardio rides on the Peloton bike.
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But one piece of gym equipment I always loved was the rower. From my CrossFit days, the standard machine was always the Concept 2 rower, but Rogue just came out with a new model that is now the official rower of the CrossFit Games. I finally bit the bullet and shelled out nearly $900 for this rower and I've been using it nearly every day since.
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Great for a quick sweat when you only have 10-20 minutes.
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What I'm Watching
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A few months ago I watched Starting 5, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of five top players in the NBA. I thought it was mildly entertaining and could have been a lot better, so I wasn't expecting much from the roll-out of Court of Gold—a similar docuseries detailing the Olympic games of multiple international basketball squads.
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But I genuinely loved this series. Even after watching many of the Olympic games live last summer, the drama still hits like your first time watching.
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Steph Curry is a modern-day Michaelangelo with a basketball in his hands. He's an absolute marvel to watch, and I'll never tire of the shock and awe of his performance in the final minutes of the Olympic final vs. France.
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What I'm Listening To
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I've been accumulating a playlist of cute songs to sing along to my daughter as I rock her to sleep. It's mostly Jack Johnson songs since I feel like his music was tailor-made for rocking babies to sleep. But this Ed Sheeran song came on shuffle the other day and it was an instant hit with Macy. We've been playing it all over the house ever since.
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Quote I'm Pondering
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Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss the recent unexplained drone sightings around the country, Søren Kierkegaard's philosophy, social bubbles, and the story of "The Wager."
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Books discussed in this episode:
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Top Books of 2024
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Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
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Affiliate Links!
I've had the fortunate opportunity to partner with some great brands that I love. Use the links below to find great hats, sweatshirts, and sunglasses
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- Huega House - 15% off first order with promo code: KYLEBRENNAN. My everyday hat is the Athletic Association in Green & white
- Find the Good Brand - 10% off first order with promo code: OBSERVE. I've been loving my 3 Simple Words Embroidered Hoodie in cream.
- WMP Eyewear - Excellent array of eyeglasses and stylish sunglasses. My favorite are the Sawyer Polarized for $45
- Amazon Storefront - Check out my collection of favorite books, workout gear, and tech tools for work-from-home!
- LMNT - I start every morning with LMNT's electrolyte drink, filled with salt, magnesium and potassium. It tastes delicious and contains zero sugar or any other junk. Try LMNT Risk-Free with a free sample pack (US only).
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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