Absolutely nothing

Victorinox 47508 3-1/4-Inch Paring Knife
You might wind up wanting more than one of these, but you need at least one. It's a great little knife, good for everything (but please don't use the tip of it to dig at stuff, or you'll break it, like I did mine). An absolutely invaluable kitchen tool. And it's less than 10 bucks!

The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America, Second Edition

Why? Because this guy is the king of investing, right? Well, as far as most of us know, he is. The book is lovely; a collection of essays, extracted from his shareholder letters, that are easy to read, understand and are so freaking sensible it makes you feel like you could actually understand the world of finance. Guess what? You can! This one is highly recommended even though the ninjas are only half way through.

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

Why? Because since I heard Gabrielle Hamilton's interview on The Splendid Table I wanted to read this book. It had a slow start and overall is a little uneven, but I really enjoyed it. Hamilton is very candid, thoroughly likeable and has such a down-to-earth and thoughtful approach to food, it's a great read.





Demian

Why? Because Hesse is an amazing writer and this book, even more than Narcissus and Goldmund has some fantastic insights which are both concise and at the same time totally appropriate in the context of a novel. I recommend reading this one, but I'd read Narcissus and Goldmund first. Ninja stars are flying!





Narcissus and Goldmund: A Novel

Why? Because the search for purpose in life is always fascinating and Hesse does a beautiful job of making warm and compelling characters and using them to tell a story that is as entertaining as it is thought provoking. Two ninja throwing stars up!




The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

Why? Because Pressfield's book has wonderful nuggets of truth and encouragement to keep you on track.



The Art Of War

Why? Because Sun Tzu's ancient text also has wonderful nuggets of truth and encouragement to keep you on track.



Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit

Why? Even though I've always considered myself a pacifist, Haney's book about the elite, counter-terrorist Delta Force is compelling and insightful, shows extreme compassion for others and intimately illustrates what it's like to challenge yourself to do what you're not entirely sure you're capable of doing. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Highly recommended and ninja-worthy.



The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

Why? Because the idea that events are not predictable is both fascinating and liberating. Taleb suggests that information can be misleading and that we can't know what we often assume we do know when we make decisions - a big leap forward for perfectionists who think they need to "collect all the data" before making a decision. The book is also very entertaining to read.