maxforsey.com

Art

Last updated 03/21/2025

Music

I most consistently listen to classical music and indie rock. Music is one of my favorite ways to embrace culture. That includes jazz, rap, rnb, country, choral, hyperpop, gospel, heavy metal, etc.

Got recommendations? Email me at hello[at]maxforsey[dot]com


Books

If I'm not programming or moving my body, I'm likely reading. Over the years, I've recommended songs, movies, and experiences many times, but never really books. To amend this, below is an ongoing master list of books I recommend.

  • Out of the Silent Planet - The only sci-fi by C.S. Lewis I am aware of. Sensual, Spiritual, and Intellectual man confront aliens.
  • The E-Myth Revisited - Ryan Petersen of Flexport recommended it during a YC meetup.
  • Outlive - The most in-depth and thorough book on longevity I've found.
  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Hope and courage of the human spirit on full display, also depravity.
  • Wizard of Earthsea - An engrossing short fantasy read.
  • The Story of My Experiments with Truth - Gandhi's renunciations are as equally thought-provoking as his dedication to public work.
  • The Three Musketeers - I audibly laughed and gasped an inordinate amount of times during this book.
  • The Brothers Karamazov - Oddly similar to Out of the Silent Planet, yet in Russia, and very intense. Sensual, Spiritual, and Intellectual confront trauma. (I hope to write about the similarity one day)
  • The 4-Hour Workweek - One of the defining causes of my entrepreneurial seizure.
  • Grit - Novelty can be found not only in the breadth of activities but also in the depth of one. Surpass the plateau and you discover the exhilaration of the quest for ongoing expertise.
  • The Body Keeps the Score - An engaging history of mental health explained in laymen's terms. If you have trauma or hope to increase your emotional intelligence, it's a must.
  • Essentialism - This book helped me to learn to say no. It has helped me every day since.
  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Where I learned to fold.
  • Mindset - Very few aspects of the mind are fixed and can't be changed.
  • The Art of Doing Science and Engineering - It demonstrates the beauty and means of discovery in analytical fields!
  • The Story of Lululemon - My favorite quote: There are two parts to a successful business. First, there are the product and customer. This is the part the entrepreneur knows better than anyone in the world. Second, there is the business of public board governance. It includes the Machiavellian power moves and survival struggles of top executives and board members.
  • The Prince - Realistic aspects of humanity that must be considered in governance.
  • Crucial Conversations - An essential book on communication.

Films

Some of the films that impact me: