Matt Peyton

Reading List


Not every book I've read, but the ones I could find through library checkout histories and memory. All links are to Bookshop.org but also checkout your library.

2026

A People's Guide to Publishing by Joe Biel

I'm (probably) not starting a publishing company, but this book is so inspiring and is reminding me that you can just make things, you don't need permission.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

Mixed feelings on this. I found the ending a little dissapointing, but definitely a fun, creepy vibe throughout.

Art Work: On the Creative Life by Sally Mann

It's a little unfair that she's such a good writer in addition to obviously being an accomplished photographer.

Taking a Long Look: Essays on Culture, Literature, and Feminism in Our Time by Vivian Gornick

I love her writing and perspective. Always delighted to see a new essay or book from her.

Dawoud Bey on Photographing People and Communities by Dawoud Bey

A quick read, but encouraging and thought-provoking on the relationship between photographer and non-hired subject.

Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors by Michael E. Porter

Honestly got more out of A People's Guide to Publishing than this. Just needed to refresh for some work stuff.

Click Here: the Art and Science of Digital Marketing and Advertising by Alex Schultz

Sometimes it's just helpful to get a refresher. Wouldn't recommend to a general audience.

Beginning Piano for Adults by James W Bastien

(Re)learning a bit of piano for fun/relaxation.

2025

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Dead Astronauts by Jeff VanderMeer

James by Percival Everett

Changing Planes by Ursula K. LeGuin

UpRooted by Naomi Novik

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

2024

Active Statistics: Stories, Games, Problems, and Hands-on Demonstrations for Applied Regression and Causal Inference

Building reproducible analytical pipelines with R

Deep R Programming

2023

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

2022

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut

Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Circe by Madeline Miller

2021

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Amal El-Mohtar

A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll

The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

2020

No Time to Spare by Usula K. Le Guin

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Susanna Clarke

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

How to Read Water by Tristan Gooley

Expecting Better by Emily Oster

Cribsheet by Emily Oster

Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

2019

Exhalation by Ted Chiang

Tribe by Sebastian Junger

Dune by Frank Herbert

Saturn Run by John Sandford, Ctein

2018

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson