Book Recommendations 22
Of the 26 books I've read (so far) this year, I'd like to recommend ten of them to you:
Thanks for the Feedback by Stone & Heen - The authors' first book, Difficult Conversations, is one of the first books on communication I read and it left me hoping for more. Thanks for the Feedback answers that hope with an emphasis on giving and receiving feedback; while the emphasis is in the professional setting, I learned a lot from both books to apply in personal life has well. This book can be helpful for any level professional, but I especially recommend it for managers and soon-to-be managers of other humans.
Expect to Win by Carla Harris - Harris is an extremely successful Wall Street exec whom I first came across via her TED talk on sponsorship. This is her earlier book and contains a nice exploration of mindset lifting towards advancing your career. She includes a number of bits of wisdom, charmingly referred to as Carla's pearls. If you need a pep talk and perhaps a reforming of your approach to career advancement, this could be a good place to start.
Dollars and Sense by Ariely & Kreisler - Do you struggle to save enough? Perhaps you look back on some of your (larger) purchasing decisions with regret. This book is a fantastic read for anyone ready to get their spending habits under control and make better decisions with money. It explores the mental pitfalls we adopt and fall into that result in really poor buying decisions. I'll report back in a year if these new learnings have helped me make better decisions.
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman - In an overwhelming digital world of shellacked appearances and covetous striving, The Antidote is a refreshing evaluation of cultural norms that can have us over-emphasizing the material at the expense of simpler things that may matter more when, say, we're on our death beds. Definitely a good read for folks who see through toxic positivity.
Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau - People with disabilities is one of the largest minority groups on the planet and also one of the most overlooked. This book is a great introduction for people ready to learn how to be a better ally to people with disabilities and also a nice intro for folks who have influence over policies that can boost equity and inclusivity in the workplace.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents - by Dr. Lindsay Gibson - This book was recommended by Dr. Nicole LaPera who goes by The Holistic Psychologist online; if you're not following her already, you should be. This book made it onto the list because I think anything that can help us understand human behavior, others and our own, is worthwhile. In Dr. Gibson's book, you can learn four types of emotionally immature parents (Emotional, Driven, Passive, Rejecting), what their behaviors look like, and how poor habits and behaviors (left unchecked) surface in their adult children.
(both) Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity by Esther Perel - Disclosure: Perel's focus is on hetero-normative relationships, which is where her expertise lies. With that, I think these are must reads for any (heterosexual) individuals who hope to find themselves in a long-term relationship. These books will help you examine your own engrained beliefs about what relationships are "supposed" to look like, societal beliefs about the taboo, and your role in contributing to your relationship's success/demise.
What to Do When it's Your Turn by Seth Godin - Need a quick read that will remind you that you have important contributions to make to the world? This book is it. Also makes a nice gift - perhaps for recent grads or someone who's on their way up the proverbial ladder.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman - This is Burkeman's more recent book and the first I read by him. The order you read his books does not matter. In Four Thousand Weeks, Burkeman reflects on convenience culture, productivity culture, and how the human tendency to avoid facing one's own mortality can lead to extremely poor uses of our time and energy. If you're not sold yet, have a listen to him on this episode of On Being.
Atomic Habits by James Clear - This book has received a lot of attention and for good reason. Earlier books on habits left me thinking, "Ok, that's interesting, but what do I do with it?" Atomic Habits is the answer to that question. If you are struggling with implementing (or eliminating) a habit, this book can equip you with new tools to make changes.
Happy reading and I look forward to hearing about what you read and learn!
-Mel