Composition with books on the table
Summer is usually when we hit the beach and socialize with each other.
As June approaches, we all know that won’t be possible as much as we’ve known in the past. With social distancing still the norm and many of us working at home, it’s a good idea to self-educate. These are the best books I’ve found that are either brand new or coming out in time for summer.
Title: The Catalyst Author: Jonah Berger
An insightful book by one of my favorite authors, Catalyst is about how to influence others and become a change agent. It’s not always about persuasion. I love how this book presents influence as a way to remove barriers with clear and elegantly-written examples.
Title: American Sherlock Author: Kate Winkler Dawson
One of the most interesting books about crime scene investigation I’ve ever read, American Sherlock is about the origins of the field. The author does an excellent job unfolding the history of CSI using real crime scene examples.
Title: The Book of Eels Author: Patrik Svensson
This curious book is as much about eels and the mystery of how they procreate and where they live as it is about the author and his family life and experiences. There’s an underlying theme here that made me think science is about discovery, not always about perfect answers.
Title: Fire in Paradise Author: Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano
Fire in Paradise seeks to explain how the California wildfire disaster — which killed 85 people and impacted a town of over 27,000 — was more than just a tragedy that made headlines for a few weeks. The community is still regaining a foothold.
Title: Girl Decoded Author: Rana el Kaliouby with Carol Colman
I love the premise of this book. The founder of a company that makes AI capable of understanding emotions recounts her own journey building a startup. It’s fascinating in how she correlates her own experiences with the business at hand.
Title: The Lincoln Conspiracy Author: Brad Meltzer
Easily my favorite book for the summer, The Lincoln Conspiracy is a chronicle of a relatively unknown period in American history before Lincoln became president when he was the target of assassination. There are details about Lincoln I’d never read about before, none of which I will spoil here.
Title: Uncanny Valley Author: Anna Wiener
A brilliant book about self-discovery and coming of age, Uncanny Valley is a memoir about a young adult finding her place in the work world (and in life). Wiener is an exceptional writer who crafts her story with wit, grace, and — above all — interesting wordplay.
Title: Up All Night Author: Lisa Napoli
I’m a glutton for any book that tells the history of any journalistic endeavor. Up All Night is one of the best recent books about my field, recounting how Ted Turner built a news empire in Atlanta. Some of the stories jump off the page in a way that puts you in the CNN newsroom.
Title: Putin’s People Author: Catherine Belton
One of the things that surprised me about this detailed account of Putin’s rise to power is how many players were involved. The book is part investigation and part biographical account of those who paved the wave for his ascent.
Title: James Monroe: A Life Author: Tim McGrath
What an interesting and comprehensive account of this founding father. Monroe is an example of what it means to negotiate and fight your way to the top. (He is the last founding father to serve as President.)
