Stephen King says that if you want to be a writer, there are two things you must do: read a lot and write a lot. This is about the “read a lot” part. I include reading lists and book reviews that will help you do business more effectively and write better for business.
In this post, I point you to reviews of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading, Moneyland: The Inside Story of the Crooks and Kleptocrats Who Rule the World, Can Science Make Sense of Life?, and Grace: A Leaders Guide to a Better Us. Michael McKinney also tells us the best leadership books being released this month.
From Bob Morris: Range
“All of the best works of non-fiction are evidence-driven in one or more ways and that is certainly true of this brilliant explanation of how and why generalists usually ‘triumph in a specialized world. Check out David Epstein’s annotated Notes (Pages 297-328) in combination with his own wide and deep research in order to determine ‘how to maintain the benefits of breadth, diverse experience, interdisciplinary thinking, and delayed concentration in a world that increasingly incentivizes, even demands hyperspecialization.'”
From Michael McKinney: The Gift of Struggle
“BOBBY HERRERA has a message and the message is ‘We all struggle. Inside every struggle is a gift. Leaders share their gifts with others.’ We tend to not share our struggles or the lessons we learn from them. They are painful and very personal. But Herrera—CEO and cofounder of the HR service company Populus Group—say that’s exactly what leaders do. And that’s why he is sharing his stories and lessons in The Gift of Struggle.”
From Wharton: The Dark World of Global Money Laundering
“Corruption isn’t something that happens only in hardscrabble countries led by dictators and plagued by instability. It happens everywhere. A new book by British investigative journalist Oliver Bullough shines light into the dark world of money laundering to show how the rich and powerful stay that way. Public money is stolen and siphoned away from poor countries at the expense of citizens, while private money is invested in wealthy nations where the well-heeled bask in luxury. Bullough even runs Kleptocracy Tours in London, pointing out high-end homes owned by some of the world’s elite.”
From the London School of Economics: Can Science Make Sense of Life?
“Should the capacity to manipulate life at the molecular level give science the authority to define what life is for? – reviewed by Anna Nguyen”
From Skip Prichard: The Leadership Power of Grace
“John Baldoni is one of the world’s prominent experts on leadership. I’ve been a fan of his work for years. He is one of the most generous, kind, and intelligent leadership coaches and teachers that I have met. His new book, Grace: A Leaders Guide to a Better Us, is about the power of leaders serving others and creating a culture of kindness that impacts others in profound ways. Excellent leaders are known for character as well as results. One without the other removes that individual from consideration as a great leader.”
From Michael McKinney: First Look: Leadership Books for August 2019
“Here’s a look at some of the best leadership books to be released in August 2019.”
Reading recommendations are a regular feature of this blog. Want more recommendations about what to read? Check out my Three Star Leadership blog, Michael McKinney’s LeadingBlog, and Skip Prichard’s Leadership Insights.