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.
It’s summer (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) and therefore it’s also the season for summer reading lists. Here are six of them, in the order I discovered them. If you can’t find something here that you want to read, you’re just not trying.
From Bill Gates: 5 Good Summer Reads
“Some of these books helped me better understand what it’s like to grow up outside the mainstream: as a child of mixed race in apartheid South Africa, as a young man trying to escape his impoverished life in rural Appalachia, or as the son of a peanut farmer in Plains, Georgia. I hope you’ll find that others make you think deeper about what it means to truly connect with other people and to have purpose in your life. And all of them will transport you somewhere else—whether you’re sitting on a beach towel or on your own couch.”
From Unleash Your Leadership Potential: Recommended Summer Reading for Leaders
“With summer unofficially underway here in the United States, you might soon find yourself with some extra time on your hands either as the normal pace of business slows down or as you take a vacation from the office. As a result, summer is a fantastic time to take a breath, recharge, and carve out time for personal and professional development, like enhancing your leadership skills.”
From Richard Feloni and Shana Lebowitz: The 15 best business books to read this summer
“The best kind of summer reading is a book that’s both informative and entertaining — a book that makes you feel smarter without boring you to tears.”
From Greg Satell: Summer Reading List: 12 Books To Read On Your Way To A Revolution
“Of course, as I explain in my TED Talk change isn’t easy. You have to win people to your cause, motivate them to actively participate and overcome entrenched interests. That takes more than just passion, but also strategy, organization and discipline. So for this summer’s list, I’ve got a list of 12 books that will show you how to do all that and truly change the world.”
From J.P. Morgan: Firm launches 17th annual Summer Reading List
“The annual summer list is an ever-evolving project designed to reflect the lives and times of J.P. Morgan clients and employees. It is designed to spark conversation among entrepreneur, endowment and foundation, business-owner and philanthropist clients worldwide.”
From The Telegraph: What to read this summer: 70 best books, from novels to biographies
Reading recommendations are a regular feature of this blog. Want more recommendations about what to read? Check out my Three Star Leadership blog and Michael McKinney’s LeadingBlog.