Twelve books I enjoyed in 2020
I’m a book junkie - and I read over 100 in 2020! Here’s 12 books that I think are worth checking out.
On personal developmentThink Like a Monk by Jay Shetty – Mindfulness, purpose and connection, without the woo-woo.
Burnout: The Secret to Solving the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski – A science-based, game-changing expose of the danger of accumulating stress over time, and a path forward.
On leadershipGive and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success by Adam M. Grant – An encouraging read on the power of generosity and contribution to generate success, for everyone.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown – My most-gifted-to-clients book. Do more of the things that make you awesome and a whole lot less of everything else.
Upstream: How to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath – This should be required reading for all aspiring strategists and managers. A compelling, plain language explanation of systems thinking.
On politics and societyPoverty Safari: Understanding the Anger of Britain’s Underclass by Darren McGarvey – One of my favourite books of all time. Scottish rapper Darren McGarvey tackles what I think is the most critical next frontier on diversity and equality – class.
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World (And Why Things Are Better Than You Think) by Hans Rosling – Even when things are really bad, they’re actually much better than they used to be. Packed with data and hope.
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt – A brilliant read on how values and opinions work that I’m still processing.
On thinkingDecisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip and Dan Heath - I’m a massive Heath Brothers fan… I’ve read them all at least once. This book is a great step-by-step guide to halt decision-making behaviours that get us into trouble and think more clearly.
Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed - Diversity isn’t a trendy nice to have… it’s a critical guard against the danger of sameness. Excellent read.
FictionShuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart - A gripping novel exploring how class, addiction and childhood experiences shape our lives.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins - A beautiful read that tells the tale of a mother and her son fleeing certain pain for an uncertain future.
