Books of Interest Part 3: 2020 Reading Recommendations
For the past two summers, we have curated a list of our employees’ favorite reads. Given the current social distancing guidelines everyone is under, we thought it would be a good idea to release part three of this blog post early for those that are looking to be captivated by a story or have already binged their way through their Netflix watch list.
Here is a list of seven books that our employees found interesting to share with you. To check out even more book recommendations, here are parts one and two of our Books of Interest blog posts: Part One and Part Two.
Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself by Alan Alda
In this inspiring book, Alan shares a collection of speeches (some from graduation ceremonies) given to inspire. As he writes in the book, “The meaning of life is life.” It’s a wonderful book to read or listen to. Some of my favorite pieces of wisdom gleaned from Alan:
“1. find someone to laugh with,
2. find something to laugh at (yourself is always good)
3. keep moving.”
– Recommended by: Rebecca K.
The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha
Sometimes it’s easy to forget the things that make us smile. With the 24/7 news cycle of breaking news that is happening around us, The Book of Awesome reminds us that the best things in life are free (yes, your grandma was right). With laugh-out-loud observations from award-winning comedy writer Neil Pasricha, The Book of Awesome is filled with smile-inducing moments on every page that make you feel like a kid looking at the world for the first time. Read it and you’ll remember all the things there are to feel good about.
– Recommended by: Cassie B.
Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever with Baseball on the Brink by Kevin Cook
In 1979, the first year for Cable TV and ESPN, the Cubs and Phillies played one of the most epic baseball games ever played. With the wind howling straight out, the game became an amazing slugfest that would not end. The game included memorable players on both sides such as Billy Buckner, Dave Kingman, Pete Rose, and Mike Schmidt. Highly recommended for any baseball fan.
– Recommended by: Chris L.
Superforcasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Phillip E. Tetlock & Dan Gardner
While hindsight is 20/20, predicting the future is often a fool’s errand. Superforcasting examines how ordinary people have drastically and consistently proven more accurate predictions than the so-called “experts,” whether it be politics, economy, international affairs, or daily life. In learning more about these superforecasters’ thought processes and the ability to absorb and adapt to new information, this book provides insight into how the reader can improve thinking analytically. I predict that those who read Superforcasting will enjoy it.
– Recommended by: Zach P.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not only the life you built together but the lives of others as well. And then imagine that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. But that letter is about to change everything—and not just for her. There are other women who barely know Cecilia but are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret. Liane Moriarty, author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Big Little Lies, weaves strong character development with thought-provoking story lines for each of her characters. While character perspectives shift chapter to chapter, Moriarty does a wonderful job keeping the reader focused on the story as a whole until the very end.
– Recommended by: Jennifer W.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
A lot of professors give talks titled ‘The Last Lecture’. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy? When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn’t have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave, ‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams’, wasn’t about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.
– Recommended by: Diana D.
Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis
Have you ever had a time when you are telling the truth, but no one believes you? It is frustrating and hurtful. But what if it is your job to find truth in falsehoods? What if you know your sister had been murdered, and everyone, even your own mother, thinks you are too emotionally stressed to see it was only an accident?
What if your job is to find anomalies; little clues that seem ordinary, but put together create a picture that makes sense? What if you are an FBI researcher, and not even your co-workers believe you when you say there is a serial killer stalking the entire country?
Meet Emmy Dockery.
– Recommended by: Liz J.