2020 Book Recommendations
A little lighter fare this week to end a tough year. I am an avid reader and enjoy a variety of genres. I particularly enjoy reading history and biography. I always love learning the story we didn’t know , the story of how some adversity was overcome. Because I love reading, I always like to read about what others are reading and get ideas. So, I thought as this challenging year comes to an end, it would be fun to share some of my favorite reads from 2020 that you might enjoy as well.
Siddhartha, Herman Hesse. There is a reason this book is a classic. A short but powerful story about one person’s effort to leave comfort and privilege in a search for meaning and wisdom. Named one of the best loved novels by PBS’s Great American Read, I am not sure why it took me so long to get to this book. Now it is one of my favorites.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, Patrick Lencioni. This a business classic that I finally got around to reading this year. I loved the way Lencioni used the story of a leadership crisis at the fictional Decision Tech to teach the importance of team and where things go wrong. If you are a part of any team, this book can teach you something. Of the 5 dysfunctions, I was most intrigued by No. 2, the fear of conflict. I see that fear quite a bit with people in planning and it can definitely lead to poor results.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain. At a time this year when I was so depressed by the pandemic and the divisive national political atmosphere, I turned to this Mark Twain classic that I had last read in High School. Again, there is a reason it is a classic. This a book you can read over and over.
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, Amy Morin. You have read the article, seen the TED Talk, now read this book. Especially in this challenging year, this book really reminded me of the things we need to do to remain mentally strong. One of my favorites from the list of 13 is No. 11, mentally strong people don’t fear alone time. We have had a lot of that this year. Hopefully we use it to our benefit.
Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss. This is a classic on the art of negotiating. Voss is a former hostage negotiator and shares his tactic in this easy to read book that is filled with great real life examples. We all negotiate every day and so there is not one of us that could not learn from Voss.
Wooden, A Lifetime of Reflections On and Off the Court, John Wooden. If you read this blog, you know how much I like John Wooden. I first read this book probably 15 years ago. I picked it up again this year and it is just as relevant today as it was the first time. If you lead a team of any kind, Coach Wooden is a great place to go for insight and wisdom.
The Bear River Massacre: A Shoshone History, Darren Parry. So much of the history we read is often told from from a single perspective. I am an especially avid consumer of western history and Native American history, which is often told from the perspective of the white settlers. This local history is told from the perspective of the Shoshone tribe, particularly Parry’s ancestors. It was personal and real. I am grateful for this book and this new perspective.
Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing, Robert Caro. Caro is one of my favorite authors. He doesn’t go wide, but he definitely goes deep in his treatment of historical figures like President Lyndon Johnson. In this book, Caro gives you a peek inside his own life and how he goes about his work. It was fascinating.
Like I said, a little lighter fare over this holiday season. With a vaccine on the way, we look forward, with hope and anticipation, to a better 2021. I read a lot of great books this year and it was hard to narrow the field. If you want to check out all 50 of the books I read this year, take a look at my page on Goodreads. Happy reading.
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