The Five Books I Read This Summer That Gave Me a Fresh Outlook on Work (and Life)

These days it seems everyone is sharing a summer reading list and I always look to what my favorite influencers are taking to the beach for inspiration. It’s only August and I’ve already read a ton of great stuff this summer, so if you’re looking for a few good books to crush on a long flight or while otherwise avoiding email, I’ve got a few recommendations.

Since moving to Southern California, I’ve been deprived of the precious reading time I used to have while riding the L in Chicago. Because of that, the thing I love most about audiobooks is how much I can multitask while “reading.” I can still enjoy books while commuting, cooking, and (my favorite) running. I used to wonder how people like Fareed Zakaria and Mark Zuckerberg found the time to read a book or so a week, but since I’ve coupled running and audiobooks, I have been able to maximize both!

When it comes to personal and professional inspiration, FIVE of the books I read this summer stand out as having impacted my perspective on life and my career. I listened to most of these via my Audible subscription but all would be great on a tablet or poolside in paperback.

The classic

The first book on my list is one I’d read before, back in grad school. It’s always fun to discover new layers of insight in a classic when you reread it years later, and I can still say The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the best business book I’ve ever read. Covering everything from workplace politics and dealing with a difficult boss to the dos and don’t of funding a startup and developing a personal brand, Franklin’s narrative is still remarkably relevant and readable after 230 years. If you only know Ben Franklin as the hundred-dollar founding father with a key and a kite, you are missing out on a really rich historical mentor. And, at just six and half hours on Audible, you really can’t afford to not have read this.

The one you’ll want to share

I used one of my Audible credits to buy Yuval Noah Harari’s 2015 non-fiction epic Sapiens after hearing the buzz about his latest book Homo Deus. I started it on the way to LAX to pick up my mom (who was flying in from Cincinnati), and by the time I found her at baggage claim I was so hooked I restarted it from the beginning for her. We both enjoyed it throughout the many hours we spent on the LA freeways during her visit. Even in translation (Harari originally wrote Sapiens in Hebrew) the storytelling is gripping and sensual.

While this book is far more than a review of theories of human evolution, the treatment of early humans and our close relatives is one of the most compelling I’ve read. But the real treasure is the exploration of the life of the human mind, and Harari’s thoughts on the power we wield (and are subject to) through communication of shared ideas. It may make you reconsider why you’re doing what you’re doing and, perhaps motivate you to make a change or recommit to your mission. At the very least, it will make you one of the most interesting people at your next networking happy hour. Bill Gates wrote that after reading Sapiens he couldn’t wait for Melinda to read it as well so he could talk about it. I guarantee you’ll feel the same way.

The historical survey

I love books that take a concept or commodity and, through skillful narrative, trace its development from origin to present day. At their best, these kinds of surveys can almost convince you that things like salt or writing systems are either the primary pivot or principal outcome of history. Strategy: A History by Lawrence Freedman falls in that category. Freedman delivers an incredibly thorough discussion of the theory of “strategy” from its first appearance in human thought, across its military golden ages, through political and diplomatic experimentation, all the way to the “science” of business strategy.

If you’re like me, you’ll come away with a more detached (but not necessarily cynical) perspective on the latest business strategy gaining popularity at your company. Also, you WILL want to read more about the amazing military heroes, political leaders, academics, labor organizers and business personalities you meet in this book. I have to mention that, relevant to my own life, this book was a little over 32 hours on Audible which translates to almost 200 miles run while listening to it.

The high-brow biography

The most recent book I finished was The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and The Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It kept getting bumped from the top of my reading list but once I started it, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. If you’ve read any of Doris’ books before, you know she has the power to tell a story so rich you feel you’re living through it even when you already know how it ends. Reading The Bully Pulpit was like getting a software update for my political mind. Here are three things I learned:

  • The so-called “muckraker” movement may be the most interesting story of the time-period covered in this book. I now want to read everything Ida Tarbell ever wrote.
  • I can finally put the current political climate in perspective.
  • William Howard Taft was a LEGITIMATE feminist. Read the book and find out more.

I can’t overstate how relevant these stories are to the world today. Following Teddy, Will, Nellie, and the other amazing people as they navigate the turn of the 20th century, you’ll be at once awed and comforted. We can all rise to the occasion and do exceptional things when history calls.

The novel

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up Gore Vidal’s 1973 historical fiction classic, Burr. More than anything else, I was looking for something to tide me over until I could get tickets to see Hamilton in LA… but while I’d still be willing to camp out for good seats at the Pantages, Burr proved to be so much more than a proxy. This novel left its own very special imprint on my view of history, reputation, and the search for happiness. If you’re like I was, everything you know about the third Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr, is from this 1993 “Got Milk” commercial (directed by Michael Bay!)

The beauty of Burr is that Vidal brings into focus a life in which the morning Burr shot A.Ham was only one day among 80 years of shenanigans on the forefront of early American history. Love or hate him (you’ll do neither), you will come to know this historical villain as just another one of the many complicated humans you meet every day. I’ll understand if you need a hug after finishing it.

It’s also worth noting that this was the one book I actually read in print — on my iPad’s Kindle app. When you can find the time, there is still something about turning the pages…


Though I wanted to keep this list to five, I really have to give honorable mention to Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Most of us could get through life just fine without understanding what we know about how the universe works but, thanks to Neil deGrasse Tyson, no one has to. I guarantee that considering the eternal-ness of the concepts in this book will put your business and personal challenges in perspective. If, after reading it, you find yourself in less of a hurry and hungry for more physics, these 33 hours of lectures from the Great Courses will not disappoint you.


I hope you enjoyed reading this, and that you found your next favorite book. If you have feedback about my list, or suggestions on what I should read next, I would LOVE to hear from you.

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