Six Additions to the Great Reads List
Continuing the list of Great Reads. Just in time for summer….
The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think Of You
Michael Gervais, PhD
Great life lesson I wish I learned in my first two decades. Gervais has worked with athletes including the Seattle Sea Hawks and is host of the Finding Mastery podcast.
The Good Life: Lessons from The World’s Longest Scientific Study Of Happiness
Robert Waldinger, MD and Marc Schulz PhD
In my opinion, one of the the most important bodies of research conducted in any field. The take home: “The most consistent finding we've learned through 85 years of study is: positive relationships keep us happier, healthier, and help us live longer.”
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind And Body In The Healing Of Trauma
Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
Though it comes in many forms, trauma is a fact of life. This book explains how trauma shapes the body and brain, and covers the array of options for recovery.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking The Power of Sleep And Dreams
Matthew Walker, PhD
As you likely know from the Sleep post, I feel strongly that quality and consistent sleep is a foundation of wellbeing. Appreciating how it works and even why we do it might help you commit.
The Hero With A Thousand Faces
Joseph Campbell
You may be on the hero’s journey right now. The hero’s journey is an emergent experience of being human, “a universal motif of adventure and transformation that runs through virtually all of the world’s mythic traditions”. A globally important concept that transcends time and culture.
Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depends On It
Chris Voss with Tahl Raz
Negotiation advice from a former FBI hostage negotiator. Voss’s approach to negotiation works.
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The Feb 2 Great Reads List…..
Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania
Frank Bruni
I believe deeply in the message of this book. Students from all types of schools go on to do great things. A valuable read for students and families starting to think about college.
Making the Most of College
Richard Light
Students in my first-year Living Biology course are assigned this book. Every one of them thought it valuable and many wished they had read it the summer before starting college.
The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work
Shawn Achor
Read the Happiness Predicts Success post for more on this. Data backed and engaging messages in this book demonstrate how purpose and optimism will propel you to be your best in school, work, and life.
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World
William McRaven
Make Your Bed is based on McRaven’s famous UT Austin commencement speech. This seasoned Navy Seal Admiral offers a uniquely optimistic perspective on how to use the toughest of circumstances to cultivate a life of meaning and purpose. Check out McRaven’s commencement speech and you too will wake up psyched to make your bed.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
Susan Cain
Watch her famous TED talk to get a taste of what Cain has to offer. College students tend to identify as ambiverts (part extrovert part introvert) so this is a useful read for many.
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho
Unlike the other books on this list, The Alchemist is fiction. One of the world’s all-time best sellers, The Alchemist is a light read and perfect for that period of time when you start thinking deeply about your life’s purpose. It’s especially good for when you have to make tough choices about different paths and opportunities. {Good for any stage of life}
Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder
Arianna Huffington
Huffington learned the hard way how the relentless pursuit of money and power leads to burnout and stress. There is far more to a successful life than work and this book makes the case beautifully. Even Einstein agreed.
Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead
Cheryl Sandberg
Lean In is less about the balancing act of starting a family and more about the challenges women face trying to get ahead. Sandberg addresses a range of topics from the internal obstacles holding women back, to how the feminist revolution has stalled, women’s compensation, shared parenting, and more.
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy
Cheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant
A helpful book combining Sandberg’s experiences after the loss of her husband and psychologist Adam Grant’s research on strength in the face of adversity. A number of students have found value in Option B during the grieving process. Recommend for everyone as we all face an option b at some point.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Atul Gawande
A very important person in my life gave this to me and it was a game changer. It pushed me to have important conversations with the people I love in ways we never had before. I’ve discussed the lessons of Being Mortal with several students who have used it to get through tough times with terminally ill friends and family. It was a deeply empowering guide for them and I think it can be for everyone.
Good Manners, Good Relationships, Good Business
The Mitchell Organization
This isn’t a book, but a company run by Mary Mitchell that has produced several easy reads on modern manners. I had the pleasure of attending a training with Mary Mitchell years ago and have since agreed that ‘social, presentation and communications skills are important elements of personal and professional success.’ Check out Mary’s work on social etiquette - you can’t go wrong with a set of great manners to carry you through any situation with poise and confidence.
Super Soul Conversations
Oprah Winfrey
Also not a book, but hands down the best podcast I have ever come across. Oprah interviews some of the world’s most renowned thought-leaders, authors, spiritual luminaries, and health & wellness experts. Episodes featuring Joe Biden, Maya Angelou, Amy Purdy, Misty Copeland, Jimmy Carter and many more have been the impetus for great conversations with students in and out of class. Check out Super Soul to get grounded and inspired.
