A gift I give myself is the time to read.  Since I was a child, I have loved to escape, educate, and imagine life and ideas beyond my experiences.  While I often prefer to hold a physical book in my hand—and can get lost in a bookstore or library for hours—I now enjoy listening to Audible while walking or in the car.

My holiday gift to you, my readers, is to share the best non-fiction books I have read this year. 

1. Bad Blood: Secrets & Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou (Audible—great narration by Will Damron).  Fascinating real-life saga of the rise and fall of Theranos, the blood-testing company founded by Elizabeth Holmes.  Lack of board oversight, outright executive fabrications, not listening to experienced staff, and threats imposed by those in power made this a powerful read of outrageous corporate behavior.
2. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein.(Audible, also narrated by Will Damron).  I wish I read this book earlier in my career. Compelling read about how individual and group experiences can bring unexpected growth and change.  Is there a benefit to just working on ONE skill or task for years or is variety give a better chance for success?
3. Catch and Kill (Lies, Spies and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow. (Audible, narrated by the author) The back story of how Ronan Farrow researched Harvey Weinstein, and how Weinstein was able to allegedly harass, intimidate, and rape women for years. His behavior was first excused, then covered up repeatedly. Farrow’s perseverance in getting this story to the public, despite he and Weinstein’s accusers being intimidated and disparaged and Farrow’s employer (NBC) halting the research and story development.  He also discusses how the #metoo movement blew up to include other industry leaders.
4. Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain.Published in 2013, this book explores some of the differences between introverts and extroverts’ habits, work styles, and influences.   We read this book for our book club, and we thought that this book should be required reading for teachers…and bosses. I admittedly skimmed 1-2 of the research sections, but we found many of her conclusions spot-on.  Do you know where you fall on the introvert/extrovert scale?

BONUS BOOKS: The Library Book by Susan Orlean and Dopesick (audible) by Beth Macy.

I didn’t rank the books, since they all offered me something different. What other books can you add to this list of must-reads for 2020?  I am building my reading list, looking for reads that open my mind and heart, influence how I think or do business,  or teach me something new.

Happy holidays and wishing you a bright 2020. 

The journey continues. Cindy