Books: Six (more) to read now

So true.

Hopefully you had a chance to check out my blog post about six fiction books that I've read this year that I loved. For all of you non-fiction lovers, I wanted to share six more books that I've really enjoyed that you should pick up. To be clear, I read much more fiction these days than nonfiction, but I've also noticed that the standard is a lot higher than it ever has been before.

Daring Greatly (Brene Brown): I've been a long-time fan of Brene Brown -- I love love love her work, especially her book The Gifts of Imperfection, which I wrote about last year. In this book, Brene writes about vulnerability -- her own experiences interwoven with that of her research. Instead of putting up a false front and displaying only strength, Brene writes about the power of connecting when we are vulnerable, by practicing empathy instead of sympathy, and why worrying is like PTSD in our culture. I could write pages and pages about this book and Brene's work in general. You should read this book.

Helping (Edgar Schein): How is it that we can better help others? That is the question that Schein tackles in this book. Helping can be a frustrating business, let me tell you -- so often your help is refused, your advice is ignored, and your ideas are rejected, all leaving you sad and hurt. Or, at least, this is what helping is often like for me.

Becoming a consultant and coach has helped me become a better helper, though I'm convinced that this is a skill that one can never fully master. This book digs more into different types of help, how to determine what type of help someone is actually asking for, and how to stay in a helping role. No matter your job or your role or your family situation, there is something in this book for everyone.

At Home (Bill Bryson): Confession: I am a big fan of Bryson's work, whether his travelogues on different continents or his autobiographical works. At Home is a bit of a different animal -- in it, Bryson takes a tour of a home he owns in England and, with it, examines the history of ordinary household rooms and objects. Why do we have living rooms separate from bedrooms? Why are salt and pepper on our tables? Why do forks have four tines? From attic to basement, house to garden, this was a fascinating, engrossing book chock-full of history.

Add caption

Quiet (Susan Cain): Maybe it's just where I'm at in life right now, but I'm feeling slightly more introverted than I used to. I feel that I spend most of my work life with introverts and those behaviors have become more natural to me. This book helped me better understand the challenges of being introverted in a (Western) society that prizes extroversion and undervalues the approaches that introverts are more likely to take. As a moderate extrovert, I felt this book spoke to me on two levels. First, it helped me better understand and appreciate introverts. But, perhaps more importantly, I found myself nodding and thinking to myself, "Yes, this sounds like me too!" In a world where we often offer polar options (introvert vs. extrovert), perhaps Quiet solidified for me that I'm actually... an ambivert. If you want to learn more about ambiverts, this Forbes article is a good introduction.

Columbine (Dave Cullen): I had heard about Twelve Books a few years ago and I was intrigued by a company that only selects a small subset of books (twelve) to publish each year. Like most young adults in the US, I have strong memories of Columbine as well as many other school shootings in the same era. Unfortunately my ideas and conceptions of Columbine, the victims, and the shooters was shaped by the information that was shared -- and then repeated and repeated and repeated -- in the media.

No sensation here. Cullen was a journalist that covered Columbine and watched the events unfold. What he has constructed here is an exquisite portrait of the lead-up, attack, and aftermath of Columbine. The victims, teachers, law enforcement officials, and families come to life. His portrayal of the killers -- Eric Harris and Dylan Kleebold -- was well-written and fair, and it simply explained what had happened. This book helped me think of school shootings in an entirely different light, and because it was so well-written and engaging, I can't help but encourage you to read it too.

Think Like a Freak (Stephen Levitt and Steven Dubner): I had a fangirl moment two weeks ago when Levitt and Dubner came to speak at Google Kirkland because, honestly, these guys want to make me geek out on data. Yes, me -- someone who prefers who relationships and connecting with people can get really excited about data. Perhaps it's the outrageous stories or connections they make, but I'm addicted to all things Freakanomics.

Their latest book is in the same vein, but instead of just sharing more stories and examples, the authors examine different principles that can help anyone think like they do, thus the title. I liked looking at the principles in the abstract and considering how I might apply them in what I do. If you have a curious mind and a willingness to learn, all you need to think like a Freak is a little bit of data.

So -- the six picks! Round of applause. There's something on this list for everyone, so I hope you can find the gem that fits for you. Stay tuned for an entry later this week about (wait for it) my relationship with math.

Yes, it will be more interesting than it sounds.

And thanks again for all of your well-wishes. My health is continuing to (slowly) improve and I'm coming to grips with what it all means. It's a journey I've been documenting for me and I hope to share some of it soon.

xo,
Sarah