2020 Summer Reads

Half way through, and what a year 2020 has been for us all, already. Heading into my annual July vacation with my family, I’m looking forward to down time to catch my breath and reflect. Our yearly getaway to unwind in nature helps me reset and refresh creatively. And every year, I look forward to family time to slow down, relax together, and read the books that have been collecting on my reading lists. There are pleasure reads and cultural needs here, along with my favorite professional go-to’s. For pleasure reads, I’m a fly girl! Summers find me fly fishing the beautiful rivers of Montana, trying to catch that elusive huge trout. It’s my happy place and puts me in that “state of flow.” You’ll see a few nods to that joy in my list. I hope you’ll find titles you’ll love, too. I also love to pick up books I didn’t expect to find. Share your favorite summer reads in the comments. 

New and forthcoming titles I’m excited about

• Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, by Vivek Murthy
• Social Chemistry: Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection, by Marissa King
• Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler 
• The Earth is Enough: Growing up in A World of Flyfishing, Trout and Old Men, by Harry Middleton
• Microlearning: Short and Sweet, by Karl M. Kapp and Robyn A. Defelice
• Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life, by Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
• Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe, by Laura Lynn Jackson
• The Gifts of Imperfection: 10th Anniversary Edition Book, by Brené Brown, coming September 2020

Books to deepen our understanding about racism

• How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi
• I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, by Austin Channing
• So You Want to Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Oluo
• Privilege, Power, and Difference, by Allan Johnson
• White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk 

Thanks to yeahokayali on Instagram for suggesting many of the books on this list, and for also for a list of Black-owned bookstores.

Great value and worth your time (my go to sources) 

• Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days, by Jake Knapp
• Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain and Body, by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson
• The Leadership Challenge, by Barry Posner and James Kouzes
• Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently, by John C. Maxwell
• Hardwiring Happiness, by Rick Hanson 
• Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy, by Amy Edmondson
• Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace, & the Will to Change, by Jennifer Brown
• Get Clear on Your Career, by Lily Maestas 
• Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham 

What else are you reading? Have you stumbled onto any great learning resources, or indulged in new areas of interest? Share your favorite summer reads in the comments. 

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