Books for the Long Haul

Reading is one of my all-time favorite things to do. However, with a recent move for work, my commute ballooned up to a 64-mile round-trip drive that takes up to two hours. While I’d previously scorned audiobooks (“I prefer to read my books…”), I’m now a fan.

Whether you buy them or check them out the through the library , audiobooks rock. Here are seven book recommendations- one for each month of the year left in 2019.

“Blowing the Bloody Doors Off” by Michael Caine, narrated by the author

This is a combination memoir and master class on acting, with advice and lessons applicable across industries. At times, it felt like sitting at the feet of a beloved (and remarkably competent) grandfather. If you’ve ever enjoyed any movie with Michael Caine in it, or simply want to spend time with someone who is calm and thoughtfully prepared, this is a book you’ll enjoy.

“Agent to the Stars” by John Scalzi, narrated by Wil Wheaton

Don’t pass this over because it’s fiction. If you’re not familiar with John Scalzi, he is a contemporary sci-fi author who writes engaging stories with fantastic dialogue. His characters are people I’d like to hang out with, and oftentimes folks I want to be. This was a reluctant purchase as part of a buy-one-get-one free offer, and I lucked out into discovering his oeuvre.

The premise behind “Agent to the Stars” is that an alien race is hovering outside Earth, and would like to make peaceful contact with humanity. The biggest challenge? They look like a bucket-sized mound of phlegm, and smell terrible. They decide to make contact through a Hollywood agent- because after all, everyone watches movies!

As for the narrator- the last time I saw Wil Wheaton, he was playing Ensign Wesley Crusher on Star Trek. I was skeptical, but he won me over with his performance. Outstanding.

Bonus: Scalzi and Wheaton team up again on “Locked In”, another book worth diving into.

“The Art of Gathering” by Priya Parker, narrated by Bernadette Dunn

How often do you sit in a meeting… or a family gathering… or fundraiser, and wish that you could sneak out the back?

Gathering with other people can be one of the peak experiences of our days, but so often the time is wasted or mishandled. Priya Parker walks through all types of gatherings with thoughtfulness, highlighting ways to make them not only worthwhile but extraordinary.

Whether you’re a corporate manager seeking to inspire your reports, an event planner, or a newly engaged couple planning your wedding, this book will help you think through how to bring the purpose of your meeting to life.

“Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown, narrated by the author

This one periodically had me in tears. “Asking for help is a power play” highlighted to me, just how hard it is to be genuinely vulnerable. Yet that is a key part of connecting with the people that we work with, live with, and lead.

Great for inspiring you to stretch as you build relationships and grow at work.

“The Cold Dish” by Craig Johnson, narrated by George Guidall

I was late to the Walt Longmire party; I didn’t even know that there was a television show until a friend recommended the series. Sheriff Longmire, though, and all the others that populate Johnson’s Longmire series, are now dear to me.

The Walt Longmire mysteries are modern day westerns. Johnson writes with outstanding character development, good humor, and a deep dive into the joy, folly, and fallout in human relationships.

“The Cold Dish” is book one- where else to start in a series?- but they’re all good. As a side note, book 15 in the series is set to release in September. If you get started now, you'll be able to get through the first 14 books before it releases!

“Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight, narrated by Norbert Leo Butz, introduction narrated by the author

As a native Oregonian, I understood Phil Knight’s chip on his shoulder about Oregon. It’s a great, though often overlooked, state. I also relate to his sense of being an outsider, and wrestling with how to continue on a given path.

This remarkably confessional memoir is great if you’re interested in the passion behind business (“It’s never just business. It never will be. If it ever does become just business, that will mean that business is very bad.”) It’s also great if you’re interested in the Nike brand, and how Knight, his co-founder Bill Bowerman, and his first employees built it from an initially made-up-on-the-spot company called Blue Ribbon.

 “Grit” by Angela Duckworth, narrated by the author

Whether you’re developing a plan for your success, or building your child for their lifetime to come, this book is encouraging and inspirational. Angela Duckworth proposed a hypothesis that the secret to outstanding success lies not in talent, but in focused persistence. I particularly enjoyed the section where she discussed Pete Carroll, coach of the Seattle Seahawks, but I might be a bit biased there as a lifelong “12”. 

More books in the queue to be excited about:

“The Power of Moments” by Chip and Dan Heath- I'm about halfway through, and it’s engaging and thought provoking. While it covers some of the same territory as “The Art of Gathering”, it’s less about the build up, execution, and follow up surrounding gatherings, and more about moments- shorter, crisper, and still memorable.

“Late Bloomers” by Rich Karlgaard- also about halfway through, and it’s getting more interesting. After the first couple of chapters, I was ready to throw in the towel as it felt like the world was going to suck for everyone except Gates and Zuckerburg. Fortunately, I’m getting to the point where Karlgaard highlights the strengths of “late bloomers” (and middle aged adults). It’s getting encouraging, and I’m eager to see how he wraps it all up.

“Teammate” by David Ross – I married a lifelong Cubs fan, after becoming a fan myself over 20 years ago. Our wedding vows should have included, “…to love, and honor, and root for the Cubs.” I shared in the collective pain of the Cubs’ fan base for a relatively short time as the Cubs came close to the World Series… but kept on falling short. The 2016 season was heart stopping on many levels. Catcher David Ross started this book at the beginning of the season, not realizing where it would go, and I’m excited to see that year again, through his eyes.

What have you enjoyed reading or listening to so far this year? What’s on your nightstand (or your Audible library) for the rest of the year?