What are BBHers reading this summer?

Antifragile

by Nassim Taleb

Taleb argues that systems gain from disorder, and the wise economic strategy is to be antifragile – protect the downside but prepare to benefit disproportionately. Great if you're thinking about macro or policy fragility.

Range - Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

by David Epstein

As a professional, a manager, and a parent, this book is fascinating. For anyone who has ever struggled with the push toward hyper-specialization—among athletes, students, artists, or working professionals—this book provokes a different way of thinking about human development at a time when AI has the capacity to reset the roles we play in society.  

American Ramble

by Neil King Jr

Written by my brother-in-law, this powerful memoir chronicles his 330-mile walk from Washington DC to NYC, weaving American history and geography, and exploring the enduring principles that shaped America 250 years ago and continue to resonate today. 

Making Empire: Ireland, Imperialism, and the Early Modern World

By Jane Ohlemeyer

Covering two hundred years, between the mid-16th century and the mid-18th century, the author provides new interpretations of Ireland's role in the English and other European empires. I had the pleasure of hearing professor Ohlemeyer speak at a number of events over the summer and her book is an insightful and enlightening perspective on the cultural effects of colonisation.

The Autistic Adult's Toolbox: Real Tools for Real Life-Because Just Try Harder Isn't a Strategy

by Natalie Diggins

I am reading this book for and with my amazing, resilient son - a college senior who has always had to ‘try harder’ to keep up. A rare window into how an autistic mind thinks, feels, and makes sense of the world along with practical activities for people with autism and those who support them.

The Generals: American Military Command from World War II to Today

by Thomas E. Ricks

As the son of a military officer, I’ve long been inspired by the leadership lessons, strategic decisions, and personal sacrifices that have shaped America’s commanders.

Underland: A Deep Time Journey

By Robert McFarlane

This book is an exploration of how humans have used the Underland—the depths of the earth beneath our feet—across cultures and epochs to “shelter what is precious, yield what is valuable, and dispose of what is harmful.” It’s an utterly gorgeous (and sometimes terrifying) series of adventures beneath the earth. I may never forget the chapter on what goes on in the catacombs beneath Paris.  

Material World: A Substantial Story of Our Past and Future

by Ed Conway

From first page to last, a fascinating story of how all the fancy new technology advancements begin and end with six raw materials that have been around since our planet was created. 

Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life

By Beth Kempton

Wabi Sabi is the wisdom of perfecting the imperfect. We all live in an imperfect world, in business and in general. ​Wabi Sabi is about finding beauty in simplicity while ​accepting and appreciating the ​impermanent, imperfect, and  incomplete nature of everything.

The Power of Now

by Eckhart Tolle

My father gave me this book over 20 years ago. Now available in 33 languages, Eckhart’s message of self-reflection and living in the present is still relevant today, possibly even more so than ever.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

by Jonathan Haidt

This best-selling book is all the talk among the parent groups of my three young daughters, outlining how a phone-based childhood adversely affects children’s mental health and well-being.

Same as Ever

by Morgan Housel

An interesting perspective on predicting and examining the future. Most of us focus on what may change, but sometimes it is easier to reflect on what will stay the same. Jeff Bezos couldn’t predict the future but knew for certain that people would forever want quality products, faster.