With the heat of summer upon us and days filled with the glow of the sun long into the night, I have recommitted myself to the simple pleasure of reading books. The pursuit of knowledge, new ideas, encountering new a place, or returning to home can be found between the covers of books. So, whether you read snuggled up on the couch, out in the blazing sun at the beach, or on your phone between meetings (yes, I’ve been known to do that), I offer to you just a few of the titles that have been eye-opening, challenging, or just plain fun! If you find yourself reading one or more of these and want a partner to dive into the material – please give me a call: 734-663-0401!

Becoming, by Michelle Obama. From the Publisher: “In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.”

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker. From the Publisher: “In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive--which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.”

Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, by adrienne marie brown. From the Publisher: “In the tradition of Octavia Butler, Emergent Strategy is radical self-help, society-help, and planet-help designed to shape the futures we want to live. Change is constant. The world is in a continual state of flux. It is a stream of ever-mutating, emergent patterns. Rather than steel ourselves against such change, this book teaches us to map, assess, and learn from the swirling structures around us in order to better understand and influence them as they happen. This is a resolutely materialist “spirituality” based equally on science and science fiction, a feminist and afro-futurist incantation to transform that which ultimately transforms us.”

The Alice Network, by Katie Quinn. From the Publisher: “In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.”