By Nicolas Stevenson
Ladies and Gentlemen,
After a year of living with unforeseeable horizons. We have been focusing back on essential matters through personal development. In this regard, in a perpetual quest of learning and expanding our field of knowledge. We are pleased to present you our winter 2021 Reading
List.
At August One, being active in thought, opportunity and knowledge is a core value that binds us. As a team of avid readers and ‘perpetual learners,’ we are constantly recommending books to each other. With our mantra of Investing in together for good we are starting a new tradition of sharing some great books that have inspired, informed and motivated us this past year.
The following is a selection from our first annual Reading List. Featuring 16 titles ranging from personal development and leadership to historical fiction, biographies and self-help. This is a diverse collection of topics and authors that inspire us as individuals and as a team.
We would love to discuss these with you. Please also feel free to write to us or send an audio, text or video message with any book recommendations you might have for us.
Trick Mirror, by Jia Tolentino. Jia Tolentino is a peerless voice of her generation, tackling the conflicts, contradictions, and sea changes that define us and our time. This is a book about the incentives that shape us, and about how hard it is to see ourselves clearly through a culture that revolves around the self. .
Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse. In this story of a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege to seek spiritual fulfillment. Hesse synthesizes disparate philosophies--Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism--into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man's search for true meaning.
The Great Sea, by David Abulafia. Ranging across time and the whole extraordinary space of the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to Jaffa, Genoa to Tunis, and bringing to life pilgrims, pirates, sultans and naval commanders, this is the story of the sea that has shaped much of world history
Man’s search for meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl. Based on his own experience and the stories of his patients, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. At the heart of his theory, known as logotherapy, is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure but the pursuit of what we find meaningful. Man's Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in America; it continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living.
Grit, by Angela Duckworth. In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, students, and business people both seasoned and new that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit.
The Science of Cheese, by Michael H. Tunick. In an engaging tour of the science and history of cheese, Michael Tunick explores the art of cheese making, the science that lies underneath the deliciousness, and the history behind how humanity came up with one of its most varied and versatile of foods.
Range by David Epstein. David Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields--especially those that are complex and unpredictable--generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They're also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can't see.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?
The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab. World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolution, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work.
Strategy that works. How to close the gap between strategy and execution by P. Leinwand and C Mainardi. Two-thirds of executives say their organizations don’t have the capabilities to support their strategy. In Strategy That Works, Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi explain why. They identify conventional business practices that unintentionally create a gap between strategy and execution. And they show how some of the best companies in the world consistently leap ahead of their competitors. Based on new research, the authors reveal five practices for connecting strategy and execution used by highly successful enterprises such as IKEA, Natura, Danaher, Haier, and Lego.
Educated by Tara Westover. Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.
Think like a Monk Jay Shetty. In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Combining ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. He transforms abstract lessons into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, improve relationships, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk.
Bad Blood - John Carreyrou. Bad blood not only describes the crash of a heavily hyed start up. The author uses the case of Theranos to trace the dark side of Sillicon Valley capitalism and its this exaggeration that make “Bad Blood” one of the best business books in recent memory
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. 100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come?
The Alchemist Paul Coelho. Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
Half Time by Bob Buford. Bob Buford believes the second half of your life can be better than the first. Much better. But first, you need time to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. In Halftime, Buford focuses on this important time of transition---the time when, as he says, a person moves beyond the first half of the game of life. It's halftime, a time of revitalization and for catching a new vision for living the second half, the half where life can be lived at its most rewarding.
With best regards to you and your families,
August One
