Five favorite books so far in 2024

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I read more books outside of education than within the profession. In fact, some of the best ideas I have encountered and applied to my practice have come from other genres, including fiction. And some books I read simply to enjoy beyond my work.

Here are five you might also find useful and/or appreciate right now.

10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less

by Dan Sullivan, Benjamin P. Hardy

If you can get past some of the cultural bias and tone-deafness that should have been edited out during the writing process, this informative text offers some highly useful insights about knowledge work in a modern world.

For example, after reading the book and realizing that I was engaging in tasks that were not my “unique ability”, I finally hired a virtual assistant for a few hours a week so I can focus on what I am supposed to be doing (writing, researching).

I recommend the audio version, as Ben interviews Dan after each chapter. Their conversations were my favorite parts. They are collaborators as well as good friends.

The Reformatory

by Tananarive Due

Is this book horror, or historical fiction, depicting life in a 1950s reformatory school for boys in Florida?

Are the most frightening scenes also the most realistic parts of the story?

The author deftly crosses genres, using the structure of horror fiction to elevate the atrocities of what happened within the lifetimes of many Americans living today.

Beyond the literary qualities of the writing, which are high, Due simply tells a great and terrible story, both redemptive and causing reflection of what we have allowed to happen under our watch as a society.

The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living

by Dr. Russ Harris

I read this as part of a book club. I wish I would have come across this resource earlier in my life.

Dr. Harris's strategies for managing anxiety can been life-changing. Think of it as mindfulness, only more structured and targeted to anyone who struggles with stress, worry, and self-defeating habits. His own personal experiences along with his expertise give a lot of credibility for the ideas he offers.

This is How You Lose the Time War

by Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone

A collaboratively written science fiction novel, I don’t know if I have read anything like it. (It was highly recommended by Hugh Howey, author of the Silo series.)

5 stars for inventiveness and the creative approach of the retelling (I think) of a certain "star-crossed lovers". I appreciated the emotional/relational element that is sometimes absent in science fiction.

I did wish for more background and context around the story. This is a novella, less than 200 pages, plus lots of white space. An additional 50 pages devoted to world-building would have made this novel less experimental fiction and more accessible to a wider range of readers. But this could also be me simply wishing the story would have been longer.

What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

Bruce D. Perry, Oprah Winfrey

A practical and helpful resource for understanding trauma and the brain, especially for anyone who works with young people.

The style of the text makes you feel like you are listening in on their conversation. Their experiences, especially Oprah’s personal stories, infuse humanity into what could have been a dry topic (neuroscience).

It work well as a book study for educators; that is how I experienced reading it. I recommend the audio version in addition to the print text.

What have you enjoyed reading so far in 2024?

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