As the hot days of summer invite you to step outside, there's no better time to slow down, unwind, and lose yourself in a good book. Whether you're lounging by the pool, relaxing on a beach, or simply enjoying a quiet moment in your backyard, summer reading offers a perfect escape from the daily grind. It's an opportunity to explore new worlds, gain fresh perspective, and recharge your minds.
We recently asked HYCUers to share what's on their reading lists. From gripping novels to thought-provoking non-fiction works, our diverse selections reflect the varied interests and passions that drive #TeamPurple. Here’s a curated list of summer reading recommendations sourced from our own HYCUers, with brief summaries provided directly from Amazon to help you discover your next captivating read.
So, grab a cool drink, find a comfortable spot, and dive into our curated summer reading recommendations – you might just discover your next favorite book!
Averting the SaaS Data Apocalypse: The Role Data Protection Will Play in the Battle To Save Our Digital Future, by Simon Taylor
The exponential growth in SaaS data poses significant challenges for organizations worldwide. 'The SaaS Data Apocalypse' offers an in-depth exploration into these complexities, discussing the vulnerabilities of existing data protection systems as the volume of data in SaaS applications expands.
Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, by Charles Duhigg
Supercommunicators understand the nuances of different conversational types and adapt accordingly. They're adept at perceiving the intricate emotions, delicate negotiations, and core beliefs that influence our speech and listening patterns. Every discussion, whether it's about daily responsibilities or workplace dynamics, is colored by our personal histories, values, and emotional landscapes—as well as our self-perception and views of others. This book explores why certain individuals excel at expressing themselves and truly comprehending others, revealing the secrets behind clear and effective communication.
Lost Man's Lane, by Scott Carson
In the spring of 1999, 16-year-old Marshall Miller's first solo drive after getting his license takes an unexpected turn when he's pulled over by an aggressive police officer, only to later recognize a missing woman from the back of that officer's car. Thrust into a perplexing investigation with no official record of the officer and few leads, Marshall teams up with private detective Noah Storm for the summer to unravel the mystery and find the missing woman.
The Formula: How Rogues, Geniuses, and Speed Freaks Reengineered F1 into the World's Fastest Growing Sport, by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg
Chronicles Formula 1's dramatic rise in America, detailing how the world's wealthiest racing league transformed itself from a distant third behind NASCAR and IndyCar to become a dominant force in U.S. motorsports. Through exclusive insights into F1's key figures and teams, the book explores the sport's evolution, highlighting the strategic decisions, rivalries, and innovations that propelled its unexpected American conquest and reshaped the landscape of modern sports entertainment.
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek
Discover the book that is captivating millions on TikTok and that served as the basis for one of the most popular TED Talks of all time—with more than 56 million views and counting. Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek started a movement that inspired millions to demand purpose at work, to ask what was the WHY of their organization. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, and these ideas remain as relevant and timely as ever.
How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor
In 1973, a young filmmaker named George Lucas scribbled some notes for a far-fetched space-fantasy epic. More than forty years and $37 billion later, Star Wars–related products outnumber human beings, a stormtrooper army spans the globe, and “Jediism” has become a religion in its own right. Lucas’s creation has grown into far more than a cinematic classic; it is, quite simply, one of the most lucrative, influential, and interactive franchises of all time. Yet until now the complete history of Star Wars—its influences and impact, the controversies it has spawned, its financial growth and long-term prospects—has never been told.
The Grit by Angela Duckworth
Angela Duckworth, once labeled by her scientist father as lacking "genius," has become a celebrated researcher and professor. Her experiences in teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience led her to hypothesize that success is driven by passion and perseverance rather than innate talent. In "Grit," Duckworth explores this idea by visiting West Point cadets, teachers in challenging schools, and National Spelling Bee finalists. She also draws insights from historical figures and modern high achievers, such as JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff, and Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
May We Be Forgiven: A Novel, by A.M. Homes
Harold Silver has spent a lifetime watching his younger brother, George, a taller, smarter, and more successful high-flying TV executive, acquire a covetable wife, two kids, and a beautiful home in the suburbs of New York City. But Harry, a historian and Nixon scholar, also knows George has a murderous temper, and when George loses control the result is an act of violence so shocking that both brothers are hurled into entirely new lives in which they both must seek absolution.
Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann
A twisting, haunting true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history, from the author of The Lost City of Z. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST “A masterful work of literary journalism crafted with the urgency of a mystery.” —The Boston Globe In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe. Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off.
Where the Bird Sings Best, by Alejandro Jodorowsky
There has never been an artist like the polymathic Chilean director, author, and mystic Alejandro Jodorowsky. For eight decades, he has blazed new trails across a dazzling variety of creative fields. While his psychedelic, visionary films have been celebrated by the likes of John Lennon, Marina Abramovic, and Kanye West, his novels―praised throughout Latin America in the same breath as those of Gabriel García Márquez―have remained largely unknown in the English-speaking world. Until now.
Atomic Habits, by James Clear
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight
In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.
What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, by Marshall Goldsmith
America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder. The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle -- and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference.
Amp It Up, by Frank Slootman
The secret to leading growth is your mindset Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman is one of the tech world's most accomplished executives in enterprise growth, having led Snowflake to the largest software IPO ever after leading ServiceNow and Data Domain to exponential growth and the public market before that. In Amp It Up: Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity, he shares his leadership approach for the first time.
How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie’s rock-solid, time-tested advice has carried countless people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. One of the most groundbreaking and timeless bestsellers of all time, How to Win Friends & Influence People will teach you: -Six ways to make people like you -Twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking -Nine ways to change people without arousing resentment
Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman
In his mega bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, world-famous psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think.
Only the Paranoid Survive, by Andrew S. Grove
Under Andy Grove's leadership, Intel became the world's largest chip maker and one of the most admired companies in the world. In Only the Paranoid Survive, Grove reveals his strategy for measuring the nightmare moment every leader dreads--when massive change occurs and a company must, virtually overnight, adapt or fall by the wayside--in a new way.
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