Books I’m Reading: Poetry, Wisdom, and Biography
Books fuel your soul.
Pour in so you can pour out. The more you pour in – the more you can pour out. An empty cup can’t contribute.
Books I’m reading:
I don’t punish myself by finishing a boring book. Other books are like old friends. I stop in for an occasional visit.
I read several books at once. Here are non-leadership books I’m reading.
Poetry books:
The Road Not Taken and Other Poems: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition), Robert Frost.
I mentioned this book on July 7, 2023. Half-Done Compassion
The Complete Poems: (Penguin Classics), Christina Rosetti.
She’s often dark. “Goblin Market,” is my favorite Rossetti poem.
The Collected Works of T.S. Eliot (featuring the Waste Land, 2 collections of poetry and more, all with an active table of contents) Kindle Edition.
Current favorite, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.”
Great Poems for Children Audible Audiobook.
I often read and listen to children’s books. Scarlett Johansson’s performance of Alice in Wonderland is the best performance of a children’s book I’ve ever listened to. The Timeless Tales of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit and Friends, is runner up.
Wisdom books:
The Art of Worldly Wisdom (Illustrated) Kindle Edition by Balthasar Gracian.
Here’s a quote: “There are some men so devoid of purpose that they always require direction from others.”
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living, Kindle Edition by Ryan Holiday.
I compare the translations of Marcus Aurelius with the Gregory Hays translation of Meditations. Meditations: A New Translation (Modern Library) Kindle Edition.
The Bible.
I usually use the English Standard Version.
Biography:
Oliver Wendell Holmes: A Life in War, Law, and Ideas Audible Audiobook – Unabridged by Stephen Budiansky.
First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong Audible Audiobook – Unabridged by James R. Hansen.
What books are you reading?
I am currently reading “Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion” by George J Thompson. I have recently enjoyed “Silence is the Key” by Ryan Holiday (anything by him is a good read for introspection!) and “Eat that Frog” by Brian Tracy.
I also enjoy going back and reading “The Lorax” by Dr Seuss!
Thanks Bob. If you like Dr. Seuss, you might enjoy his biography, Becoming Dr. Seuss. I loved it!
Such good recommendations! Thank you. I’m reading A Song of Significance by Seth Godin — It is an amazing read and helping me to expand my thinking.
Thanks for adding to the list. Cheers
I’m reading “Start with Why” (Simon Sinek), “Leading at a Higher Level” (Ken Blanchard), and “Why We Sleep” (Matthew Walker, PhD).
I particularly like the line “I don’t punish myself by finishing a boring book.” I need to remember that!
You picked some good ones, for sure.
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (Highly Recommend–I’ve told so many people about this book I should get a cut of the royalties–seriously everyone should read it). The Educator’s Atlas by Weston Kieschnick. Lamentations.
The Art of Gathering is on my Kindle. I just haven’t started it yet. Thanks for the motivation.
Non-fiction | Anthropology | Guns, Germs, and Steel (Jarod Diamond);
Non-fiction | OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say (Ben Sheehan);
Non-fiction | Self-Help | Start with No (Jim Camp)
Fiction | Adventure | Radiant Angel (Nelson DeMille)
I love to see some titles for consideration. The only book in my library is, “Guns, Germs, and Steel.” Thanks for some new considerations.
Here is one I read in High School that I would like to read again and see how much I’ve changed: The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff
Cool idea, Rob. I’ve heard that was a good one.
Just finished: Enchanted Love, Marianne Williamson – 3rd time I have read it.
Currently: The Price of the Ticket, James Baldwin – very captivating, so far.
Two past favorites: Comfortable with Uncertainty, Pema Chodron – very grounding and helpful. The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein.
Online: Leadership Freak, Dan Rockwell – always interesting, helpful, and curious.
Another list of hot prospects. Thanks Melanie and thanks for the inclusion of Leadership Freak. It’s humbling.
If anyone would like a free copy of one of my last three books, e-mail me at pbthornton74@gmail.com
–Performance Management for New Managers
–Leadership Styles
–Leadership Development for Students
Hey Paul, Your books are clear, brief, and actionable. Solid reading for any manager or leader. I’m not sure how many people will get down into the comments, but I hope a few.
I recently discovered Alice McDermott’s “What About the Baby?: Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction.”
This quote was like a beam of light: “I expect the language in fiction not merely to tell a story and to create a character and to place that character in a particular moment that obliterates time; language in fiction must also record, re-create, what is intuited but never heard, sensed but never experienced.”
When an author captures a moment and it stops you as some kindred feeling passes between you, the reader and the author even though hundreds of years may have passed between the reading and the writing, that’s incandescent magic.
Hi Elizabeth. Thanks for including books about writing. I read about writing every day. I just didn’t mention it here.
Stephen King: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. https://amzn.to/3DqbSo2
A.J. Harper: Write a Must Read, is the best book on writing books, not simply writing itself, is out of the world. https://amzn.to/472N9DR
Roy Peter Clark: Writing Tools, is great for exercise to improve your writing.
On the creative side of writing:
Ann Lamott: Bird by Bird https://amzn.to/3O5S9iz
Julia Cameron: The Artist’s Way https://amzn.to/3Y1ewdq
Natile Goldberg: Writing Down the Bones https://amzn.to/3O4soPp
Love your observations about the power of writing.
Thank you for more suggestions. Many I have read, some are on my “should” read, some are new.
Thanks for sharing the books you are reading.
I am reading:
“The Art of Impossible” by Steven Kotler
“The Right & Wrong Stuff” Carter Cast
“Blue Ocean Strategy” W. Chan Kim
“Making Number Count” Chip Heath
“The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication” John C. Maxwell
“The Art of Explanation” Lee LeFever