Books I'm Excited About
Because it's nice to have something to read besides the news, right?
I thought I’d do something a little different this newsletter and share some books - coming out soon! - that I’m excited for.
Evan Osnos is one of my favorite writers at the New Yorker, particularly when he turns his gimlet pen on the ultra-wealthy. Learn about luxury apocalypse bunkers! And how to hire Flo Rida (or Beyoncé) to play your Bar Mitzvah! And modern-day Hollywood swindlers! The rich are different than you and me - they make for better copy. Out June 3.
Why do some families produce siblings who all achieve extraordinary success? Sue Dominus - one of the best writers at the New York Times Magazine - spends time with Olympic athletes, award-winning novelists, successful entrepreneurs, and asks: What are their parents doing - and what are those kids doing to each other - that propels them to such heights? (And what are the costs along the way?) Out May 6.
In the 1930s, the evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson gave religion a Hollywood facelift. She was a marketing genius who realized that spectacle (and a bit of sex) sells, even when your product is the divine, and was soon famous across America. Then came the sex scandals and kidnapping claims. Claire Hoffman, formerly of the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone, explores how religion first went celebrity in noir LA. Out April 22.
Nick Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic magazine, a former editor at Wired and The New Yorker - and, somehow, the American 50k record holder. (When he marathons, he runs a sub-6 minute mile.) So, how does a guy with a day job and three kids find time to become one of the fastest people in the country? By running from a past of troubled fathers, cancer, and the science of pushing yourself farther than you thought possible. Out October 28.
So, this novel isn’t forthcoming - it was published in 2017 - but I’m guessing it’s new to you, because I’ve never met another person who has read it. It’s my favorite book about artificial intelligence, and the best forecast I’ve encountered of the world we might be accelerating into. Come for the AI, stick around for the spies and suspense. Available now.
What have you read lately that you’ve loved? Leave us some tips for new books in the comments - and happy reading.
Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams
Book by John O'Sullivan. Awesome message for coaching sports teams that can be applied throughout life to mentorship relationships & other team building.
Nice recommendations. (I would like to mention bookshop.org as an alternative to Amazon that appeals to a lot of people these days. A portion of all purchases goes to support local bookshops.)