2021 has started off with a bang on the reading front. I am way far ahead of my usual pace – but many of the books were shorter than usual – which helps the overall numbers. I read typically an hour a night, every night, which typically translates to roughly a book a week assuming standard 275 page length for non-fiction books.

Below is a list of what I have read so far this year. I have organized them by content area. (All links are Amazon Affiliate links). Just a reminder – I keep a comprehensive list of books by subject area here

Wealth / Family Business

• We Need To Talk: A Memoir About Wealth – Great read – I reviewed the book here
• Harvard Business Review Family Business Handbook: How to Build and Sustain a Successful, Enduring Enterprise – Fantastic new addition to the family business literature with a deep dive look at the role of ownership from the team at Banyan Global
• Having and Being Had – Author Eula Biss is an essayist and academic. This book is her reflections on money, home ownership, and more.
• The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness – Morgan Housel’s book is a best seller for a reason – enough said
• The New Elite: Inside the Minds of the Truly Wealthy – Jen Risher referenced this book. This is a published set of research from a marketing agency about the psycho-graphics and consumption of the wealthy based off thousands of interviews. Fascinating stuff
• Isn’t That Rich?: Life Among the 1 Percent – This is a hilarious, anecdotal look at the lives of the wealthy in NYC
• The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make – Ron Lieber’s new book is a must read for any parent of near college age kids
• Advising the Ultra-Wealthy: A Guide for Practitioners – Greg Curtis, Founder of Greycourt, published this book with a ton of wisdom from a career spent advising families.
• The Trustee Primer: A Guide for Personal Trustees – Patricia Angus wrote an incredibly helpful guide for trustees, and an accompanying book for beneficiaries.
• Entrepreneurs in Every Generation: How Successful Family Businesses Develop Their Next Leaders – This was a thoughtful look at new value creation within family businesses.

Strategic Thinking

• Creating Great Choices: A Leader’s Guide to Integrative Thinking Fantastic book by Roger Martin – I wrote a longer blog post on this book here
• When More Is Not Better: Overcoming America’s Obsession with Economic Efficiency – Roger Martin’s new book
• The Innovation Stack: Building an Unbeatable Business One Crazy Idea at a Time – This is the story of Square.

Professional Skills

• Primal Leadership (Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence) – This was recommended to me and is an amazing exploration of the brain science behind emotional intelligence. The book also connects leadership aptitude with corporate performance.
• TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking – Interesting look behind the scenes of the TED conference
• Confessions of a Public Speaker – Entertaining
• Awaken the Giant Within and Unlimited Power – I’ve always been skeptical of the Tony Robbins complex. I listened to these 2 of his older books on a drive. What struck me was how much of Tony’s material has now been validated with research.

Golf / Performance Management

• With Winning in Mind – This book is short and fantastic. For anyone looking to level up in any field of endeavor, this book is a must read.
• Unconscious Putting: Dave Stockton’s Guide to Unlocking Your Signature Stroke

Misc

• The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit – Fascinating
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – A lot of wisdom here
• Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel – Entertaining road trip book