The book’s raw portrayal of entrepreneurial uncertainty and ambition struck me deep — that building a lasting brand is as much about resilience and creativity as it is about strategy and execution. Sometimes the best lessons come from simply trying, learning, failing fast and moving forward.

This book inspired me to evaluate what truly is important in life and how to create balance. It is about creating a richer, more meaningful life that goes well beyond financial wealth.

2025 was a great reading year — I added more than 50 books to my library. The 5 Types of Wealth offers a thoughtful perspective on work-life balance from someone I know who truly “walks the walk.” It’s a message that resonated with me as I balance being a husband, father, and colleague to my Athletic teammates. The top book I’m looking forward to this fall is 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin.

I’m really inspired by Bloom. I heard him speak in Aspen, and he explains that when we think about wealth, we think about money; but wealth is so much more than that. Well-being and relationships in your 50s, for example, is one of your key indicators of your health in your 80s. The book gives you dimensions for understanding what wealth is, and how to think about financial wealth. It was absolutely brilliant.

The book brings together decades of Douglas-Fairhurst’s literary teachings. In widely accessible prose, the renowned Oxford professor offers encouragement to slow down — for Austen and Atwood — in our age of constant distractions. At a time when reading for pleasure is deeply challenged, Look Closer celebrates the urgency of languidly appreciating literature, which “sifts true meaning from life.”

Ambigrammia is peak Hofstadter: visually beautiful and mind-bending. Seemingly trivial, but the more you read, the more profoundly it connects with the unexpected fabric of the world.

Nosrat is a joyful, erudite, elegant, soulful and down-to-earth writer who understands that food is, well, everything: culture, community, nourishment, history and, of course, love. If everyone opened their table to friends as she describes that she does every Monday night, we’d all be more closely connected. And, by the way, every recipe tastes delicious!

We all have an inherent need to connect to nature for joy, solace and psychological well-being (whether we realize it or not). This book is a beautifully told story of how nature can be successfully incorporated into the fabric of cities around the world.

The United States and many developed nations around the world are suffering from underinvestment in the foundational infrastructure of our lives. The scarcity and resultant high cost or poor quality of things like housing, energy transmission and public transportation is a function of political choices and institutional failures. I feel compelled by the authors’ “Abundance Agenda” which calls for a reorientation away from regulatory caution and toward clear, ambitious goals that maximize both public and private investment in the places that most need capital to meet demand and drive growth.

A compelling examination of an economy and society marked by, the authors write, “an abundance of consumer goods which has distracted us from a scarcity of homes and energy and infrastructure and scientific breakthroughs.” Klein and Thompson declare a preference for production over consumption, in an effort to enable the building of supply in important areas of the economy that lead to a better life for the broad society.

Klein and Thompson’s Abundance positions us for a new/old world that can only be sustained through a culture of abundance and giving. While ostensibly impractical for some (particularly as income disparities widen), I’m convinced that it’s humanity’s oldest and most foundational value — and our only viable path forward.

Saint Francis of Assisi constitutes an exceptional role model, from many points of view, both for believers and for lay people, even — and perhaps especially — today, eight centuries after his death. With a clear and accessible style, Cazzullo offers an original, fresh and contemporary interpretation of him. Francis, he maintains, may be regarded as “the first Italian,” for no one like him contributed as much to shaping Italian identity: He composed the first poem in Italian, the marvellous Canticle of the Creatures; he crossed on foot our beloved country, through mountains, towns and countryside; he invented the Nativity scene. But above all, he embodied a love that was altogether unique. It is a love for one’s neighbour, but at the same time for all creatures. For this reason, whenever I reflect upon the social contract with creation, which all of us are called to renew time and again, I invariably remember his figure: charitable, patient, gentle — a true master of beautiful and good relations.

A heartfelt project inspired by McConaughey’s belief that the world is in need of more poems and prayers — an idea that truly resonates with me. The audiobook, narrated by the author himself, adds an intimacy and warmth that makes it even more special.

This book [which had come out in paperback in the UK] was certainly the shortest I read this year and also the most memorable. Based on a few weeks in the life of astronauts circling the Earth every 90 minutes, with constant sunsets and sunrises, it packed an emotional punch I wasn’t expecting. Seeing through the eyes of someone viewing our planet from a distance provided an exciting new perspective. I found it original and mesmerising.

As we all reflect on our aging and pursue knowledge and practices to help us navigate the inevitable process, we typically find ourselves focused on our physicality and our bodies. Nutrition, fitness, strength, movement and skincare are common, dominating threads, but what of our mind and spirit? In this book, Dr. Oishi dives into curiosity, exploration and experiences that feed the vitality of our minds and the happiness and meaning of our spirit and soul. From references to ancient Japanese culture to modern science, I can’t get enough of the energy. It lifts me up emotionally and fires me up as I focus on threading the needle of my own long-term brain health and finding joy every day.

Based on real events and characters, this novel brings readers into the intoxicating world of Frank Meier, the legendary bartender who worked at the Ritz Paris during World War II. Readers encounter secrets, suspense and tales of great courage, with cameo appearances by elite Parisian society characters such as Coco Chanel, and formidable senior German officers who are oblivious to Frank’s secret. At its core, this book is a reminder that grand hotels like the Ritz are not simply built from glittering chandeliers and beautiful decor. Their true spirit comes from the people who work there and the enduring power of human connection.

A most insightful book reviewing the current science-backed longevity methods and also what is in the near future. Best quote: “What we really want is for the additional years of life to be essentially free from disease.”

More than a guide, it is a celebration of hospitality at its finest. Blending inspiring storytelling with insider insights that transport you long before you arrive.

Worth another look ... Details the story and the tactical decision-making and frameworks of India’s $100 billion+ companies. The book is not about grandiose ideas, it’s only about execution. It’s a no-nonsense, get-your-hands-dirty guide that serves as an inspiration for builders like me.

The inspiring and courageous journey of endurance athlete James Lawrence challenges what we think the body and mind can do with the strength of determination and a clear purpose. I picked it up thinking it would be a story about triathlons, but it turned out to be a story about life and hope, and about showing up when it’s hard. As James writes, “Every day you wake up, you have one job. To be better than yesterday. You push yourself, strive for improvement, and embrace the challenges. Keep raising the bar, because greatness is achieved one step at a time.”

Michael Luo’s book is a good chronicle of the history of Chinese immigration to the US leading up to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. It’s a very detailed account of the hardship and discrimination they endured.

Minimalist storytelling at its best. Lines are stripped bare, silences stretched and prolonged. The result is a story that lingers with quiet but powerful effect. [It won the 2025 Booker Prize on Nov. 10]

In a world characterized by economic, geopolitical, financial and societal uncertainty, Making Sense of Chaos compellingly argues how things that appear random and unpredictable actually follow hidden rules. By understanding these rules, it is possible to predict a lot more of what seems to be chaotic and random. Importantly, the book retrains people to stop seeking a nonexistent equilibrium state and to instead focus on dynamic strategies that help them adapt as the environment changes. Farmer lays the ground for policymakers, business and not-for-profit leaders to be able to distinguish between signal and noise in their decision-making, as they allocate resources, hire, navigate new technologies and make strategic bets heading into an ever-more-complex and chaotic future.

A testament to the human spirit. In the depths of captivity for over 400 days [after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel] and emerging to discover that his wife and daughters had been murdered and yet having the strength and determination to live life and dwell on the positives. Inspirational.

An incredibly timely second edition [with a new foreword by Miranda Fricker] on the historical, psychological, philosophical, social, political and ethical underpinning of the meaning and criticality of truth and the virtue of truthfulness. In a world where the phrase “post-truth” is now used unironically, and where the calculus of what to say in politics and beyond seems to place less (and in some cases no) weight on truth’s importance, and as the monetization of attention dispenses with the category altogether, the book is a comprehensive and deeply insightful re-tethering to truth’s importance. That the original edition did this in more benign times only underscores its prescience.

As a person with elderly parents and relatives, I found this a sensitive guide to dealing with the issues of aging. Dr. Pollock gives some straightforward answers to the questions that are important and not always that obvious. It is clear she has a great deal of experience in the subject; she comes across as a pragmatic, kind person. Having this guide at hand has given me the confidence to do and say the right things without any sense of guilt or embarrassment. We are all getting older, and finally there is a book that helps us deal with it.

As a native New Yorker, I love books about NYC. This is an inside look into the power levers that make the city so fascinating. It felt like Bonfire of the Vanities set in the summer of 2025. Plus, I could read it on the beach.

Defy describes the power in being able to say no in a world where we are always expected to say yes. It is an empowering message to young professionals in stressful and demanding careers working for baby boomers who assume, like them, work always comes first.

In a year when economic orthodoxy seemed more fragile than ever, I turned to economic history. I was drawn to the implications of the “Nixon Shock” — including Christine Harper’s masterful biography of Paul Volcker. But it was David Spiegelhalter’s The Art of Uncertainty, part science and part philosophy, which was my favorite tonic to make sense of this year’s markets.

This novel expands on Åkerström’s powerful debut, offering a sharp, layered portrayal of Black women navigating love, identity and power in European settings. Her work is a fictional but emotionally grounded lens on life as a Black woman in Sweden, providing a needed contrast to my own nonfiction and policy-facing critique of structural exclusion. Together, these perspectives deepened my understanding of how race, belonging and silence function across both public and private Swedish life.

Paul Tremblay has done it again, with a book that follows the making and remaking of a horror movie in Hollywood. It’s full of twists, blurring of genres, fiction and reality, and radiates Tremblay’s passion and enthusiasm for the horror film genre. You’ll either love it or hate it; I thought it was an excellent read.

At Arnold Ventures, we seek to implement evidence-based solutions that maximize economic opportunity — and a prerequisite for economic stability is public safety. In Unforgiving Places, Jens Ludwig offers a compelling exploration of the root causes of community violence, a persistent barrier to prosperity in under-resourced neighborhoods. His research shows that proactive interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, employment programs, neighborhood design and effective law enforcement, can be transformative tools for building safer, more economically vibrant communities.

“Your energy flows where your attention goes.” I think this sentence from the book is very contemporary. We need to choose our battles in life, in business, in everything. We need to be focused on what matters when the world around us is trying to divert our attention with social media, short videos, etc., and take our energy away.

Worth another look ... I appreciated Range because it celebrates the kind of curiosity, connection and courageous leadership we strive for — qualities that help teams innovate across disciplines and geographies. In a world that rewards agility and perspective, this book is a powerful reminder that breadth can be just as valuable as depth.

Leigh lays out why some civilizations flourished and others failed or never even got started. He explains and interprets the history of humanity through the lens of economic concepts such as markets, human behavior, probability, externalities, redistribution and incentives. It’s a great read for people interested in economic theories and how the world has worked.

As a true Norwegian, I have always been fascinated by polar explorers. What a treat to read Kagge’s latest book, a dazzling story of the North Pole and its legendary explorers, spanning thousands of years. Kagge weaves together his own journey to the North Pole with historical research, human dreams, reflections on difficult fathers and difficult sons, and a timely warning about climate change. The book is for anyone who wonders about nature and humanity’s place within it.

Reading The Message was like recalibrating my moral compass in a world full of contradiction. At a time when global atrocities weigh heavy, and I’m navigating the complexity of self, legacy and lineage, Coates reminded me of the writer’s sacred role — to bear witness, contextualize and translate pain into purpose. His words helped me hold space for both clarity and contradiction.

The best recently published book I have read is The Mission by Tim Weiner. It is an exhausitively researched and wrenching history of the CIA over the past quarter of a century. No surprise, lots of misjudgments and tragedies; however, there are inspiring stories of dedication, bravery and insight which have benefitted the nation that need to be told. This book is a sequel to Weiner’s Legacy of Ashes, which is just a remarkable history that won the National Book Award.

Reading this latest book by Bryan Burrough reminds me how close in history we are to such a violent past, for better or worse, how narratives have always been used to bend the truth, and how Texas, from its earliest days, has captivated the rest of the country.

1929 is a powerful reminder that markets are made of people, their decisions, incentives and blind spots. It shows how unchecked optimism and lack of accountability at the highest levels can destabilize an entire system. As a leader, it reinforced my belief that transparency and informed access aren’t just ideals, they’re responsibilities.

This brilliant account of the greatest financial meltdown in history is required reading for anyone interested in understanding how greed can upend society — and how patterns repeat themselves. Sorkin reminds us that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Each chapter vividly captures the mix of hope, folly, naivety and resilience that changed the course of finance and the economy, not just in the US but also around the world. Don’t be surprised if you are struck by the extent to which this remarkable storytelling resonates with some aspects of modern markets, as well as the behavior of certain financial institutions and influencers.

Andrew’s book did nothing to relieve any anxiety about our current state of economic affairs, once again perched precariously on a cliff by bad decisions and greed. But I loved this real-life thriller and cautionary tale — let’s hope we all learn from it before it’s too late.

May’s original Outer Hebrides-based Lewis Trilogy is a crime thriller series, but the real star is the haunting, windswept westernmost islands of rural Scotland and the surrounding wild and dangerous sea. The series transports the reader to an island culture that is distinct from other parts of Great Britain and picks up fascinating threads of ancient Hebridean history. This fourth book doesn’t disappoint. Again, we are brought to another world, and familiar flawed characters bring a new mystery to light. Every chapter is gripping and keeps the reader on the edge of her seat until the end.

Mark Twain was as complicated as he was brilliant and funny — a deeply flawed human whose contradictions make this book not just fascinating, but relatable. What I also appreciated is that, much like in David McCullough’s John Adams, the story gives full weight to the protagonist’s wife, in this case Olivia Langdon Clemens. Her presence and influence are not just supportive but central, acting as Twain’s go-to literary editor, moral conscience and lifelong love.

Frauds fascinate me. Whilst a few have captured financial markets — from Wirecard to Theranos — these are often characterised as one-offs. We perhaps have something to learn about the nature of frauds, and human susceptibility to them, when we take a broader look. Art fraud is the subject of All That Glitters. While the industry is different, there are familiar patterns: a web of complex deals, fractional ownership schemes and charismatic individuals. So, although this is not the best-written book in recent months, the content is fascinating. Throughout, Whitfield also illustrates the intricate links between the worlds of finance and art. Commercial art is increasingly a cousin to financial services, and this book highlights valuable lessons from it.

A joy for students of history, this book shows the value of big-picture realities and reminds us of forgotten civilizations that experienced both rapid rise and decline. It is an honest, factual reminder of the many stories in human history that, too often, have been rewritten, but demonstrate important sequences of events that can inform us about the choices we make today.

As a New York-based designer, I’m fascinated by the backstory of the city that constantly inspires me, and Mahler’s book is a page-turning primer about how a four-year span from 40 years ago presaged the city’s current state of affairs. Mahler covers the origins of the homeless crisis, the Wall Street crash, the birth of ACT UP, the Central Park jogger case, the release of Do the Right Thing. And the book has a cast of outsized characters — Ed Koch, Donald Trump, Al Sharpton, Spike Lee, Rudy Giuliani and Larry Kramer to name a few. I was a huge fan of Mahler’s Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning about the 1977 Yankees and the politics of the city back then.

I enjoy reading thrillers or books that combine history, mystery and symbolism. The Secret of Secrets fits that profile and can be intellectually engaging and entertaining.

Flanagan’s 2013 Booker Prize-winning novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North was majestic. This recent work is more introspective and autobiographical, a lyrical mix of history, philosophy and personal memoir. It captivates as he ponders on love, guilt, responsibility, memory and the mystery of time — he weaves through his and his family’s life in Tasmania, the horrors of war and the history of nuclear weapons. Flanagan is poetic in his extraordinary mastery of language. Mesmerizing, melancholic and quite beautiful.

Rarely will you find a book that is at the same time so foreign and so relatable. Craig Mod’s part memoir, part travelogue takes you inside his head as he ruminates on the past and present during his modern pilgrimage around the Kii Peninsula.

Progress isn’t a straight line. Frey traces a millennium of innovation to show the tension between the decentralization that can spur new technologies and the bureaucracy crucial to scaling them. Countries and institutions — from Britain to China — can either stifle change or scale it, getting the balance right matters now.

What is the most sustainable building? The one we do not build. In striking alignment with the theme of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, Aaron Betsky reframes adaptive reuse not as a limitation, but as a proactive operating system for architecture. This is a crisp, compelling case for harvesting from the cities we have already built — a fundamental act in response to the demographic decline and environmental escalation of our time.

The Revolutionary War years in New York City shaped the city’s political, economic and built environment, and the city played a pivotal role in setting a trajectory for the country. It's also a great example of people of many different backgrounds intersecting in our city to create change. The second volume of Atkinson’s trilogy about the war brings depth and humanity to the Revolutionary period through storytelling, scholarship and an eye for the voices of regular people — from soldiers and civilians to loyalists and the enslaved. As the Museum of the City of New York prepares to open “The Occupied City: New York and the American Revolution” in May 2026, his work offers a timely reminder that understanding the war’s contradictions and global dimensions enriches, rather than diminishes, our country’s founding story.

Rome’s politicians in the waning days of the Republic unleashed the basest demagoguery to demonize their opponents and justify tyranny, and Cicero was a leading proponent and practitioner of this strategy. While the Roman Empire continued for several centuries beyond his death, the Republic came to an end shortly after it. Josiah Osgood has written in Lawless Republic a compelling and fascinating account of Cicero’s role in the Republic’s collapse and its lessons for our time — and parallels in today’s politics.

Worth another look ... I’d recommend it if you’re looking for mind bending sci-fi! It’s about a detective and a neuroscientist who team up to figure out a mysterious force that’s causing people to relive past lives and threatening to tear the fabric of space and time apart!

Matt Beane has spent years meticulously researching the fundamentals of how humans learn, develop and pass on skills, and the culmination of that research is this book. In The Skill Code, Beane delivers an essential road map for how we can combine the best of intelligent technologies with the insights from thousands of years of expert-novice training to reach the brightest possible future.

I am currently in a state of voracious learning about artificial intelligence, and I found this book to offer a very optimistic and pragmatic take on how AI can support and amplify expertise and creativity. For our industry, I found it provides valuable insight into how technology can enhance trust, connoisseurship and client engagement while preserving the distinctly human qualities that define the art world.

In our hyperconnected digital era, the shift from private awareness to collective knowing can unleash or restrain vast social change, making understanding these dynamics essential for navigating today’s information-driven world.

The General Catalyst CEO’s book convincingly describes how the world is different today across geopolitical, demographics, technology, lifestyle, cost of capital and many other drivers, and then presents nine principles of transformation for this new world. Through personal anecdotes of an extremely accomplished author, it compels business leaders to think differently about making a difference in the world.

Jeremy’s book, soon to be followed by another, is a much-needed focus of hope for the country and a reminder that the path to better days is not as big an impossibility as so many seem to assume.

Culpability is a thought-provoking philosophical essay ensconced in a riveting family drama. A family on a road trip in an autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car — while the family escapes relatively unscathed, the elderly couple in the other car unfortunately does not survive. As the family attempts to recover from the accident and from “survivor’s guilt” and a tangle of other emotions, they are confronted with challenging moral dilemmas arising from the crash. This domestic drama addresses a host of thorny concerns pertaining to culpability and moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence. I was hooked from page 1 and could not stop till I reached the shocking end!

The book describes how information networks have been central to building cooperation, shaping power and defining societal order. The book is relevant to businesses because it shows that controlling, distributing and interpreting information can be a source of competitive advantage for firms, especially in the age of algorithmic power and misinformation.

An important read for anyone interested in the currents that shape our collective future. McWilliams delivers a compelling and fascinating history that establishes how money is not only a means of exchange or ledger of debt, but also a profound social contract and shaper of civilizations. The book indirectly illuminates the power of tokenization by showing how the union of communities and money gives rise to the token as a digital social contract, an innovation that reflects the same principles of collective trust and belief that have defined money and unified communities through the ages.

Chokepoints is a sharp tour of geoeconomic power: how nations gain leverage not by occupying territory but by mastering the nodes and conduits — finance rails, shipping lanes, energy transit, semiconductor tooling, undersea cables — through which the modern economy flows. From critical minerals and advanced computing to maritime bottlenecks, the future of growth will hinge on how we secure, diversify and govern these nodes.

What Is Intelligence? is a profound exploration of how mind, matter and machine intertwine. As humans, we are defined by our consciousness. AI’s may not be so confined. Agüera y Arcas’ synthesis of cognitive science, computation and philosophy challenges us to rethink not only artificial intelligence but the very nature of human understanding.

Melinda French Gates has never been one for show. She keeps it real. The Next Day was a bestseller precisely because she stays true to form and is unfiltered in telling the reader how she navigated major life changes — from marriage and motherhood, to divorce and purpose. Her clarity and humility make every moment meaningful.

An interesting read that parallels our learnings of how the brain works along with the development of AI, and how the two journeys are intertwined, with biology informing technology and technology filling in gaps in our understanding of the biology.

I finally got a chance to pick up The Coming Wave in paperback [out this year], and it’s the rare tech book that’s equal parts thrilling and sobering. With wit and clarity, Suleyman shows how AI and other breakthrough technologies are set to reshape everything, from finance to geopolitics, faster than our institutions can adapt. It’s not hype, it’s not doom — it’s a wake-up call written by someone who’s been at the helm of the revolution. 

This novel warns of a dystopian near future in which the Left imposes its most radical policies on the country and the Right fights back. Its unique “oral history” style speaks from the perspective of a journalist interviewing a diverse set of participants about their recent past.

In an age of deepfakes, misinformation and “alternative facts,” celebrated filmmaker Werner Herzog asks what truth still means — and whether facts alone are enough. Blending philosophy, art, and personal reflection, he argues that “ecstatic truth,” born of imagination and inquiry, can reveal a deeper understanding of reality.

A brief yet penetrating read, The Future of Truth invites us to stay alert, skeptical and humble — a bold challenge to today’s culture of certainty, where everyone believes they already know the truth.

Worth another look ... It’s timely and timeless in its message. I am reminded that leaders bear the weight of courageous acts along with their consequences.

Leadership to me has always been about holding the center and recognizing that progress happens not at the extremes of the pendulum but in the balanced tension between them. The Systems Leader by Robert Siegel captures this concept perfectly. A systems thinker seeks to understand the interconnectedness of teams, purpose and performance. This framework applied to leadership helps one to capture how you lead with humility to balance them all.

Many books have already been published in Japan about Mr. Son, the famous entrepreneur and founder of SoftBank, most of which focus on his creativity and hard work and growing up in a tough environment, portraying a classic success story. In this book, however, Mr. Barber offers a much more cold and analytical perspective on Son’s methods — highlighting how he aggressively and hastily pursued investments, made numerous mistakes, yet ultimately amassed vast wealth through the massive successes of Yahoo and Alibaba. Son’s style — believing in the future of the growing IT industry and making risky investments far beyond his means — led him to face several crises of collapse. Though reckless and adventurous, his approach carries a certain allure, reminiscent of a medieval hero challenging fate.

A thorough and nuanced story of one of England’s greatest kings. While often overshadowed by his grandfather, King Alfred, Woodman shines a light on how he united England, ruled with honor and forged strong ties with the continent.

Smart Rivals captures something I’ve long believed: true innovation isn’t about competing harder, but about daring to solve “unsolvable” problems. The best compliment is hearing, “I didn’t know it could be done that way.”

When you’ve been around for over 100 years like we have, the question isn’t if you should innovate — it’s how. That’s what drew me to The Innovation Edge. It captures the balance every operator wrestles with: performing at a high level today while investing to build what comes next. It’s a great reminder that to be part of the future, you have to be in service of it.

Jacinda’s reflections reminded me why I entered public service in the first place. Her book shows that politics can be anchored in kindness, transparency and courage. These are the values every democracy under pressure must rediscover.

Among the icons of the entertainment industry, Barry Diller held nothing back with Who Knew, sharing everything from boardroom intrigue to his own deeply personal coming-of-age story. For anyone working in Hollywood, this is a must read.

A manifesto for meaningful business in 2025, in Moral Ambition, Bregman radically reimagines the meaning of talent and ambition in today’s business world. He urges leaders, entrepreneurs and the rising Generation Z cohort to look beyond personal gain and towards making the world a better place. The process of realizing moral ambition can be challenging — it calls for both resilience and humility — but it can offer rewards in the form of personal fulfilment, societal progress and long-term business sustainability. So much of what Bregman writes resonates with my thoughts in my own book, A Talent for Giving.

The Let Them Theory reframed how I think about leadership and life — you can’t guide from control. The Robbinses capture the quiet confidence that comes when you stop forcing outcomes and start trusting alignment.

It’s a great history of Apple’s survival and evolution into one of the world’s greatest companies. The challenge of dealing with China. Best nonbusiness book? Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown.

Kevin is widely considered the godfather of college athletics because of his significant impact on the industry and his mentorship of so many student-athletes, coaches and leaders. The book is full of reflections on his life and lessons learned, as well as a look at the current collegiate athletics landscape from his experienced perspective. A great read!

Sanderson’s Wind and Truth is more than epic fantasy, it’s a reflection on resilience, vision and the power of collective purpose. The story shows how enduring challenges and embracing uncertainty can forge stronger leaders. In business, as in fiction, sustainable growth often comes from aligning people around a shared mission and persevering through complexity.

The co-founder and co-owner of Boka Restaurant Group recounts the highs and lows of his journey to open 40+ restaurants, paired with personal challenges along the way — ultimately leading him on a yearslong exploration of growth. It is a poignant, at times heartbreaking and always captivating firsthand account of the unyielding pursuit of excellence. What I love most is Kevin’s honest exploration of the ambition, resilience and vulnerability required to lead at the highest level, making his story a powerful lesson in leadership that transcends far beyond the hospitality industry.

In spite of great distance in time and mores, Henry V offers a surprisingly relevant portrait of effective leadership combining courageous risk taking with strong personal principles and highly tactical and clear communications. The idea that the right to lead rests on the demonstrated benefit to those being led was just emerging at that time in English history and Henry V was an early and astute adapter.

One of my favorite 2025 reads is The Favorites by Layne Fargo, a fictional drama set in the high-stakes world of competitive figure skating. I loved how it captures the drive, pressure and perfectionism behind chasing greatness. It reminded me a lot of my own ethos — that no matter what you’re pursuing, you’ve got to keep moving forward.

What I valued most was the insider perspective on creative leadership at scale. Weis doesn’t romanticize it — he shows the mess, the trade-offs and how you keep the magic intact anyway. It mirrors the work we do daily in hospitality, aligning design, operations and finance around one guest experience. Practical, candid and immediately applicable.

Worth another look... Although published in 2012, this remains a definitive read on leadership, management and disciplined capital allocation. In an era defined by volatility, technological disruption and the accelerating pace of change driven by AI, the principles Thorndike highlights — discipline, rationality and independent judgment — have never been more vital. The book stands as a reminder that real leadership is measured not by visibility or volume, but by the ability to think independently, allocate wisely and stay the course when others chase the cycle.