There's no clearer hallmark of summer than a sunny afternoon curled up with an engaging book. The notion of summer reading began back in the 19th century, when the rise in travel (and not long after, the invention of the automobile) made summer vacation, once only a privilege of the rich, accessible to the middle classes. Capitalizing on the opportunity, the publishing houses filled their formerly slow summer cycles with light, entertaining reads, democratizing the novel and reframing reading as fresh air for the brain. Brilliant branding and also good for us, as it turns out. Reading–especially literary fiction–cultivates increased empathy and open-mindedness, and decreased stress.
Summer reading is still a thing, but summer feels different these days. The world is moving at breakneck speed, and the lazy, hazy days of August feel like a thing of the past. A whopping 78% of Americans don’t even take their full vacation. And 65% answer work emails while on vacation. Work bleeds into life and logging off feels unthinkable, even though both science and common sense tell us that detaching from work is important for both health and performance.
It might sound impossible to add summer reading into an already groaning calendar, but maybe it helps to choose great reads that bridge both work and literature. The common denominator is people: the messy, complicated balance of human strength and weakness that ultimately drives the success of business and life. If you are time starved but yearning for “fresh air for the brain” and a little self-improvement, here are three books that will open the windows and stretch the way you think about your work, your teams and the future.
Trust, Hernan Diaz
How do you know what’s real? In his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Trust, Hernan Diaz depicts the world of privilege, money and power just before the stock market crash of 1929. Four interconnected narratives describe the life of a reclusive Wall Street tycoon and his peculiar wife, told first by the author of a 1937 bestseller (a summer read in its own right), second by the man himself, third by the woman he hires to ghostwrite the biography he prefers, and finally, by his long-suffering wife. Each version upends the last, leaving the reader wondering who and what to believe and–ahem–trust.
Diaz’ story raises fascinating questions about wealth and social class, modeling his protagonist after powerful men like J.P. Morgan who made a vast fortune in the unregulated financial markets of the 1920s. He shines a bright light on the role of wealth in shaping our perceptions of success, reminding us that history is written by those who profit at the expense of others.
But his mastery comes in his distortions: a simple story from multiple angles is no longer simple. What is trust and how do we decide who we trust and who we don't? When do our assumptions lead us astray? He also examines, with some irony, the role of women in a society crafted by men, fashioning headstrong female characters critical in shaping what we come to understand. Like working through a puzzle, the reader must piece together a “true” story from Diaz’ four accounts, wondering how many of the things we steadfastly believe to be true in our own lives are simply not so.
Klara And The Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro
If the future of AI intrigues you, Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun will keep you turning the page. Set in a near-future world, the book is narrated by an “artificial friend” named Klara, a highly intelligent robot designed to be a companion for children and teenagers. Purchased to befriend a child whose physical health is compromised by genetic treatments to enhance her intelligence, Klara begins her journey to understand human behavior, emotions, and relationships. Her comprehension is rudimentary, but her dedication is unstoppable. Klara’s curious perceptions raise poignant questions about love, loyalty and what it means to be human.
Ishiguro’s novel delves into thorny ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and the potential consequences of technological advancement on humans and machines alike. Through his depiction of Klara, he examines the nature of consciousness and a world where machines develop emotions.
As Klara's understanding of the world deepens, she grapples with mortality and sacrifice. Being in her head, we can't help but imagine how she feels about her own usefulness and value. What care do we owe the sentient machines we create to support us? At what point does AI become more than a machine? Klara and the Sun is a powerful reflection on empathy and connection, seen through digital eyes, challenging readers to consider what defines humanity in a world where technology seemingly thinks and acts as human as we do.
The Boys In The Boat, Daniel James Brown
If fiction really isn’t your jam, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the epic power of story. Daniel James Brown’s The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans And Their Epic Quest For Gold In The 1936 Olympics, follows the University of Washington crew team that, against all odds, took gold in the 1936 Olympics. The story follows nine working-class young men and their coaches as they strive to become a world-class rowing team.
Centering the narrative on one young man, Joe Rantz, Brown describes their grueling training regimen, the intense competition they faced internally and externally, and the bonds they formed as a team. As the story progresses, readers follow the team's trials as they develop perseverance and resilience in the face of personal and collective adversity. In a stunning metamorphosis from underdogs to national champions, their story culminates in their dramatic race for Olympic gold in Berlin, where good triumphs over evil and the Americans beat the Nazis.
Brown also details the art, philosophy and science of rowing, the precision of the boat and the importance of perfect synchronization among team members. Great crews, Brown explains, must have rowers of exceptional talent, but no individual stars. The focus is the team: the “synchronized flow of muscle, oars, boat and water.” But reaching this perfect unity requires each member to relinquish their independence while maintaining their individual strengths and unique quirks. And to know each other as well as they know themselves. The best combination of diverse rowers produces the most successful teams. The 1936 team’s story underscores the importance of supporting individual and collective purpose–on any team. Success is achieving the right balance: managing the needs of an effective team while honoring the unique contributions of each member.
These three books are meatier than a typical beach read, offering unique perspectives on issues of the moment and raising provocative questions. In a world awash with fake news, how do we tell what is true and what is not? What does it mean to be human in the age of AI? In an uncertain world, with crisis lurking around every corner, what does it take to build a truly exceptional team that can triumph no matter what? Stories like these will open your mind to new ideas, and maybe even provide new insights into leading through these challenging times. What better way to turn the last few pages of summer?
First published on Forbes.com.
