READING LIST
Long reads (and shortcuts)
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If you love reading, nothing stirs up complicated feelings of elated panic quite like annual lists of the year’s top books. We’re big fans of #longreads, but still can’t keep up with it all.
This year, we’re taking a slightly different — and perhaps more realistic — approach. We asked Luminaries to share a book they read and enjoyed this year, then tracked down the “shortcut” version: a video, podcast, or article that will help you catch up quickly and move on to next year’s new releases.
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“21 Lessons for the 21st Century” (Yuval Noah Harari, 2018), from the author of “Sapiens,” is a thoughtful and provocative instruction manual for navigating an uncertain future.
Shortcut: Read the excerpt on the art of reinvention and what kids need to learn to succeed in 2050.
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“The Art of Gathering” (Priya Parker, 2018) offers a good mix of tactical and theoretical advice for meaningful and effective gatherings at work, home, school — or any setting with two or more people.
Shortcut: Watch the author in conversation with Debbie Millman at Creative Mornings.
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“Wait: the Art and Science of Delay” (Frank Partnoy, 2012) looks at the connection between speed and decision-making, suggesting that waiting longer to decide — but then executing quickly — is more efficient than “moving fast and breaking things.”
Shortcut: Read LL Strategist Christina Ward’s index-card summary of the book’s main takeaways.
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“Big Magic” (Elizabeth Gilbert, 2016) “cracks open a world of wonder and joy” with its call to choose curiosity over fear. The author of “Eat Pray Love” shares her insights into the “mysterious nature of inspiration.”
Shortcut: Watch the 2009 TED Talk that preceded the book, or listen to a more recent On Being podcast interview with the author.
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“Principles” (Ray Dalio, 2017) sheds light on the thought process behind the “unconventional” tactics used at Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds.
Shortcut: Watch the 2017 TED Talk or the “ultra mini-series adventure” videos.
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“Being Mortal” (Atul Gawande, 2014) is an increasingly relevant look at healthcare in the United States, where aging populations and longer lifespans are making discussions about aging and dying just as important as living and healing.
Shortcut: Watch the 2017 Talk at Google, or read the recent Quartz profile of Gawande, who is now CEO of the healthcare venture formed by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase.
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“Sourdough” (Robin Sloan, 2018) is the fictional story of a programmer at a robotics startup who learns to bake and joins an underground community of innovators exploring the connections between food and technology.
Shortcut: The Luminary Labs Book Club spoke with the author and shared highlights earlier this year.
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If you've checked all the books off your reading list, or simply appreciate a well-curated selection of stories, a few bonus recommendations:
“The End of Trust” — McSweeney’s issue 54 investigates “surveillance in the digital age” with a collection of nonfiction “essays, debates, interviews, graphs, and manifestos” from 30 contributors.
“Women Invent the Future” — Doteveryone’s experimental anthology of science fiction stories (a free ebook download) challenges long-held assumptions about who reads and writes the future.
“Unruly Bodies” — Medium’s inaugural monthly magazine features a selection of 25 health-related essays curated by author Roxane Gay.
“Best of 2018” — Longform’s editors compile the year’s most notable features, and one of our favorites is at the top of the list: Elif Batuman's story about Japan’s rent-a-family industry in the New Yorker.
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If your winter break plans involve leaving books behind and hitting the slopes, LL Senior Analyst Emily Hallquist recommends checking Open Snow and Powder Buoy.
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Which conferences are you attending in 2019? We’re crowdsourcing a list of your favorite events. Take the 60-second survey.
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Cool jobs & opportunities
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There will be no Lab Report next week. We’ll be back in your inbox on January 3. Happy New Year!
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Email Jessica Hibbard, managing editor: editor@luminary-labs.com.
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