Great new book recommendations for our Self-Starter types this Spring
This spring, we have meticulously curated a collection of books that cater to the self-starter's insatiable thirst for knowledge and ambition, ensuring they have the resources to further their personal and professional growth.
June New Releases
The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health Is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier
by Kasley Killam
A groundbreaking redefinition of what it means to be healthy that introduces the need for social health--the part of wellbeing that comes from feeling connected--to truly flourish.
Exercise. Eat a balanced diet. Go to therapy. Most wellness advice is focused on achieving and maintaining good physical and mental health. But Harvard-trained social scientist and pioneering social health expert Kasley Killam reveals that this approach is missing a vital component: human connection.
Relationships not only make us happier, but also are critical to our overall health and longevity. Research shows that people with a strong sense of belonging are 2.6 times more likely to report good or excellent health. Perhaps even more astonishingly, people who lack social support are up to 53% more likely to die from any cause. Yet social health has been overlooked and underappreciated--until now.
Just as we exercise our physical muscles, we can strengthen our social muscles. Weaving together cutting-edge science, mindset shifts, and practical wisdom, Killam offers the first methodology for how to be socially healthy. An antidote to the loneliness epidemic and an inspiring manifesto for seeing wellbeing as not only physical and mental, but also social, The Art and Science of Connection is a handbook for thriving.
In this essential book, you will:
The Art and Science of Connection will transform the way you think about each interaction with a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor, and give you the tools you need to live a more connected and healthy life--whether you are an introvert or extrovert, if you feel stretched thin, and no matter your age or background. Along the way, Killam will reveal how a university student, a newlywed, a working professional, and a retired widow overcame challenges to thrive through connection--and how you can, too.
I Shouldn't Be Telling You This: (But I'm Going to Anyway) (Original)
by Chelsea Devantez
"It's f*cking great!!! Raw, intimate, hilarious, actually inspiring." -Jon Stewart
*A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK FROM GOODREADS, PUREWOW, SHREADS, BOOKRIOT, AND MORE*
A dynamic memoir-in-essays by comedian, screenwriter, and podcaster Chelsea Devantez, detailing her tumultuous upbringing and uproarious career path into Hollywood.
There are things Chelsea Devantez probably shouldn't be telling you. Many of them are in this book: some are embarrassing (like when she tried to break her three year spell of celibacy using a guide of seduction tips). Some are confessional (getting sentenced to the "hell hill" at Mormon church camp). Some are TMI (a series of outrageous doctor visits that ended with one doctor misdiagnosing her as "pregnant." Woopsies!).
Then there are things Chelsea really shouldn't be telling you: like the time her biggest family secret was publicly outed, or about the drive-by shootings and the precipitating domestic violence she survived. Yet through it all, it's the women in Chelsea's life who kept her going - from the lowest points of her childhood when she and her mom had only $100 left to their name, all the way to her career highs as the Emmy-nominated Head Writer for The Problem with Jon Stewart and sensational podcaster deemed "the celebrity memoir whisperer" by her fans.
In I Shouldn't Be Telling You This, Chelsea centers each story around a different woman who shaped her life, taking us on a tour of friends and strangers, fictional characters and celebrities, heroes and villains who will destroy any Netflix algorithm for a "strong female lead." Reading it will feel kinda like that moment at a party when your friend beckons you close, sloshes her martini around, and covertly whispers, "I really shouldn't say this, but..."
Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully
by Julie McFadden
A comforting and informative guide that demystifies our end-of-life journey, from the compassionate expert known as @hospicenursejulie
What if we didn't consider death the worst possible outcome? What if we discussed it honestly, embraced hospice care, and prepared for the end of our lives with hope and acceptance?
In this compassionate and knowledgeable guide, TikTok star Julie McFadden--known online as "Hospice Nurse Julie"--shares the valuable lessons she's learned in her fifteen years as an RN in the ICU and in hospice. Expertly interweaving emotional insight and practical advice, Nothing to Fear demystifies end-of-life care for both patients and caregivers, covering topics including:
- the biological details of dying
- which medical interventions help and which only make things worse
- the otherworldly beauty of deathbed phenomena
- financial and logistical preparations for death
- facts and myths about hospice care
- the most important conversations to have before you die
- the grieving process, before and after death
Sure to be a go-to resource for years to come, McFadden's first book proves a better death goes hand in hand with a better life.
Right Thing, Right Now: Good Values. Good Character. Good Deeds.
by Ryan Holiday
In his New York Times bestselling book, Discipline Is Destiny, Ryan Holiday made the Stoic case for a life of self-discipline. In this much-anticipated third installment in the Stoic Virtues series, he argues for the necessity of doing what's right - even when it isn't easy
For the ancients, everything worth pursuing in life flowed from a strong sense of justice--or one's commitment to doing the right thing, no matter how difficult. In order to be courageous, wise, and self-disciplined, one must begin with justice. The influence of the modern world often tells us that acting justly is optional. Holiday argues that that's simply untrue--and the fact that so few people today have the strength to stand by their convictions explains much about why we're so unhappy.
In Right Thing. Right Now., Holiday draws on fascinating stories of historical figures such as Marcus Aurelius, Florence Nightingale, Jimmy Carter, Gandhi, and Frederick Douglass, whose examples of kindness, honesty, integrity, and loyalty we can emulate as pillars of upright living. Through the lives of these role models, readers learn the transformational power of living by a moral code and, through the cautionary tales of unjust leaders, the consequences of an ill-formed conscience.
The Stoics never claimed that living justly was easy, only that it was necessary. And that the alternative--sacrificing our principles for something lesser--was considered only by cowards and fools. Right Thing. Right Now. is a powerful antidote to the moral failures of our modern age, and a manual for living virtuously.
This Is Why You Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals about Your Waking Life
by Rahul Jandial
A fascinating dive into the purpose and potential of dreams
Dreaming is one of the most deeply misunderstood functions of the human brain. Yet recent science reveals that our very survival as a species has depended on it. This Is Why You Dream explores the landscape of our subconscious, showing why humans have retained the ability to dream across millennia and how we can now harness its wondrous powers in both our sleeping and waking lives.
Dreaming fortifies our ability to regulate emotions. It processes and stores memories, amplifies creativity, and promotes learning. Dreams can even forecast future mental and physical ailments.
Dreams can also be put to use. Tracing recent cutting-edge dream research and brain science, dual-trained neuroscientist and neurosurgeon Dr. Rahul Jandial shows how to use lucid dreaming to practice real-life skills, how to rewrite nightmares, what our dreams reveal about our deepest desires, and how to monitor dreams for signs of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
In the tradition of James Nestor's Breath and Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep, This Is Why You Dream opens the door to one of our oldest and most vital functions, and unlocks its potential to impact and radically improve our lives.
May NEW RELEASE
Game Plan: A Proven Approach to Work, Live, and Play at the Highest Level Possible--For as Long as Possible
by Mike Mancias - Lebron James
Mike Mancias has spent two decades developing and refining a winning blueprint for athletic excellence. He's worked with countless professional athletes, sports franchises, and the US Olympic Program. And his methods have propelled the rise of LeBron James, arguably the best-trained athlete in the world, and the gold standard for elite longevity. In Game Plan, he shares those secrets with the rest of us.
Over the course of three parts--the first focused on nutrition ("Eat with performance first and foremost in your mind"), the second on physical training ("We find the best ways to keep the body in constant motion"), and the third on recovery ("Recovery doesn't start after performance but during performance")--Mancias guides readers on their own journey to tiptop performance.
Revelations include the precise time to eat before an athletic pursuit, the hidden pitfalls of stretching, the right temperature for sleeping, therapeutic breathing techniques to turn off stress, and why naps are not just for babies. Throughout, Mancias makes the case that excellence must begin with the mind before it can manifest in the body--and shows you how to cultivate it.
Game Plan offers an actionable, holistic, and comprehensive roadmap to peak performance.
Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World
by Craig Foster
In this thrilling memoir of a life spent exploring the most incredible places on Earth--from the Great African Seaforest to the crocodile lairs of the Okavango Delta--Craig Foster reveals how we can attend to the earthly beauty around us and deepen our love for all living things, whether we make our homes in the country, the city, or anywhere in between.
Foster explores his struggles to remain present to life when a disconnection from nature and the demands of his professional life begin to deaden his senses. And his own reliance on nature's rejuvenating spiritual power is put to the test when catastrophe strikes close to home.
Foster's lyrical, riveting Amphibious Soul draws on his decades of daily ocean dives, wisdom from Indigenous teachers, and leading-edge science.
The Way of the Champion: Pain, Persistence, and the Path Forward
by Paul Rabil - Bill Belichick
Long before Paul Rabil had become lacrosses's most acclaimed player, the sport's first million-dollar man, and the cofounder of the Premier Lacrosse League, he always strove for greatness.
The problem was he lacked a manual for how to achieve it-- so, he set out to create one himself. He talked to Bill Belichick about how to prepare, Steph Curry about how to practice, Sue Bird about how to develop resilience, and Mark Cuban about how to build a career with longevity. From the wisdom of these and other legends, and through his own--often painful--trial and error, he forged himself into a true champion. And in doing so, he wrote the manual he always wanted.
The Way of The Champion is the synthesis of everything Rabil learned on his path to becoming one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. But this is not merely a sports book. It is a guide to embodying a champion's mindset--in sports, in business, and in relationships.
Joyful Recollections of Trauma
by Paul Scheer
Paul Scheer has entertained countless fans and podcast listeners with stories about the odd, wild, and absurd details of his life. Yet these tales have pointed to deeper, more difficult truths that the actor and comedian has kept to himself. Now, he is finally ready to share those truths for the first time--but, of course, with a healthy dose of humor.
Blending the confident, affable voice that has won him a dedicated following with a refreshing level of candor, Joyful Recollections of Trauma chronicles Paul's often shocking, admittedly tumultuous childhood and how the experiences of his youth have reverberated throughout his life. In his comedy, Paul has always been unafraid to "go there," to play naïve, cringeworthy characters, imbuing them with disarming charm and humanity. That daring openness is on display in the pages of this memoir, but in true Paul fashion, it is also surprising, eye-opening, and side-splitting.
Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing)
by Salman Khan
Whether we like it or not, the AI revolution is coming to education. In Brave New Words, Salman Khan, the visionary behind Khan Academy, explores how artificial intelligence and GPT technology will transform learning, and offers a road map for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting (and sometimes intimidating) new world.
A pioneer in the field of education technology, Khan examines the ins and outs of these cutting-edge tools and how they will revolutionize the way we learn and teach. For parents concerned about their children's success, Khan illustrates how AI can personalize learning by adapting to each student's individual pace and style, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and offering tailored support and feedback to complement traditional classroom instruction. Khan emphasizes that embracing AI in education is not about replacing human interaction but enhancing it with customized and accessible learning tools that encourage creative problem-solving skills and prepare students for an increasingly digital world.
April NEW RELEASES
Instructions for Traveling West: Poems
by Joy Sullivan
First, you must realize you're homesick for all the lives you're not living. Then, you must commit to the road and the rising loneliness. To the sincere thrill of coming apart.
So begins Joy Sullivan's Instructions for Traveling West--a lush debut collection that examines what happens when we leave home and leap into the deep unknown. Mid-pandemic, Sullivan left the man she planned to marry, sold her house, quit her corporate job, and drove west. This dazzling collection tells that story as it illuminates the questions haunting us all: What possible futures lie on the horizon? What happens when we heed the call of furious reinvention?
A book for anyone flinging themselves into fresh starts, Instructions for Traveling West grapples with loss, loneliness and belonging. These poems teach us that naming our desire is profound alchemy. Each of us holds the power to set our own course forward.
Expansive and heart-opening--exquisite in their specificity, galvanizing in their scope--the poems in Instructions for Traveling West speak to the longing that lives within us all. They remind us that "joy is not a trick."
As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve
by J S Park
In As Long As You Need, J.S. offers an honest and unrushed engagement with grief, decoding four types of grieving--spiritual, mental, physical, and relational--and offering compassionate self-care and soul-care along the way.
If you are struggling to process loss, pain, or grief from the last few years or the last few minutes, J.S. is an experienced and deeply empathetic listener and grief catcher who has held the pain and questions of thousands of patients. While social and cultural narratives about grief are dominated by "letting go, moving on, or turning the page" in his nearly decade of service as a chaplain at a major hospital with a designated level one trauma center J.S. understands firsthand how rushing or suppressing grief only adds a suffocating layer of pain on top of the original wound.
Never Leave the Dogs Behind: A Memoir
by Brianna Madia
In her debut memoir, Nowhere for Very Long, Brianna Madia reflected on her life as a nomad, free to roam some of the most beautiful land in America. Now, in Never Leave the Dogs Behind, the van life adherent faces the unfathomable darkness that comes from a life blown apart, her only solace the support of her dogs.
In the wake of a painful, public divorce and the ensuing fallout, Brianna moves from a pared-down van into a pared-down trailer. She reckons with her decision to be alone in the desert, living on a nine-acre plot of undeveloped land on the dusty outskirts of a small town in Utah, accompanied only by her four precious dogs: Bucket, Dagwood, Birdie, and Banjo. As she grapples with the anger, despair, and delicious freedom that comes from being wholly on her own, Brianna wonders where, exactly, the road less traveled has led her.
A powerful and poignant portrait of rebuilding and surviving, Never Leave the Dogs Behind is about finding the courage to start over when the dream life you thought you were living collapses around your feet.
All That Happiness Is: Some Words on What Matters
by Adam Gopnik
Our society is obsessed with achievement. Young people are pushed toward the next test or the "best" grammar school, high school, or college they can get into. Adults push themselves toward the highest-paying, most prestigious jobs, seeking promotions and public recognition. As Adam Gopnik points out, the result is not so much a rat race as a rat maze, with no way out. Except one: to choose accomplishment over achievement. Achievement, Gopnik argues, is the completion of the task imposed from outside. Accomplishment, by contrast, is the end point of an engulfing activity one engages in for its own sake. From stories of artists, philosophers, and scientists to his own fumbling attempts to play Beatles songs on a guitar, Gopnik demonstrates that while self-directed passions sometimes do lead to a career, the contentment that flows from accomplishment is available to each of us. A book to read and return to at any age, All That Happiness Is offers timeless wisdom against the grain.
The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions
by Michael Norton
Our lives are filled with repetitive tasks meant to keep us on track--what we come to know as habits. Over time, these routines (for example, brushing your teeth or putting on your right sock first) tend to be performed automatically. But when we're more mindful about these actions--when we focus on the precise way they are performed--they can instead become rituals. Shifting from a "habitual" mindset to a "ritual" mindset can convert ordinary acts from black and white to technicolor.
Think of the way you savor a certain beverage, the care you take with a particular outfit that gets worn only on special occasions, the unique way that your family gathers around the table during holidays, or the secret language you enjoy with your significant other. To some, these behaviors may seem quirky, but because rituals matter so deeply to us on a personal level, they imbue our lives with purpose and meaning. Drawing on a decade of original research, Norton shows that rituals play a role in healing communities experiencing a great loss, marking life's major transitions, driving a stadium of sports fans to ecstasy, and helping us rise to challenges and realize opportunities.
Compelling, insightful, and practical, The Ritual Effect reminds us of the intention-filled acts that drive human behavior and create sur-prising satisfaction and enjoyment.
A Field Guide to the Apocalypse: A Mostly Serious Guide to Surviving Our Wild Times
by Athena Aktipis
Is this finally it? The end times?Because from COVID-19 to climate catastrophe to the looming AI revolution--not to mention the ever-growing background hum of rage, fear, and anxiety--it's starting to feel like the party we call civilization is just about over. The good news? It's always felt that way.
Drawing on evolutionary psychology, history, brain science, game theory, and more, cooperation theorist (and, coincidentally, zombie expert) Athena Aktipis reassuringly explains how we, as a species, are hardwired to survive big existential crises. And how we can do so again by leveraging our innate abilities to communicate and cooperate.
Pack a ukulele in your prep kit. Practice your risk-management skills. Enlist your crew into a survival team. And embrace the apocalypse. You might just enjoy it. Plus, it will help us build a better and more resilient future for all humankind.