“The Kingdom of Prep” chronicles the evolution of J.Crew, charting its rise from a modest mail-order catalog in 1983 to a powerhouse in American fashion. Drawing on interviews with insiders and industry experts, Maggie Bullock offers a vivid portrait of the brand’s ascent, its cultural significance, and the hurdles it faced in a rapidly shifting retail landscape. Blending fashion, business, and cultural commentary, The Kingdom of Prep provides a compelling look at how a brand can both influence, and be influenced by, the cultural zeitgeist.

“From the Ashes” by Jesse Thistle is a powerful memoir of abandonment, addiction, and survival. Thistle’s journey from homelessness to becoming a celebrated scholar offers a raw, inspiring look at the resilience of the human spirit and sheds light on the struggles faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada. I recommend it because engaging with Canadian history through the lived experience of a Canadian author offers a meaningful and intellectually enriching way to deepen my understanding of my country’s complex social and cultural landscape. Jesse Thistle is Métis-Cree, from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He teaches Métis Studies at York University in Toronto, where he lives. He won a Governor General’s Academic Medal in 2016, and was a Pierre Elliot Trudeau Scholar and a Vanier Scholar.

With all the greenery of summer, what better time is there to connect to our literal and figurative roots! Feghali’s book offers a captivating journey into cultural history and ancestral herbalism of the Levant (the “Middle East”). Through beautifully woven stories of folk healing and plant medicine, her book provides a unique and slightly esoteric lens for understanding the often unseen yet profound connection many folks we lead and coach have with their cultural homelands. It’s a great summer read for those seeking an insightful yet gentle exploration of identity belonging, and the powerful ties between peoples, plants, herbs, and ancestral lands.

“10x Is Easier Than 2x” challenges the idea that success comes from working harder and making small improvements. Instead, Hardy argues real success comes from thinking bigger, focusing on what truly matters, and making bold, transformative changes. The book offers a strong core message: aiming for 10x growth requires letting go of the familiar and concentrating on your unique strengths. It encourages you to let go of what’s “good” to pursue extraordinary goals. It offers an inspiring roadmap for breaking through limitations and achieving extraordinary results. It’s a perfect summer read, where the season offers us the time to have the capacity and energy for reflection and renewal, making it a great time to narrow your focus, gain clarity, and embrace the idea of doing less to achieve so much more.

“Challenger” is a tour de force. Author Adam Higginbotham manages to combine a thoroughly researched history of the US space program, culminating in a minute-by-minute breakdown of the Challenger disaster, with deeply personal portraits of both the astronauts and NASA pioneers. Throughout, he shows how the pressure to deliver can warp decision-making, change the way we think about risk and, ultimately, lead to catastrophe – even amongst hugely intelligent and well-meaning groups of people. It’s the rare non-fiction book that is both a gripping, narrative-driven story and also deeply insightful.

In the theme of all that is old is new again, this summer I’ll be reading “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams. After 40 years of friends, family and co-workers commenting on the deceptive brilliance (and humour) of this book that has fathered a thousand memes – it’s time for me to take the plunge and see what the fuss is still about. If it lives up to its hype, then maybe it’s time for me to cue up the similarly hyped “The Wire” on my appropriate streaming service. The added bonus of my selection is that I have no shortage of people willing to lend me a copy.

Historical fiction is the means by which I travel and learn when my feet are up in the summer. If you love a literary escape too, this substantial read is incredibly satisfying. With a backdrop of political unrest in Ethiopia, then healthcare in the USA, this immersion into the world of medicine is an emotionally compelling family epic. Through a complex web of life stories it is deeply informative about the human condition, our strengths and deficits, and how destinies unfold through tragedy, compassion and expertise. The author is a medical doctor and Stanford professor whose writing is detailed, realistic and moving. This ranks as one of my favourite novels ever.

So many of our conversations feel highly charged these days, like we’re all one comment away from a full-blown debate. In “Outraged”, psychologist Kurt Gray explores why moral outrage has become such a dominant part of public life and what it reveals about human nature. Without minimizing the seriousness of injustice or pretending we can all just “get along,” Gray looks at why we react the way we do to controversial issues, and how our brains are wired to divide the world into heroes and villains. It won’t solve polarization overnight, but it just might help us talk about divisive issues with a little more empathy and a little less heat.

“Sound Man” is a fun and entertaining journey through rock and roll history as told through the eyes of legendary producer and recording engineer Glyn Johns. Johns recorded some of the most famous rock albums of all time by the biggest names in music. His tone is refreshingly no-nonsense, often tinged with dry British wit which I so enjoy. Three rather unexpected reminders I took away from the book were: 1. The value of making connections: never shy away from meeting new people 2. Always be ready to improvise: the ability to think on your feet can be helpful in any situation, 3. Don’t make assumptions: always better to ask than assume.

This summer as I have time to think more deeply, the book I am going to dive into is The Good Fight by Liane Davey. This book challenges the myth that great teams are conflict-free and instead shows how healthy, productive conflict is essential for trust, innovation, and performance. Liane Davey offers practical tools to help you surface tough issues, navigate disagreement with respect, and build a culture where real collaboration can thrive. This book promises to shift how you think about conflict, and teach you how to harness the underlying energy to make changes and gain greater clarity, courage, and connection. If you are also reading it this summer – please share with me the points that most resonate with you and why. I love hearing real stories and examples from the brilliant minds I have the pleasure of connecting with.

I highly recommend “When The World Fell Silent,” a great fictional story that centres on the very real Halifax explosion of 1917 – which was the most powerful explosion in world history until the nuclear blasts at the end of World War II. Weaving multiple intertwined storylines together, it is a terrific mix of history and story-telling that is both moving and fascinating.

“The Culture Map” is one of those books I wish someone had slipped into my backpack years ago. It’s a smart and practical guide to navigating the often invisible cultural differences that shape how we communicate, give feedback, make decisions, and lead in global teams. Back in my days as an athlete, I traveled the world thinking I was pretty adaptable, until I found myself confused in a dozen different languages, misreading cues, and wondering why what worked in one country totally flopped in another. It turns out that “figuring it out as you go” is not a solid cross-cultural strategy (who knew?). Fast-forward to today, I see similar dynamics playing out in the global teams I support. The same awkward moments, just with more Zoom calls and fewer passports. Erin’s book sheds light on why those bumps might be happening and offers a clear, often entertaining way to understand and navigate them. Her stories are relatable, funny, and a little too familiar at times!

If you like a book with great characters, lots of heart and humour along with big doses of hope for the human race this is a great novel; one of my favourites of the year. I found it completely captivating, insightful, and heart warming. It is almost impossible to relay ‘the story’ – there are so many subplots. It is about the lives of people living in a small, poor community made up of European immigrants and Black Americans in the thirties. Their community borders a white, Christian town. There is a mystery to be solved, a boy to be saved, and a community of characters that elevates humanity in spite of our diversity, oddities, and flaws. An underlying moral compass around facing life’s challenges, augmented with some mischief, pervades the book, all relayed with a wonderfully non judgemental perspective and a light touch.

Ask will teach you how to read other people’s minds. Okay, maybe not literally – but author Jeff Wetzler shows convincingly that, with the right questions and the right approach to listening, we can get incredibly good at knowing what others are thinking. The book opens with a sobering look at how bad we are at intuiting others’ thoughts and feelings, and how easy it is to stay on the surface without ever benefitting from the thoughts and opinions that others truly hold, but may be reluctant to share. Wetzler lays out a highly practical framework for curiosity, packed with great questions and tips for listening. As someone who speaks for a living, I am always looking to get better at listening – and this has been an incredibly helpful book.

I highly recommend “Hidden Potential” by Adam Grant, especially for its take on team dynamics. The book shows that team success isn’t just about picking the most skilled people but about building the glue that holds everyone together. This resonated with my experience with Canada’s National Basketball Team. Their World Cup success wasn’t just about talent but their unity and teamwork, leading to their first Olympic qualification in over 20 years. Grant’s insights reflect what I’ve seen firsthand in sports.

I heard Pooka Lakshmin speaking about “faux self-care” on the Ezra Klein podcast and was very intrigued so I picked-up her book. It’s very thoughtfully written with examples from Lakshmin’s clinical practice and her own experiences. She points out that self-care shouldn’t be something to add to your to-do list but behaviour changes in your everyday life. She breaks down the four key elements of self-care: boundaries, self-compassion, getting to know yourself, and asserting your power. She even explains how the more we practice these concepts the more we can impact change on a larger scale. I am already working on incorporating tips from the book, and I feel off the hook for not being into meditation or yoga.

As someone who isn’t a big fiction-reader (but loves history!), The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is an epic novel that blends history, adventure and human emotion into a masterpiece. It’s set against the backdrop of World War II and follows the journey of Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay, two cousins, as they move from Europe to navigate the world of 1930s America. Joe Kavalier, a talented artist and escape artist, escapes Nazi-occupied Prague to seek refuge in New York City, where he teams up with his cousin Sam Clay, an ambitious writer, to create the iconic superhero “The Escapist.” As they rise to fame, they encounter love, loss and challenges while facing their own personal struggles, relationships and identities. Chabon does an excellent job bringing the streets of New York City to life, as the layers of complexity to each character makes for a beautifully crafted and captivating story of friendship, creativity and strength in the face of adversity. It’s a fun, nostalgic and uplifting read for summertime.

A senior executive at Stripe and former senior executive at Google, Johnson has made an impact in some of the biggest and fastest growing companies in the world. The book is full of incredibly practical advice and tools. More importantly, it helps leaders understand how to deliver on a key challenge: leading with both empathy and accountability. If you get the audio version, as an added bonus, the author personally reads the book, which in my experience, truly makes the words come to life.

“Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek is an essential read for anyone aspiring to become a better leader in their organization. Sinek explores the core principles of leadership that build trust, foster collaboration, and drive innovation within teams. By creating a culture where employees feel valued and empowered, the book offers actionable insights that can transform your leadership style and significantly improve team dynamics and performance. Embrace these principles to inspire and lead your organization toward sustained success.

“Demon Copperhead” is a compelling novel that reimagines Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield” in modern Appalachia, following a resilient and sharp-witted kid named Demon navigating tough times, poverty, and additiction. It’s a powerful story about overcoming adversity and offers deep insights into human resilience and empathy.

This is a book about the practice of paying attention and refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. This is not a book you read and put on a shelf. You can pick it up any time as it is dripping with wisdom, for life, art and creativity. I love everything about this book, from the person who suggested it and bought it for me through to the texture of the creative cover and silky pages in between. Rubin suggests that living in discovery is at all times preferrable to living through assumptions. I like that perspective.

With summer just around the corner and my daughter’s wedding fast approaching, I’m diving into the Love and Lemons Cookbook for some culinary inspiration. This cookbook is a treasure trove of effortless and delicious vegetarian recipes, perfect for the special occasion at our cottage. With many vegetarians among our guests, I want to ensure that the weekend is filled with delightful and satisfying meals. If anyone has favorite meatless recipes to share, I would love to hear them! Let’s make this celebration as tasty as it is memorable.

For a deep dive into the psychology of change and how to guide others through it, “Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization” by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey is a fantastic choice. It explores why people resist change, even when it’s in their best interest, and offers practical steps for identifying and overcoming those internal barriers. It’s particularly insightful for coaches working with individuals facing significant personal or professional transitions.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt is a delightful read. This heartwarming and immensely readable novel explores the power of connecting with other living creatures and its impact on our lives. With a clever storyline and a touch of mystery, it’s perfect for a feel-good summer read. If you enjoyed “A Man Called Ove,” you’ll love this book.