Summer is here and our team members are eager to share what they’ve been reading. We have a variety of books picked by some of our analysts, product managers, and engineers that have inspired them both personally and professionally — along with summaries of each from Goodreads. Perhaps you’ll find your next beach read below!
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman – recommended by Brian Susko, Senior Director Engineering
A New York Times bestseller, “Thinking, Fast and Slow” explores the two systems of thinking and how these systems interact. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slow, more deliberative, and more logical. Author Daniel Kahneman expands on the benefits, faults, and biases of each system. Kahneman also reveals the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and behavior brought on by each.
- Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson recommended by Kathryn Heffernan, Director, Product Management
Pulitzer Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson examines the systems of hierarchical differences that have shaped America and how those differences still have an impact today. With allusions to Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others, Wilkerson explores the ways that caste is experienced every day.
- The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It by Tilar J. Mazzeo recommended by Anna Mamo, Director, Translational Sciences
What does it take to build a champagne empire as a young widow in 17th Century France? J. Mazzeo explores the tumultuous times and a legendary figure in the winemaking industry, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin.
- Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return by Mihir Desai – recommended by Michael Coutinho, Associate Product Manager
Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai delivers a lucid exploration of the ideas of finance as seen through the unusual prism of the humanities. Through this novel, creative approach, Desai shows that outsiders can access the underlying ideas easily and insiders can reacquaint themselves with the core humanity of their profession.
- Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher & William Ury – recommended by Randall Dye, Associate Product Manager
Negotiations play a large role in both our professional life and our home life. “Getting to Yes” explores the art of negotiation. Roger Fisher and William Ury’s writing is easy to understand and even provides tips to that could improve one’s negotiation prowess.
- The Inheritance: A Family on the Front Lines of the Battle Against Alzheimer’s Disease by Niki Kapsambellis – recommended by Peter Nelson, Senior Analyst, Translational Sciences
Drawing from several years of in-depth research with the DeMoe family, journalist Niki Kapsambelis tells the story of Alzheimer’s through the humanizing lens of ordinary people made extraordinary by both their circumstances and their bravery. Their tale is intertwined with the history of the disease and the cutting-edge research that brings humanity closer to a cure.
- Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley – recommended by Brian Heim, Software Engineer, Tech Lead
Beyond solid engineering, in the realm of insight and creativity, Jon Bentley’s “Programming Pearls” offers unique ideas to help create a solution to those nagging programming problems.
- 21 Irrefutable Laws of leadership by John Maxwell – recommended by Chris Waters, Director, Engineering
In the “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,” John C. Maxwell distills the knowledge he has gained with over 30 years of experience in business, politics, sports, and more. Maxwell shares his successes, mistakes, and thoughts on principles all leaders should possess.
- Code Complete by Steve McConnell – recommended by Joe Kuhel, Software Engineer, Expert
Widely considered one of the best practical guides to programming, Steve McConnell’s “Code Complete” has been helping developers write software for more than a decade. Now this classic book has been fully updated and revised with new code samples and illustrates the art and science of software development.
- Educated by Tara Westover – recommended by Caitlin Goodrich, Manager, Marketing & Communications
“Educated” is an account of the struggle for self-invention. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. As her thirst for knowledge grew (as did the separation from her family), Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University.
Interested in joining our bookworms? Take a look at our career opportunities.
