As I enter into my last semester of grad school, I have to say that I have read a lot of books. A LOT of books.
And since my degree is interdisciplinary, I have had the chance to read more than a few tomes that fall outside of my comfort zone. Some of them were rather dense, I have to admit, but others were incredibly enjoyable.
So, I figured I’d share a list of some of my favorites (especially those that have enhanced my performance at work) and see what others think of my list.
- Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies by John W. Kingdon
- Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos by M. Mitchell Waldrop
- Does Technology Drive History? Eds: Merritt Roe Smith and Leo Marx
- Human Built World by Thomas P. Hughes
- Seeing What’s Next by Clayton M. Christensen
- Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age by Duncan J. Watts
- The Art of the Long View by Peter Schwartz
- The Hidden Power of Social Networks by Robert L. Cross
- The Origin of Wealth: Evolution, Complexity and the Radical Remaking of Economics by Eric Beinhocker
- The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage
I’d be interested to hear if anyone has either read these books or has other recommendations. I am always looking for other good reads!
I read Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies in graduate school as well. Though it can be quite dense and even a bit boring at times, I recommend Rationality and Power by Bent Flyvbjerg. It’s an interesting case study of an environmental improvement project in a city in Denmark.
Just finished “Decisive” by Dan and Chip Heath. Great read on how to make good decisions.
The best book I read in graduate school was Power Broker by Robert Caro. One of the better books I’ve read recently is the Invention of Air by Steven Johnson.
Just finished “The End of Big” by Nicco Mele – pretty good
Hi guys,
I still apply lessons from The Power of Full Engagement by Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr. It is a great read on managing your energy (not time) to bring your full potential to the table. I’m currently reading Mojo by Marshall Goldsmith, its about aligning short and long term goals so you end up both happy and successful.
Enjoy.
Currently reading “Great by Choice” by Jim Collins. Even though the book is about private enterprise, many of the ideas are applicable to government, or any organization, that wants to excel and be a 10x-er.
All great suggestions! I am loading up my Kindle now!