Tuesday, April 22, 2014

January Books


If you work, anywhere, you need to read this book.  Tony Schwartz lays out how our current way of working (long hours, lots of meetings, endless deadlines, etc) is not working--for us, or even for the bottom line.   He shares research and strategies on how to manage our happiness and work life balance by addressing four areas: sustainability/physical, security/emotional, self-expression/mental, significance/spiritual. Each chapter is chocked full of actionable ideas, and common sense solutions to workplace ills.  Because of this book, I know make sure all meetings I plan are 90 minutes or less, I take walks outside to find renewal in the middle of the workday, and I see myself as the Chief Energy Officer.

This was a great book to start the year with--it's kind of New Year's Resolutions on steroids.   I appreciated learning about the happiness research embedded in the story of Gretchen living our her Happiness Project. The book actually inspired me to adopt monthly resolutions.   My favorite so far?  Go to sleep with a clean house.  Game changer.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Leadership and Self-Deception

I got this book from my sister for Christmas.  Thanks, Maddi!  I was surprised I'd never heard of it--it's apparently quite well known in the business world.  It's definitely a business book, about how we deceive ourselves at work (and home) by failing to see others as people.   It's told in a narrative--we follow Tom as he learns from his boss Bud and others at Zagrum Company.  The narrative format makes the book very digestable.  As a fan of concrete examples and stories, this book delivered--every new idea is introduced with stories and actual examples, rather than elaborating on research.   Leadership and Self-Deception has actually benefited me at work, and caused me to understand why some of my work relationships weren't exactly where I wanted.   Definitely a good read for anyone who interacts with other people. :)

Because of Mr. Terupt

Having just finished Wonder over Christmas break (Fantastic read--without doubt it's the first book I'll read aloud to my firth grade class when I'm back in the classroom), I was in the mood for more in the feel-good classroom genre.
I definitely enjoyed Because of Mr. Terupt, though not as much as Wonder.  It's the story of a new fifth grade teacher who finds a way to reach all of his kids, and puts a lot of trust in them.  Just as he's about to win over even the most stubborn holdouts, something happens. 

  Both stories are told from the viewpoints of several of the characters, but Palacio does a more convincing job of portraying the emotions and experiences of a variety of characters.   That said, I enjoyed the book by Rob Buyea (an elementary school teacher himself) and would definitely encourage my students, and even adults, to read it if that genre sounds appealing to you.

52 Books in 2014

One of my resolutions is to read 52 books this year--an average of one a week.   It took me a while to compile the list, but here it is.   I leave lots of blank spaces for books that I discover, or rediscover, and want to read throughout the year.

52 Books in 2014
Because of Mr. Terupt

1/5/2014
Leadership & Self-Deception

1/12/2014
The Happiness Project

1/19/2014
Be Excellent At Anything

1/26/2014
Matched


2/2/2014
Start With Why


2/9/2014
My Name is
Asher Lev

2/16/2014

2/23/2014
The International Bank of Bob

3/2/2014
The Fifth Wave


3/9/2014

3/16/2014

3/23/2014
Uncle Tom’s Cabin


3/30/2014
The Casual Vacancy

4/6/2014
Teach Like a Champion

4/13/2014

4/20/2014
Made to Stick


4/27/2014
Middlesex


5/4/2014

5/11/2014

5/18/2014
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

5/25/2014
To Kill a Mockingbird

6/1/2014

6/8/2014
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls

6/15/2014
Bossy Pants


6/22/2014
The House on Mango Street

6/29/2014

7/6/2014

7/13/2014
How to Win Friends and Influence People

7/20/2014
Dear Life


7/27/2014

8/3/2014
A Thousand Splendid Suns

8/10/2014
Make Just One Change

8/17/2014
The Alchemist


8/24/2014

8/31/2014

9/7/2014
Unbroken


9/14/2014
Zeitoun


9/21/2014
Helter Smelter


9/28/2014


10/5/2014
Ghostly Matters


10/12/2014
Phantom Tollbooth

10/19/2014
David and Goliath


10/26/2014

11/2/2014
Proof of Heaven


11/9/2014
The Orphan Master’s Son

11/16/2014

11/23/2014

11/30/2014
Leading So People Will Follow

12/7/2014

12/14/2014

12/21/2014

12/28/2014