This is an edited volume of speeches by Sadie Alexander, the first Black American economist, who due to both racism and sexism was limited in her capacity to practice as a professional. Yet from the speeches presented, she offered a prophetic understanding of the intersections of politics, economics and race that was not only relevant for her day, but remains predictive and explanatory for contemporary issues as well.

In experience after well-reported experience, this book examines the ways that our financial system has systematically neglected and exploited Black people. Vivid characters tell their stories, exposing behavior so appalling that even they had to struggle to believe “Was this happening to me?” The scope and breadth of the industry’s pervasive damaging culture, and the cost to communities and individuals, continue to be devastating.

Considering the downturn I believe we’re about to go through, and the amount of leverage that has historically been put on private equity-backed companies, The Caesars Palace Coup will be read as some combination of a “word to the wise” and a “how to” book for investors.

It’s all too rare that a seasoned CEO tackles a topic as important—and uncomfortable—as race. White blends research, case studies, personal experience and plenty of practical tips and checklists to turn building a welcoming and inclusive culture into an approachable and achievable business imperative.

Of this year’s many interesting books, one stands out for those looking for an engaging history of venture capital, including how it has changed the world—mostly to the better but far from entirely. The Power Law takes us on a journey full of innovative people, disruptive firms and powerful ideas. What results is a highly readable book that illustrates the “how,” “why” and “so what” of a handful of highly scalable successes underpinning an industry willing to make many more ambitious bets that mostly fail.

A superb account of the venture capital arena that powers some of the most pivotal and transformational ideas in innovation today. The book reminds us of the difficulty of picking winners, and avoiding losers, in the technology space. Mallaby’s account of what works and what doesn’t is a guide for policymakers and investors for which regions and technological trends are likely to dominate in the years to come.

A rare novel about money where the author understands market dynamics. Technically interesting, brilliantly written and a Russian doll-style plot that keeps you reading and guessing.

It’s a tightly woven story of ordinary people in a familiar present-day setting. The themes it deals with are commonplace—loss, courage, sacrifice, casting off the anchors that keep us from going beyond the familiar. But the rest of it is hardly ordinary, from the masterly use of language to portray vivid images to the layering of metaphors. The reader may be excused if the initial expectation is of a story somewhere between The Old Man and the Sea and Tatizo La Kisauni. And it does not disappoint.

This powerful novel, whose title translates into English as “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” has been much discussed in France and in Italy in 2022. The main character, Baranov, is modeled on Vladislav Surkov, Putin’s longtime spin doctor. Written just before Russia invaded Ukraine in February, this book is a necessary read to understand Putin’s vision and objectives for the empire.

This epic first novel by poet Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is the coming-of-age story of Ailey Pearl Garfield—smart, funny and blunt—as she finds her calling as a historian. Moving backwards through time, this novel also captures the full sweep of the history and horrors of the American South and the incredible courage of many of its Black women through its lyrical and powerful prose.

A compelling, emotional and contemporary novel that leads you through the discontinuity of human history to the present precariousness. While almost feeling as survivors, on a planet threatened by dramatic climate changes, we may finally start building a hopeful future. Tasmania is a possible future; a utopia to escape to and protect our humanity.

It’s a novella, almost a short story, set in rural Ireland in the 1980s and told from the perspective of a family man, a coal merchant, who confronts the cruelties of the Magdalene Laundries. The prose is precise and paced; every word counts. The story is devastating in its gentleness and its moral clarity: A Christmas Carol of our times.

This book about a forgotten and terrifying time in American history reminds me how important it is to know our history. Understanding this period after World War I makes this current one of extremism much more easy to fathom.

I loved this fascinating story about two people who were largely behind the scenes: the lawyer and collector John Quinn and the first director of the Museum of Modern Art, Alfred H. Barr—who, through their intense connection with the art of their times, changed the course of art history. If it weren’t for these two figures, there's a good chance not only Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, but also Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Rousseau and many others would not have their proper place in art history—let alone be in the collection of major American institutions. It just goes to show how important the enthusiasm and dynamism of a few dedicated art lovers can be to the history of this field.

A thorough and entertaining read addressing two topics of personal interest: politics and the crucial role of education and upbringing. I was fascinated by the impact that an elite education establishment and a student cohort can have on the destiny of a whole nation.

I read it this summer after Barbara joined our Chelsea consortium. It’s a total joy, an up-close-and-personal look at the music business and a real inspiration to all those who want to make their dreams come true.

A fascinating journey through Earth’s history, from the very start of evolution, while capturing the almost unthinkable ways geography has shifted and changed over time. It makes you think not only about the past differently, but certainly also about the future.

I discovered Yung Pueblo from Instagram a few years ago, and he’s a favorite in my daily feed. He talks about the importance of self-love, of compassion, and despite his young age he is very much a modern sage. I was touched by how he shared his own healing journey in such an eloquent way. In this challenging time, we are all in search of more humanity and connection. Lighter is a beautiful encouragement to have a positive impact on the world and society, starting with a deeper understanding of self. A ray of sunshine in these dark times.

I have never read a biography of an individual who does not fall into one particular category, but Brand is a publisher, publicist, author, organizer, technologist, contrarian and so on. An inspiring story of a life more like an expedition. Brand was always willing to moving forward.

A true story that revolves around the death of an insurance investigator in the shipping industry. It reminds me of Joseph Conrad’s tales of life at sea during the period of great globalization in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It exposes the underbelly of a business that is simultaneously central to the global economy but also often outside the reach of the law. The authors weave together a suspenseful tale that reflects on the state of our economy and human nature.

A “big picture” book in the vein of Guns, Germs, and Steel and Sapiens, it steps back to capture a broad narrative of human history, focusing on the rise of inequality and how humans evolved to where we are today and challenging much conventional wisdom on these matters. Most people assume that humans were on a straightforward path from simple hunter-gatherer societies to the capitalist, democratic and massively stratified societies of today, and that the moves to agriculture, cities and more were all foregone conclusions. Yet the book presents many cases where groups did not make these transitions, sometimes expressly rejecting them and other times only doing them seasonally. A thought-provoking and eye-opening read.

There was so much I thought I knew about the food industry, but Mintz’s book taught me how little that actually was. He pinpoints the issues we’re facing without sounding preachy and offers us a new way to frame the problems and find the solutions. If you care about food, restaurants or agriculture, you need to read this book.

This present-day analysis of philosopher René Girard’s theory called mimetic desire speaks to the ways we mimic each other’s behaviors—all of us, starting in the womb. We see it happening across social media all day long, leading to obsessional norms like Michelin stars or titles of achievement. Empathy is the only antidote.

Canadian polymath Vaclav Smil taught at the University of Manitoba for half a century. In this brilliant book, he does the hard work of crunching complicated data to present a clear and surprising picture of how our world—especially our physical world—really does work.

This is a compelling read. It uses science and practical examples to clearly illustrate the kinds of resources we are consuming on this planet today—and the quantities, too. It lays bare how demanding the changes will be in our daily lives if the green transition in energy away from fossil fuels is to be achieved. It also makes clear how far humanity is lagging behind the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Getting China and India fully on board with this is absolutely critical if climate warming is to be even moderately tamed.

How did we become so divided so quickly and what can we do about it? Rose’s book helps explain what’s happening in our country today and why so many pollsters and pundits get it wrong. Through innovative research and compelling storytelling, he shows that we agree on a lot more than we might think. And the trick to bringing people together is often less about persuading them to change their mind, and more about helping them see it’s OK to say what they really believe.

It reads like a giant feat of investigative reporting on what ancient foodways can teach us and how they can shape our approach to life and nourishment in the future.

The topic is timely given the current mental health crisis in the US we are experiencing. Fueled by the pandemic, we are seeing soaring rates of mental illness, substance abuse and the ongoing need for enhanced patient care, all conspiring to create this unprecedented mental health emergency. The author, a psychiatrist, is the former director of the National Institute of Mental Health and offers his “cure” for the current mental health crisis.  

This book proves yet again that we have much to learn from history. Dalio’s sweeping observations of the patterns underlying major shifts in power and wealth cover an arc of nearly 500 years. Not only does he reveal the cycle that has driven the successes and failures of the world’s great empires, he offers practical advice for how to apply them to what lies ahead.  

It’s a new way of understanding how the brain functions and its ability to predict outcomes. For me, it’s a very interesting category for us to focus on, not just as it relates to AI, but around our daily lives and how creators build content.  Creators are always thinking about how the human brain will respond to the content they’re creating. For example, changing YouTube thumbnails to the color blue because people have a better reaction to that color has impacted millions of views on the platform. Having a deeper understanding of how our brains work impacts everything we do.  

Outstanding perspectives on the world we live in providing context on mankind’s challenges ranging from demographics through globalization, innovation and the environment.

Steven Pinker is one of my most recommended authors. The Harvard professor makes complex topics easy to understand, and I constantly find myself laughing while learning. As someone who makes a lot of decisions, I’m always looking for ways to improve the process, and Pinker introduces a novel set of statistical tools to solve problems. By making better decisions, we can move humanity forward. 

Many times we think of innovators and luminaries because of their strongest attributes and don’t really learn of the internal conflict, emotion and reality of their personal journeys. Bono tackles all of this and more. It is the story of the path of one of the most significant cultural icons of our generation, as well as a very personal look at the evolution of a teenage group of individuals who became one of the most revered rock bands in the world. Bono’s ability to leverage his passions and beliefs, while balancing a range of conflicting, combative emotions, to tackle issues well beyond music is part of his “super power” and X-factor as an individual.

One of the most inspirational and empowering journeys in fashion and culture. A reminder that there is no glass ceiling and all of us can live our dreams.

A follow-up to a podcast by Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen—and a very open, inspiring discussion between two longtime friends from my generation. What stood out to me is how they talk about different ways to look at the “pursuit of happiness,” about how we can overcome political and social biases and how to promote equality of opportunity. Their conversation is full of inspiring ideas that are worthy of further reflection and encourages us to look ahead with positivity even in times of political and economic uncertainties.

Imagine being invited into some of the most beautiful private houses in Venice. This book lets you realize this dream. It’s an extraordinary journey in Venetian art de vivre and the epitome of style and elegance.

This is another masterpiece from Andoni Luis Aduriz. Read with an open mind, it is truly evocative and it reveals the daring stories of Mugaritz.

My favorite book this year by far is A Quiet Greatness, a deep dive into Japanese cars and Japanese car collecting that is the only thing of its kind I have ever found.

Del Vecchio, founder of Luxottica, unfortunately passed away in June, but he left a great legacy. This book helps to understand the secrets behind his success: his real obsession for product and a continuous pursuit of perfection. With the ambition to always be “the best,” he became an icon of Italian entrepreneurship for the world.

This wonderfully illustrated book is a hymn to French art de vivre in the form of the aperitif—highly recommended if you’re in search of a little convivialité, and not to be taken too seriously!

One of my favorite books about navigating life’s most difficult challenges. It offers practical guidance that helped Cynt personally learn how to deal with change and now serves as a catalyst for her commitment to help others overcome the good, the bad and the ugly parts of life. This book is filled with valuable advice on how to persevere through hard times, learn from them and embrace change, which is especially timely as we look to the year ahead.

Most of us are anxious about unplanned personal and professional events; we think first of the negatives that are possible, forgetting that even carefully planned events are uncertain since we cannot actually guarantee that they will happen or that we will be alive to experience them. The book provided several practical tools for framing uncertainties as possibilities and shifting my expectations from being afraid of what I will lose to looking forward to what I will gain.

A fascinating read that combines amazing storytelling, humor, science, and some practicality in how to take a great idea and create impact by bringing it to larger scale. One of the most important lessons and reminders for leaders around the world is that humans don’t quit enough—and sometimes quitting leads us to pivot toward something better.

This is one part climate action plan, one part venture investing master plan, and a must-read for any sustainable finance professional. Doerr one-ups Bill Gates’ How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by synthesizing the climate challenge while orienting readers toward action, investment and opportunity.

An eye-opening read breaking down the overall climate issue into tangible action plans. Doerr uses the famous OKR-methodology (“Objectives and Key Results”) and comes up with a comprehensive pathway to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. One could think that it is (too) ambitious, but the book proves that it is achievable. It gives concrete solutions but also hope—and we need both!

I have a love/hate relationship with Legos. As a mom, finding them constantly in my vacuum or underfoot can be the bane of my household existence. That said, I still find joy in playing with them with my kids and appreciate the creativity they inspire. Andersen takes readers through the evolution of this iconic brand and reminds us that, even at a toy company, a culture that removes complexity and stays true to a unified and simple purpose is key for sustaining long-term success.

While he speaks from his experience in the hospitality industry—most notably, transforming New York City’s Eleven Madison Park into the No. 1 restaurant in the world—Guidara’s case for giving people more than they expect is a business strategy that will uplevel any industry. Many of his stories and lessons have stayed with me, but what I love most is how the book takes a candid look at leading a team to the top while building a culture people remember, want to be a part of and will go the extra mile for.

This book is relevant to every person who cares about service. Danny Meyer’s book, Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, is my favorite book ever written on hospitality. This is now a close second. I love his quote, “Because no one who ever changed the game did so by being reasonable.”

This book emphasizes the importance of seeing around corners, which is one of the most important skills for entrepreneurs, CEOs and leadership teams. My board members, advisers and CEO peers have supported me over the years with this, but having common drawbacks summarized in a book is very helpful to reference.

Wes Hall’s story and writing style make this book a great read. His personal journey is one of incredible courage and resilience. And, on top of all of that, his contributions to building up and promoting the Black community in Canada are unparalleled. I am convinced that his book will empower many young people from diverse backgrounds to one day become influential leaders just like him, and to make a profound impact on their communities.

Jonathan Trevor describes how alignment between starkly different disciplines boosts efficiency. His emphasis on connectivity, which we at TAV believe in so much, is striking.

As a leader in a disruptive industry, it’s often a tough balance to manage and grow your team at the same speed and scale as what the organization requires. This is a great framework for leaders who are growing in an ever-changing, quick-paced environment to meet the needs for today while building the capabilities and workforce needed for tomorrow.

This book advances the conversation on DEI to make it more approachable and applicable for everyone to understand. The authors offer a new perspective for readers to consider earned and unearned advantages: We all have them, but they move the conversation forward by encouraging the growth of earned advantages.

Andrew Chen's new book The Cold Start Problem is a great read for anybody building companies for scale. In a world where your competitors can often raise similar amounts of money, differentiation starts by engineering a product that allows users to see more value as more users come online. This book is a reminder that being intentional about network effects and virality will often define a company’s level of success.

In the most sensical way, this book takes the art of sales and breaks it down into a process. The way it is written makes it accessible to anyone, regardless of experience, and better yet, you can create a scalable sales process by following this book to a tee.

Because there is no end to learning and as was his inspiration to do so, this book inspires me to “challenge the status quo and replace it with a reality that is more conducive to our deep-seated human need to feel safe, to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, and to provide for our families.” Because in my 13 years at Vista, I have learned that there is no end. The potential to learn and relearn is infinite and fun and challenging and more interesting than thinking there is just one winner and one loser.