I’m no fan of bugs and heat, and I’m not great at rest and relaxation, but I do love baseball (most years) and books. If you’re looking for encore reading this summer, I hope you’ll check out these great new titles.
Becoming Ms. Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women
After the death of a child and decades of drug addiction, Susan Burton – a Purpose Prize winner – turned her life around by helping other women released from prison. This memoir is as riveting as Burton’s nonprofit, A New Way of Life, is remarkable. Read More.
Leading Lady: Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker
Sherry Lansing, the first woman to be named head of a major movie studio, walked away from it all to start her own encore career – and to help others start theirs. She’s a leader of our movement and an inspiration. Read More.
Encore Adulthood: Boomers on the Edge of Risk, Renewal, and Purpose
“Conventional adulthood is unraveling,” writes scholar and author Phyllis Moen, one of the nation’s most eloquent and profound thinkers about the shifting life course. If you really want to understand what it all means and where it all leads, this book is invaluable – not to mention enjoyable. An encore bible! Read More.
You’re More Powerful than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen
Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen University, writes powerfully about the topic of power. If you’re organizing on behalf of any cause (and I hope you are), dig in. And while you’re at it, check out Liu’s earlier books, including his earlier masterpiece, The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker. Read More.
The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters
If you feel let down by what Emily Esfahani Smith calls “the happiness frenzy,” follow her on a search for meaning instead. You’ll find it, she says, when you believe your life makes sense, you have purpose, and you’re part of something larger than yourself. Read More.
Boomer Reinvention: How to Create Your Dream Career Over 50
Looking to rethink your career? Start here. Career coach John Tarnoff provides a compelling – and beautifully written – roadmap to reaping the rewards of an encore career. Read More.
The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children
This amazing book by psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik examines parenting today and finds it “profoundly wrong.” She’s got a lot to say about what we, as parents and grandparents, can do to help children thrive. Read More.