The 2020 Saga (Late) Summer Reading List (with Bonus Video)

Reading a few extra books over the summer months can be a great way to beat the heat. That especially holds true this year with people around the globe spending more time indoors and social distancing.

If you’ve attended any of my seminars or have been following my work, you’re probably familiar with the books that have changed the way I live and work. Only time will tell if the following books achieve that same legendary status. However, I can confidently say they are well worth a read during the waning months of summer.

From Humble Beginnings to Life Beyond the Stars

Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered, by Austin Kleon. Ideal for writers, designers, and other creatives, this book will give you the confidence to start sharing your work with the world. Admittedly, I read this book too late in my career. By the time I finally got a hold of it, I realized that I had been unconsciously “showing my work” for quite some time. Still, this doesn’t diminish the value of this book, and it’s well worth keeping on a nearby shelf (or Kindle app) as a reference and reminder of why (and what) we need to keep producing and publishing.

“Don’t think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine.”

The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations With or Without Slides, by Garr Reynolds. A companion to Presentation Zen, my favorite book on the art of making and delivering memorable presentations, The Naked Presenter focuses on forming deeper connections with your audiences. It might seem odd to be reading a book about authentic presentations during a time where almost everything is being done virtually. However, I’m a proponent of using this time to prepare for a future when we’ll be presenting in person once again. Besides, much of the content in this book is relevant regardless of whether you are presenting on stage or on screen.

“At its core, presenting naked means connecting and engaging with an audience, whether three people or three thousand, in a way that is direct, honest, and clear.”

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, by Robert Iger. Regardless of how the Star Wars brand was handled under his watch, Robert Iger had an incredible run as the CEO of Disney from 2005 to 2020. Jam packed with clear, quotable leadership advice, The Ride of a Lifetime is a book I wish I could have read before I took on my first management role. In addition to being a superb book on leadership, The Ride of a Lifetime is a treat for those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, as Iger shares several behind-the-scenes vignettes about classic TV shows and great moments in entertainment history. Perhaps my greatest takeaway from The Ride of a Lifetime is this: even if you come from humble beginnings, you can go far if you approach your work with the right attitude.

“If you approach and engage people with respect and empathy, the seemingly impossible can become real.”

The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth's Past Book 1), by Cixin Liu and Ken Liu. I’ve been making a conscious effort to read more fiction in an effort to become a better storyteller in my non-fiction writing. As someone fascinated with space and futurism, I could’t have picked a better book than this Hugo Award-winning novel endorsed by the likes of former U.S. President Barack Obama and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. One of the things I love about this book is how it compelled me to learn more about real-world historic events and the actual scientific concepts that underpin the fictional elements of the book. The Three-Body Problem and it’s sequels reignited my passion for science fiction through intricate world building and the presentation of a fantastic yet plausible tale of interstellar conflict. Get a head start and read it now before the just-announced Netflix adaptation debuts.

“Every era puts invisible shackles on those who have lived through it, and I can only dance in my chains.”

Looking for More?

I often make book recommendations during my seminars and throughout my blog posts. Check out the video below to learn about some of my all-time favorite reads. Many thanks to Antony Tran and LIFE.14 for producing this video.