It’s that time of year again. Summer holiday time.
We’ve been awash with sunshine for the last few weeks, but now the kids are (nearly) off, the flip-flops get purchased and the time by the pool or beach really starts in earnest.
And, I don’t doubt that you’ve earned it!
However, if you’re anything like me, after a couple of days with your feet up, you’ll start to yearn for some entertainment or stimulation.
And that’s why I've published this post.
You see, at Inspire HQ, we’ve put our heads together and come up with the 2018 Inspired Summer Book Review – a recommended reading list for long days by the pool or beach, or maybe just those snatched moments when the rest of the family are occupied.
I asked the team for recommendations, and what came back was a fantastic list of books - some fiction, some non-fiction, some ‘business-y’, some not so much.
So, if you’re heading into WH Smith, or logging onto Amazon soon, I suggest checking out some of the books below – I can vouch for those who recommended them. (Well, most of them. 🙂)
If you’ve got any recommendations for us, let us know below!
And, whatever you’re doing over the next few weeks, we hope you have a fantastic summer.
Here’s the list:
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Recommended by Charlotte Turnbull, Project Manager
A remarkable story of friendship and betrayal during the turbulent Afghanistan war. If you have an interest in war history, this is the book for you! The author tells the story of his own experience in 1970s Afghanistan and what it was like to grow up in an environment where every day brought uncertainty and his relentless fight for a new world.
This book is a real tear jerker but brings a whole new meaning to friendship. Warning… you’ll want to read this book over and over again!
Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall
Recommended by Andrew Harding, Development Partner
Ten maps that tell you everything you need to know about global politics.
Sounds heavy eh? Not at all. If you’ve ever wondered why Putin is so obsessed with Crimea, why the USA was destined to become a global superpower, or why China’s power base continues to expand ever outwards, the answers are all here.
A brilliant read.
Mythos by Stephen Fry
Recommended by Nadine Cameron, Marketing & Communications
With great humour & wit, Stephen Fry's delicious take on the Greek founding myths deserves to be read slowly, savouring the delightful wickedness of the Gods as well as paying attention to the trials and tribulations of mortals and immortals alike for they show us the character flaws and coping strategies at play in our own lives.
An indulgence.
Who Moved My Cheese: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Dr Spencer Johnson
Recommended by David Barker, Founder & Managing Director (That’s me!)
One of the most successful business books ever.
For anyone in ‘traditional’ media who hasn’t yet fully moved on the digital threat and opportunity, this is essential reading.
It’s a parable, so an easy read. In fact, one for the plane – you’ll be done by the time the wheels touch the tarmac on the Costa!
The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller
Recommended by Sarah Clark, Office Assistant
A beautiful love story that made me cry one summer in Provence 😢
One for the girls perhaps?
Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks
Recommended by Laurence Peckham, Development Partner
The Stories in this book just make you think! About what? Well, I guess that depends on the individual who reads it!
I just thought, ‘well why am I worried about anything when some people have a lot to worry about.’
Mindfulness - Finding peace in a frantic world by Mark Williams & Danny Penman
Recommended by Daniel Vincent, Development Partner
Want a happier, more content life? Life can be relentless, frantic and exhausting – but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Mindfulness reveals a set of simple and powerful practices that you can incorporate into daily life to help you break the cycle of anxiety, stress unhappiness and exhaustion so you can handle anything that life throws at you.
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Recommended by Antonio Aznar, Development Partner
Addictive! I was hooked from the start.
A witty, tongue-in-cheek book about what it means to be from really old money and what it's like to be crazy rich.
