Our team recommends the top 5 books that can help you recharge for a new year.
As this most turbulent year winds down, we are all looking for ways to de-stress and recharge. We are looking forward to the new year that promises to bring about positive change. Our team has leaned on books to help us through the pandemic to re-shape our thinking about a crisis. From fictional stories to heroic biographies, these books have guided us on how to find a way forward.
We asked our team what books helped them get through 2020 and how these stories expanded their perspective. Here are the top 5 books whose stories helped our team through the challenges of COVID-19.
Becoming
Michelle Obama
Becoming is the memoir of former United States First Lady Michelle Obama. The book talks about her roots and how she found her voice, as well as her time in the White House, her public health campaign, and her role as a mother. In our personal lives, a chaotic moment can carry lessons we can take away for personal growth. Becoming is one of those books that reminds the reader to learn from the experiences in our own lives and overcome challenges with resilience.?
Shadow Divers
Robert Kurson
This book is an escape into the world of underwater archeology, adventure, danger and discovery. A non-fictional story of two friends that embark on the journey of a lifetime, teaching you the meaning of building and sustaining deep bonds. An important idea to hold on to when unpredictability strikes our own lives.
The Splendid and the Vile
Erik Larson
An entertaining narrative collected from archival sources such as personal diaries and secret intelligence reports, the author provides a different lens from Churchill’s family members and closest inside circle. This book provides an intimate view on the inner struggles that were at the heart of Churchill’s personal experience. As the book shares the details of Churchill’s life, it reminds us that it’s okay to lean on others.
East of Eden
John Steinbeck
Labeled as the “modern retelling of the Book of Genesis”, this timeless classic shares themes of finding one’s identity and learning the nuances of love. The ‘’timeless” sentiment truly rings home – we have been given free will to make our choices. A great book to read at a time when we are physically disconnected from our loved ones as it allows us to explore inward and discover our own meaning of joy.
When Breath Becomes Air
Dr. Paul Kalanith
A harrowing memoir of a neurosurgeon struck with stage IV lung cancer at the age of 36 finds himself on the other end of the spectrum, struggling to survive. This book chronicles Paul Kalanithi’s transformation from a medical student to a patient and new father. Kalanithi’s story is an inspirational reminder that when we face uncertainty, sometimes having patience can be a comforting idea.