My Daily Insights—and My Summer Reading List

As much as I enjoy sharing ideas on social media, online posts have an ephemeral quality. For several years, people have been asking me to make my short posts accessible offline. Introducing my 2025 calendar:

You can preorder it here. I don’t expect you to agree with everything I think. I don’t even agree with everything I think! I do hope it makes you think.

RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITIES

1.      The Connection Cure by Julia Hotz

With a blend of journalistic skepticism and humanistic optimism, this book makes a compelling case that our mental health depends even more on our relationships than we realize.

2.      Irreplaceable by Kevin Ervin Kelley

An architect presents a blueprint for designing spaces that bring people together.

3.      Modern Friendship by Anna Goldfarb

A look at why so many people are putting friendships on the back burner, and how we can build and strengthen ties.

4.      Cultures of Growth by Mary Murphy

A psychologist examines how to build learning organizations, highlighting that it’s not enough to have growth mindsets in our heads—we need to embed it in the practices of our schools and workplaces.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTS

5.      Brave New Words by Sal Khan

A bold vision for the future of education from the Khan Academy founder, who explains how AI can be harnessed to empower teachers and unlock potential in students.

6.      The Heart and the Chip by Daniela Rus and Gregory Mone

A roboticist and a science writer team up to tell us where intelligent machines are taking us.

7.      AI Needs You by Verity Harding

A tech policy leader offers a road map for making AI safe and beneficial.

8.      The Skill Code by Matt Beane

If you’re worried about your skills becoming obsolete in the age of AI and robots, a management scholar explores how to maintain and gain expertise as technology evolves.

9.      The AI-Savvy Leader by David De Cremer

A management researcher’s guide to building a vision, strategy, and communication plan for AI.

TRUTH AND JUSTICE

10.  The Year of Living Constitutionally by AJ Jacobs

A hilarious and illuminating adventure with a human guinea pig, who spent a year following the literal principles of the U.S. Constitution.

11.  The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell

A linguist demystifies our cultural obsession with irrational beliefs and debunked ideas, and gives us tools to escape it.

12.  The Truth About Immigration by Zeke Hernandez

Debates about immigration are at the forefront of politics, but they’re rarely informed by data. This book is filled with evidence that will surprise both liberals and conservatives.

PURPOSE

13.  You Only Die Once by Jodi Wellman

A breath of fresh air from positive psychology—a surprisingly fun and fruitful read about making the most of our scarce time.

14.  World Class by Grant Wahl

His job was to write about sports, but his art was to reveal what matters most in life. This anthology is a collection of brilliant storytelling and timeless wisdom about excellence and meaning from a world-class professional. Grant Wahl was the best of us, and his work lives on to make us all better.

ADVICE AND MEMOIR

• Sharing Space by astronaut Cady Coleman

• Chasing Hope by journalist Nick Kristof

• 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work by NBCUniversal vice chair Bonnie Hammer

• Say More by White House press secretary Jen Psaki

• The Whole Story by Whole Foods founder John Mackey

• Relentless by activist Luis Miranda (the inspiration for his son’s hit Hamilton)

• Playing from the Rough by Jimmie James, who broke race and class barriers to become an engineer and executive—and play America’s top 100 golf courses in a year

• Just Add Water by swimming GOAT Katie Ledecky

• Coming Home by basketball star Brittney Griner

• The Way of the Champion by lacrosse star Paul Rabil