Our Summer Reading List—Books That Moved Us

<p id="ember747" class="wp-block-paragraph">We’re heading into our summer break and hope this time away will provide the chance for more reading and reflection. We’re sharing a list of books that have inspired and moved us this year, including a collection of nonfiction and fiction works, depending on whether you’re hoping to spend your downtime in the tail end of summer in learning mode, or escape. We wanted to share a list of the books we’ve enjoyed so far this year, and the titles we’re looking forward to reading.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are a lot of terrific books out so far this year, including <em>Incorruptible</em> and <em>Genius at Scale</em>, that have received a lot of well-deserved attention. With this list, however, we wanted to expand the selection to include more territory than the more traditional business and management reads. Our collection includes new books but also some earlier titles that have made an impact.</p> <p id="ember747" class="wp-block-paragraph">What got us thinking, and what made us feel? Read on to find out!&nbsp;</p> <h6 id="h-non-fiction-0" class="wp-block-heading has-h4-variant">Non-Fiction</h6> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="199" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wh-ois-government-199x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293026"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/who-is-government-the-untold-story-of-public-service-michael-lewis/b38857a5bb6d03ad" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Who Is Government?</em></a> by Michael Lewis</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This brief compilation of essays, originally published in the <em>Washington Post</em>, chronicles the stories and impact of many unsung heroes within the U.S. federal government who have been the pioneers of innovations that have saved, improved, and changed millions of American lives for the better. A quick read, these stories counter the narrative that government delivers few benefits with stories of the transformative impact of a high-functioning bureaucracy.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="196" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/i-am-not-a-robot-196x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293028"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-am-not-a-robot-my-year-using-ai-to-do-almost-everything-joanna-stern/f4f2bde5f7986a39" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>I Am Not a Robot</em></a> by Joanna Stern</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This hilarious and intriguing book by notable tech journalist Joanna Stern takes readers on a journey through the year in which Stern embedded AI into every aspect of her life to be able to report on its possible benefits. This book is both a primer on all things AI for those who may find themselves overwhelmed by the many dimensions of this new technology, and a nuanced look at how we can shape the role that AI plays in our lives to truly maximize human benefit.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="205" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Incorruptible-205x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-292866"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><em><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/incorruptible-why-good-companies-go-bad-and-how-great-companies-stay-great-eric-ries/59b9dafd417d9e02" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Incorruptible</a></em> by Eric Ries</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ries draws on decades of work advising business founders and leaders to dig into a key challenge for American capitalism: how to design corporations that keep corporate purpose and public trust at the center. His message is clear—it is best if ownership structures to secure the long-term intentions of the founder, and protocols to withstand short-term pressures from the markets, are in place before you open the doors. There are many compelling examples to draw from. The necessary changes to corporate design are within our control. A great read!</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="200" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/The-Grid-book-cover-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-292879"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-grid-the-fraying-wires-between-americans-and-our-energy-future-gretchen-bakke/c7dee95a418fd5d4"><em>The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future</em></a> by Gretchen Bakke</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A cultural anthropologist provides a fascinating look at the ways in which our outdated energy infrastructure is shaping our high-tech future, and how we can better reimagine it for the twenty-first century.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="199" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/genius-at-scale-199x300.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-293106"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/genius-at-scale-how-great-leaders-drive-innovation-emily-tedards/1ba0484032f6118a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genius at Scale</a> by Linda Hill, Emily Tedards, and Jason Wild</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The authors explore the ideas and qualities that enable some of the most innovative leaders to drive innovation, and share multiple strategies to bring bold leadership to life in ways that scale for maximum impact.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="201" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/One-Day-omar-201x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293030"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/one-day-everyone-will-have-always-been-against-this-omar-el-akkad/4191784c40750b09" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This</em></a> by Omar El Akkad</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This searing look at America’s colonial history is transmitted both honestly and poetically through the lived experience and journalistic career of its author. A 2025 National Book Award winner, <em>One Day&#8230; </em>offers a clear-eyed look at the imperial impulses that undergird much of America’s relationship with the world, and the ways this story is rewritten again and again for political gain. The audiobook is read by the author, and carries particular weight when read in his own voice.  </p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="198" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/rest-is-resistance-198x300.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-293032"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/rest-is-resistance-a-manifesto-tricia-hersey/72039c1cbdfea3ed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto</em></a> by Tricia Hersey</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is one of those books whose teachings just stay with you. In this manifesto, Tricia Hersey argues that rest is a form of resistance against racial capitalism and the grind culture that devalues human worth outside of productivity. Drawing on her work as founder of The Nap Ministry, she advocates for reclaiming rest, daydreaming, and slowness as tools for healing and liberation.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="195" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/question-7-195x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293035"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/question-7-richard-flanagan/ac3084856dd32b97" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Question 7</em></a> by Richard Flanagan</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A beautiful book that will change how you think about stories. Flanagan writes in gorgeous prose and mines deep personal and literary history to show that the world we occupy and who we are is a profound inheritance from many interconnected stories of people and events, large and small, known and unknown.</p> </div> </div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p> <h6 id="h-non-fiction" class="wp-block-heading has-h4-variant">Fiction</h6> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="199" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/remarkably-bright-199x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293036"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/remarkably-bright-creatures-a-novel-shelby-van-pelt/80d8bf54665f88a8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Remarkably Bright Creatures</em></a> by Shelby Van Pelt</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A poignant, beautifully written take on humanity’s relationship with nature through the experiences of a woman and a creative, intelligent, delightfully perceptive octopus. </p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="193" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/lonesome-dove-193x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293037"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/lonesome-dove-a-novel-larry-mcmurtry/f986a0857f3eba28" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/lonesome-dove-a-novel-larry-mcmurtry/f986a0857f3eba28" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Lonesome Dove</em></a> by Larry McMurtry</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This epic Western novel follows characters on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana in the 1870s. Larry McMurtry’s storytelling is extraordinary and fully draws a reader into a past world full of adventure, emotion, and devastation. <em>Lonesome Dove</em> is ultimately a story about people trying to lead lives of intention and meaning in a changing world, told through an immersive adventure that stirs deep, lasting emotion.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="199" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/The-Correspondent-199x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-292944"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-correspondent-a-novel-virginia-evans/87852b9a3587f7c2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Correspondent</em></a> by Virginia Evans</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">An emotionally rich novel told entirely through letters sent to and from Sybil, a sharp, sassy woman in her seventies who lives alone. Her correspondence reveals a complicated life full of accomplishment, friendship, guilt, grief, and forgiveness. It’s a beautiful reminder of the role human connection plays in creating a rich, meaningful life. </p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="198" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/telex-from-cuba-198x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293038"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Telex from Cuba</em></a> by Rachel Kushner</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A vivid story set in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution. Corporate interests (United Fruit Company) are at the center of the political struggle. Class, colonialism, race, and generational tensions are all part of the revolutionary fabric. You almost feel the tropical humidity adding weight to events as personal, political, and social pressures rise.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="184" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/time-war-184x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293039"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/this-is-how-you-lose-the-time-war-amal-el-mohtar/9829bd5ae7b0d770" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>This Is How You Lose the Time War</em></a> by Amar El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This imaginative epistolary novel is both a deep dive into ancient history and a wide-eyed look at the future. It is ecological and evolutionary, romantic and somatic. Two agents journey through time to embed themselves in various conflicts, waging a meta-war against each other and, in the process, fall in love. This book is both an all-consuming beach read, and a philosophical provocation that will stay with you long after it’s over—one you’ll find yourself thinking about again and again.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2f4ce1b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex" style="padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--xsmall)"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-mobile"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="189" height="300" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/all-systems-red-189x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-293040"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"> <p class="has-h6-variant wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-systems-red-the-murderbot-diaries-martha-wells/19bdc995eb35feb9" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>All Systems Red</em></a> by Martha Wells</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The first in a funny and insightful series starring an android with opinions on humanity and its corporations. Because as we discuss our perspectives on AI, it may also be useful to consider what it will think of us. And as José Esteves, dean of Porto Business School said, science fiction and fantasy are “some of the most serious ways we rehearse futures that have not yet arrived.”</p> </div> </div> <h6 id="h-want-to-read" class="wp-block-heading has-h4-variant">Want to Read</h6> <p id="ember747" class="wp-block-paragraph">On the list of books we haven’t read yet, but hope to crack open before year end:  </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-odyssey-homer/812ee5f8ca465fbe?ean=9780393356250&amp;bkshp-astro=t" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Odyssey</em></a> by Homer</strong>, translated by Emily Wilson and read for audio by Claire Danes</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/hone-how-purposeful-leaders-defy-drift-geoff-tuff/dd701562a6584f0f" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Hone: How Purposeful Leaders Defy Drift</em></strong></a> <strong>by Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach</strong></p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/we-have-never-been-woke-the-cultural-contradictions-of-a-new-elite-musa-al-gharbi/34b76557eb96d043" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite</em></a> by Musa Al-Gharbi</strong>: a bold new provocation on how to think about inclusion, belonging, and class in a post-DEI age.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/disposable-workers-the-transformation-of-employment-professor-emeritus-of-human-resources-and-management-paul-osterman/b395ff81ff149b66?ean=9780674300248&amp;bkshp-astro=t" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment</em></a> by Paul Osterman</strong></p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/this-america-the-case-for-the-nation-jill-lepore/ccbbfbcf08befed7" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>This America: The Case for the Nation</em></a> by Jill Lepore</strong></p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3ZJHLMP" data-type="link" data-id="https://bookshop.org/p/books/telex-from-cuba-a-novel-rachel-kushner/6d2f709d1bb066da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Making Sustainability Financially Relevant: A Man/Machine Collaboration</em></a> by Robert Eccles and Shivaram Rajgopal</strong></p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5FA.7x0A.Vd34ZAYIg_J7&amp;smid=url-share"><strong>&#8220;The Ezra Klein Show&#8221; Book Recommendations</strong></a></p> <p id="ember747" style="padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium)" class="wp-block-paragraph">Enjoy!</p> <!-- Start Constant Contact Active Forms --> <h6 style="text-align: center;">SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: <br><em>The Business &amp; Society Inside View</em></h6> <p style="text-align: center;">Want more insights like these? <strong> Sign up</strong> to receive thought leadership and updates from the Business &amp; Society Program each month!</p> <div class="ctct-inline-form" data-form-id="c6f4dcdd-1a8c-4b98-b168-aef01bf80821" style="padding: 0 10%;"></div> <script> var _ctct_m = "bd512d0aaa0692b8f942a0754b25c12b"; </script> <script id="signupScript" src="//static.ctctcdn.com/js/signup-form-widget/current/signup-form-widget.min.js" async="" defer=""></script><!-- End Constant Contact Active Forms --> <br> <br> <br> <p>The post <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/our-summer-reading-list-books-that-moved-us/">Our Summer Reading List—Books That Moved Us</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org">Aspen Institute</a>.</p>