My 2024 Summer Reading List

Sharing my summer reading list has become a special tradition at Andesa, eagerly anticipated by our team and readers alike. As the President and CEO, I take great pride in curating and sharing this list with you. This annual tradition has come to mean a lot to me because continuous learning and leadership development are something I value and are core components of who we are at Andesa. But aside from that, it’s also a fun way to connect and share with all of you. I hope you enjoy these books poolside, surfside, or anywhere outside this summer and that you find them as inspiring and thought-provoking as I do.

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
by Peter Attia, MD

This #1 New York Times bestseller dives into the latest scientific research on extending life and improving health, offering practical advice for living a longer, healthier life. You must take care of your well-being if you want to lead others. In Outlive, Dr. Attia encourages us to embrace a personalized, proactive strategy for longevity where we take action now rather than wait.

The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived =
by Admiral William McRaven

In this book, Retired U.S. Navy veteran and bestselling author Amiral McRaven pays tribute to the real heroes he’s met throughout his life. The Hero Code is a code of conduct, lessons in virtues that can become the foundations of our character as we build a life worthy of honor and respect. It’s a great book about how our values give us the power to help others and make a difference.

Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
by Kim Scott

Kim Scott was a highly successful leader at Google and Apple. Radical Candor is about caring personally and challenging directly. It focuses on praise but doesn’t shy away from criticism. This bestseller was initially published in 2017 and has spent several years on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. It recently came up in a leadership conversation, and I knew I just had to read it this summer.

You’re It: Crisis, Change and How To Lead When it Matters Most
by Leonard Marcus, Eric McNulty, Joseph Henderson, and Barry Dorn

The team from the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative draws on a deep well of research and their experience working with leaders to respond to crisis events to provide insights to leaders on managing through a crisis.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War
by Erik Larson

A biography/history book usually makes it on my reading list every year, and Erik Larson is one of my favorite nonfiction authors. His latest book, a #1 New York Times bestseller, is about the period between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the shelling of Fort Sumter, which officially ignited the Civil War. Pulling from several primary sources, this book highlights a fraught and trying period of American history and promises to provide insights and intrigue.

Attentive Church Leadership: Listening and Leading in a World We’ve Never Known
by Kevin G. Ford & Jim Singleton

When Kevin Ford was with TAG Consulting, the firm worked with Andesa to improve employee engagement and leadership development practices. While his new book focuses primarily on church leadership, the leadership lessons regarding any organization going through change are applicable across the spectrum. I’m looking forward to drawing the parallels from my friend’s book to my growth as a leader.

Chop Wood, Carry Water: How to Fall in Love With the Process of Becoming Great
by Joshua Medcalf

Recommended to me by my niece, Chop Wood, Carry Water reminds us to take responsibility for ourselves and that the greatest adversary we often face is the person in the mirror. The author encourages the reader to focus on the process and surrender the outcome. I’m looking forward to some reminders and some inspiration with this book.

Built With Purpose: How Our Employee-Owned Business Changed What It Means to Work and Why
by Bill Roark

How do you build an Evergreen company? By learning from others on the journey. My friend Bill Roark shares the real-life case study of Torch Technologies as its employee-owned structure lays the foundation for a business that can persist and thrive for 100 years or more. Bill has shared his story with his friends over the years, but it is now available for all readers.

Share Your Recommendations

Just like last year, I might be able to add a few extra books to the list this summer, and I would love to hear your recommendations. So, let me know what you’re reading. In the meantime, thanks for sharing this tradition with me, and enjoy your summer reads!