Need a Summer Read? Here Are Our C-Staff’s Picks

From mystery to botany and everything in between, here’s what members of our C-staff are reading this summer.

Ah, summertime. The weather is warm, the kids are out of school, and the time is right for a new beach read.

But with so many books out there, it can feel overwhelming to choose. Do you want a thriller? Something about business? What about psychology, history or politics?

Thankfully, members of our C-staff are here to help. Below are their summer reading picks—and we promise, no matter what you’re looking for this season, there’s sure to be something for everyone:

Katie Kulikoski, Chief People Officer: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Now a major motion picture, Where the Crawdads Sing follows two different timelines: The first describes the life of a girl growing up in the marsh of North Carolina in the ‘50s and ‘60s, while the second follows an investigation into an apparent murder.

Since its release in 2018, Where the Crawdads Sing has been a consistent bestseller. It had sold 12 million copies by January 2022, making it one of the best-selling books of all time.

Stephanie Wang, VP and Deputy General Counsel and Acting Chief Legal Officer: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

In Braiding Sweetgrass, Potawatomi professor Robin Wall Kimmerer discusses how Indigenous knowledge can help people understand the connection between living things and human beings.

The author offers a unique perspective on how to overcome modern environmental challenges, weaving together Western scientific methodologies and Indigenous knowledge.

Jennifer Ortiz, Executive Vice President, Corporate Marketing: Marketing Warfare by Al Ries and Jack Trout

In this bestseller, the authors argue that marketing firms should become competitor-oriented instead of customer-oriented in order to be successful.

Al Ries and Jack Trout were the Chairman and President of Trout and Ries, an ad agency based in New York City.

Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Maybe you’ve heard of the “10,000-Hour Rule”, or maybe you’ve been stuck talking to someone who spent 30 minutes angrily refuting the theory that successful hockey players are born in the first few months of the calendar year. Or maybe, you’ve somehow escaped the phenomenon that is Outliers.

A New York Times bestseller, Outliers examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success, from Bill Gates to the Beatles and Joseph Flom.

Ian Pitt, Chief Information Officer: The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

Written in the 16th century as an instruction guide for new princes and royals, The Prince is a discussion of political philosophy supported by events in history. While it’s relatively short, The Prince is the most remembered of Machiavelli’s works and was seen as particularly innovative at the time it was published.

Ian Pitt, Chief Information Officer: On the Beach by Nevil Shute Norway

On the Beach tells the story of a group of people in Melbourne awaiting the arrival of deadly radiation after a nuclear World War III.

The novel was adapted twice as a film, in both 1959 and 2000.

Sundar Subramanian, Executive Vice President and General Manager, DevOps: Open by Andre Agassi

In his autobiography, Andre Agassi describes his childhood and the events that led to him becoming a tennis pro at age 16. He covers the highs and lows of his career and personal life, making Open a book that’s fascinating for tennis fans and non-fans alike.

Sundar Subramanian, Executive Vice President and General Manager, DevOps: How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going by Vaclav Smil

Smil explores seven of the most fundamental realities that govern our existence, including energy, food production, our material world and our environment.

Anthony Folger, Chief Financial Officer: Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning by Mike Hayes

In Never Enough, former SEAL Commander Mike Hayes helps readers apply the lessons he’s learned to their personal and professional lives, motivating people to reach their highest potential.

Yogesh Gupta, CEO: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

Endurance is the story of Ernest Shackleton, a British explorer who attempted to reach the South Pole in 1914. After his ship got stuck and eventually crushed, Shackleton and his crew set out on an over-850-mile journey of the South Atlantic to civilization.

See something you like? Be sure to check out your local bookstore or library, get to the beach and get reading.