In the spirit of summer and vacations, we at ESI have asked our staff to provide recommendations for you to engage your intellect and heart. Whether you’re on a beach, relaxing at home, or even on public transport, we hope you’ll bring a book along. Next time you’re searching for something to read, take a look below at the 21 recommendations from us here at ESI!
Calm Your Mind with Food: A Revolutionary Guide to Controlling your Anxiety, Uma Naidoo, MD
“Who doesn’t need a little calm? Dr. Uma Naidoo points out that everything we eat affects the way we feel and the ability of our body to work as it should. Plus, she gives recipes!”
Meg Gruwell, Senior Administrative Associate
Shoe Dog, Phil Knight
“This memoir by the creator of reminds us that, even and especially at the highest levels of business achievement, success is a mysterious combination of hard work, persistence, hope, and luck.”
Lee Huang, Principal
The Unfortunate Life of Worms, Neomi Vola
“This is one of those books for all ages, and one that I can’t put down until reading through the whole thing. I can’t believe I can actually resonate with worms.”
Joyce Liu, Associate Director
Nudge, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein
“As a behavioral economic major, it connects many of the subjects I learned throughout my classes to real world examples while also teaching me new ones. The final edition was released after the pandemic so there are also a lot of references to that.”
Samantha Gedeon, Intern
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, Hannah-Jones
“If our present outlook on the future is shaped by our understanding of the past, it is imperative that we have the whole story of how things are and why.”
Lee Huang, Principal
Bicycle Diaries, David Byrne
“One part travel guide, one part urbanism musings by the frontman for the Talking Heads. To this day, DB uses a bike for his principal means of transportation in New York, while this book includes notes and thoughts from rides completed in Buenos Aires, Istanbul, London, San Francisco, Berlin and Seoul.”
Steve Madsen, Associate Director
The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel
“This book examines the complex relationship between people and money, emphasizing that financial success is more about behavior than knowledge. People often act “irrationally” (such as buying stocks in an up market; or conversely, selling stocks in a down market—rather than the other way around). It makes the case that wealth creation is in many ways “same as it ever was”, emphasizing the importance of long-term thinking, the impact of compounding, and how making money and holding onto money are very different skill sets. A great read for both those who enjoy investing and those who enjoy psychology.”
Cassandra Brown, Director
Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro
“My book recommendation is “Klara and the Sun” by Kazuo Ishiguro. I like it because it is written from the perspective of an AI which can think and feel much like a person can and raises interesting questions about the nature of human emotions.”
Joe Shortell, Senior Analyst
Soccernomics, Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski
“Freakonomics but make it soccer. Few better books on the sport for lovers of the beautiful game, exploring topics of style, politics, history, and plyer development. I pick this book up at least once during a World Cup cycle.”
Steve Madsen, Associate Director
Merging Colleges for Mutual Growth: A New Strategy for Academic Managers, Martin Samels
“An early attempt to create frameworks for universities to contemplate and execute strategic mergers.”
Lee Huang, Principal
Get Out of Your Own Way, Mark Goulston, M.D. and Philip Goldberg
“It is a book about self-defeating behaviors. I’ve liked it as it has helped me analyze and understand some of my own and others’ behaviors and gives tips to help combat them.”
Samantha Gedeon, Intern
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
“This book explores the undervalued strengths and contributions of introverts in a society that often prioritizes extroverted qualities. The book advocates for making space for introverts, who often bring to the table qualities such as deep thinking, creativity, and empathy. Schools and workplaces are often designed for extroverted interaction, and this book makes the case to allow space for those among us who are less vocal (and usually better listeners).”
Cassandra Brown, Director
The Lean Startup, Eric Ries
“This is a book for the entrepreneur minds to think about scientific ways to problem solve with constant innovation. In the world of planning and policy making, we can especially benefit from thinking like an entrepreneur to offer innovative solutions for the government sectors to create positive social and economic impact.”
Joyce Liu, Associate Director
Golden Gates, Conor Dougherty
“From one of my favorite reporters covering the country’s housing crisis, Dougherty explores the topic from the ground level in San Francisco. The book covers the issue as holistically as any, diving into the complexities of affordable housing, income inequality and the broader spillover impacts that housing can have on education, health and employment.”
Steve Madsen, Associate Director
Zen Baggage: A Pilgrimage to China, Bill Porter
“This book is a travel log documenting Bill Porter’s travels in China where he visits various sacred sites related to Zen Buddhism. Bill Porter’s writing is tinted with subtle humor and laced with intimate pieces of Chinese history; he truly brings the early 2000s China to life. I love this book because reading it is a form of mediation that can be done anytime and anywhere. For those who are interested, there is also a fantastic translation of this book in Mandarin.”
Natasha Shen, Intern
This is Your Mind on Plants, Michael Pollan
“This book dives into three different plant-derived drugs: opium, caffeine, and mescaline. Pollan uses this text to explore the cultural, societal, and scientific reasons behind why these drugs (and corresponding plants) have the reputation that they do.”
Grace Hanoian, BDM Associate
The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett
“This is a massive book, so it has taken me awhile to read, however it is so well-written, and the character development is great. It is about building a cathedral and is based in 11th Century England. It sounds boring but there is a lot of drama and politics that keep me interested.”
Jonny Spiegler, Intern
Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism, Marianna Mazzucato.
“In this book, the author outlines a framework for private-public partnerships in solving some of the most pressing issues including climate change, and poverty. I recommend this book for its refreshing perspective, which diverges from mainstream economic thought. Additionally, it’s noteworthy to see a prominent female economist authoring such influential work at this level.”
Trevor Marimbire, Analyst
Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America, Eliza Griswold
“In this book, Journalist Eliza Griswold uncovers the impacts of the fracking industry on a family in a small town in Western Pennsylvania, Amity, and the long legal and personal battle that ensued. Through a nuanced and informative depiction, Griswold made me realize that I take simple necessities such as clean water for granted in my life in Pennsylvania’s urban centers. Also, an ESI study is cited!”
Moira Connell, Intern
The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide, Steven W. Thrasher
“This book examines how the cracks in our social safety net intersect with race, class, gender, and more in the context of viral pandemics.”
Grace Hanoian, Business Development & Marketing Associate
The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded American is Tearing Us Apart, Bill Bishop
“The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America is Tearing Us Apart by Bill Bishop offers an interesting analysis on how Americans have become increasingly sorted into homogenous communities, leading to greater political polarization and societal division. I found the book to be a thought-provoking read, exploring the impacts of geographic and social sorting on the nation’s political landscape.”
Emily Goldstein, Senior Analyst
Moira Connell, Business and Development Intern | [email protected]
Moira Connell is a Business Development and Marketing intern at ESI. She is currently a student at the University of Pennsylvania studying Philosophy Politics & Economics and Consumer Psychology.