We are well over halfway through 2017, and in case your resolutions have failed to make you the well-rounded gentleman of culture you were hoping to be this year, we’re here to help. If you can manage to read a book a month for the rest of the year, here’s a hit list of books that will breathe life into different facets of your life.
Because you’re a man proud of your heritage: Check out “War of Two” by John Sedgwick. If you haven’t had a chance to shell out megabucks to see the musical that’s rocking the nation (Hamilton, in case you’ve been under a rock), this easily-digestible novel will engross you in the lives and dynamics between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Critically acclaimed and all the rest, “War of Two” will ensure you’re not left out of the next Hamilton conversation.
Because you’re a self-built hero: How to Build Relationships and Get Job Offers Using LinkedIn may not exactly roll off the tongue, but this brand new piece from three-time author Robbie Abed delivers up some real-life advice for those trying to learn or re-learn the world of networking in the age of text-quick technology. Using Robbie’s concepts backed by tangible examples, you’ll be well on your way to building an army of digital cohorts using LinkedIn.
Because your momma didn’t raise no fool: If you’ve heard someone casually say something to the effect of “thank it for everything it’s done for you, then get rid of it”, they’re probably referencing something they’ve learned from The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This little book took the world (really – people everywhere are reading this) by storm a couple of years ago, and has left many clutter-heads on the path to free and clear.
If you’re reading this and there’s a multiples of anything within arm’s reach, it’s time to pick this book up.
Because everyone loves a 400 year-old quote: Classic literature can be hard to read these days. And though it was written in 1605, Don Quixote continues to top literature ‘must-read’ lists all over the web. Both tragic and funny (as funny as humor went in the 17th century), this lengthy tome will likely take you a full month to read, but then you’ll have full rights to say deep shit like “The truth may be stretched thin, but it never breaks, and it always surfaces above lies, as oil floats on water.” DEEP.
Because 70’s pop culture is lost on you: If you’ve heard the name “Ted Bundy” and the specific details are a little vague, you need to pick up the book Stranger Beside Me. A pseudo-biography of Ted Bundy told through the eyes of his colleague and then-friend, Ann Rule, “Stranger Beside Me” will acquaint you with the complex and tumultuous life of one of history’s most twisted serial killers. Read this one with the lights on.