Have you noticed how many good books there are these days? In my world of job search and careers, there has been an explosion of information since the recession.
The titles have been coming in waves: At first, it seemed like nothing but résumé and interview books as far as the eye could see. A rash of self-employment books followed. To be honest, a lot of these books gave the impression of having been put together in a rush.
But now we’ve graduated to a philosophical level, with authors exploring everything from the economic ramifications of the nation’s financial struggles to the application of brain science to career decisions.
I’ve selected just a handful of the books for your summer reading list.
“The Armchair Economist” by Steven Landsburg (Free Press, 2012, $16). We’ll start with a redux. Landsburg’s 1993 book by the same title started cocktail-hour conversations for years after he set out to share “the great adventure of economics” with the general public. A precursor to such popular economics movements as “Freakonomics,” “The Armchair Economist” aimed to supplant assumptions with logic; Landsburg continues that mission with this updated version, the first in 20 years.
As he notes in the book’s preface, “Logic matters. It leads us from simple ideas to surprising conclusions. A simple idea is that people respond to incentives. A surprising conclusion is that when drivers are protected by air bags, they drive more recklessly and have more accidents.” For more examples of simple ideas that end in surprising ways, check out Landsburg’s thought-provoking book.
“Where Did the Jobs Go and How Do We Get Them Back?” by Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson (William Morrow, 2012, $16.99). If you read Landsburg’s book first, you’ll have your “critical thinking cap” properly positioned when you tackle this look at employment statistics and the political rhetoric they spawn.
Bittle and Johnson, experienced journalists and policy analysts, pour their energy into debunking popular claims about the jobs issues, ending the book with ideas devoted to improving the situation. These are serious issues for lakeside reading; luckily, their clear reporting style gives even the casual reader an opportunity to access challenging material.
“Making Yourself Indispensable” by Mark Samuel (Penguin, 2012, $25.95). Big-picture views of the economy have their place, but most of us are hard-pressed to take care of our own issues, much less the world’s. Samuel, head of a global consulting firm, addresses that theme in this book, subtitled “The Power of Personal Accountability.”
I like the premise of this book, which is that making oneself indispensable is not about becoming entwined in a system at work, for example, but is a deeper and more personal approach to life rooted in one’s own commitment to moving from victim mentality to personal accountability. For some who struggle now with job searches, this switch in world view could make the difference.
“Boundless Potential” by Mark S. Walton (McGraw-Hill, 2012, $25). If Samuel’s book makes you more accountable for your own life, then Walton’s will give you the inspiration to do something amazing with that renewed commitment. Walton combines concepts from the recently popular neuroscience world with clear-eyed analysis of where American culture has gone off the tracks when it comes to human potential, particularly for people at middle age and beyond.
Which is a long way of saying: People over 40 are wasting their lives, and Walton wants us to stop that. To help, he provides a guide to reinventing ourselves, based on best practices he identified from those who have made successful midlife transitions.
“Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon (Workman Publishing, 2012, $10.95). If you’re really feeling stuck, then pick up Kleon’s frenetic little handbook on finding inspiration by stealing other people’s ideas. Abhorrent? Actually not, once you dive in. Instead of striving to be completely original, he exhorts us to combine all the good ideas we can find into new iterations.
This is a fast read that will stay with you, and an excellent guide to being both productive and creative, even in everyday pursuits.
Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
