[Flash] Born to Read. Forced to Socialize. (2026 Book Recommendations)

I am an avid reader, but I don’t enjoy books that I find soul-crushing, insufferably boring, or unnecessarily long.

My book recommendation list, however, is highly curated, bursting with books that I found inspiring, uplifting, empowering, surprising, or enlightening!

While I am enjoying my annual sojourn to Beaver Island, Michigan, I’m sharing a few of my favorite reads this year. (To see last year’s list, click here.)

Fiction for the feels:

• Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser
• The Calamity Club by Kate Stockett
• The Lion Women of Tehran by Marian Kamali
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi [thank you, Greg, for gifting me this gem!]
• My Friends by Fredrick Backman
• Heartwood by Amity Gaige
• Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

When you want to be a better mentor and human being:

• The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More by Jefferson Fisher
• The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer, and More Resilient by William B. Irvine
• Are You Mad at Me? How to Stop Focusing on What Others Think and Start Living for You by Meg Josephson, LCSW
• Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves by Alison Wood Brooks
• What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fires and the Self-Knowledge Imperative by Jim Collins

When you want to lead like an entrepreneur:

• Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect by Will Guidara
• The Customer Success Economy: Why Every Aspect of Your Business Model Needs a Paradigm Shift by Nick Mehta and Allison Pickens [thank you, Lesa, for this recommendation!]
• Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
• Write a Must-Read: Craft a Book that Changes Lives – Including Your Own by AJ Harper
• Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be by Steven Pressfield

Happy reading! All book recommendations welcome!

© 2026. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved.