There’s one month left of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Before you get booked and busy in the autumn rush, check out these biographies and memoirs for a dose of inspiration. From a courageous family and a Nobel laureate to a determined golfer, America’s first Black female billionaire, and an everyday superfan, these titles impart wisdom and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
For more reading suggestions from 50-plus leaders, including McKinsey global managing partner Bob Sternfels, check out “What to read next: McKinsey’s 2024 annual book recommendations.”
An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created by Santi Elijah Holley
Recommended by:
Janeen Uzzell, CEO, National Society of Black Engineers
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
Recommended by:
Michael Ensser, chair, Egon Zehnder
Playing from the Rough: A Personal Journey Through America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses by Jimmie James
Recommended by:
LaSharah S. Bunting, CEO and executive director, Online News Association
Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph by Sheila Johnson, with Lisa Dickey
Recommended by:
LaSharah S. Bunting, CEO and executive director, Online News Association
Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby
Recommended by:
Emma Tucker, editor in chief, Wall Street Journal
Evan Gershkovich, reporter, Wall Street Journal