We still know what you’re reading this summer

Bob Sternfels

Global Managing Partner, McKinsey

Operation Tidal Wave: The Bloodiest Air Battle in the History of War
by Vincent dePaul Lupiano

I come from a family of aviators and am a private pilot myself. In World War II, my grandfather was part of this specific US Air Force air raid. He is actually a character in the book, so I couldn’t ignore it.

A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles

As a history buff, I loved this period piece. The sociopolitical context has some powerful parallels to the world we live in today, and the themes of family, friendship, and self-growth gave me a lot to think about.

A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: Explorer, Naturalist, and Buccaneer: The Life of William Dampier
by Diana Preston and Michael Preston

I am planning on reading this book at the suggestion of a close friend and colleague. Looking forward to it.

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MCKINSEY LEADERS

Bob Sternfels

Tracy Francis

Pierre Gentin

Homayoun Hatami

Eric Kutcher

James Manyika

Gary Pinkus

Liz Hilton Segel

Sven Smit

Magnus Tyreman

Rodney Zemmel

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Other 2021 reading lists you might want to explore

McKinsey Global Publishing’s top 25 picks

Summer books of 2021: Business (Financial Times)

Summer is coming. Bring a book. (New York Times)

Barack Obama: My summer 2021 lists (Medium)

The Harvard Business School faculty summer reader 2021 (Harvard Business School)

The books of summer (Wall Street Journal)

Summer reading: The 50 hottest new books everyone should read (Guardian)

Summer reading: 10 of the best art books of the past year (Christie’s)

5 ideas for summer reading (Bill Gates)

Summer reads 2021: What are Princeton professors reading—and listening to—this summer? (Princeton University)

What politicos are reading this summer (Politico)

Summer reading book list (reading adventures for babies, kids, and teens) (New York Public Library)

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Looking for ways to make your escape this summer without disconnecting from the issues that matter? We’ve got you covered. Put on your nifty noise-cancelling headphones and unwind with this music playlist, curated by the editors of McKinsey Global Publishing.

Acknowledgments

It takes a village to curate amazing lists from this rather busy group of leaders from all over the world. We would like to thank Kris Coratti, Chantal De Soto, Rimjhim Dey, Melanie Newman, Joellen Perry, and Jayne Rosefield for their help.

Within McKinsey Global Publishing, Eleni Kostopoulos led the effort to make this year’s list come alive, with collaboration and support from Mike Borruso, Nancy Cohn, Victor Cuevas, Torea Frey, Mary Halpin, Drew Holzfeind, Kathleen O'Leary, LaShon Malone, Philip Mathew, Janet Michaud, Kanika Punwani, Sarah Thuerk, Duane Tomaszewski, Petra Vincent, and Nathan Wilson.

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