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The end of the year is a great time to catch up on your reading, but it’s not always easy to decide what you’re going to devote your downtime to. So we thought we’d ask for some recommendations. From comedies and biographies to tech and business books, you’re bound to find something to add to your reading list this holiday.
Willem Roos, CEO of OUTsurance
Favourite reads of the year
Fiction: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
“I found it very funny.”
This New York Times bestseller is Australian author Graeme Simsion’s debut novel. Protagonist Don Tillman is a professor in genetics who designs the Wife Project in a quest to find the perfect wife. Enter Rosie Jarman, who fulfils the requirements of the 16-page scientific survey but is disqualified by Don. But Rosie has a quest of her own: the Father Project, aimed at discovering her biological father. Don becomes intrigued and the two collaborate to fulfil her mission.
Non-fiction: Now: The Physics of Time by Richard A. Muller“I am a huge fan of physics books.”Physicist Richard A. Muller writes about the flow of time, running from the creation of the universe to “now” and in so doing reaches the conclusion that our expanding universe is continuously creating not only new space, but also new time. Critics believe this book (which was released in September) together with Muller’s theory will “spark major debate about the most fundamental assumptions of our universe”.
Holiday reading
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Another New York Times bestseller, this book chronicles the amazing story of the nine young Americans that went on to defeat the German eight-oar team rowing for Adolf Hitler in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The story focuses on Joe Rantz, one of the American rowers, by drawing on his own journals and memories.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
This classic really needs no introduction. Follow Edmond Dantès as he becomes the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo after being falsely imprisoned for treason without trial. Read how he avenges himself on those who were out to destroy him.
SOURCE: goodreads.com
Jacques Celliers, CEO of FNB
Take your pick from Jacques’ comprehensive recommended reading list:
Exponential Organizations – Why New Organizations are Ten Times Better, Faster, and Cheaper Than Yours (and What to Do About it) by Salim Ismail
“I highly recommend Exponential Organizations and Second Machine Age in particular.”
Ismail’s book serves as a guide to navigating the shifting business environment due to the introduction and proliferation of exponential technologies. “Exponential Organizations lays the framework for organisations to adapt and thrive in a world of abundance by diving into new organisational structures that leverage exponential technologies and a shifting global
business mindset.”
SOURCE: exponentialorgs.com
Second Machine Age by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee
MIT’s Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee – two thinkers at the forefront of their field – reveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy. As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realise immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives.
Bank Management in South Africa: A Risk Management Perspective by Johan Coetzee
South Africa’s banking industry is regarded as one of the best in the world. Why? Coetzee’s comprehensive work provides insight into the structure of the industry and South African banks’ financial risk management. SOURCE: juta.co.za The Big Data-Driven Business: How to Use Big Data to Win Customers, Beat Competitors, and Boost Profits by Russell Glass, Sean Callahan Big Data. Everyone has heard the term, but few really understand it, and the opportunities it presents. By using real-life examples – from Nate Silver to Copernicus, and Apple to BlackBerry – the authors of this book demonstrate how “the winners of the future will use Big Data to seek the truth”. SOURCE: eu.wiley.com The EVA Challenge: Implementing Value-Added Change in an Organization by Joel M. Stern, John S. Shiely and Irwin Ross EVA (economic value added) is a measure of the true financial performance of a company, and a strategy for creating corporate and shareholder wealth. It is also a method of changing corporate priorities and behaviour throughout a company, right down to the “shop floor”. This how-to guide shows executives how to customise and implement EVA at their companies. SOURCE: eu.wiley.com Smart Cities by Anthony M. Townsend In a world defined by urbanisation and digital ubiquity, more people live in cities than in the countryside. In Smart Cities, urbanist and technology expert Anthony Townsend takes a broad historical look at the forces that have shaped the planning and design of cities and information technologies from the rise of the great industrial cities of the 19th century to the present. SOURCE: books.wwnorton.com Andrew Möller, CEO of Citadel Wealth Management The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson“Johnson is a writer with a wonderful turn of phrase and his critical analysis of Churchill’s history-defining decision-making and influence is remarkable in its ambition and insight.”
