Full Tilt Book Club: April Page Turners

books on branding

The Full Tilt team is back with more book recommendations! Though April seemed to fly by, the need to escape from reality may have been stronger than ever. From fantasy and fiction to business guides, our eclectic list has something for everyone, so crack into your next read from Full Tilt’s April shelf of the month. 

Nancy

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Synopsis: Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.

“Now a Hulu mini-series with Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon as two polar opposite moms who pretty much burn down each other’s lives in rivalry. An emotional and engrossing read that unfolds slowly and deliberately, revealing a story that is rich in empathy.”

Read this if you like: Pretty Things by Janelle Brown, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Adam

Context Marketing Revolution: How to Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media by Mathew Sweezey

Synopsis:

Marketing in an “infinite media” world is vastly different than the traditional marketing approach that we’ve used for decades. This book explains how our world has shifted and provides great examples of new approaches that can be used to generate a contextual relationship with the customer.

Salesforce marketing maven Mathew Sweezey outlines this new “infinite media” environment and poses a profound question: In a transformed world where customers shape their own experience, what is the key to breaking through and motivating them to buy?

“This book’s insight into content and context in the digital age is an eye-opening look at how the rules are changing. A must read, filled with many concrete examples and guidelines, for any marketer looking to stay on-top of current trends.”

Read this if you like: The Catalyst by Jonah Berger, Staring Down The Wolf by Mark Divine, Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim

Emily

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

Synopsis: Royal Navy captain William Laurence is thrust into unfamiliar territory when his ship intercepts a dragon egg bound for France at the height of the Napoleonic Wars. Laurence must adapt to a new lifestyle and an unusual interpretation of patriotism as he becomes responsible for Temeraire, a newly hatched dragon in the Aerial Corps.

“For fans missing a political intrigue and draconian element in their lives after the end of Game of Thrones, this novel is for you. Novik creates engaging characters and takes a new approach to dragon battles; battles that are well planned out and fit into their historical context. Looking forward to diving further into the series!”

Read this if you like: Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin, Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Lisa

Fostering Culture: A Leader’s Guide to Purposefully Shaping Culture by Shane Jackson

Synopsis: Written to help Jackson Healthcare’s leaders make decisions that will foster the company’s unique culture, other professionals will also benefit as they consider how to build strong cultures within their own organizations.

“Jackson Healthcare is known as a best in class company when it comes to their employee culture. At its helm, Shane Jackson provides many great nuggets of information and practical advice in his book on fostering an employee-centric work environment. He says the ‘relevant question isn’t whether a group’s culture is good or bad, but how effective it is in accomplishing its purpose.’ That cultural strength is a measure of the intensity of internal identity and alignment. I had the pleasure of sitting with him and discussing his philosophies on culture building and it truly brought the points in his book to life.”

Read this if you like: Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brene Brown, A Spy’s Guide To Strategy by John Braddock, The Joy Of Imperfection: A Stress Free Guide TO Silencing Your Inner Critic, Conquering Perfectionism and Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself by Damon Zahariades

Megan

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abie Dare

Synopsis: Told in broken English by a young Nigerian, Adunni, this book tells the tale of a brave girl who was born into a life of poverty and servitude, but who never lost sight of her dream of getting an education.

“This powerful and vibrant novel was unlike anything I’ve ever read, in the best way possible. As we are in the midst of a global crisis, this book gives important perspective – though our temporary state of ‘social distancing’ in order to stay safe may not be ideal, it is a small price to pay compared to many who spend their entire lives fighting to survive because of injustices they were born into.”

Read this if you like: Writers & Lovers by Lily King, Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, A Good Neighborhood by Theresea Anne Fowler

Catie

Reading People By Anne Bogel

Synopsis: For readers who long to dig deeper into what makes them uniquely them (and why that matters), popular blogger Anne Bogel has done the hard part–collecting, exploring, and explaining the most popular personality frameworks, such as Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, and others. She explains to readers the life-changing insights that can be gained from each and shares specific, practical real-life applications across all facets of life, including love and marriage, productivity, parenting, the workplace, and spiritual life.

“Personality tests are a passion point of mine. This book is a nice tool on understanding the different ways personality tests help us communicate to others about ourselves. Bogel dives deep on why personality matters so much and why we like finding our ‘results’ to identify with. It is not so much an argument on the validity of these tests but mainly how we can use them to understand people and how to best communicate. Great touch points: empathy, personal productivity, self-care, teamwork and community.”

Read this if you like: The Road Back To You by Ian Morgan Cron, The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile, The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman

Katherine

Who Will Run The Frog Hospital? by Loorie Moore

Synopsis: Share in a grown woman’s bittersweet nostalgia for the wildness of her youth. Spending her summers smoking, joking, and gossiping with her best friend Sils, Berie follows her own reckless rules. But no matter how wild, they always managed to escape any real danger—until the adoring Berie sees that Sils really does need her help—and everything changes.

“I found a new favorite author in Loorie Moore with this book. Her stream of consciousness writing style is at times hard to follow, but so engaging I couldn’t get myself to stop reading. Following the life of the main character in a nonlinear, memory driven narrative is such a treat and Moore’s lyrical style makes the quirky story even more capturing.”

Read this if you like: 8: to Memoir by Amy Fusselman, Anagrams by Loorie Moore, Insomnia Marina Benjamin