Full Tilt Book Club: 7 Must Read Books

This month, staying connected online has become even more important than ever before. With breaking news happening by the minute and many teams moving to a remote work style, the advantages and disadvantages of remaining constantly ‘tuned- in’ are on display. This connection can become exhausting, so if you reach the end of your day and need to look at something other than a screen, Full Tilt has you covered.

Our team members at Full Tilt are avid readers, continually interested in learning more about anything and everything the world has to offer. From fictional tales to analyzing our own psychology, find out what our shelves are filled with to help give us a mental break in these chaotic times.

Lisa

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Synopsis: This debut novel from Malcolm Gladwell explains the sociological changes and trends that mark everyday life, grounding his research in relatable examples and capturing narrative.

“I love the description of this book as the “biography of an idea” and how social epidemics get started. Malcolm Gladwell delves into why some trends catch on and spread while others don’t – a view of social science with real-life brand examples.”

Read this if you like: The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz, Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities and Software by Steven Johnson

Nancy

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Synopsis: After a young black woman is accused of kidnapping the child she’s babysitting, the child’s mother and babysitter are forced to confront each other, themselves and the society they live within.

“Kind of incredible this debut novel manages to be provocative, funny, warm and entertaining at the same time. A young black woman is accused of kidnapping while babysitting a child — and the story unspools from there. Featuring the most adorable neurotic preschooler and a cast of imperfect supporting characters.”

Read this if you liked: Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau, Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

Adam

The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Program to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence, and Happiness by Steve Peters

Synopsis: Take a deep dive into the three brains of our psychological mind: frontal (Human), limbic (Chimp), and parietal (Computer) with Dr. Peters. He outlines the conflicts and struggles these brains have against each other as they each trying to gain control over our actions. Learn why the erratic, primal, emotional Chimp brain often wins, while the calm and highly evolved rational Human brain takes a back seat.

“I recommend you pick up this book if you are interested in understanding your own behaviors and perhaps more importantly, those of the people that we encounter each day. If your moods, anger, fear, or stress levels can creep out of control, give it a read. You can’t choose your Chimp – it was born when you were born and you need to accept it. The key is to learn how to manage it!

Read this if you liked: Black Box Thinking: Marginal Gains and the Secrets to High Performance by Matthew Syed, Willful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan, Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure by Tim Harford

Megan

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Synopsis: After an explosion kills two members of a small-town community, secrets and betrayals are sent to the surface, stirring questions of loyalty. The story follows as a group of people try to uncover a mystery while untangling the truths and lies hiding in everyone.

“This heart wrenching and gripping courtroom drama captures your attention from page one and emotionally haunts you well after you put it down. Throughout its pages each character unveils their individual pieces that make up the much bigger picture, ultimately proving that the culmination of many small actions can create an unwanted ripple effect, with no return.”

Read this if you liked: We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith, A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

Emily

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Synopsis: Follow as Harry Dresden untangles mystery, magic and murder. The perfect combination of fantasy and detective fiction.

“I love the Dresden Files because it turns the idea of right and wrong into a series of morally ambiguous choices, revealing that the ripple effects of what was the “right” or “good” choice could ultimately cause more harm than good. Butcher’s snarky humor and pop culture references also make the characters come alive.”

Read this if you like: Where Angels Fear to Tread by Thomas E Sniegoski, A Hard Day’s Knight by Simon R Green, Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey

Katherine

The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life by Anu Partanen.

Synopsis: Finnish journalist Anu Partanen compares life in the U.S. with life in the Nordic region, focusing on the relationships supported or hindered by existing societal and governmental rules. She boils everything down to a discussion of independence, asking the reader to consider what independence can really mean for an entire country of equals.

“This book gives a deep dive into the ways in which our government works, and ultimately, doesn’t. It’s an eye opening read for those of us that don’t know much about policies in countries other than our own and is extremely relevant as we move deeper into election season; I love any book that feels entertaining but still gives me important knowledge I can use every day!”

Read this if you liked: The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir by Samantha Power, The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking, A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh

Catie

Don’t Believe Everything You Think: The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking by Thomas Kida

Synopsis: Learn to recognize faulty thinking and become a more effective decision maker with engaging narrative and concrete examples in Kida’s book.

“I recommend this book to anyone who is a bit skeptical about the margin of error in the way we think. Understanding how human beings are more prone to misinterpreting or believing in a false sense of intuition is very interesting. This is definitely an intriguing read for anyone who is willing to be confrontational with their own habits.”

Read this if you liked: Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think by Dennis Greenberger, The Way of the Peaceful Woman by Amy Beth Acker, Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition by Michael J. Mauboussin