May 2015 Staff Recommendations

Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It

by Ian Leslie

Drawing on fascinating research from psychology, sociology and business, Curious looks at what feeds curiosity and what starves it, and uncovers surprising answers. Curiosity isn’t a quality you can rely on to last a lifetime, but a mental muscle that atrophies without regular exercise. It’s not a gift but a habit that parents, schools, workplaces and individuals need to nurture if it is to thrive.

 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

by Susan Cain

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She introduces us to successful introverts. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts.

Leadership Is an Art

by Max De Pree

This book has long been a must-read in the business community and in many professions including academia. De Pree looks at leadership as a kind of stewardship, stressing the importance of building relationships, initiating ideas, and creating a lasting value system within an organization. Rather than focusing on the “hows”, he explains the “whys.” He shows that the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality and the last is to say thank you. Along the way, the leader must stimulate effectiveness by enabling others to reach their potential, take a role in developing, expressing, and defending civility and values, and nurture new leaders.