I love this post! We all need to be reminded that there’s more to being intellectually curious than AI. Re: female biographies, this one is on my list: https://amzn.to/4v5fgxx. And Katherine Graham’s autobiography https://amzn.to/49iMote.
Saving you great list and very strongly suggesting a title to you after seeing Ray Dalio’s book on your biography list - THE FUND by financial reporter Rob Copeland.
It’s by Oliver Burkeman. It’s organized so that you can read one short chapter per day, and the premise is: you will never conquer your to-do list! Or, to accept our limitations as humans and stop thinking we will eventually get to a place where we can relax and do what we want, and instead, start doing what we want now. It’s just a brilliant read on being human, where we’ve been misled, and how to live a fulfilling life!
Tbh a few of them were for me too! I think it just depends on your thought process - I’m definitely much more curious and open now than I was during school
I LOVED this and could not agree more. For me reading has always been the gateway to opportunity, understanding, empathy, compassion (both to ourselves and others), and lastly success.
This is great. I appreciate the framing of maintaining our critical thinking while leveraging AI, that is so important.
I’ve been on a romantasy kick for the last couple years, I have some recs! My latest read that I’ve been thinking about since is The Lies That Summon The Night.
Having been in an extractive job for over a decade, I had less capacity for non-fiction reading but I’m going to pick up some of your recs as I transition to running my own business.
Totally! I’m a massive advocate for balancing AI with your own critical thinking. What an exciting transition, some of these books will be invaluable for you I’m sure x
Great list! "Psychology of Money" and the Harry Potter series are some of my favorites as well! I just put "The Mountain is You" on my reading list. Thanks for the rec!
Fantastic essay @Tayla Burrell! Thank you for taking us behind the curtain. Curious, you said you weren’t reading anything in the targeted skills area bc you were focused on AI - are you reading anything specific there? Taking courses, podcasts, etc.?
Happy to take you bts! Ooh good question, would a post on my AI education resources be helpful? TBH a lot of it is through AI itself, but there’s definitely a few podcasts, YouTube channels and social media accounts that are my go-to
Of course. Once you find out what personality type you are, give that to AI and ask it to create a deep research prompt that will produce an owners manual. Do a bit of a brain dump about the areas you want to focus on most or your goal with this owners manual - ie. understanding what type of work you do best, how to improve your relationships, blind spots you might have, etc. Then drop that prompt into deep research mode. Hope that helps x
I really appreciate this essay because I have been in thought about what we can do to build our intellectual capacity and imagination beyond AI. I tell people that our brains are like working out at the gym and we have to put in the reps to stay curious. I am about to curate my own summer leading list. Take it back in the day like the library used to so kids could read in the summer. I plan to read several titles you’ve mentioned. Thank you!
This is such a thoughtful comment Whitney! I absolutely think that an ‘intellectual gym’ is going to emerge, and that reading is the perfect entry point - love your analogy there. My mum always made me do an hour of non-fiction reading each day over the holidays to ‘keep exercising my brain’ and it’s a rule that I am so grateful for today. Enjoy the summer reading!
And there are so many more…the problem is time, finding time to read is one of the greatest challenges in this era of advanced technology…the paradox of our current lives…🩶
I love this post! We all need to be reminded that there’s more to being intellectually curious than AI. Re: female biographies, this one is on my list: https://amzn.to/4v5fgxx. And Katherine Graham’s autobiography https://amzn.to/49iMote.
Thank you Ruth, have added to my tbr! And couldn’t agree more, lowkey would never want ‘I know AI’ to be the most interesting thing about me
Saving you great list and very strongly suggesting a title to you after seeing Ray Dalio’s book on your biography list - THE FUND by financial reporter Rob Copeland.
Thanks for the rec, and glad to have given you some inspo
Must read female autobiography: Becoming by Michelle Obama. Epic! And a self-mastery must is Meditations for Mortals.
We love Michelle 🫶🏼 haven’t heard of meditations for mortals, what did you like about it?
It’s by Oliver Burkeman. It’s organized so that you can read one short chapter per day, and the premise is: you will never conquer your to-do list! Or, to accept our limitations as humans and stop thinking we will eventually get to a place where we can relax and do what we want, and instead, start doing what we want now. It’s just a brilliant read on being human, where we’ve been misled, and how to live a fulfilling life!
Oh Oliver Burkeman is amazing. I love your take on this too, Emma, thanks for sharing!
Funny how some of your book recommendations were required reading in school for me.
Tbh a few of them were for me too! I think it just depends on your thought process - I’m definitely much more curious and open now than I was during school
And what we choose is more inspiring than what is required of us
Katharine Graham A Personal History — all day long!!
Ooh the second recommendation for Kathrine Graham, definitely added to my list. What did you like about it?
I LOVED this and could not agree more. For me reading has always been the gateway to opportunity, understanding, empathy, compassion (both to ourselves and others), and lastly success.
I love this, and so glad you resonated. Do you have any favourites?
This is great. I appreciate the framing of maintaining our critical thinking while leveraging AI, that is so important.
I’ve been on a romantasy kick for the last couple years, I have some recs! My latest read that I’ve been thinking about since is The Lies That Summon The Night.
Having been in an extractive job for over a decade, I had less capacity for non-fiction reading but I’m going to pick up some of your recs as I transition to running my own business.
Totally! I’m a massive advocate for balancing AI with your own critical thinking. What an exciting transition, some of these books will be invaluable for you I’m sure x
Great list! "Psychology of Money" and the Harry Potter series are some of my favorites as well! I just put "The Mountain is You" on my reading list. Thanks for the rec!
You’re very welcome! Harry Potter always brings the nostalgia doesn’t it
Absolutely! I was recently in NYC and go to see the "Cursed Child" play. So much nostalgia and made me feel like I was 12yo again!
Well said and well done! I love reading. I often refer to the books that found me.
Readers club, glad you enjoyed!
Fantastic essay @Tayla Burrell! Thank you for taking us behind the curtain. Curious, you said you weren’t reading anything in the targeted skills area bc you were focused on AI - are you reading anything specific there? Taking courses, podcasts, etc.?
Thanks again!
Happy to take you bts! Ooh good question, would a post on my AI education resources be helpful? TBH a lot of it is through AI itself, but there’s definitely a few podcasts, YouTube channels and social media accounts that are my go-to
That would be amazing, Tayla, thank you!
I’d love to hear more about how you used myers briggs to create an owners manual?
Of course. Once you find out what personality type you are, give that to AI and ask it to create a deep research prompt that will produce an owners manual. Do a bit of a brain dump about the areas you want to focus on most or your goal with this owners manual - ie. understanding what type of work you do best, how to improve your relationships, blind spots you might have, etc. Then drop that prompt into deep research mode. Hope that helps x
I really appreciate this essay because I have been in thought about what we can do to build our intellectual capacity and imagination beyond AI. I tell people that our brains are like working out at the gym and we have to put in the reps to stay curious. I am about to curate my own summer leading list. Take it back in the day like the library used to so kids could read in the summer. I plan to read several titles you’ve mentioned. Thank you!
This is such a thoughtful comment Whitney! I absolutely think that an ‘intellectual gym’ is going to emerge, and that reading is the perfect entry point - love your analogy there. My mum always made me do an hour of non-fiction reading each day over the holidays to ‘keep exercising my brain’ and it’s a rule that I am so grateful for today. Enjoy the summer reading!
some of my favorites in every section, love this list!
Love to hear!
Thank you for this post. There are so many books on my TBR list now.
It’s a constant struggle isn’t it! More incentive for all of us to get off social media I hope!
And there are so many more…the problem is time, finding time to read is one of the greatest challenges in this era of advanced technology…the paradox of our current lives…🩶
The tbr list never ends unfortunately. But how lucky we are to be able to access all these incredible books 🫶🏼
Fantastic list!