This is the book that made me want to become a coach, AND convince me that I could. I’ve gone back to this book countless times. Plus, Mohr’s website lands like a hugely supportive hug from a zillion women bringing you wine and coffee. We can do this, it seems to say.

Pretty much all of Brene Brown is worth reading. Her books are deeply insightful, evidence-based, and vulnerable - just like her research. I have several and draw from them often. This one, in particular is a good read, as it cuts right past the courage to act and focuses on the will to rise after the fall.

If you’re new to Brene, watch the Ted Talk, so you know why the 54 million people who’ve already watched it are obsessed.

Insightful and thought-providing, this book is valuable for leaders and those functioning in larger organizations. Collins’ stories are human-centered and help you think about various characteristics of leadership and decision-making. It falls short, but the field of leadership is too big for one book anyway.

Don’t miss the subsequent monograph focused on the social sectors published in 2015.

I don’t normally read poetry. As a math major in undergrad, it was never assigned. But I was given this book by a colleague, and I’ve read and re-read it since. Baer’s poetry is accessible and vulnerable.

She starts with a great one called “Advice for Former Selves” which is a great piece for reflection as you consider your own journey.

There’s something about reading an entire book encouraging you to be creative that makes you want to… create.

Gilbert’s mix of passion for the craft of writing and enthusiastic bewilderment of the creative process is contagious, and makes you wonder if the good ideas with you right now might soon grow impatient and leave. I love this book.

This book is a fresh reprieve just like its title suggests. Niequist is a Christian author and her journey includes exploration into christian faith and bible verses. I’m not Christian, but I appreciate how Niequist uses these lenses to help navigate her own Saboteur, an inner voice telling her to keep going, keep going, keep going.

This refrain of over-committing and over-achieving is so common among my friends that I’ve found myself gifting this book more than I’m quoting it.

Hear me out. It’s a little out there, but Sadhguru’s writing is so accessible in this book that his connection of lesson to practice makes total sense. The book is a beautiful illustration of this man as a teacher and true appreciator of human beings in all places.

You may or may not agree with his recommended paths towards joy, but the way he humbly offers them up is a lesson all its own in writing, teaching, and coaching.

An uplifting, easy and insightful read from a coach and badass that can probably find you exactly where you are. Good to help you begin the journey of personal growth. If you’ve ever read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, you’ll notice the echoes of similarity but without the dramatic flair.

Plus with a whole section on being a badass with finances, it’s a great read for entrepreneurs and those on the precipice of negotiating for compensation.

Who knew? Who knew that questions were so valuable to so many ways of seeing things? Well, in full disclosure, I’m a coach. I ask questions for this profession, so I had a hunch.

This book is a must read-and-refer-to tome of ways to explore decision-making, relationships, innovation, and leadership. Of course, these areas are all deeply connected and all very relevant inside and outside the office. One last question: Why wait to read this?

To be clear, this book is a must-buy regardless of writing interest. It’s a comfort and kick in the pants. Anyone who knows me, has heard me quote this book at least once. One of my favorite quotes about feedback and peer review comes from this book. Lamott writes, “You don’t always have to cut with the sword of truth, you can point with it too.”

Of course, you can see how applicable that thought is to life as well.

Yes, the Stephen King. If I ever decided to engage with the genre of horror, I would read his first. This part-memoir, part-handbook is an easy read, and he reminds you that such easiness takes effort.

This is a particularly applicable lesson for scholarly papers with precise word limits and scripted headings, where deliberate word choice is, um, King.

Anyone who’s written (or been assigned) a literature review will relish the simplicity and impact of this book. Like recipes for weaving together evidence, Graff and Birkenstein provide formulas for crafting an academic argument, a skill transferable beyond academic writing. Also, reading this book buys you at least one extra week of not having to write the lit review.

And just like that, Dr. Silvia sees into my soul. Despite its petite size, this is a tome of academic productivity. He doesn’t hold back, and in doing so, dispels the myth that scholarship is anything other than formulaic, consistent writing. So turn off your internet and type.

I have about a zillion stickies in this book. Clear, insightful, and applicable, this book serves up the basics of grammar, structure, story-telling, and, the Achilles heel of most scholars, verbs.

I’ve also used this book for countless scholarship teaching sessions, as the takeaways are perfect, bite-sized morsels.

Zinsser’s book is like the wrap dress of writing: it’s classic and works well regardless of where you’re going/submitting. Almost every other book on academic writing references this book, which is a sure sign that it’s a good one to have on the shelf.

And it won’t just sit there and fade away: in chapter 10, I’ve dog-earred 20 pages in a row. Just like DVF’s classic, you’ll turn to this one again and again.

Here is a must own for health professions education writers… AND ALL academic writers in general. While it’s a great book to engage novice writers into the formula behind academic writing, this book is a must-have for seasoned writers who want to mentor better, more effectively, and with less effort.

Lingard and Watling provide exercises and clarity throughout this book that I’ve often just blanketly assigned with outstanding results. Writing is a heavy lift, but Lingard and Watling are there to spot us.