Some authors, like Walter Isaacson, will push you into an incredible journey full of investigation and wisdom. Get ready to educate yourself and learn more about history and the big stories of success.
David McCullough — historian author who will introduce American history to you
David McCullough is a legend with a phenomenal ability to turn history into a living, breathing story. His well-known books, such as The Wright Brothers and John Adams, are famous for their exquisite writing and in-depth analyses of significant characters not only in American history but in the whole world. David McCullough once said, “To me, history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn’t just part of our civic responsibility. To me, it’s an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is.” But what probably makes David McCullough so distinctive is his willingness to dig into the brains of people from the past. He had no opportunity to talk to them, but it still didn’t stop David McCullough from drawing incredible humanized characters.
Michael Lewis — a journalist who will tell you about behavioral finance
Famous for bestsellers like Moneyball, The Big Short, and The Undoing Project, this financial journalist will teach you some extraordinary stories that seem too good to be true. For instance, Moneyball will tell you a story about finding new approaches in baseball. The Oakland Athletics baseball team tries to break the wheel and not only create something for people with fewer opportunities but also to make it their winning strategy. It sounds quite impressive, doesn’t it? Well, you will be even more impressed after actually delving into Michael Lewis’s writing, which makes complex concepts accessible and all the environments real. It almost feels like you’re making a journey back in time, learning about the past and smelling the air of old America.
Ashlee Vance — a reporter who will teach you about tech titans
Ashlee Vance, author, best known for his book Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and The Quest for a Fantastic Future, provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of contemporary industry giants. Of course, looking back at today’s political events, a lot of us don’t really wish to look up to Elon Musk anymore. Still, Vance’s work might present you with a base for research and opinion shaping. Here, Vance interviews Musk, his loved ones, and others who witnessed the pivotal moments in his life. What you probably want to know is that Musk had no say in what was included in the book. And even though this book is about him in the first place, Vance is so much more interested in technologies and the future of our planet. So it doesn’t matter if you are fascinated by politics or wrapped up in technology, this book has much to say to you.
Doris Kearns Goodwin — a biographer who will introduce you to American presidents
She has written biographies of many US presidents, including Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Howard Taft. Once she said, “There’s something about history that I think everyone should love. It’s about people. It’s about conflict. … Just as we learn from our parents and our grandparents, we can learn from figures in history.” And this quite deeply describes her storytelling; you will not see a history book here but rather a book that tells a real story. And this story is to teach you, to inspire you, and to give you an understanding of what you have and who gave it to you. So start delving into Doris Kearns Goodwin’s books right now!
Joseph J. Ellis — a writer who will show you the lives of the Founding Fathers of the United States
Author Joseph Ellis brings up the American Revolutionary era and tells you the stories of people who shaped a land that lots of our readers live in right now. But rather than showing you raw political events, Ellis delves into the private correspondences and moral dilemmas of figures like Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. He describes them to you as people, complex and flawed, yet so unique and incredible. Yes, Alexander Hamilton wrote the Constitution and The Federalist Papers, and that’s what you learn in school. But did you know about his wife, Elisabeth Schuyler Hamilton, an American socialite and philanthropist who founded the first private orphanage in New York City? Did you also know that Hamilton cheated on her? You will see people who are doing great and not-so-great deeds, shaping the country and simultaneously destroying themselves and their families.
John Carreyrou — a nonfiction author who investigates Silicon Valley’s biggest fraud
In Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, author John Carreyrou will tell you about Elizabeth Holmes, the woman heading the multibillion-dollar biotech startup. He will tell you a story of the breathtaking rise and collapse of Theranos and the trial that Elizabeth Holmes faced because of just one thing. The problem was as follows: a machine that would make blood tests significantly faster and easier, and that was backed by very trustworthy and famous investors with billions of dollars put in it… didn’t work. Yes, you’ve read it right. What is a girl to do when her machine doesn’t work? Well, Holmes had been misleading investors, FDA officials, and her own employees for years. And if you want to learn about this fascinating fraud story, you’re welcome to meet John Carreyrou.
All of these books, whether you’re a history fan or just interested in stories of real change, would be an interesting enough read for an evening. They all possess an easy and graceful storytelling style that years of academic writing have not taken away from the authors. Each will tell you a lesson from the past, the story of a hero or villain who used their genius to get their way. So start right now, learning new things and spending your time making the most of it.
