Contributors to the May 2018 issue of TD magazine offer their book recommendations.
Aideen O'Byrne
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
This is an impactful and soul-searching read that demystifies how mankind has evolved over the last 100,000 years. I love how simple it makes understanding how we have both positively and negatively changed the world around us. But it leaves some stones in my shoes, wondering what humanity's future holds under the influence of artificial intelligence, social media, and blockchain technology.
Dani Watkins
Visual Leaders: New Tools for Visioning, Management, and Organization Change by David Sibbet
Part of becoming a great whiteboard animation expert is to begin to think graphically. This book describes the essential tools to do so.
The Back of the Napkin (Expanded Edition): Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures by Dan Roam
This book looks at expressing ideas through pictures rather than typical corporate tools like PowerPoint. It’s a great tool for helping you to start thinking about concepts graphically.
Brandon Weeldreyer
The Big Sleepby Raymond Chandler
I love old crime books for their unique writing style that puts you right in the middle of the setting. This one is the best of them all.
Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads by Luke Sullivan
This is a no-nonsense guide to what makes marketing work and why it usually doesn’t. It’s required reading for any creative in our industry.
Becky Saeger
Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject by Mel Silberman
I view this book, along with a complete set of Sivasailam Thiagarajan (Thiagi's) and Sharon Bowman's books, as essential reading for anyone interested in adding games, simulations, and interactivity into their courses.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
When I discovered these in my early teens I was fascinated at how they transported you into another world where observation and deduction could solve complex problems.
Starpower by R. Garry Shirts
My bookshelf also contains simulations, and if you ever have the opportunity to play Star Power, don't miss it. This elegant simulation uses a few playing pieces to demonstrate how power is used and misused in society. Once you play this game you'll see examples of it at work every day.
