‘Tis the season for bathing suit lamentations, swimming pool relaxations, and spousal thermostat negotiations. Yes, summer is here!
This year we not only wanted to get a jump on the summer reading recommendations, but we wanted to widen the scope of the brain trust by asking some of the other offices and cities in the Capital Investment Advisors family.
They’ve all finished reading What the Happiest Retirees Know: 10 Habits for a Healthy, Secure, and Joyful Life, but what comes after that? Let’s find out!
Out in the beautiful southwest, our Phoenix office is baking in the sun, reading some real page-turners.
Phoenix Office
Jason Gove, CRPC®, CWS®, Investment Advisor
Outliers Malcolm Gladwell
As is his wont, Malcolm Gladwell has offered up something evocative and thought-provoking. Using some of the best, brightest, most famous, and most successful people as examples, he asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer? That “ . . . we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.”
https://www.gladwellbooks.com/titles/malcolm-gladwell/outliers/9780316017930/
Investment advisor Jason Gove calls it one of his favorite books because it “takes an interesting look at what makes people successful and all the variables that are required for success.”
Nicole Kloenne, Client Service Associate
The Outlander Series Diana Gabaldon
The Outlander Series is a collection of nine books and one graphic novel by local Scottsdale author Diana Gabaldon, who describes them as “Big, Fat, Historical Fiction, à la James Clavell and James Michener.” The storylines range from warfare, sex, and violence to herbs, horses, and gambling. Overall, it’s about voyages of daring journeys not just for the body, but also for the soul.
Nicole loves that the series spans such an extensive-time period. “Diana takes a lot of time researching the past and uses actual historical facts, and timelines, and submerges the reader into the 17th century (as well as the 19th century) day-to-day lives of Claire and Jamie Fraser. I have read all the books through but it has been over 4 years since her last book, so I am going back to re-read the last 2 books before I delve into Go Tell the Bees I am Gone. I am eager to be able to pick up her newest book which I have already purchased and dive into the 17th century again!”
Denver Office
From the valley of the sun to the beautiful Centennial State of Colorado, our Denver office is full of avid readers.
Chelsey Braswell, Client Service Manager
A Woman Is No Man: A Novel Etaf Rum
Etaf Rum tells the story of three generations of Palestinian-American women all living in contemporary Brooklyn, and all torn between individual desires and the strict mores of traditional Arab culture. The world and its cultures can be closed and controlling, and this debut novel shows a tale of courage as one woman bravely battles to break free and make her own choices.
“It is an amazing read that breaks your heart, makes you think, and truly places you into the life of the protagonist. If you need another reason to blast a playlist full of strong females this summer, this read is for you!”
Michael De La Garza, Investment Advisor
Greenlights Matthew McConaughey
All right, all right, all right. Greenlights is a collection of stories the famous actor experienced, lessons he both learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs, some great photographs, and even bumper stickers. Through it all, McConaughey found an approach to living that he claims gave him more satisfaction. When life’s challenges present themselves, he says there’s a way to “get relative with the inevitable” to enjoy a state of success.
“I felt a connection to the book immediately. We both grew up in West Texas, and I could easily relate to many of the descriptions he shared during his childhood. The book is full of life lessons, moments of perseverance, risk-taking, hardships, and of course successes. Often times all people see is the success that someone has, and we are unaware of all the work, errors, triumphs, doubts, and struggles that came along with it. Matthew shares all of that in the book, and it is refreshing to hear. The book provided me with moments of wisdom, laughs, surprises, and insight to livin (I misspelled that on purpose).”
Chris Pataky, Investment Advisor
Outliers Malcolm Gladwell
Red Notice Bill Browder
Apparently, the Phoenix and Denver offices are on the same page! As mentioned above, Outliers is another example of Malcolm Gladwell thinking outside the box and drilling down on the situational overlaps between highly successful people in a wide variety of fields.
“It breaks down true numbers of success and what it takes to get there. Practice, roots, and dedication.”
Red Notice is a piece of non-fiction by one of the many people Vladimir Putin wishes would go away . . . forever. A Wall Street maverick who made his way to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union to find success in what he hoped was a newly democratic country, author Bill Browder ended up finding that and more. After exposing what turned out to be Putin’s corruption, he barely made it out alive and his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was put in prison and tortured to death. The experience changed Browder forever.
“This is a book about an investment banker in Russia at the height of Putin taking power which gives an unprecedented look into where we are today.”
Faith, Family & the Feast: Recipes to Feed Your Crew from the Grill, Garden, and Iron Skillet Kent Rollins and Shannon Rollins
Start with WHY Simon Sinek
Both a collection of recipes and stories, poems, and vivid pictures, Faith, Family & The Feast is meant to illustrate the importance of sharing food and fellowship.
Team Rollins wanted to share their cowboy roots with hearty yet simple recipes but then add more plates to the spread on top of that plaid tablecloth. This means more garden-fresh ingredients, a full chapter about grilling recipes and tips, and the kinds of comfort food folks can create with a single iron skillet.
“It’s a cookbook that I take from at least 1 or 2 times a week and way too much time reading through and thinking of new feasts.”
In Start with WHY, Simon Sinek makes a case that the leaders who have made the biggest impact in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way. He goes even further to say that this is the opposite of the way the average person communicates. According to Sinek, this powerful idea that he calls “The Golden Circle” “. . . provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired.” And, he says, it all starts with asking “why?”
“Work-wise, I would say that Start with Why by Simon Sinek is my favorite book. It has helped me to define and understand the why behind not only what I do for a living and with clients but how I want to build and live my life with clear purpose at and outside of work.”
Tampa Office
You can’t talk about retirement without tapping the knowledge of our professionals in Florida. In addition to helping folks plan for the road ahead, our Tampa office also loves to ingest all things literary.
Kevin Rodgers, Investment Advisor
Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown Eric Blehm
Fearless is the story of a Navy SEAL named Adam Brown who died serving his country in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan in 2010. Author Eric Blehm pulls back the curtain into the lives of SEAL Team SIX brotherhood and describes an unforgettable, highly trained warrior whose final act of bravery led to the ultimate sacrifice.
“I love this book for multiple reasons. I think many of us can relate to his life story in one way or another but his story hits home for me since he grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas which is close by to where I went to college. I use Adam as an example to live by in the community as well as how I approach challenges in my own life. It’s a great combination of an underdog and redemption story that we all can appreciate!”
https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/
Adria DeMeo Adria DeMeo, CRPC®, Investment Advisor
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid
Loosely inspired by the life of Elizabeth Taylor, this book focuses on a struggling journalist trying to find her way in the world. She gets an offer to interview a mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood Starlet named Evelyn Hugo and has to figure out the best way to navigate the fame, relationships, and scandals.
“I like my fiction with a little real life history sprinkled in, which is why this book is perfect for my summer reading list. Anything even remotely related to Elizabeth Taylor is guaranteed to have iconic drama.”
Danielle Goff, Client Service Manager
Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 Garrett M. Graff
Garret Graff’s historic narrative goes beyond eyewitness accounts to show how ordinary people grappled with tragic events in real time. People from all walks of life and all manner of circumstances, doing the best they can to cope and survive the impact and repercussions of a truly infamous day.
“At the time of 9/11, my family & I were living in Connecticut & my dad was working in NYC. This book is so relatable to what was happening to many families we knew. The story is a powerful & moving oral documentary, walking through the lives of different people & their experiences that day from start to finish. The storytelling is incredible and so well written. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a touching story to read this summer.”
Dan Abramowitz, Regional Business Development Manager, Investment Advisor
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Michael Lewis
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike Phil Knight
The Oakland A’s had one of the smallest budgets in all of Major League Baseball. How were they possibly expected to win games? In Michael Lewis’s book, he tells the story of general manager Billy Beane and his staff going against conventional wisdom and using carefully interpreted statistical data to achieve wins through more affordable methods.
“They made a movie about it, too. I love this because it’s a David vs Goliath theme. Small market team that did not have the payroll to compete with the Yankees and the Red Sox, yet used analytics to make the best “team” to compete for a World Series. No major stars on the team. Everyone had a role. They did not get far in the playoffs but showed up to compete every day. I love that!”
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike Phil Knight is as the title suggests, and a riveting romp at that. From the early days to the evolution of “one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.”
“I know others here have read it and I am excited to dive in.”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27220736-shoe-dog
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