508: The 9 Books I’m Most Looking Forward To In 2024

Like any other year before, there are literally tens of thousands of books set to be released this year. Needless to say, it can be hard whittling down what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

I’ve attempted to take some of the guesswork out of it for you by selecting nine books I’m really looking forward to reading this year.

Here they are in order of their release date.

Note that my first selection is actually a book that came out last week—making it, technically, a 2023 release. But it makes the cut as, well, I was a little busy this past week and am just getting around to diving in.

Trust me when I say you’ll be glad I’m including it here.

1. Feel Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You by Ali Abdaal (December 26, 2023) 

Note: I’ll be interviewing Ali later this month and releasing our conversation in early February.

2. Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klass (January 23, 2024). 

3. The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao (January 30, 2024)

Note: My interview with coauthor Huggy Rao releases on January 30 to coincide with the book’s release.

4.  Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It by Malissa Clark (February 6, 2024) 

5. Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being by Sue Varma MD (February 20, 2024)

6. Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg (February 20, 2024) 

7. Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport (March 5, 2024) 

8. Microskills: Small Actions, Big Impact by Adaira Landry and Resa E. Lewiss (April 16, 2024) 

9. Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work by Mithu Storoni (September 17, 2024) 

In addition to the two authors and books on this list I’m already set to feature on the show, I’ll be working to invite as many of the other seven as I can. 

For more detail about each book, listen to the episode

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During August, Try My Members-Only Book Club for Just $1

Read to Lead University registration is open!

My 16th wedding anniversary was last Friday and, apart from some nasty weather Friday afternoon, Annie and I had a wonderful weekend celebrating.

So much so it’s put me in a generous mood. 🙂

RTLU Trial - August 2017

Yesterday wrapped up month six of Read to Lead University. In that time, members and I have read AND met live to discuss these books:

  • Reach by Andy Molinsky
  • Deep Work by Cal Newport
  • 12 Week Year by Brian Moran
  • Pivot by Jenny Blake
  • The Compelling Communicator by Tim Pollard
  • Start with Why by Simon Sinek

Get this: Two of the above authors fielded questions about their books submitted by members! AND, two more authors actually joined us for our live book chat!

This component has turned out to be one of our members’ favorite aspects of RTLU.

Turns out that, in August, we’ll again be joined during our live book chat by the author herself.

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Read to Lead University Registration is Open!

Only 50 spots available!

I’ve got some great news. My exclusive book club, created especially for listeners of Read to Lead, has officially re-opened for only the second time.

I call it Read to Lead University.

There are only 50 spots available, and several of those spots have already been snagged by those who were on the standby list after our last open registration.

You’ll need to act fast, or risk missing out all together.

You may be thinking, “Why only 50 spots, Jeff?”

You see, limiting the number of people coming in at any one time, especially for a relatively new project like this one, allows me to truly super serve each member.

Being on the ground floor of something like this is a big deal, so I want to do all I can to make it special. Capping registrations gives me the ability to do that.

***

Here’s what you’ve missed – but have a chance to check out once a member…

Since launching the book club in late January to 50 charter members, we’ve read both Reach and Deep Work as a group.

In this short time, members were able to submit questions about Deep Work to the author himself, Cal Newport (and he graciously answered every last one)! The questions and his responses are posted in our members area.

Not only that, but Reach author Andy Molinsky joined us for our very first LIVE monthly book chat about his book! Yes, we recorded it. It’s in the members area AND, it’s AWESOME!

So, what all does your membership get you? Great question. Membership includes:

  • A personal invitation to our LIVE monthly, members-only book chats
  • The chance to build relationships with other members via our live, virtual breakout sessions
  • Access to all book chat recordings (even the ones held before you joined)
  • Access to on-going book- and reading-related resources
  • Entry into our private Facebook group for on-going discussions
  • A subscription to Read to Lead University magazine (our printable and downloadable monthly book summaries)
  • Accountability and encouragement toward your reading goals
  • Helpful strategies each month to ensure you take action on what you’re learning
  • A chance to ask questions of, and forward comments to, some of the authors whose books we’re reading.
  • And, yes, the chance to meet some of our authors through occasional visits to our LIVE book chats!

Sounds awesome, right? But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what current members are saying:

“If you want more meaning, more brain power and more fun in your professional development, you’ve just found it.” – Sherri G.

Right out of the gate we had an opportunity to hear directly from our first book’s author. It’s been very cool and I look forward to the other books this year. – Sovann P.

The group calls are fantastic! Read to Lead University has been a great investment in ME! – Sara H.

The member rate is just $25 per month. AND you should know that once these 50 slots are filled, membership will never be offered at this rate again.

I don’t expect these slots to last long so, if you’re in, make sure you join now by clicking this link:

===>> Read to Lead University Enrollment

You may be wondering, “Jeff, what books are you reading together next?” Great question.

Our April book is called The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington. Then, in May, we’ll be diving into Pivot: The Only Move That Matters is Your Next One by Jenny Blake.

Put simply, I want to help you actually execute on what you’re learning through the reading you’re doing. That’s what Read to Lead University is all about.

Like my wife Annie wrote yesterday morning during her daily devotional time:

Knowledge is good, but there is a vast difference between knowledge (having the facts) and wisdom (applying those fact to life).

Let this community help you with “applying those facts to life.” I hope you’ll join us.

NEW: Read to Lead University Book Club

Registration is Open!

First, let me thank you for being such a loyal listener and fan of the Read to Lead Podcast. It means more to me than you know. Really!

You may recall that at about this time last year, I was in the midst of planning a spring launch of something called Read to Lead University.

Well, for reasons I won’t detail here, RTLU was indefinitely shelved in 2016. At one point I wasn’t sure if it would ever see the light of day.

book club

But now, I can confidently share that in two weeks, all that changes.

I’m reaching out to you today to ask if you’d like to be one of just 50 Charter Members of the all new Read to Lead University Book Club.

Before you answer, let me share just some of what you’ll get with your Read to Lead University Book Club membership:

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