J.P. Morgan launches 22nd annual Summer Reading List

J.P. Morgan today announced its selections for the firm’s 22^nd annual Summer Reading List. From new ideas in science and critical thinking to fresh perspectives on leadership and effective digital communication, the 10 nonfiction titles that make up the 2021 collection help light a path forward after a year of reflection and transformation.

“Since its inception, the J.P. Morgan Summer Reading List has aimed to spark conversation and inspire new thinking. As we emerge from the global pandemic forever changed, this tradition of discovery, insight and community strength has never been more important,” said Darin Oduyoye, Chief Communications Officer for J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management.

J.P. Morgan advisors from around the world submitted several hundred suggestions to create this year’s list. Titles were then culled and curated based on topic, quality and global appeal. The books reflect the current times and lives of the firm’s clients and employees.

To explore this list further, visit jpmorgan.com/readinglist. The 10 titles selected for the 2021 J.P. Morgan Summer Reading List are:

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant. In his latest title examining the art of critical thinking, author and respected Wharton professor Adam Grant argues that an open, flexible mind is essential to our everyday happiness and professional success. The most lauded and creative people of our time, he observes, are willing to change their minds, discard old beliefs and pivot in order to reach new heights. Grant offers insights into how we can all learn these essential skills, making us more reflective on the beliefs holding us back.

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson. As we move deeper into the life science revolution, 2020 Nobel Prize recipient Jennifer Doudna, who helped develop the gene-editing tool CRISPR, is emerging as a true pioneer. In this part biography, part detective story, Walter Isaacson portrays a bright future ahead—one with fewer genetic diseases and less human suffering. However, this future is rife with the moral questions that surround the editing of human DNA. Through Isaacson’s telling, readers will come away with an enhanced awareness of cutting-edge science and a renewed appreciation for what makes us human.

Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature by Angus Fletcher. How have advances in literature had an impact on us over time—as a society and as individuals? Author Angus Fletcher believes the best writings throughout history leverage technical inventions that have neurological effects, making literature capable of alleviating readers’ loneliness and grief, for example, while triggering positive emotions. Fletcher provides a new lens through which to examine and appreciate diverse literary works from ancient times to the present, and reveals how the field of story science may be relevant to our daily lives.

Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning by Mike Hayes. Mike Hayes, former Commander of SEAL Team TWO, takes readers on a journey with the U.S. Navy SEALs, showcasing how the mentality of this elite group can be used by any civilian in their personal or professional life. He shares the pillars of excellence, agility and meaning, along with the notion that everyone must look for opportunities to support their teams in order to ensure we all succeed.

No One Succeeds Alone: Learn Everything You Can from Everyone You Can by Robert Reffkin. Compass founder and CEO Robert Reffkin is a leader with a remarkable life story. In No One Succeeds Alone, he highlights the importance of accepting help from others along the way. Reffkin’s optimism, interpersonal connections and empathy led him to take his company public earlier this year, making him one of the youngest and most successful Black CEOs of his generation.

My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories from a City on the Water by Betty Liu. Cooking and eating together, nurtured through culture and tradition, are some of the primary ways we build and sustain connections. Family, culture and memory inspired My Shanghai, Betty Liu’s modern take on the centuries-old cuisine from this vibrant, food-rich Chinese city. Through over 100 recipes categorized by season and accompanied by stories, photographs and cultural touchpoints, Liu encourages home chefs to experience her family’s city from their own kitchens.

Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust & Connection No Matter the Distance by Erica Dhawan. In our tech-driven culture, digital tools fostering connections are essential—but are they also eroding our ability to “read” each other? Author Erica Dhawan creates a roadmap for optimizing our body language, social cues and personalities through a variety of technology-enabled communications. Dhawan’s tips on how to cut through the digital divide to better engage with co-workers, business partners, friends and family are more relevant than ever before in our interconnected world.

By Design: The World’s Best Contemporary Interior Designers by Phaidon Editors. Following a year of quarantines and lockdowns, finding new homes and revamping old ones, interior design has returned to the forefront of everyday living. By Design spotlights some of today’s most innovative designers whose work merges the best of modern art, style and architecture. Spanning country estates, apartments, hotels and restaurants from around the world, this collection of spectacular designs captures the aesthetic of today, and is an inspiration-rich resource for seasoned and newly minted home decorators.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates. Bill Gates, the renowned tech-mogul-turned-philanthropist, has spent the past decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. In How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, he shares his findings and draws upon the work of experts in science, finance, engineering and politics to lay out a pragmatic plan for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to zero and ultimately saving the planet.

What the Road Said by Cleo Wade, illustrations by Lucie de Moyencourt. In her first picture book, poet and activist Cleo Wade weaves an inspiring and uplifting story about leadership, curiosity and compassion—and what occurs when we’re faced with the possibility of choosing the wrong path. Following a child through an adventurous journey, with captivating illustrations by Lucie de Moyencourt, What the Road Said shows readers of all ages that no matter what challenges we encounter, we must keep moving forward.

Media contact:
Kaitlin Finnerty
212-622-9870
kaitlin.finnerty@jpmorgan.com