Holiday Reading Recommendations

It is my Christmas wish and hope for the holidays to find some quiet time to read by the fire! Here are a few recommendations if that’s on your wish list, too.

From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks 

I recently took a deep dive into our research for a firm client to better understand what its clients had to say about succession transitions. I reviewed all our client feedback regarding law firm failings and best practices (not many!) in succession transitions, interviewed other consultants to the legal profession and scoured the internet. Bottom line—it’s not being done very well. What I uncovered has made me want to learn and do more to help firms improve. According to ALM Intelligence, a very significant percentage of law firm revenue is tied to partners retiring in the next 10 years, and more than 52% of AmLaw firms responding to the survey admit they don’t have formal client success plans in place. My early hypothesis is that we are trying to approach the challenge without much transparency or communication and by adjusting comp and credit systems. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. It’s led me on quite a learning journey, and this great book helps set the stage for the work and thoughtful preparation that goes into planning a fulfilling next chapter.

Overlooked: A Celebration of Remarkable, Underappreciated People Who Broke the Rules and Changed the World by Amisha Padnani  

I was given this book as an early Christmas present and started reading immediately! It’s based on a series in the obituary section of The New York Times focused on the people who were left out but invented, innovated, lived remarkable lives and changed the world. In our influencer world with lives on display, it’s a treasure chest of important stories that should not be overlooked.

To Jerusalem and Back: A Personal Account by Saul Bellow

Since visiting Israel last spring, we have been drawn to learn even more about this fascinating place. This personal account, full of keen observations by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Saul Bellow during his travels there in the mid 1970s, remains fascinating and relevant. 

Gary Cooper: American Hero by Jeffrey Meyers

I love classic movies and can’t resist reading about the old Hollywood stars. This comprehensive biography covers his fascinating childhood spent between Montana and England, his early start as a stunt double, his close friendship with Ernest Hemmingway and his many affairs with his talented leading ladies. After reading it, you’ll want to rewatch High Noon, The Fountainhead and For Whom the Bell Tolls!