The New Books to Read This Fall

My favorite part of being an author is writing. A close second is finding new books in my mailbox. This fall, there’s an unusually exciting crop of big idea and business books about human behavior, innovation and entrepreneurship, and the fundamental questions of success, meaning, and happiness in work and life. Here are the 14 forthcoming and just-released books to check out:

1. Me, Myself, and Us by Brian Little (October 14)

I’ve never read a book that revealed so much about my own personality, let alone the peculiar habits of my friends, co-workers, and family members. With extraordinary wit and wisdom, Little—the winner of Canada’s highest award for university teaching and one of Harvard’s favorite professors—offers startling insights about our trivial pursuits and magnificent obsessions.

2. Rookie Smarts by Liz Wiseman (October 14)

If you believe in the value of experience, prepare to have your worldview turned upside-down. Wiseman masterfully shows why novices can outdo veterans, expertise blinds us to fresh ideas, and we’re all missing out on the brilliance of the newbies around us.

3. The Innovators by Walter Isaacson (October 7)

The author who brought us the epic biographies of Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin is back. It’s the saga of Silicon Valley as we’ve never seen it before: a behind-the-scenes journey with the pioneers who invented the computer, the Internet, and the digital revolution.

4. Crazy Is a Compliment by Linda Rottenberg (October 7)

Rottenberg offers a treasure trove of ideas to jumpstart new entrepreneurs and accelerate the success of startups. She has guided many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, and this book is full of tips for fueling innovation in companies, nonprofits, governments, and schools.

5. The Upside of Your Dark Side by Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener(September 25)

At long last, here’s a book on why happiness can make us sad, mindfulness might be overrated, and discomfort sets the stage for comfort. This pair of psychologists offers a provocative, evidence-based case for a balanced life. If you don’t read it, you should feel guilty—and it turns out that will be good for you.

6. A Path Appears by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (September 23)

In their fourth book together, this Pulitzer Prize-winning married couple examines how regular people make a difference. From preventing disease and fixing education, to evaluating global aid and local charity, to fighting violence, the combination of inspiring examples, cutting-edge science, and practical recommendations is going to change how we think about changing the world.

7. How Google Works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg (September 23)

How did Google grow from a disruptive search engine into the world’s most valuable company? Two leaders share lessons from the inside out on strategy, decision-making, innovation, and culture.

8. Zero to One by Peter Thiel (September 16)

Thiel argues that the secret to progress is not competition, but monopoly. Drawing on his experience as co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, and an early investor in companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Yelp, he offers fascinating ideas about how to shift from copying something old to creating something new.

9. Hello, My Name is Awesome by Alexandra Watkins (September 15)

How do you find the right name for your brand or your company? This is what Watkins does for a living—her company is responsible for renaming a wedding brunch service Bloody Married and a frozen yogurt franchise Spoon Me—and her clever examples and advice will spare us all from putting the wrong foot forward.

10. The Small Big by Robert Cialdini, Noah Goldstein, and Steve Martin (September 9)

If you’ve ever struggled to change the beliefs or behaviors of other people, there’s hope. The world’s leading experts on persuasion offer the best of science and practical insights about influence.

11. Smartcuts by Shane Snow (September 9)

This book solves a major mystery, illuminating how visionaries and pioneers find faster ways to achieve their goals. With spellbinding stories and relevant research, Snow has delivered one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking books of the year.

12. Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz (August 19)

According to this former Yale professor, elite colleges aren’t teaching students how to think. Deresiewicz proposes to reinvent higher education so that students develop strong values and find meaningful definitions of success.

13. Powers of Two by Joshua Wolf Shenk (August 5)

We think bold new ideas come from individuals and teams, but the heart of creativity lies in dynamic duos. Shenk examines the chemistry behind the imaginative pairs who spawned the Beatles, Apple, South Park, and the civil rights movement. Learn about the surprising benefits of conflict and power imbalances—and how to find the right partner and build trust.

14. Building a Better Teacher by Elizabeth Green (August 4)

Great education is the foundation of a flourishing society, and it depends on great teachers. Green, a leading education journalist, offers strong evidence and compelling cases to illuminate what it takes to get children to pay attention, sharpen their reasoning, and contribute to insightful discussions.

And if you’re still searching for more, here are the other new releases that I’m looking forward to reading:

• Pioneering the Possible by Scilla Elworthy (October 7)
• How to Kill a Unicorn by Mark Payne (October 7)
• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande (October 7)
• Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham (September 30)
• This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein (September 16)
• Innovating Women by Vivek Wadhwa and Farai Chideya (September 9)
• Dataclysm by Christian Rudder (September 9)
• Mind Gym by Sebastian Bailey and Octavius Black (September 9)
• The Impulse Society by Paul Roberts (September 2)