The Best 3 Books I Read in 2015

Since we are just days away from closing out 2015, I wanted to take the next fews days to recap my favorite books & podcasts from this year. Today I will reflect on the best books that sat on my nightstand. For some reason, I have been reading a lot more non-fiction lately, so my top three happen to all be in that category.

Best 3 books I read this year:

1. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I absolutely loved everything about this book and Gilbert’s message.  It was the perfect blend of practical and magical, all rolled into one. Even though it has been a while since I finished it, I still am digesting the advice and stories from this gem. I think this book would be good reading for anyone and everyone. It will help you gain a new perspective on the role of creativity in your life and the lives of those you love. I also think it would be super helpful for someone who needs guidance managing fears (who doesn’t?) For more details, read my full review HERE.2. Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. Unlike Big Magic, Better Than Before is practical with a capital “P”. No feel-good, mystical and magical stuff here. Better Than Before is a phenomenal book to help you manage your habits. You all know that habits are where it’s at, right? I thought so. What makes her book so helpful is that it’s all about knowing yourself first, then working with that knowledge instead of fighting against your nature. Her Four Tendencies Framework is super insightful, as well as all the specific strategies she outlines. I recommend this book to anyone looking to adopt new positive habits in their lives. For more details, read my full review HERE.

3. Creative Schools by Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica. You may be surprised to see this selection rounding out my top 3 books of the entire year, being that the two others were big-time bestsellers. And the fact that I am not an educator nor work in a school. But when I think about the titles that affected me in the biggest way, this one kept coming to mind. I picked it up because I fell in love with Ken Robinson’s message in THIS wildly popular TED talk. The book walks you through the problems with our current approach to education, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Bottom line is that sucking the life and arts out of schools is not having the intended results we are seeking. We are diminishing the importance of creative thinking and innovation in schools; two key traits we look for in our future leaders. Irony at its best. I think this book should be required reading for anyone in education. It would also be helpful to parents with kids in school to gain a better understanding of the effects of our current system. For more details, read my full review HERE.

So those are my favorite three books for 2015. Have you read any of them? I have a growing list of books I want to read in 2016 too. What about you? What were your favorites from the past year? Anything you are excited to read?

If you would like to see more book reviews and recommendations, check them out HERE.

Posted by Ale & filed under Books. This post has one comment.