Lucent's inspiring summer reads
As we move through the summer and approach autumn, the Lucent team have been reflecting on our recent reading. Here are some of our favourite picks to fill the rest of your summer days.
Katherine’s recommendations
As shared by Katherine, “Fiction is my first love and I rushed to buy Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a real story of our times.”
“I have also dipped by toes in non-fiction that has made me think and question - always a good sign! Everybody by Olivia Laing is part biography, part analysis of social movements. My response to At Work in the Ruins: Finding Our Place in the Time of Science, Climate Change, Pandemics & All the Other Emergencies by Dougald Hine was extreme optimism followed by waves of pessimism. A stimulating, challenging read .”
Charlotte’s recommendation
“The Nutmeg’s Curse by Amitav Ghosh tells the story of colonialism, capitalism and climate change in an actual nutshell - compelling reading”.
Katy’s recommendation
“Matthew Syed’s Black Box Thinking blends real-world examples and research to illustrate how we cannot grow unless we learn from our mistakes. Something I have taken away from this both personally and professionally is that failure is an opportunity for curiosity, understanding and learning - it sounds simple, but it requires attention and energy.”
Lakshmi’s recommendations
“If you’d like to venture into the world of audio, I can recommend the Empire podcast by Goalhanger Podcasts: an exploration of how empires rise and fall, and how they have shaped the world around us today.
For an uplifting listen, The Power of Stories Podcast by SayItForward shares stories of resilience, overcoming fears and empowerment from women across the world.”
We hope you have time over the summer to pick up (and finish) a good book. Let us know what is on your summer reading list.