As busy as he’s been throughout his life, one certainty with my dad was that he always was in the middle of a book.
At least one. I’m talking everything from thick history books and biographies, to an occasional novel, to business leadership books.
And along the way, he was always underlining, dictating, highlighting.
He attacked books like other people work out or run. Still does.
Even folks well beyond his family have experienced this…because when he’d finish the books he most liked, a large group of people would receive a long, thoughtful email summarizing that book and lessons it taught him (and us).
Part book report, part commentary. Some went on for pages.
Over time, we’re talking thousands of emails dispersed to thousands of people all over the world.
Well, my dad has recently done us all a favor. He’s gone through the vast library of his and taken the time to compile the 100 Books that shaped his life:
And yesterday, to kick off a series we’re excited to do together, I interviewed him about the project overall, and why voracious reading has made such a difference in his life.
As part of our discussions, we wanted to highlight some of the books that stand out to him. The best or most meaningful of those Top 100.
And yesterday we started that by discussing the three memoirs that have meant the most to him….and shared why, generally, he’s gotten so much out of memoirs over his decades of reading:
So, if you’re someone always looking for your next good read, let me suggest you start with the video above and our future videos.
And of course, you can always buy my dad’s book here.
And don’t just take his son’s word for it….what he’s put together has earned praise from some noted historians and commentators:
Jon Meacham calls it “a vital, engaging and monumental book about a reading life well lived.”
Historian David Blight praises it as “a lyrical journey through one person’s love and fierce intellectual engagement with history and literature.”
What I promise is an incredible survey of books old and new, but even more than that—endless wisdom and life and leadership lessons from the man who read them all.
Thank you P. J. Schuster, Maureen Drews, Tamie Swain, Bob Belanger, Maura, and many others for tuning into my live video with JOHN PEPPER!
Join us for our next live chat next Monday.
