Neal was an avid reader, prone to ordering extra copies of books to share with friends. Not surprisingly, the volumes in his library were as diverse as Neal’s mind, crossing almost every genre and description – history, fiction, business, self-improvement, and even a bit of what he’d call “easy reading.” In the spring of 2017, Neal began to compile a list of the books that shaped him, challenged him, or simply entertained him.
Once a year, we highlight a title that resonates with us as apropos or topical. Some years, certain titles just beg to be shared, simply to celebrate Neal’s motley interests. In the spirit of friendship, we’re sharing the best of Neal’s library.
2019 Selection
Neal was always focused on the future, and he prepared by studying the past. He believed that to see where you are going, you need to understand how you got where you are. As the son of farmers who survived the Dust Bowl, he was intrigued by how federal policy led to farming practices that caused the tragedy.
Neal was always focused on the future, and he prepared by studying the past. He believed that to see where you are going, you need to understand how you got where you are. As the son of farmers who survived the Dust Bowl, he was intrigued by how federal policy led to farming practices that caused the tragedy.
In 2019, we celebrated the opening of the Patterson Health Center in Harper, Kansas. That year, we kept coming back to this book contemplating how its lessons might have influenced Neal’s opinion of the unintended effect federal policy had on health care in rural communities. One needn’t have an interest in farming on the Plains to be swept away by this cautionary story about cause and effect.
This book tells the story of the Dust Bowl and is a powerful narrative of the people who lived through it. It’s a serious, heartbreaking, and wonderful read we hope you enjoy.
2020 Selection
The first title on the reading list was The Worst Hard Time, a heavy book about people fighting against immense odds to survive in a hostile environment. In 2020, we decided to lighten things up with The Hunger Games. 🙂
Heavy dystopian vibes aside, when better than in the middle of an unending global pandemic to read some escapist young adult fiction? Neal had his serious books, but he loved his diverting fiction, too. He texted like a teen (OMG!) and he read like one, too.
So, when it all feels like too much, grab a cup of hot chocolate and flee the hellscape of the pandemic by reading this story of a girl with a fabulous braid, true aim, and a knack for survival.
2021 Selection
Innovation and imagination go hand-in-hand. In reading this book, we were struck by the value Einstein placed on creativity and imagination. Neal shared these values, which he called “vision,” a perspective that allows you to see beyond the facts and into possibility. Einstein maintained, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” With his imagination, Neal saw potential, attacking problems with curiosity and watching each unfold before him in ever-expanding and interesting ways.
He and Einstein shared a belief that many mysteries can be understood by those willing to step back and turn their head sideways. We chose this book as a way to honor two men with the courage of non-conformity. Thanks, Neal, for the great recommendation!
2022 Selection
John Adams was always engaged in dialogue with ideas. From a young age, he wrote humorous, argumentative, and passionate commentary in the margins of his reading. Lucky for us, Adams did not just talk back to books. The spirited dialogue he had with other founding leaders yielded refined ideas that continue to shape the United States and other modern governments.
One of Adams’ most admirable qualities was his curious, independent, and open mind. Though sharp-tongued and forceful, Adams eschewed “dogmatism,” and he proved himself capable of altering his views when presented with compelling evidence. Through his self-aware letters and journal entries, Adams’ known frailties become relatable rather than off-putting.
Intelligent and outspoken Abigail Adams was John’s closest confidant and advisor, the person he called his “best, dearest, worthiest, wisest friend in this World.” Their relationship was so intertwined that it is hard to tell one story without the other. Sound like anyone we know?
This is a long book set in a fading century, but you can open any chapter and find characters that are fresh, informal, and quintessentially American. We hope you enjoy McCullough’s classic.
2023 Selection
Few events have shaped the fortunes of more Americans living today than the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. Although the global financial crisis unfolded with the force of a tsunami, its obscure causes were largely manmade. But what exactly had happened? Even for those who lived through the headlines and news coverage, it wasn’t exactly clear. To help make sense of the tumult, Neal eventually relied on two books: Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin and The Big Short by Michael Lewis. Whereas Too Big to Fail described the period of greatest crisis, The Big Short did the best job of answering the question, “Why did it happen?” Lewis was one of Neal’s go-to nonfiction authors, and this book successfully delivered on a pleasing Lewis formula: teaching about historically significant developments through the eyes of obscure insiders with front-row seats to the action.
In The Big Short, Lewis follows the stories of rare individuals who saw the financial crisis coming before it arrived—and who made large, unpopular bets on the eventual collapse of the U.S. housing market. The bets were ultimately made against organizations and institutions that had permitted complex financial derivatives to conceal wildly irresponsible levels of risk-taking. Aside from the fascinating historical read, there are terrific lessons here about the importance of developing your own perspective and convictions, thinking independently, and staying objective even when the whole world seems to be going the other way.
