On the Books: Swash Reads 2018

Another year, another Swash Labs Summer Reading Challenge! The rules are simple: read books, then share with the class. The reading challenge is a fun way to get to know our co-workers on a new level, and if you’re looking for book recommendations, we have them in spades: novels, self-help books, biographies, political commentaries, plays, cookbooks...the list goes on. Read on for a little peek at our bookshelves.

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Josh Berthume, President/CEO, read:

1. The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age by David Sanger

2. Messing with the Enemy: Surviving in a Social Media World of Hackers, Terrorists, Russians, and Fake News by Clint Watts

3. War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence by Ronan Farrow

4. Thrawn by Timothy Zahn

5. The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner by Daniel Ellsburg

Josh on War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence:

You know Ronan Farrow's reputation as a reporter. This works through his time at the US State Department as a lens for how American foreign policy and diplomacy operations have changed since the Cold War. It also talks a great deal about Richard Holbrooke, which is cool and makes me sad at the same time.

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Charlie Hunter, Media Analyst, read:

1. Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant

2. Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch

3. The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer by Jennifer Lynch

4. The Man Behind the Nose: Assassins, Astronauts, Cannibals, and Other Stupendous Tales by Larry Harmon

5. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

6. Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples, 20th Anniversary Edition by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D

Charlie on Catching the Big Fish:

Lynch talks about the mental process of creation and how transcendental meditation has been a large influence on how he approaches the world at large. His explanations of how he stumbles upon bits and pieces of ideas without having a story in mind definitely fits with the seeming randomness of much of his work. The book is peppered with jokes and interesting stories which reference many of his films. A must read for Lynch fans, or anyone who wants a peek at why they didn't understand Lost Highway.

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Stephanie Delk, Director of Media & Planning, read:

1. You Need A Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want by Jesse Mecham

2. Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives by Dan Millman

3. I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi

4. The Spender’s Guide to Debt-Free Living: How a Spending Fast Helped Me Get from Broke to Badass in Record Time by Anna Newell Jones

5. Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown

6. Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

Stephanie on I’m Judging You:

Luvvie is the amazing author of awesomelyluvvie.com and host of Rants and Randomness, a great podcast I have been enjoying. The book is very much in the style of the podcast so it shows a lot of personal brand info. Overall, a light read with some good chuckles.

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Diana Fonner, Director of Agency Operations, read:

1. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

2. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

3. Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by The Disney Institute and Theodore Kinni

4. Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell

5. A Liar’s Biography Volume VI by Graham Chapman

6. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

Diana on Wishful Drinking:

My last book of the summer. I read this on the plane ride out to spend the week with my best friend. The last time we had a girl's trip together, we'd just lost Carrie and the both of us read The Princess Diarist on our flights out. It's always a small world after all. Since then, I've been making my way through her books and I truly miss her voice in the world.

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Joan Wells, Account Services Director, read:

1. Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran

Joan on Lucky Boy:

This is a book about a young Mexican girl who immigrates to the United States, has a child, and ends up in the detention system. It's also a book about an Indian American couple who adopt a child. These two sentences have already told you too much about the book. Read it!

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Andi Harman, Art Director, read:

1. The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis

2. Eat Up: Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want by Ruby Tandoh

3. Buried Child by Sam Shepard

4. Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill

Andi on Eat Up:

A feminist's perspective on our relationship to food and nutrition. Anti-dieting, pro-guilty pleasures, sex-positive, and overall a big warm hug for anyone struggling with their mental health.

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Faith Morrison, Copywriter, read:

1. The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

2. Calypso by David Sedaris

3. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

4. The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

5. She Reads Truth: Holding Tight to Permanent in a World That’s Passing Away by Raechel Meyers & Amanda Bible Williams

6. Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Faith on Cross Her Heart:

When summer rolls around, I tend to trade in meaty novels and classics for easy-to-read thrillers. Sarah Pinborough wrote one of my favorite thrillers ever, Behind Her Eyes (read it! it’s crazy!), so I wanted to give her latest a try. The plot of Cross Her Heart is almost impossible to describe without giving it all away. AlI I can really say is that it follows a single mother whose life is turned upside down (and put in danger) when a secret from her past is revealed. Cross Her Heart isn’t as can’t-put-it-down-incredible as Behind Her Eyes, but it’s still an entertaining thriller that will keep you guessing.