McKinsey’s annual summer reading guide asked a range of leaders around the world — CEOs, founders, Nobel Prize winners, editors-in-chief, economists, and government leaders to share what they are reading — and hope to read. This year, McKinsey also reached out to authors of some of their favorite books who were featured in McKinsey’s own Author Talks series, to also tell us what they were reading.
The bookshelves of the contributors did not disappoint—in a sign of the times, they selected books in genres including politics and government, history, science and technology, business and economics, workplace culture, and more. And the most talked about books of the year center on paving the path to a better future.
CEOs and other leaders seemed to be gravitating toward genres that offered not just possible answers, but also historical context and lessons—with plenty of poetry, psychology, and fiction thrown in to provide much-needed respite.
You can download the list as a PDF file, or access the list on McKinsey website, jump to section by genre, by recommendation, or just follow the full list by author.
