Here are 100 books that The Canary Code fans have personally recommended if you like
The Canary Code.
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As an author, executive coach, and neurodiversity advocate, I’ve spent years helping individuals unlock their unique potential—especially those who think differently from the norm. My passion stems from personal experience navigating life as a neurodivergent individual while building systems that empower others. Through my work in leadership development and personal growth (Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief), I’ve seen firsthand how embracing diverse perspectives leads to innovation and success. This list reflects books that have inspired me on my journey.
Range resonated deeply with me because it celebrates the power of diverse experiences—something I’ve always valued in my own life and work.
Epstein’s argument that generalists thrive in complex, unpredictable environments felt like a validation of my own neurodiverse strengths. I loved how he used real-world examples to show that breadth often beats depth when solving problems or innovating. This book encouraged me to lean into my varied interests instead of feeling pressured to specialize narrowly.
'Fascinating . . . If you're a generalist who has ever felt overshadowed by your specialist colleagues, this book is for you' - Bill Gates
The instant Sunday Times Top Ten and New York Times bestseller Shortlisted for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award A Financial Times Essential Reads
A powerful argument for how to succeed in any field: develop broad interests and skills while everyone around you is rushing to specialize.
From the '10,000 hours rule' to the power of Tiger parenting, we have been taught that success in any field requires early specialization and many…
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
As an author, executive coach, and neurodiversity advocate, I’ve spent years helping individuals unlock their unique potential—especially those who think differently from the norm. My passion stems from personal experience navigating life as a neurodivergent individual while building systems that empower others. Through my work in leadership development and personal growth (Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief), I’ve seen firsthand how embracing diverse perspectives leads to innovation and success. This list reflects books that have inspired me on my journey.
I absolutely loved this book because it celebrates the power of unconventional ideas—the kind that often comes from neurodivergent thinkers. Bahcall’s concept of “phase transitions” between innovation and execution was fascinating and gave me new ways to think about fostering creativity in teams.
This book reminded me that some of the most groundbreaking ideas come from people who dare to think differently—and that nurturing those ideas requires patience, courage, and collaboration.
What do James Bond and Lipitor have in common? Why do traffic jams appear out of nowhere on highways? What can we learn about innovation from a glass of water? In Loonshots, physicist and entrepreneur Safi Bahcall reveals a surprising new way of thinking about the mysteries of group behaviour and the challenges of nurturing radical breakthroughs.
Drawing on the science of phase transitions, Bahcall shows why teams, companies, or any group with a mission will suddenly change from embracing wild new ideas to rigidly rejecting them, just as flowing water will suddenly change into brittle ice. Oceans of print…
As an author, executive coach, and neurodiversity advocate, I’ve spent years helping individuals unlock their unique potential—especially those who think differently from the norm. My passion stems from personal experience navigating life as a neurodivergent individual while building systems that empower others. Through my work in leadership development and personal growth (Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief), I’ve seen firsthand how embracing diverse perspectives leads to innovation and success. This list reflects books that have inspired me on my journey.
I loved this book because it completely changed how I think about decision-making. Kahneman’s exploration of how variability in judgment impacts everything—from hiring decisions to medical diagnoses—was eye-opening.
The concept of “noise” helped me better understand how unconscious biases and inconsistencies can impact even the most logical minds. As someone who works with neurodivergent individuals, this book gave me tools to identify and minimize noise in my own thinking processes. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to fine-tune their decision-making skills and embrace clearer thinking.
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
'A monumental, gripping book ... Outstanding' SUNDAY TIMES
'Noise may be the most important book I've read in more than a decade. A genuinely new idea so exceedingly important you will immediately put it into practice. A masterpiece'
Angela Duckworth, author of Grit
'An absolutely brilliant investigation of a massive societal problem that has been hiding in plain sight'
Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics
From the world-leaders in strategic thinking and the multi-million copy bestselling authors of Thinking Fast and Slow and Nudge, the next big book to change the way you think.
Sine, a professor of creative writing, accompanies Sam, a neuroscientist, on a conference trip to a Hotel Castle. Sam wants to present a new device, the "monitor." Sine hopes to recover from tending to her mother who just passed away.
When they arrive, Sine is in a dream-like state. Real…
As an author, executive coach, and neurodiversity advocate, I’ve spent years helping individuals unlock their unique potential—especially those who think differently from the norm. My passion stems from personal experience navigating life as a neurodivergent individual while building systems that empower others. Through my work in leadership development and personal growth (Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief), I’ve seen firsthand how embracing diverse perspectives leads to innovation and success. This list reflects books that have inspired me on my journey.
I loved this book because it gave me a toolkit for smarter decision-making. Weinberg’s collection of mental models helped me see patterns I hadn’t noticed before and approach problems more strategically. As someone who thrives on structure but also values creativity, I found these models incredibly useful for balancing logic with intuition.
This book has become one of my go-to resources whenever I’m faced with complex challenges—it’s like having a cheat sheet for life!
'An invaluable resource for making sense of the world, making good decisions, and placing smart bets. A fast-paced and fun read jam-packed with useful information on every page.' Annie Duke, author of Thinking in Bets ________________
Turn yourself into a superthinker and make the right decisions every time.
You want to make better decisions. You want to be right more of the time professionally and personally. However, being more right consistently is a hard problem because the world is such a complex, evolving place. How do you navigate this complexity?
Mental models are decision-making tools that guide our perception of…
“Everyone’s got something,” my mom used to say about my cerebral palsy. I knew kids who wore glasses or had mouthfuls of metal, but those somethings seemed normal compared to my leg brace, my limp, and my inability to run. When Judy Blume’s Deenie came out on my eleventh birthday, it was the very gift I needed: the story of a girl, a diagnosis, a brace. Reading it, I felt seen and understood, which led me to believe I might have a story to tell. Now, I’m thrilled to share these books by disabled authors about disabled kids leading authentic, relatable lives. I had Deenie. Today’s lucky young readers have these.
So many of us, especially as teenagers, have felt the need to hide what’s different about us from classmates and friends. This spare, lovely verse novel captures those feelings perfectly. Natalie, who lives with chronic pain and frequent bone dislocations due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, is so invested in this facade that she hides her wheelchair and forces herself to walk in school despite the pain and damage to her joints.
But secretiveness is, of course, born of shame. And disability, Natalie eventually learns with the help of a fiery, self-possessed disabled friend, isn’t what’s shameful. Inaccessibility is. Ableism is. Eventually, the two girls join forces to confront both in their school community, making this book a call to action and self-acceptance. I also find it to be an unputdownable page-turner.
Sometimes in high school, all you want is to be invisible. Being invisible might be the biggest problem of all for Natalie. She has a disability that causes chaos to her body on the inside but leaves her unmarked on the outside. She's learned to hide her pain so well that you would never guess she's not the same Natalie as she was before she got sick. But after having surgery, Natalie must return to school in a wheelchair. Now, Natalie has to decide if the painful consequences of pretending to be healthy are worth keeping the last of her…
I have always loved asking the big questions. What is justice? What is freedom? How should we live? I’ve been lucky to turn these questions into a career teaching philosophy, and I’m always inspired by authors who ask “Why?” in ways that shift our paradigms and broaden our minds. I’m also passionate about women who ask these questions—for too long, women were excluded from philosophy and not taken seriously when they wanted to know why. I loved writing a biography of Lydia Maria Child. So my list includes books by and about women like her: smart, witty, powerful women who ask why. Here’s to asking more questions and finding better answers!
This book is a mind-blowing, paradigm-shifting biographical reflection that asks why we see beauty and disability the way we do.
Jones is herself a philosopher and is disabled. Through anecdotes of ways she has been treated (also by philosophers), stories of her own birth and her unexpected pregnancy, and accounts of her travels (including going to see a Beyoncé concert!), she upended my ideas about beauty and about being able-bodied.
She helps us ask why we think of ability the way we do and why expanding our openness to beauty could help build a more beautiful world. I finished it feeling both humbled and exhilarated.
A New York Times Notable Book of 2022 * A Washington Post, Time,Publishers Weekly and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year * “Gorgeous, vividly alive.” —The New York Times * “Soul-stretching, breathtaking…A game-changing gift to readers.” —Booklist (starred review)
From Chloé Cooper Jones—Pulitzer Prize finalist, philosophy professor, Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant recipient—an “exquisite” (Oprah Daily) and groundbreaking memoir about disability, motherhood, and the search for a new way of seeing and being seen.
“I am in a bar in Brooklyn, listening to two men, my friends, discuss whether my life is worth living.”
In an age of splendor, a heretic king strips Egypt bare—forcing his queen to quell rebellion and plunging his children into a conspiracy against the crown.
Salvation in the Sun follows Nefertiti as she ascends the throne beside Pharaoh Amenhotep—soon to become Akhenaten—just as he declares war on Egypt’s ancient…
I’m passionate about the theme of this list because I’ve experienced a lot in life already, even though I’m only 24 years old, and I know about the different situations that these books describe well. I’ve experienced a few traumatic situations later in my life (after I read these books) that these books have, it has turned me into somewhat of a realist over time, and I like to use my own talent of writing and creating characters to create, teach, and make people aware of scary and traumatic situations that can happen to anyone in real life. I hope more people will see the valuable lessons in these books.
I love this book because it depicts a world that is very similar to ours and how disabled people are treated in the real world. While I didn’t notice how I could heavily relate to the main character, Kira, in a few ways when I was reading it, I definitely notice it now, and I find it kind of sad.
The fascinating sequel to THE GIVER which inspired the dystopian genre and is soon to be a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges, Katie Holmes and Taylor Swift.
GATHERING BLUE is a return to the mysterious but plausible future world of THE GIVER. It tells the story of Kira, orphaned, physically flawed, and left with an uncertain future until she is summoned by the Council of Guardians...
On her quest for truth that follows, Kira makes discoveries that will change her life and world forever.
Award-winning author Lois Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, how people…
After spending 25 years building software products and serving as a vice president of engineering at Adobe, I witnessed a sharp decline in the number of women working in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, I knew it was time to switch gears and focus on creating more inclusive workplaces where women and others who are marginalized can thrive. I naively set off to change workplaces around the world! My first step was starting the Twitter handle @BetterAllies to share simple, actionable steps to be more inclusive. That handle became the inspiration for my four books and my popular 5 Ally Actions newsletter, which I send to over 40,000 subscribers every Friday.
I first became a fan of Tiffany Yu because of her viral “Anti-Ableism Series,” a collection of videos about being more inclusive of disabled people. I knew I had to read her book as soon as it was published.
As someone who has lived with a permanent arm injury sustained at age nine, Yu explores the world of biases against people with disabilities. In her book, she shares both personal stories and those of others. I felt like I had a front-row seat to learn about the issues and the role we can and should play to be more inclusive. Along the way, she lays out practical actions we can take.
Yu’s book is my must-have companion for being more inclusive for people with disabilities at work and in everyday life.
'I defy anyone who reads this powerful and urgently needed manifesto not to be galvanised into action' Sophie Morgan, TV host and author of Driving Forwards
'A call to arms, not just for the disabled community, but for every single one of us' Dr Shani Dhanda, broadcaster and author
'An actionable antidote to fear and misconceptions' Service95
In The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, Tiffany Yu highlights the myriad ways in which our society discriminates against people with disabilities - and what we can do about it. Foregrounding disabled identities that have too often been rendered invisible, she demonstrates how ending discrimination begins…
Historians write about dead people and historical fiction authors breathe new life into those people. Reading and writing historical fiction is my passion. I crave well-researched, authentic stories that introduce me to a different time, place, culture, or perspective. I want to witness extraordinary times and events in history through the eyes of ordinary people. This is what I look for in the books I read and what I strive for in the books I write.
I was most impressed by this author’s ability to show me the innermost thoughts, fears, hopes, and dreams of two main characters who lacked basic communication skills. Lynnie is developmentally disabled. Homan is deaf. Yet, each had a distinct voice and was a fully developed individual.
Their allegoric journeys spanned four decades, and I rooted for them from the opening page until I closed the book at the end. The author carried me along, back and forth, over and under, in an effortless braid of the two stories, introducing many colorful secondary characters along the way. While I had to suspend disbelief a bit to go along for the ride, it was well worth the trip.
It is 1968. Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution, the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, and have been left to languish, forgotten. Deeply in love, they escape, and find refuge in the farmhouse of Martha, a retired schoolteacher and widow. But the couple is not alone-Lynnie has just given birth to a baby girl.
When the authorities catch up to them that same night, Homan escapes into the darkness, and Lynnie is caught. But before she is forced back into the institution, she…
Born the heir of a master woodcutter in a queendom defined by guilds and matrilineal inheritance, nonbinary Sorin can’t quite seem to find their place. At seventeen, an opportunity to attend an alchemical guild fair and secure an apprenticeship with the…
I am an avid fantasy reader and writer. I have been writing for many years and love to craft detailed worlds and complex characters that surprise and delight readers. Stories are about challenges, overcoming the barriers that are put in front of us, and growing in the process. Characters do not have to be good or bad; they can be both, a mixture, just like real people. I strive to create characters that make people stop and think, make them question their assumptions, or relate to them in ways that they had not expected. Fantasy is about bringing real emotions to readers through an imaginary setting, and I love it.
I loved this book because it is all about the main character, Yarvi, overcoming the obstacles that are thrown at him through no fault of his own. Yarvi is happy with his life; he does not seek problems or hunger for more; he is simply expected to do something, and everything begins to unravel from there.
I really liked Yarvi. He is likable and quick-witted, and his intelligence makes up for his disability, which means others often put him down. I loved his journey and his character growth with an ending that was just perfect.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY TIME AND THE WASHINGTON POST • LOCUS AWARD WINNER
“The Shattered Seas trilogy has worked its way into a very exclusive group of my favorite fantasy novels of all time.”—James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maze Runner
“A fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page 1 and refused to let go.”—George R. R. Martin
“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”
