Here are 91 books that The Inclusive Language Field Guide fans have personally recommended if you like The Inclusive Language Field Guide. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change

Karen Catlin Author Of Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces

From my list on be a better ally at work starting today.

Why am I passionate about this?

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.

Karen's book list on be a better ally at work starting today

Karen Catlin Why Karen loves this book

Michelle MiJung Kim, a skilled storyteller, has a simple goal: to awaken us, inspire action, and drive change toward more inclusive communities and workplaces. Despite spending most of my professional workday contemplating, writing, and speaking about how we can be better allies, I was deeply moved by her book. Her unique stories and specific guidance to address inequities create a powerful emotional connection, making her message all the more impactful. 

Kim’s book is so compelling that I find myself returning to it time and again for inspiration. Her unwavering commitment to doing what’s right for humanity is truly infectious, leaving me and countless others eager to delve back into her work for ongoing motivation.

By Michelle MiJung Kim ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Wake Up as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As we become more aware of various social injustices in the world, many of us want to be part of the movement toward positive change. But sometimes our best intentions cause unintended harm, and we fumble. We might feel afraid to say the wrong thing and feel guilt for not doing or knowing enough. Sometimes we might engage in performative allyship rather than thoughtful solidarity, leaving those already marginalized further burdened and exhausted. The feelings of fear, insecurity, inadequacy are all too common among a wide spectrum of changemakers, and they put many at a crossroads between feeling stuck and…


If you love The Inclusive Language Field Guide...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

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…

Book cover of The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate

Karen Catlin Author Of Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces

From my list on be a better ally at work starting today.

Why am I passionate about this?

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.

Karen's book list on be a better ally at work starting today

Karen Catlin Why Karen loves this book

I thought I knew a lot about being an ally for members of the LGBTQ+ community until I read Jeannie Gainsburg's book. As an educator in this field, she has developed deep expertise in discussing the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people.

Her book is chock-full of advice to help the rest of us navigate what to do in our homes, communities, and workplaces to be more inclusive. Plus, she sprinkles the perfect amount of humor throughout her writing, which adds to the overall enjoyment and impact of the book.

This guide has become my faithful companion on my journey to be a better ally.

By Jeannie Gainsburg ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Savvy Ally as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate is an enjoyable, humorous, encouraging, easy to understand guidebook for being an ally to the LGBTQ+ communities. It is chock full of practical and useful tools for LGBTQ+ advocacy, including:
*Updated and relevant information on identities and LGBTQ+ language
*What to say and what not to say when someone comes out to you
*LGBTQ+ etiquette and common bloopers to avoid
*Techniques for respectfully and effectively navigating difficult conversations
*Addressing common questions and concerns
*Suggested actions for creating more inclusive spaces
*Sustaining our ally actions and taking care of ourselves


Book cover of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World

Karen Catlin Author Of Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces

From my list on be a better ally at work starting today.

Why am I passionate about this?

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.

Karen's book list on be a better ally at work starting today

Karen Catlin Why Karen loves this book

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.

By Tiffany Yu ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Anti-Ableist Manifesto as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'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…


If you love Suzanne Wertheim...

Book cover of The Last Whaler

The Last Whaler by Cynthia Reeves,

This book is an elegiac meditation on the will to survive. Tor, a beluga whaler, and his wife, Astrid, a botanist specializing in Arctic flora, are stranded during the dark season of 1937-38 at his remote whaling station in the Svalbard archipelago when they misjudge ice conditions and fail to…

Book cover of Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace

Karen Catlin Author Of Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces

From my list on be a better ally at work starting today.

Why am I passionate about this?

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.

Karen's book list on be a better ally at work starting today

Karen Catlin Why Karen loves this book

In this comprehensive round-up of best practices for how men can be allies for women in the workplace, Smith and Johnson share anecdotal stories, research, and realistic, practical actions. While their book focuses on encouraging men to get involved with creating more gender equality at work, I have found it to be an indispensable guide as a woman learning to be a better ally for others who are underestimated, overlooked, and marginalized. 

The authors don’t hold back. They pack a punch with each topic, educating and expecting us all to do better. And with their concrete recommendations, we have no excuses not to.

I love their advice, and I bet you will, too.

By David G. Smith , W. Brad Johnson ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Good Guys as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The key to advancing gender equality? Men.

Women are at a disadvantage. At home, they often face an unequal division of household chores and childcare, and in the workplace, they deal with lower pay, lack of credit for their contributions, roadblocks to promotion, sexual harassment, and more. And while organizations are looking to address these issues, too many gender-inclusion initiatives focus on how women themselves should respond, reinforcing the perception that these are "women's issues" and that men&#8212often the most influential stakeholders in an organization&#8212don't need to be involved.

Gender-in-the-workplace experts David G. Smith and W. Brad Johnson counter this…


Book cover of The Power of Emotions at Work: Accessing the Vital Intelligence in Your Workplace

Debbie Sorensen Author Of ACT for Burnout: Recharge, Reconnect, and Transform Burnout with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

From my list on books for lasting recovery from burnout.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. from Harvard. My personal experience of burnout, when I was a psychologist on a medical team in a hospital setting, led me to specialize in burnout in my private therapy practice. I’ve been doing therapy with adults experiencing chronic stress and burnout for many years since. I’ve also interviewed thought leaders in mental health on my podcast, Psychologists Off the Clock. I understand the complexity of burnout and the reason “quick fixes,” like individual wellness interventions, are often not enough to help with burnout. To really solve the problem, we must “dig deeper” and find both personal and cultural solutions.

Debbie's book list on books for lasting recovery from burnout

Debbie Sorensen Why Debbie loves this book

I’ve worked in a variety of settings over the years and have seen firsthand the difference that workplace culture makes for wellbeing. Karla McLaren is a workplace culture expert, and this book is about how inhumane workplaces can be when workers aren’t allowed to express the full range of their emotional experience.

McLaren offers concrete strategies for ways workplaces can improve the quality of life for workers, an absolutely essential element of burnout prevention. Thanks to this book, I have a better understanding of what makes a healthy and humane work environment. 

By Karla McLaren ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Power of Emotions at Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An in-depth guide for all workers-employees, managers, and CEOs-on how to engage our emotions in the workplace to create a productive, creative, and truly workable environment.

We've all been taught that we must suppress or avoid emotions at work, but this inevitably leads to a loss in productivity, diminished creativity, and crushing job dissatisfaction. Research shows 85 percent of us avoid communicating crucial workplace problems upward, and many of us who are employed are actively looking for a different job. What's going on?

"The foundational problem is that we threw emotions out of the workplace, when in fact,…


Book cover of Aurality: Listening and Knowledge in Nineteenth-Century Colombia

Alejandra Bronfman Author Of Isles of Noise: Sonic Media in the Caribbean

From my list on sound and why you should care about it.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been doing research in the Caribbean for twenty-five years. The region is diverse and magnificent. Caribbean people have sought creative solutions for racial inequality, climate and sustainability, media literacy and information, women’s and family issues. The transnational connections with the US are complex and wide-ranging, and knowing more about this region is an urgent matter. I work to understand how sound and media work because they structure our reality in important ways. Listening as a way of approaching relationships in work and play is key to our survival. So is understanding how media works, where we get our information from, and how to tell what’s relevant, significant, and true, and what is not. 

Alejandra's book list on sound and why you should care about it

Alejandra Bronfman Why Alejandra loves this book

This book understands ideas about citizenship as entangled with language, sound, and voice. It traces the ways that exclusion and a politics of second-class citizenship arose in Colombia, as a result of specific ideas about how people should speak and sound. It is at once an intellectual history and historical anthropology of the ways the aural has been foundational to ideas of citizenship and belonging. 

By Ana María Ochoa Gautier ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Aurality as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this audacious book, Ana Maria Ochoa Gautier explores how listening has been central to the production of notions of language, music, voice, and sound that determine the politics of life. Drawing primarily from nineteenth-century Colombian sources, Ochoa Gautier locates sounds produced by different living entities at the juncture of the human and nonhuman. Her "acoustically tuned" analysis of a wide array of texts reveals multiple debates on the nature of the aural. These discussions were central to a politics of the voice harnessed in the service of the production of different notions of personhood and belonging. In Ochoa Gautier's…


If you love The Inclusive Language Field Guide...

Book cover of White Picket Fences

White Picket Fences by Kyle Ann Robertson,

Tina Edwards loved her childhood and creating fairy houses, a passion shared with her father, a world-renowned architect. But at nine years old, she found him dead at his desk and is haunted by this memory. Tina's mother abruptly moved away, leaving Tina with feelings of abandonment and suspicion.

Raised…

Book cover of Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance

Anne Janzer Author Of 33 Ways Not to Screw Up Your Business Emails

From my list on for boosting business writing skills.

Why am I passionate about this?

After spending years as a freelance writer and content marketer, I turned my attention to exploring the inner workings of why writing works and how it fails. I’m an unabashed nonfiction geek on a mission to help people make a positive impact with their words—whether they’re writing emails, blog posts, or nonfiction books. 

Anne's book list on for boosting business writing skills

Anne Janzer Why Anne loves this book

Have you ever found that you unintentionally offended someone with an innocuous message? Or perhaps no one responds to your emails, even when you think they should.

We lose so much meaning and context when we interact online rather than in person. In a world of virtual and hybrid work, it’s not enough to write well. We must also master the non-verbal signals that accompany our words. This book is an essential guide to mastering the subtle ins and outs of writing emails, messages, texts, social media posts, and more.

By Erica Dhawan ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Digital Body Language as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Digital Body Language
How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance

The book we all read right now: the definitive guide to communicating and connecting wherever you are.

Email replies that show up a week later. Video chats full of 'oops sorry no you go' and 'can you hear me?!' Ambiguous text-messages. Weird punctuation you can't make heads or tails of. Is it any wonder communication takes us so much time and effort to figure out? How did we lose our innate capacity to understand each other?

Humans rely on body language to connect and…


Book cover of Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business

Terry R. Bacon Author Of Elements of Influence: The Art of Getting Others to Follow Your Lead

From my list on influencing people ethically.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a graduate of West Point and a student of military and political leadership. From that foundation, I devoted much of my professional life to researching power and influence and understanding how leaders create impact in business and life. As an educator, counselor, and founder of an international firm on executive development, I created courses on influence to help others become more effective at management and leadership through the ethical uses of influence. I want passionately to know the difference between towering leaders like Abraham Lincoln and manipulative scoundrels like Bernie Madoff, and I’m fascinated by what influences people to take one path rather than another.

Terry's book list on influencing people ethically

Terry R. Bacon Why Terry loves this book

Whether you are selling yourself or a product, communicating your message effectively is a key to success, and it doesn’t matter if you are trying to influence people through logical persuasion or appealing to their values. Storytelling is as old as humanity and has been a moving and lasting way to communicate. Kindra Hall’s bestselling book on storytelling is a fascinating textbook on the art and science of creating and delivering stories that resonate with audiences and influence people’s decisions. This is one of the best books I’ve read on how to craft compelling messages.

By Kindra Hall ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Stories That Stick as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A clear framework of ideals and a concise set of actions for you to take complete control of your own story, utilizing the principles behind the world's most effective business storytelling strategies..

You keep hearing how story is the latest-and-greatest business tool, and that storytelling can do everything-from helping leaders better communicate to motivating sales teams and winning customers away from competitors.

But what stories do you need to tell? And how do you tell them?

In Stories That Stick, Kindra Hall, professional storyteller and nationally-known speaker, reveals the four unique stories you can use to differentiate, captivate, and elevate:


Book cover of Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal

Paul A. Swegle Author Of Startup Law and Fundraising for Entrepreneurs and Startup Advisors

From my list on startup success from someone with startup wins.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have worked with startups since 2000, when I joined ShareBuilder, ultimately sold to Capital One in a $9.5 billion deal – one of my five successful startup exits to date. I am currently an officer of seven startups. Startups drive global job creation and problem-solving innovation. But 90% fail, often for preventable reasons. I am helping entrepreneurs beat those odds. I wrote Startup Law and Fundraising to help entrepreneurs build on a solid foundation, avoid common legal and regulatory mistakes, and fund their vision. My books are used globally in law and MBA schools, and I speak constantly on entrepreneurship-related topics, including recently to groups in Istanbul, Ramallah, and Tehran. 

Paul's book list on startup success from someone with startup wins

Paul A. Swegle Why Paul loves this book

Pitch Anything is an established work in the pitching and negotiation book categories. It is not perfect, but it is one of the best books for introducing entrepreneurs to the importance of pitching, selling, and negotiating persuasively. Entrepreneurs must pitch to attract co-founders and early team members, to obtain early stage funding, to close customers and other commercial partners, to close later stage funding rounds, and, ultimately, to go public or exit in a sale. While Pitch Anything is a good book, the brashness of some of its advice, particularly around what Klaff calls “frames,” do not fit all persons or situations. Some contexts require full-on Machiavellian tactics; others warrant more of a “Winning Friends and Influencing People” approach. Nonetheless, it is useful to understand which situation you are in and the available plays to run.

Armed with those caveats, I suggest readers of Pitch Anything read Chapter…

By Oren Klaff ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Pitch Anything as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Gold Medal Winner--Tops Sales World's Best Sales and Marketing Book

"Fast, fun and immensely practical."
-JOE SULLIVAN, Founder, Flextronics

"Move over Neil Strauss and game theory. Pitch Anything reveals the next big thing in social dynamics: game for business."
-JOSH WHITFORD, Founder, Echelon Media

"What do supermodels and venture capitalists have in common?They hear hundreds of pitches a year. Pitch Anything makes sure you get the nod (or wink) you deserve."
-RALPH CRAM, Investor

"Pitch Anything offers a new method that will differentiate you from the rest of the pack."
-JASON JONES, Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle

"If you…


If you love Suzanne Wertheim...

Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact

Alan Stein Jr. Author Of Raise Your Game: High-Performance Secrets from the Best of the Best

From my list on maximizing potential and improving performance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a professional keynote speaker and author that has studied the pillars of high performance for most of my life. This journey started through basketball, as I was able to work with, work alongside, and observe many of the game’s top players and coaches and witness firsthand the disciplines, rituals, and routines they modeled in pursuit of optimal performance on and off the court. That transitioned into the business world where I not only watched these foundational principles be applied by executives and entrepreneurs… but I applied them to my own life and business as well. 

Alan's book list on maximizing potential and improving performance

Alan Stein Jr. Why Alan loves this book

The brilliance of Exactly What to Say is in its brevity and simplicity. It was built on the premise that when you ‘change your words you change your world’ and how what we say heavily impacts our ability to influence others. It is full of practical, actionable concepts on word choice and phrasing that can be implemented immediately by anyone looking to the effectiveness of their communication. While this book is a quick read–it is incredibly profound and powerful. 

By Phil M Jones ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Exactly What to Say as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Often the decision between a customer choosing you over someone like you is your ability to know exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to make it count. Phil M. Jones has trained more than two million people across five continents and over fifty countries in the lost art of spoken communication. In Exactly What to Say, he delivers the tactics you need to get more of what you want.


Book cover of The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change
Book cover of The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate
Book cover of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World

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