Books like What's Next — picked by fans

For me, Hyperion epitomizes the Gothic space opera.

It may not sound like it on the surface, with the book often being described as a sci-fi spin on the Canterbury Tales, but the devil’s in the details, and Hyperion has many details indeed, with each character’s story bringing us deeper into both their personal darkness and the darkness of the larger world: the labyrinthine Time Tombs; the Cruciform parasite that turns immortality into a curse; and of course, the eldritch godlike entity known as The Shrike.

As an easily-bored reader, I was floored by how easily Hyperion held my attention, as each of the characters’ stories not only made me care about them more, but also contributed to the adventure they shared...especially when it all came to a head in the sequel, Fall of Hyperion.

Spanning multiple worlds, time periods, and philosophical ideas, Hyperion has everything I want… show more.

Harari is better known by this book’s predecessor, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. However, I enjoyed this book much more. Why? I study human evolution, so even though I enjoyed how the author summarized human history in Sapiens, starting from prehistoric African times, I realized that some ideas are based on wrong or dated information.

However, this book builds on the last portion of Sapiens, the future of humankind. I love speculative hard science fiction, especially those that combine human evolution with dystopian futures. So, of course, I enjoyed this “non-fiction” book.

Reading this book is like watching an adventure movie on a Sunday afternoon on the couch. But it’s not a movie; it actually happened. The late author, a recognized geologist, recounts his personal biography during the 1970s, exploring the Afar region of Ethiopia and searching for the earliest human ancestors.

The “plot” involves the US government, spy accusations, funny stories about personalities in the field, and one of the “game changers” in paleoanthropology: The discovery of “Lucy,” the skeleton of a tiny female of Australopithecus afarensis that lived more than 3 million years ago. Knowing some of the personalities mentioned in the book, the pages flew in front of my face, and I effortlessly read it in no time.

I loved this book because it contains real-life, usable bits of wisdom from a curated list of 100+ writers (Neil Gaiman), athletes (Tony Hawk), entrepreneurs (Gary Vaynerchuck), and artists of all kinds (Mike D).

All these top performers provide their thoughtful answers to the author's seemingly superficial questions. Paraphrasing from the original list: “Which little purchase made a positive change in your life?” “Which book have you gifted the most?” “What little habit do you love?”. Does this format sound familiar?

This is by far the most comprehensive practical guide to being a working artist. I have taught a professional practice course for undergraduate art majors for decades. When I first started teaching this course, I cobbled together chapters from books and articles from everywhere to give the students the information I thought they needed. In 2009, the first edition of this book came out, and it immediately became the textbook for my class.

It really walks you through what happens in the art world and how to navigate finding a gallery or writing for a grant. It also has quotes from people in the field that are helpful. I recommend this book whenever someone wants to know how to get their career started, needs guidance on a contract, or just wants to take their career seriously and to the next level. 

I absolutely love this book because it is not just another career book; it is a paradigm shift.

Newport's approach challenged my perspective on passion and career fulfillment. His emphasis on skill development resonated deeply with me, especially as someone who believes in continuous growth.

I like the evidence-based blueprint he provides, and I found the book's insights to be practical and actionable, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking career success on their own terms.

When I first saw this book, I couldn’t believe that it hadn’t been written already, decades before it actually came out. Minda Harts understands from her own experience that even the best advice for women often misses what women of color need the most to succeed.

I loved the straight talk and the practical advice; there are truths in this book that we all need to hear and guidance that we can all benefit from. 

Definitely dated, UK-centric, and undeniably highly opinionated, this is nonetheless essential. It is a fascinating read, a historical document of the height of the 90s dance scene, and it's both honest and humorous to boot. If you want a pile of hints and tips about how to DJ well while at the same time finding yourself falling in love with how special dance music can be and what it can mean to those who dedicate their lives to it, add this one to your list.

Not one to leave lying around, though, as it is pretty honest about the underbelly of the dance scene in places—as is another book we're getting to later in this list.

I love this book for two main reasons. One, it is written clearly with the new horizon for careers in mind, where the workplace has changed and will continue to change. Two, so many of the topics in it resonate with me, like career ownership, strategies, mindset, and more.

It's written in a very energizing and practical manner and is full of great exercises to help professionals discover their path and thrive. Their genuine passion for helping readers jumps out on every page and aligns with my own mission of empowering individuals to thrive in their careers.

I would love to sit down with authors and exchange valuable strategies for unlocking potential and achieving dreams. This book isn't just about career growth; it's about reclaiming control over your professional destiny. If you're ready to unleash your career's full potential, this is the book for you.

I went into reading this book thinking, “not me!” Ha! This book opened my eyes to ingrained behaviors that, at some point in my life, worked to my advantage. While there were definitely habits that I haven’t fallen prey to, a few hit very close to home.

I venture to guess that every woman reading this book will relate to a few of the twelve habits that hold women back. Even if there is only one habit in the entire book that resonates, making a shift away from that behavior will elevate your impact as a leader. Admittedly, I still catch myself–it takes practice.