Every year, I pull together some “round-up” articles, a brief retrospective of the year. 2024 is no different. This year, there are three stand-out books for me. They not only have given practical suggestions but also provided a change in perspective that I think I will take with me for the rest of my life. So, I wanted to share them with you. To encourage you to read them, I’ve also included one of the lessons learned with each title; maybe this will pique your interest, and you will add them to your to-read list. So, without further ado, here are 2024 book club round-up!
The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain.
The book provides a historical context, tracing the shift from a “Culture of Character,” where inner virtue was valued, to a “Culture of Personality,” where being charismatic and outgoing became desirable. This shift has influenced how we view and reward introversion and extroversion. And we see this play out, repeatedly, in politics, business, friendships and relationships.
Money Talks by Ellie Austin Williams
If you start considering money as something functional in your life – like you do with sleep, exercise, your career, or nutrition – you can start creating boundaries. That could be around what you will or won’t spend things on, how much debt you are prepared to carry, and how you engage with financially driven activities. There are many examples in the book of how the value that others hold to money, plus their financial scope, can impact us. Having a clear idea of where you will or won’t, or can or can’t spend, and being clear on that, you can have stronger conversations.
The book is challenging in parts; learning about the way our bodies change for DECADES, the cultural impact of how motherhood (especially in a work-first, socially scattered society) is de-valued, and how truly little is understood compared to other parts of the female and reproductive health science. This is noticeable by the timing of so many of the studies that she cites, it’s not been taken seriously enough to invest in previous times. It needs to be read by all – parents and parents-to-be – to help them understand the monumental changes that will occur. (Whilst it talks about motherhood – parenthood in general is mentioned. It highlights that the changes that happen aren’t only linked to biologically giving birth.) But this also needs to be a must-read for ANYONE who personally or professionally connects with, looks after or claims to support mothers. Like everything, education is power.
There you have it. A snapshot of my favourite books, reviewed in 2024. If you would like to check out all the previous titles, you can find them here. If you would like to get my weekly blogs, straight into your inbox, sign up here.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
