My name is Lucy Barton, by Elizabeth Strout.

Uncluttered, nuanced and deeply moving, this novel explores the complicated love between mother and daughter following a childhood of deprivation and loneliness.

Middle England, by Jonathan Coe

Brilliantly entertaining portrayal of life, relationships, ambition, Brexit, politics and more seen through the eyes of a few connected individuals.

Quit: the power of knowing when to talk away, by Annie Duke

Brilliant insights that completely reframe the question of whether to carry on or stop, and how to quit successfully.

The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes.

This Booker prize-winning novel is about one man coming to terms with the past, and about how memory can throw up surprises.

Rebel ideas: the power of thinking differently, by Matthew Syed

Elegantly written, absorbing argument for why it's always better to bring different views into the conversation.

Girl A, by Abigail Dean.

This intense family crime drama had me instantly hooked. I loved the underlying theme of how we each craft our own fictions and stories in life. 

Create a gender-balanced workplace, by Ann Francke

Punchy and practical, this short guide contains all the advice you need to remove workplace barriers for women and help them progress in their careers.

Last Orders, by Graham Swift.

As a handful of  characters from south east London drive to Margate to scatter their friend’s ashes, we learn about their lives, loves, dreams and regrets.

Anthro-Vision by Gillian Tett.

Thought-provoking guide to applying anthropologist thinking to economics and business management, to help us spot invisible patterns and solutions we might otherwise miss.

East, West, by Salman Rushdie

A collection of short stories exploring and comparing 'East' with 'West', varying in style and genre, but all with rich prose and myriad allusions.

Workstyle: a revolution for wellbeing, productivity and society, by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst.

Hugely helpful advice on how to design your work life so that it works better for you, whatever your situation, home life or preferences.

Everything I never told you, by Celeste Ng.

A quietly powerful and profound crime novel that blends family, relationships, secrets, racism, sexism and human longing.

Time warped, by Claudia Hammond.

An enlightening and entertaining explanation of how we experience time, and how we can use 'time warping' to our advantage.

A history of Danish dreams, by Peter Høeg.

This densely written multi-generational family tale weaves history, ambiguity and magical realism together. Still deciding whether I loved it or not!

Disaster in the boardroom: six dysfunctions everyone should understand, by Randall Peterson & Gerry Brown.

Highly readable insights into why boards fail and how to change boardroom culture.

Tinker tailor soldier spy, by John Le Carré.

A richly written classic about the business of Cold War espionage, which drew me in with its intrigue and fascinating descriptions of a hidden world. 

Surrounded by idiots, by Thomas Erikson.

A chatty explanation of how the DISC (also known as DISA or 'colours') personality profiling method works, to help us communicate better with others. 

Machines like me, by Ian McEwan.

Fascinating exploration of what it means to be human, as an AI robot 'lives' with a couple in reimagined  contemporary Britain.

Four Seconds: All the time you need to stop counter-productive habits and get the results you want, by Peter Bregman

Misleadingly titled but an unexpected gem of a book, with honest and memorable advice about living a better life.

Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernadine Evaristo.

Bursting with energy, honesty and humour, this novel describes Britain past & present through the interconnecting lives of 12 women. Brilliant.

The Culture Code: the secrets of highly successful groups, by Daniel Coyle.

Fascinating guide to the conditions and habits teams need in order to perform at their best, with some great case study examples.

Birdcage Walk, by Helen Dunmore.

A beautifully penned historical novel that considers a mother's legacy and a daughter's independence of spirit and convention.

The lonely century: A call to reconnect, by Noreena Hertz.

A powerful, comprehensive assessment of why loneliness is escalating in our work and home lives and how we can address this.

The Accidental, by Ali Smith.

Dazzlingly creative writing, exploring the impact of an unexpected visitor from the perspectives of all 4 family members.

Overwhelmed: Work, life and play when no one has the time, by Brigid Schulte.

A journalistic investigation into the root causes of our constant busyness, 'contaminated time' and lack of downtime.

The Finkler Question, by Howard Jacobson.

A skillfully-penned exploration of what it means to be Jewish, through the lens of 3 older men navigating identity, relationships and bereavement.

The Reading Life: The Joy of Seeing New Worlds Through Others' Eyes, by C S Lewis.

Collected extracts about the characteristics and deep rewards of a regular, varied reading habit.

My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante.

A poignant and beautifully written story of the friendship between two young girls growing up in Naples, as Italy changes around them.

The Gendered Brain, by Gina Rippon.

How the field of neuroscience has developed and now dispels long-held stereotypes about male vs female brains.

Brick Lane, by Monica Ali.

An award-winning account of duty, race, love and radicalism in a Bangladeshi household in East London.

The Authority Gap, by Mary Ann Sieghart.

Rigorously researched critique of the systemic and historical reasons why women are perceived (by both sexes) to be less authoritative than men.

H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald.

Beautifully written reflections about training a wild goshawk, bereavement, relationships and healing.

The Secret Barrister: Stories of the law and how it's broken. Anonymous.

Fascinating and moving insider critique of how our justice system works - and fails us.

The Anomaly, by Herve le Tellier.

A mind-bending, thought-provoking and gripping thriller. Unlike anything else I've read and utterly brilliant.

The Listening Shift, by Janie van Hool.

A treasure trove of wise advice for listening effectively and helping others to listen to you.

The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead.

A tense and devastating depiction of a brutal American reform school in the 1960's through the eyes of two boys sent there.

Uncharted, by Margaret Heffernan.

An engaging argument for thinking differently about the future.

The Bookseller of Kabul, by Asne Seierstad.

A revealing and at times, shocking, first-hand account of Afghan family life, patriarchy and a love of books.

Freakonomics, by Steven D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner

An entertaining and enlightening investigation into how life really works, written by an economist and a journalist.

Mrs Death Misses Death, by Salena Godden.

Lyrical and masterful in its use of language, and a highly original take on how we approach life and death.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey.

A bestselling philosophy and guide for building successful relationships and achieving purposeful goals.

The Dinner, by Herman Koch

Suspenseful and dark unravelling of a shocking family event over the course of a dinner.

No Filter, by Sarah Frier.

Fascinating account of Instagram's creation, growth and acquisition by Facebook, and an eye-opening story of ambition and competition in Silicon Valley.

Unsettled Ground, by Claire Fuller.

A poignant portrayal of two 50 year old siblings living a hand-to-mouth, uncertain existence and uncovering family secrets.

The Power of Habit: why we do what we do and how to change. By Charles Duhigg.

Wide-ranging case studies show how we form habits as individuals, organisations and societies, and how to change even our most entrenched habits.

Half of a Yellow Sun. By Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie.

Rich and absorbing account of interwoven relationships during the devastating Nigerian civil war in the late 1960's. 

Range: how generalists triumph in a specialized world, by David Epstein.

How 'dancing across disciplines' and pursuing a broad range of interests helps us to think, learn, problem-solve and innovate better.

Winter: the power of rest and retreat in difficult times, by Katherine May.

Beautifully written with personal reflections and advice on how to accept, learn and grow stronger from difficult periods in our lives.

Grit: why passion and persistence are the secrets to success, by Angela Duckworth.

Highly readable, research-based account of how our accomplishments in life depend on our level of grit, not just talent.