Imagine: you’re spending your well-deserved summer vacation, sitting by the pool with an ice-cold drink. What’s missing? A good book to lose yourself in.
If you don’t know exactly what you want to read, don’t worry, Secondary investor We’ve already asked industry experts for recommendations so you don’t have to do it yourself.
From rock climbing to AI to living a healthier life, this mix of fiction and nonfiction has a little bit of everything. One is simply described as “a good book” – a recommendation that makes picking it up a no-brainer.
Recommendations for fiction and nonfiction (where available) are presented at the end with the name and contact details of the secondary expert.
The Push: A climber’s journey of endurance, risk and pushing boundaries
By Tommy Caldwell
“I haven’t read the book yet, but I chose it as my summer reading for three reasons. First, my eldest son is a passionate climber and I’ve found that children’s interests inevitably become my own, if they aren’t already. Second, I enjoy consuming almost anything related to sport, especially documentaries and biographies. Third, I find mountaineers and climbers inspiring for many reasons, but particularly for their obsessive devotion to a goal that is often very personal, causes considerable physical discomfort, and is never driven by financial gain.” – Nik Morandi, Managing Director, Blackstone Strategic Partners
The coming wave: technology, power and the greatest dilemma of the 21st century
By Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar
“I found the book to provide a compelling discussion of the unprecedented pace of development of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on humanity. Importantly, the authors call on societal stakeholders to actively participate in the safe and equitable adoption of this groundbreaking technology.” – Daryl Li, Chief Executive Officer, Ardian
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do, in Life and Business
By Charles Duhigg
“This is a fascinating book that delves into the process of how we develop habits and how to change them. Whether it’s being more productive or exercising regularly, it’s a great read to understand how routines influence habits that ultimately produce results.”
Kane and Abel
By Jeffery Archer
“This is a great novel that revolves around the story of William Kane and Abel Rosnovski. One is the son of a Boston millionaire, the other a poor Polish immigrant born on the same day but with nothing else in common. The story follows how their lives and careers intersect during two world wars, the stock market crash of 1929, and their experiences with wealth and bankruptcy. A phenomenal holiday read.” – Nick Lawler, Managing Director and Head of Secondary Markets, Churchill Asset Management
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
By Peter Attia
“As my parents age and I want to live a healthier life, a friend recommended I read this book. The author uses his curiosity as a physician to explore why conventional medicine has failed to make progress in combating diseases of aging (heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s) and explains in a scientific way how to strategically improve your physical, cognitive and emotional health.” – Thomas Choi, Managing Director, Altex Capital
Corto Maltese – La Reine de Babylone
By Hugo Pratt, Martin Quenehen and Bastien Vives
“As our industry matures, we need more leadership skills than negotiation skills.”
The daily dangers of life as a manager: How to survive dancing on quicksand
By Manfred FR Kets de Vries
“If we want to continue to grow and successfully transform our industry, we must remain true to art and creativity.” – François Aguerre, Co-Head of Investment and Global Head of Origination, Coller Capital
From strength to strength: finding success, happiness and meaning in the second half of life
By Arthur C. Brooks
“It’s a good book.” – Nigel Dawn, Global Head of Private Capital Advisory, Evercore
Clear thinking: turning ordinary moments into extraordinary results
By Shane Parrish
“In a world full of choices, Shane Parrish’s Clear Thinking proves to be a beacon of pragmatic wisdom, equipping readers with mental tools to analyze the complexity of everyday decisions. This book masterfully bridges the gap between the abstract and the actionable, offering a major ‘edge’ for those ready to harness the power of clear, disciplined thinking. A must-read for anyone looking to refine their cognitive processes and transform ordinary moments into opportunities for extraordinary outcomes.” – Antonia Rojas Eing, Founder and Managing Partner, Attom Capital
The mute patient
By Alex Michaelides
“I love psychological thrillers for holiday reading and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s about a woman (Alicia) who kills her husband and then remains completely silent during her arrest, trial and afterward. A psychotherapist becomes obsessed with Alicia’s case and is convinced he can get her to talk. The novel is fast-paced, gripping and has a fantastic twist.”
Why we sleep: Unleashing the power of sleep and dreams
By Matthew Walker
“For those of us who don’t get 7-8 hours of sleep on a regular basis, this is an insightful book about the role sleep plays in our health, stress levels, life expectancy and productivity. Perhaps a vacation is the perfect time to read this and establish new sleep habits!” – Leanne Moezi, Partner, Hogan Lovells
Berlin Noir Trilogy
By Philip Kerr
“These are three books (March Violets, The Pale Criminal and A German Requiem) set mainly in Berlin and taking place mainly before and after World War II. It’s nice how the timeline bypasses some of the more well-known events of World War II and offers a glimpse into how the German man on the street experienced the onset of National Socialism (the Nazis) and its aftermath. For fans of crime stories, his detective Bernie Gunther is right up there with Marlow and the others.”
The rest is noise: Listening to the 20th century
By Alex Ross
“Ross is a music critic for The New Yorker, and the book is a comprehensive review of classical music since 1900. In particular, he looks at how changes in the form and taste of classical music were linked to the broader historical context in which the musicians and composers worked. For anyone even remotely interested in classical music (any kind of music), he writes clearly and helps to understand why we still listen to this music today.” – Brenlen Jinkens, Senior Advisor, PJT Park Hill
Born as a crime
By Trevor Noah
“The autobiography of one of my favorite comedians and social commentators and former host of The Daily Show. It’s a hilarious, warm-hearted and often poignant look into his life as a mixed-race child in apartheid South Africa. It’s best ‘read’ as an audiobook with Trevor as narrator – it will move you to tears!”
Nuclear war
Annie Jacobson
“An absolutely fascinating and harrowing book by investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen, detailing minute by minute the scenarios leading to nuclear war. A must-read in the current political climate, it puts life into perspective when she reveals that it will take just 72 minutes to destroy civilization.” – Nadira Huda, Managing Director, Private Capital Advisory, Lazard
Presidents of War
By Michael Beschloss
“The author profiles each U.S. president who faced a threat of military conflict and how they responded. Although we are witnessing a wide divide between right and left in the U.S., this is not a new phenomenon, as the country has a long history of disagreement, particularly at times when the U.S. has faced a decision about the use of military resources. Beschloss offers insights into both the individual opinions of leaders and those of the public about whether to engage, drawing on personal diaries of political leaders as well as regional and national press coverage. In almost all situations, each president’s decision to enter war was quite controversial and sometimes driven by factors beyond the mere interest of national defense.”
Endurance
By Alfred Lansing
“This is the story of Ernest Shackleton’s journey to the South Pole and his fight for survival after his ship, the Endurance, became stuck and then destroyed by the ice floes. The book offers great lessons in leadership, as it is difficult to comprehend the courage and endurance that was needed to survive in such an unforgiving atmosphere.” – Joncarlo Mark, Partner, Upwelling Capital Group
And here are some suggestions from selected members of Secondary investorEditorial staff:
The pyramid of lies: Lex Greensill and the billion-dollar scandal
by Duncan Mavin
“Like many others, I was captivated by the coverage of the fall of Greensill Capital, which was backed by SoftBank’s Vision Fund and endorsed by former British Prime Minister David Cameron in 2021. The book’s author, Duncan Mavin, has gained incredible detail and insight into the company’s inner workings and its subsequent collapse. Moreover, it is incredibly compellingly written.” – Madeleine Farman, senior reporter
Dark matter
By Blake Crouch
“This sci-fi thriller puts a fresh spin on the tired multiverse concept and makes you think about choices you’ve made in life and how things could have been. A brilliant physicist who gave up his research to focus on his family is kidnapped one night and finds himself in a world that isn’t his own. A world where his family has disappeared but he has achieved incredible scientific and professional success. The incredible story of him wandering the multiverse trying to find his family kept me hooked. It was recently adapted by Apple TV, which is also excellent.” – Silas Sloan, reporter
Tightrope walk: Americans reach for hope
By Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
“The book offers a poignant examination of the struggles facing the American working class. By weaving together personal stories of growing up in rural Yamhill, Oregon, the authors reveal systemic issues that lead to poverty and inequality in some parts of the United States. This examination is especially relevant given the growing political divide ahead of the election.” – Hannah Zhang, America correspondent
How to feed a dictator: Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Enver Hoxha, Fidel Castro and Pol Pot through the eyes of their cooks
By Witold Szablowski
“An absolutely fascinating read, based on interviews with the private chefs of some of the 20th century’s worst despots, seen through the eyes of the people who cooked for them. ‘It reveals the strangeness of a job where a single culinary mistake can be fatal, but a well-seasoned dish can change your life’ – and possibly the lives of thousands.” – Adam Le, Senior Editor, Private Equity, EMEA
