The tumult of 2024 affected reading habits: Our annual survey of business leaders, elected officials and entrepreneurs found that many of them sought stability in their favorite new books. (See our lists of 2023, 2022, 2021 And 2020.)
Two CEOs recommended The Same as Always: A Guide to What Never Changesby Morgan Housel, which helps the reader understand the basics of human behavior – which remain the same even in turbulent times. Others focused on health. The need for longevity was quoted by Bill Ford, chairman and CEO of General Atlantic, and Francesca Cornelli, dean of the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, as saying, “As life expectancy increases, we all need to understand the consequences – and opportunities.”
Titles about conflict were also a constant, inclusive The New Cold War And The war belowthat provide blueprints for turning chaos into opportunity. In this vein, Maurie McInnis, president of Yale University, recommends The burning earthbecause it “can help us think through these challenges and lead us to a better future.”
(Comments have been edited for clarity and length.)