You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but I believe that you can ascertain a lot about a person based on the books that individual reads, owns, and/or appreciates. We glean additional information based on how someone “reads” books: digital book on a Kindle; digital book through a browser; audiobook, or old-fashioned bound paper. Let me be clear: I do not advocate that we “judge” other humans based on their reading habits. I simply believe that reading choices, specifically books, can reveal a lot about a person.

In the spirit of transparency, I share what’s on my nightstand with you as of January 21, 2022. These materials are arm’s length from my bed:

• Rituals For Work: 50 Ways To Create Engagement, Shared Purpose and a Culture That Can Adapt To Change by Kursat Ozenc, Ph.D. and Margaret Hagen, Ph.D.
• Co-Active Coaching by Henry Kinsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl, Laura Whitworth
• Making Handmade Books by Alisa Golden
• Ungrading: Why Rating Students’ Learning Undermines Learning (And What To Do Instead) by Alfie Kohn
• 740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building by Michael Gross
• The Furious Voice For Freedom by Leon Forrest

Two questions:

1) What do you think my pile of books reveals about me?

2) What might be the value added if you were to include “what I am currently reading,” followed by one or two titles, to your email signature?