Shooting upwards
“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” This might just show what is at the core of our frustration and confusion. Last summer, we entertained you with fun topics. Now, we’re tackling some that weigh you down: Why are we here? Why do we complain endlessly? Why am I wary of the metaverse? Why does every day feel like a Monday? Why is everything so complicated? Why, why…Here are a dozen books to help you find a way out—and up! So, let’s dive in…
What am I doing here?
Why Are We Here?
Do you also feel that post-2020 unease, the one that, no matter how motivated you are, brings you back to this question: Why are we here? Because we are on the brink of a massive transformation in the way we work. On the brink. Moss reimagines workplace culture, offering strategies to create an environment where everyone WANTS to engage, grow, and succeed. A must-read. You’re not alone…
I’m tired of grumbling all the time.
Surviving the Daily Grind
“Man is born free, but he is everywhere stuck in a meeting.” This quote of Rousseau’s with a modern twist perfectly captures the essence of this sharp, biting critique of modern work, now tedious and stress-filled. Drawing from his popular Bartleby column for The Economist, Philip Coggan rewrites the rules of work to help you navigate the grind. Infinitely witty and packed with practical tips!
For those tired of overcomplications.
Hope for Cynics
Cynicism has become a reaction to our world, which is rife with injustice and inequality, and from which human virtues seem to be vanishing—or so do a number of people believe across generations, genders, religions, and political affiliations. Yet, cynical thinking worsens social issues: expecting the worst often brings it into being. However, as Zaki argues, we don’t have to remain trapped in this cycle.
Over Work
This discontent has been simmering since the 1980s and accelerating sharply in the post-lockdown era; but where does it come from? Brigid Schulte, following up on her bestselling Overwhelmed (Sarah Crichton Books, 2014), delivers a fierce analysis of how the American economy and culture imagine work. Yet work can be organized in countless ways to ensure it benefits everyone…
Les chemins de la simplicité
For Those Tired of Overcomplicated Organizations—that’s the subtitle of this collective work coordinated by Philippe Guillou. A sharp critique of organizations’ stubborn obsession with controlling uncertainty, the book takes demolishes the resulting complexity, which breeds confusion and frustration. It charts a path back to simplicity—and to unlocking the full potential of the whole!
For tightrope walkers
Ka-Boom
I love it. This is about biomimicry—not with ants, though. Instead, it’s about the brightest light on Earth, the blackest material ever created, the most poisonous substance in nature, or the toughest creature in the world. It’s about the strangest extremes that have inspired faster computers, the secret to greener energy, and a revolution in space travel.
L’art de choisir ses erreurs
Forget Silicon Valley’s mantra of “fail fast, fail often”! Edmondson offers a more nuanced take on failure.He redefines it by championing “smart failures” that lead to discoveries and improvements, while reducing avoidable, harmful mistakes. It’s a guide to navigating a constantly evolving world with greater resilience and creativity.
Manager les mad skills
We’re only just starting to embrace it: neurodiversity. The art of pairing incredible or extraordinary skills with neurodivergent profiles (ADHD, ASD…), neurotypical ones (highly sensitive, gifted individuals…), or simply people with extraordinary experiences. These profiles bring unique “superpowers” to the table, especially in times when uncertainty and adaptability are key—if you know how to manage them.
For world-builders
What’s Next Is Now
Google’s first-ever Chief Innovation Evangelist (no, it’s not a joke) invites you to change your mindset and start building the world you want to live in. Instead of bracing for whatever the future might throw at you, you can create what comes next, using six principles to develop a “future-ready mindset.” Because hey, you never know—on a lucky hunch…
Third Millennium Thinking
How can we make sense of absurdity amidst a daily flood of information that’s often contradictory, incomplete, or even manipulative? Through scientific reasoning. A physicist, a psychologist, and a philosopher unveil the tools scientists have developed to avoid mistakes, understand the world, and make informed decisions.
Hello, Future!: The World in 2035
Langdon Morris, a member of our scientific committee, shatters our certainties with a book that rings like an alarm bell: tech, climate, chaos—everything is speeding up. He tears apart the illusions of a peaceful future and urges us to innovate or sink. A visionary and ruthless wake-up call designed to jolt numb minds and inspire the leaders of tomorrow.
Because we simply have to mention it
Le grand soulagement
November 2024. It’s gray, it’s raining, everyone’s walking around with tight throats, and I’ve just decided to stop listening to the news—every headline more depressing than the last. Then suddenly, after a dull-as-dishwater France-Israel match that’s supposed to unite us in joy, lux fiat: France beats the All Blacks in an epic showdown on November 16. The next morning, November 17, I stumble across a poster for Le Grand Soulagement (Rule #7) on the street, and I burst out laughing in the rain. A quick, simple, and highly effective method, it combines a book, posters, and mini-posters to inspire small, soothing acts in daily life. Totally irreverent and slightly subversive, this “gently insurrectional” project aims to heal societal woes by suggesting creative and humorous everyday gestures
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