My 2025 reading (listening) list

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As has become a tradition, here’s a rundown of the books I ~~read~~ listened to over the course of 2025. As ever, these short notes are mainly a reminder to my future self to jog my memory of what I ~~read~~ listened to, what each book is about, what stood out, and which might earn a revisit.

In no particular order:

Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean

Written & read by Kim Scott

“A framework for leadership built around “caring personally” while “challenging directly.” Scott mixes personal anecdotes from Google and Apple with tactical advice on giving feedback, building trust, and avoiding the twin traps of “ruinous empathy” and “obnoxious aggression.” A practical handbook for healthier workplace conversations.”

This title has come up numerous times in conversations with ex-colleagues and friends in leadership positions. About time I got round to ~~reading~~ listening to it. It’s a good reminder of how to navigate giving both positive and negative feedback to people.

Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World

Written & read by Scott Harrison

“Harrison recounts his transformation from nightclub promoter to founder of charity: water. The narrative blends memoir with the logistics and ethics of nonprofit fundraising, focusing on the global water crisis and the importance of transparency in charitable work, with a strong emphasis on mission-driven storytelling.”

I ~~read~~ listened this after more than one person compared what we are doing at Glad Climate with charity:water.

We’ve obviously not hit the same heights with Glad (at time of writing) but there are similarities with our ambition (not our origin story I should stress!) and things we can no doubt learn from the charity: water story, well worth the read.

Firmament: The Hidden Science of Weather, Climate Change and the Air That Surrounds Us

Written & read by Simon Clark

“A sweeping look at the science of Earth’s atmosphere: its formation, its delicate chemistry, and the forces that keep it stable. Clark introduces the history of atmospheric science, the figures who shaped it, and the ways our climate is altering.”

As we are focused on speeding up the cleaning of legacy emissions from our atmosphere at Glad, I figured it would be a good idea to swot up on what our atmosphere actually is and how it works. This is a great, accessible narrative about the science of our planet and how we learnt everything we know about it (as well as how much more we’ve still to learn!).

How to Save the World: How to Make Changing the World the Greatest Game We’ve Ever Played

Written & read by Katie Patrick

“Patrick blends environmental science with behavioral design, exploring how gamification, data visualization, and community engagement can motivate climate action. It’s part inspirational guide, part practical manual for turning concern into measurable progress through design thinking.”

There was little new to me in this book if I’m honest - not as useful as I hoped. But if you’re new to behaviour design, community engagement, this is a nice introduction to tactics and concepts you could apply - especially through the lens of climate impact.

Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company

Written by Patrick McGee, read by Fred Sanders

“A journalistic dive into Apple’s deep entanglement with China - supply chains, political dependencies, and strategic trade-offs. McGee maps how Apple’s global success is inseparable from Chinese manufacturing, raising questions about technology, geopolitics, and corporate responsibility.”

A friend recommended this title. We’ve known each other since the days of the very first iPhone and have often discussed the rise (and potential future fall) of Apple over the years.

He was reading this and suggested I did too so we could compare notes.

It’s an interested look into how the explosive success of Apple is tightly coupled to the relentless march of China’s domination over global manufacturing in the last 15-20 years or so.

Particularly interesting to me this year as I’ve been working on physical hardware products for the first time in my career. If you’re an Apple fan, it’s worth a look to understand more about their success. If you work in hardware, it’s worth a look to learn more about the benefits and pitfalls of our current global supply chain environment.

The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life

Written by David Brooks, read by Arthur Morey

“Brooks frames the journey of our lives as consisting of two mountains we must climb; contrasting the “first mountain” of individual achievement with the “second mountain” of meaning, connection, and service. Blending philosophy, sociology, and memoir, he argues for rebuilding community, deep commitments, and a life oriented around relationships rather than personal success.”

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book and it turned out a little more philosophical than I’d imagined. Interesting concept. Not top of my books to revisit list, but thought provoking nonetheless.

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness

Written by Eric Jorgenson & Naval Ravikant, introduction by Tim Ferris, read by Vikas Adam

“A curated collection of Naval Ravikant’s thoughts on wealth, happiness, leverage, learning, and decision-making. Presented as distilled principles rather than narrative, it leans toward aphorisms and mental models meant to help readers build independent, high-leverage lives.’

I didn’t get much out of this. Had high hopes given the recommendation from Tim Ferris and others. It might work better as a written book, but as an audio book is sounded like a disciple’s spoken love-letter to their idol, focused on the idol’s greatness and wisdom without challenge or commentary. If you’re a fan of Ravikant’s written work, you will probably get more out of it than I did.

Could Should Might Don’t: How We Think About the Future

Written & read by Nick Foster

“A designer’s exploration of creativity, decision-making, and the constraints that shape good work. Foster examines how possibilities narrow into choices, and how to navigate ambiguity in design and innovation. Philosophical but grounded in practical creative experience.”

An old university friend of mine posted about this book on LinkedIn at some point last year and it caught my attention both because he recommended it and because the topic sounded interesting.

I was not disappointed. It’s a great ~~read~~ listen. Exploring how we can think clearly about the world and our future in it even as the pace of change all around us is ever increasing.

A good one for anyone in a creative role, specifically if in tech, to ponder.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

Written by Patrick Lencioni, read by Charles Stransky

“Presented as a business fable, Lencioni outlines five common barriers to team performance: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. A short, narrative-driven guide to diagnosing and strengthening team culture.”

Recommended by one of my colleagues at Slice, this is a great book about working in and leading teams at work or elsewhere.

The Overstory

Written by Richard Powers, read by Suzanne Toren

“An epic, interwoven novel about humanity’s relationship with trees. Powers follows multiple characters whose lives are shaped by forests, activism, and ecological collapse.”

It’s hard to describe this novel. It’s gentle, thought-provoking and urgent.

Another of my colleagues at Slice recommended this one - thanks Bran! - and I’m very glad he did as I don’t think I’d have come across it had he not been so enthusiastic in his recommendation.

Trees are incredible.

A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas

Written by Warren Berger

“Berger champions questioning as a catalyst for creativity and problem-solving. Drawing on examples from business, education, and innovation, he outlines how asking better questions can unlock new ideas and challenge entrenched assumptions.”

For anyone who works in a creative / problem-solving space, this is useful read / listen. It helps re-frame how to think about a problem and really understand it before jumping to solutions. Anyone who’s worked with me over the last 10 years or so will know I’m a big fan of obsessing over the problem and not the solution.

I’m not alone, it’s a popular approach in the startup product space. This is a good title to read / listen to if you need convincing of the approach too.

A Wrinkle in Time

Written & read by Madeleine L’Engle with Hope Davis, Ava DuVernay & Charlotte Jones Coiklis

“A classic fantasy sci-fi tale following Meg Murry and companions as they traverse space and time to rescue her father. Themes of love, courage, individuality, and the battle against a conformist evil make it enduringly resonant. Simple on the surface, symbolically rich underneath.”

As many others have also likely done, I added this title to my reading / listening list after the numerous references to it in Stranger Things.

Listening to the book did help frame those references while watching the final season over the holidays, but as a story in it’s own right I was a little disappointed.

While it explores some interesting ideas, and I’m generally a fan of sci-fi works, it felt to me like it lacked a little depth and substance. I realise that it was written primarily for children / young adults, but I kept waiting for the story to really get going and it didn’t.

Maybe a little too simple?

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Written by Sean Covey, forward by Jim Collins & read by Stephen R. Covey

“Covey’s iconic framework for personal and interpersonal effectiveness, structured around habits like being proactive, seeking win-win solutions, and “sharpening the saw.” A blend of psychology, ethics, and practical exercises aimed at character-based growth.”

This is one of those titles that’s been on reading lists at almost every company I’ve worked at over the last 20 years. A favourite of management consultants and trainers.

So I thought it was about time I ~~read~~ listened to it.

I can’t say that it blew my mind in any meaningful way - possibly because many of the “7 habits” described have been reworked, re-framed and re-shared by many management gurus over the years…

Still, nice to have gone back to the source and heard the original.

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

Written & read by Dr Peter Attia

“Attia reframes longevity as preventing the “Four Horsemen” of chronic disease through nutrition, exercise, sleep, and emotional health. The book balances scientific depth with actionable lifestyle guidance, emphasizing proactive, long-term health planning.”

An interesting ~~read~~ listen for anyone who’s concerned with extending their productive years - not so much looking to live forever, but looking to live well for longer.

Learn about extending your health-span rather than lifespan.

Catastrophe Ethics: How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad

Written & read by Travis Rieder

“Rieder explores moral decision-making under conditions of global risk - climate change, pandemics, and existential threats. He challenges standard ethical frameworks and argues for revised principles that better reflect high-stakes, collective dilemmas.”

I found this title in the Borrowbox library of audio books so gave it a go.

In a world where defaulting to doing what appears to be “the right thing” can actually in some cases cause more harm than good, this title is a useful meditation on how to think clearly about your actions.

The world is full of intertwined, complex systems few of which can be intuitively understand. This book argues for deeper thought when it comes to working out how your individual actions stack up to have a positive impact.

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

Written by Yuval Noah Harari, read by Vidish Athavale

“A short, forward-looking reflection (adapted from Harari’s recent talks and essays) on the interplay between technology, politics, and humanity’s future. Harari examines how AI, data, and global systems are reshaping identities, institutions, and power.”

One description of this book lists it as “mind-blowing”. I’d not go that far. In fact, I’d say given the hype around this title I was a little disappointed.

It’s a good look at how information networks have evolved as technologies have advanced. And the consequences of decisions about how to use and apply those networks have impacted society. But not mind-blowing.

Worth a read if you’re in tech but have studied little history - (I think more folks in tech should be taught about the history of technologies and their uses over millennia. It should be a core part of the computer science curriculum)

Worth a read if you’re well steeped in the history of human ingenuity - spoken word, writing, books, the Internet, etc - but have little knowledge of more recent advancements in tech like AI.

Don’t expect to have your “mind blown” though.

Climate Radicals: Why Our Environmental Politics Isn’t Working

Written & read by Cameron Abadi

“Climate Radicals shows that old-fashioned political compromise and incremental progress might be the only way for governments to fight climate change.”

This was another random BorrowBox find. And one I enjoyed listening to.

If you’re interested in tackling climate change, and why doing so seems to be an almost impossible task, this is worth your time.

There’s a lot of naval gazing in the world of eco-minded folks, a lot of often loud discourse about how to get the majority of people to care and act when it comes to the environment.

The radical school of thought is to disrupt and be loud and scream and shout about the issues until governments and the public listen.

Another school of thought is lobby and argue rationally to encourage governments and people in power to do things that ultimately will be in their own self interest.

This book explores both forms of persuasion and their impacts.

The Green Start-Up: Make Your Business Better for the Planet

Written & read by Juliet Davenport

“A guide to building climate-positive businesses, blending Davenport’s experience founding Good Energy with broader insights into sustainable entrepreneurship. It covers systems thinking, financing, policy, and the mindset required to build companies aligned with planetary boundaries.”

This book is a great first read for anyone who’d like to start a business but who has never done so and has little to no experience working in a start-up or business environment.

It’s also a good read for anyone who’d like to start a business and has yet to put any thought into how that business might be set up in a way that ensures it has as small a negative impact on the planet as possible.

I took little away from this title, but I’m clearly not the intended audience. If either of my children show interest in building a start-up in the future I’ll be getting them a copy of this as a starting point.

Conclusion

18 titles on this list this year. 3 more than in 2024. 1 less than in 2023.

In my 2024 reading list write up I concluded; “I would like to broaden my reading in 2025”

I think I did that, though unconsciously. I tend to pick titles that I either come across on podcasts, etc or when people I know recommend them directly. I’m not really seeking out books on particular topics, but I do gravitate towards a recurring set of topic; business, tech, design, health, environment - areas that interest me.

2 novels on the list in 2025. 1 more than 2024. 2 more than 2023. Overstory stands out as one of the titles that I’ve thought about the most since completing. I can’t put my finger on way, but it’s had a lasting impact.

Still quite a few titles related to climate change and our environment and quite a few on decision making and business this year.

Fewer titles listened to on BorrowBox than last year unfortunately. I’d still encourage you to try it out if it’s available via your local library though.

You may have noticed that each title is accompanied by a short synopsis this year. I’ve experimented with using AI - specifically chatGPT - to write those. I’ve added my own notes / thoughts as well, but thought that including them might be an interesting way to add some context.

I should add that I do also actually read some books. Either on a kindle or - every now and then! - an actual physical copy. But audio is still my preferred book format. I find it a lot easier to fit in listening to a book than to find the time to sit and read a copy (digital or physical). Listening while walking, driving, or cooking, etc is much more convenient for me. If I had to sit and read all of the above I doubt I’d have been able to finish even half as many titles in one year.

NB

The links to each book above are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So if you follow a link and purchase a copy of a book I’ll earn a tiny commission from Amazon. Just so you know…

Jesse James Garrett - The Elements of User Experience and AI presentation

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

If you work in any aspect of designing and building digital products you should have read The Elements of User Experience by Jesse James Garrett^*. If not, I highly recommend you do.

I first read his book while studying at university and still reference it regularly to this day >20 years later. I can’t say that about many books I read during my studies…

In this talk, Garrett revisits the ideas that shaped The Elements of User Experience, reflecting on how our digital world has evolved and why his framework remains surprisingly relevant. As we rapdily move into an era of AI-driven products and services, his emphasis on clarity, empathy, and intentional design feels more essential than ever.

Definitely worth a watch.

^*The link to the book above is an affiliate link. If you buy through it, I may earn a small commission

Using NotebookLM to accelerate my learning

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I’m a slow reader. Always have been, always will be.

I’ve tried to get faster over the years by practicing and using “speed reading” apps, etc. But any improvements in reading speed have come with a cost of reduced understanding.

And as a result, I’ve always found learning via reading a bit of a slog.

That’s one of the drivers behind my listening to audio books.

When Ben and I started Glad, I knew I’d need to dive deep into climate related research papers, government reports, and scientific documentation to properly understand the climate science and policy landscape.

I was excited about the learning. But if I’m honest, I was dreading the reading.

Then along came NotebookLM - and it changed everything.

NotebookLM is Google’s AI-powered research assistant. You feed it documents, and it helps you make sense of them. Ask it questions, explore ideas, clarify meaning. All based on your own sources.

The game-changer for me was using it to turn dense, technical climate science and policy related content into conversational, easy-to-understand audio summaries.

Now, instead of wading through dozens of pages of policy or scientific writing, I can listen to an AI generated discussion of the subject. And because the content is grounded in the original documents, I can trust what I’m hearing.

This has helped me learn faster, go deeper, and stay more up-to-date than I ever could by just reading alone.

Initially Ben and I experimented with using NotebookLM to create our own personalised climate-science-focused-podcast. Creating episodes based on scientific reports and policy documents that we knew we needed to digest to inform our thinking at Glad.

Then we thought: if this helps us, maybe it could help others too?

So we’ve started sharing the podcast episodes publicly - under a new podcast called “Breaking Down Climate Pollution”.

Each episode takes a key climate related document or topic and creates a short, clear, and easy to listen to “discussion” between two (imagined) podcast hosts explaining the key concepts and their context.

If you’re interested in climate science and policy, but like me find the documents hard to read - or just don’t have the time! - this might be for you.

You can check it out on the Glad Blog at Introducing the Breaking Down Climate Pollution Podcast.

As always, I’d love to hear what you think. Does this kind of approach help you learn too? Are there documents you’d like us to break down?

Let me know at james@gladclimate.com

Glad Tidings: The Climate Cleanup Podcast. Episode 6 - Removals Do Not Equal Offsets?

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Episode 6 of Glad Tidings: The Climate Cleanup Podcast is now live (follow the link or watch above ☝️).

At Glad we believe there are two things we need to do inorder to tackle climate change:

Reduce current and future emissions to zero as fast, and as universally, as possible.
Remove - cleanup - the legacy, excess emissions we’ve already polluted our atmosphere with.

Since Ben and I founded Glad we’ve spoken with people from all walks of life about this topic. And all too often those who are working in, or consider themselves informed about, sustainability think of removal as a reduction strategy.

We believe that’s a mistake.

While carbon removal can be, and often is, used as part of an emissions reduction strategy in the form of offsets, we believe it should also be considered as a way of cleaning up the existing mess we’ve made.

In episode 6 of Glad Tidings we dicsuss this in more detail.

I’d love to hear what you think.

As always, your feedback about the podcast, and the wider Glad offering are very welcome. Message me on LinkedIn or drop me a note at james@gladclimate.com if you’d like to share your thoughts.

If you’ve not joined the Climate Cleanup Club yet and would like to support what we’re doing, please:

a) Sign up for a membership here: GladClimate.com

b) Tell that one friend / colleague / family member you know would like to play their part in fixing climate change that we exist. Point them to the blog or ask them to sign up

c) Subscribe and follow us on all the Glad social accounts to hear the latest about our climate cleanup efforts.

Thank you.

Glad Tidings: The Climate Cleanup Podcast. Episode 5 - Should Glad be a Charity?

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Episode 5 of Glad Tidings: The Climate Cleanup Podcast is now live (follow the link or watch above ☝️).

In this epsiode Ben and I share an update on the season 1 totaliser, our gratitude for all the feedback we’ve been getting from people about our community and our efforts to cleanup our climate, AND we discuss why we’re sticking with Glad not being a charity. We also explain what members of the community get in return for their support.

As always, your feedback about the podcast, and the wider Glad offering are very welcome. Message me on LinkedIn or drop me a note at james@gladclimate.com if you’d like to share your thoughts.

If you’ve not joined the community yet and would like to support what we’re doing, please:

a) Sign up for a membership here: GladClimate.com

b) Tell that one friend / colleague / family member you know would like to play their part in fixing climate change that we exist. Point them to the blog or ask them to sign up

c) Subscribe and follow us on all the Glad social accounts to hear the latest about our climate cleanup efforts.

Thank you.

Glad Tidings: The Climate Cleanup Podcast

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

About 15 years ago, when Ben and I worked together on the HomeServe-backed startup DAD, he introduced me and the rest of the team to a weekly highlights meeting.

We’d gather in the office (we had an office back then!) and go around the room, sharing the highlights of the week from each team. Someone would write them up, and we’d send them by email to the team at HomeServe, who acted as our board.

It was a great way to close out the week, share wins - sometimes losses - and ensure everyone at DAD knew what was going on.

After leaving DAD, I kept up the habit of reporting on weekly progress in personal projects by writing up my own highlights in a newsletter I sent to a handful of friends who were interested in such things. I never told them, but I thought of them as my “board”.

In every team I’ve led and worked with since, I’ve either introduced or adapted a weekly ritual to share highlights, updates, and progress (or lack thereof) both within the team and with appropriate stakeholders.

The format has changed over time. Sometimes it’s a face-to-face meeting followed by a written summary. More recently, it’s often a video call with the immediate team, recorded and edited into highlights for a wider audience to watch later.

Since Ben and I started working on Glad together, we’ve continued the tradition. For the past year or so, we’ve each written our own lists in a Notion page under the headings “What went well” and “Even better if” - inspired by the way Ben’s children’s school reports were structured.

Towards the end of last year, we realised that while it’s useful to be able to look back and see our weekly updates over time, we should really be sharing our progress with our stakeholders at Glad too: our community.

So we started our very own podcast: Glad Tidings: The Climate Cleanup Podcast.

You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Episode 4 is embedded above.

We’re not recording them weekly just yet - the goal is fortnightly. We’re both new to the world of podcasting, recording, editing, and everything that comes with it, so each episode takes a bit of time to produce. Over time, we may make them more frequent - we’ll see.

For now, though, I’d love your feedback on the episodes we’ve published so far.

Drop me a note at james@gladclimate.com if you have any feedback at all!

Time for a new Path?

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Back in 2010, Shawn Fanning and Dave Morin (a former Facebook executive) launched Path, a social networking, photo-sharing, and messaging app designed to let users share updates with just 50 people.

When I first tried it, two thoughts struck me:

How well-designed it was.
How much it would struggle to gain traction in a world dominated by Facebook and its network effect.

Regarding the second point, I couldn’t see how Path could attract enough users when Facebook was “free”, “everyone” was already on it, and there seemed to be little reason not to use it.

Path’s proposition - offering limited connections and encouraging deeper sharing - felt at odds with the social media narrative people had bought into with Facebook: connect with everyone and consume as much as possible.

To convince people to leave one solution for another, there needs to be a significant push away from the old and a compelling pull toward the new. Rarely does a pull alone suffice.

For most people, 2010 Facebook had it’s issues, but it was good enough at meeting what they believed to be their social networking needs. Without significant pain points to drive a search for alternatives, Path had little chance of scaling.

What If Path Launched Today?

Fast forward to 2025, and I can’t help but wonder how popular Path might be if it launched now.

A well-designed app, private and secure, focused on meaningful interactions with a small circle of trusted people, feels increasingly relevant.

Social media today has evolved into a firehose of algorithmically curated content, designed not just to inform but to provoke. Feeds are tailored to elicit responses - whether through delight or outrage - and the result can feel overwhelming.

In contrast, a platform that simply shows what your close friends and family are sharing seems more appealing.

I know a growing number of people who have left services like Facebook, citing the sheer noise and emotional exhaustion of their experiences.

With Meta’s recent announcement that it’s leaning into “freedom of speech” and scaling back on moderation, it’s likely even more users will find their feeds chaotic and draining in the near future. For these individuals, the appeal of a quieter, more intentional alternative - a new “path”, if you will - might be stronger than ever.

My 2024 reading (listening) list

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Around this time last year I posted a list of the books I’d ~~read~~ listened to in 2023.

I thought I might make it an annual thing, so here’s a list of the books I ~~read~~ listened to in 2024 😁.

In no particular order:

Be Useful - 7 tools for life

Written & read by Arnold Schwarzenegger

My last ~~read~~ (listen) of the year.

Yes, by that Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a “self help” book written by “the world’s greatest bodybuilder”, “the world’s highest paid movie star” and “the leader of the world’s sixth largest economy” but I was pleasantly surprised.

Read by Arnie himself, it’s an entertaining listen. He’s a talented storyteller.

Peppered - as you’d expect - with numerous bodybuilding analogies the book dives into Arnie’s seven tools for leading a meaningful life.

I was impressed by how curious he is as an individual, always willing to listen to and learn from those around him. I also like how he talks about owning his mistakes and failures.

Ravenous - How to Get Ourselves and Our Planet into Shape

Written & read by Henry Dimbleby with Jemima Lewis

Fascinating exploration of the world of our global food systems, written by the founder of the Leon restaurant chain here in the UK.

As a government advisor and author of the “radical” National Food Strategy, Henry Dimbleby knows his stuff.

Having a keen interest in the food we eat (both personally and professionally having worked at Cookpad) and a keen interest in how we can restore our natural environment, I enjoyed listening to this.

Mr Dimbleby explores the good and the (very) bad of our food systems. Explaining what’s wrong with aspects of them, how things got this way, and how we can do something about it.

The Great Greenwashing: How Brands, Governments and Influencers Are Lying to You

Written by John Pabon, read by Darcy Kent

I came across this title by accident while browsing available audio books on my BorrowBox library account.

It’s an interesting listen, as the author takes us on a tour of examples of government and corporate greenwashing, while explaining how to spot those who are partaking in the activity.

I don’t personally agree that all of the cases cited in the book are quite as black and white as made out, but it’s worth a read / listen if you’re interested in environmentalism and / or communicating around the topic.

I worry that while useful for calling out organisations that are trying to pull the wool over our eyes when it comes to their environmentally friendly credentials, the “greenwashing” label might be too readily used and put some organisations off from even attempting to take steps to reduce their negative impact on the environment and back new initiatives that might have net positive impacts.

I like that this challenged my thinking on the topic.

Screw It, Let’s Do It: Lessons in Life and Business

Written by Sir Richard Branson, read by Adrian Mulraney

Not a book that I’ve been desperate to read, but one that became available on BorrowBox while I was looking for my next listen.

I admire what Sir Branson has achieved with his Virgin empire, but I’m not sure I’d recommend this book to anyone unless they were researching the man and his empire building.

While clearly a driven individual, with a good story to tell, I’m not sure there’s a huge amount to learn from his life lessons. The lessons he shares aren’t bad advice, and are well packaged, but the narrative does date the book somewhat.

There’s a lot more commentary on the physical appearance of the woman in his story than I think any publisher would allow these days in this type of book…

You might like this one, but I’d recommend Arnie’s “Be Useful” over this if you were only going to read one celebrity written self-help book.

The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination

Written by Jens Andersen, read by Peter Cross

I’m a huge fan of LEGO^*. But I didn’t know much about the genesis or evolution of the company and their bricks before reading this. It’s a fascinating read, not just for fans but also for anyone interested in the history of one of the world’s most well known brands.

My favourite LEGO fact is that they are the world’s biggest tire manufacturer.

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It

Written by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz, read by Michael Kramer

Negotiating is a skill.

One that I didn’t really start to hone until becoming a parent…

This book is a well-written account of the author’s experience in the FBI as a kidnapping negotiator.

Detailing the nine key principles to successful negotiation that he developed over his career, this is a must-read for anyone with young children.

It may also be useful if you have to negotiate at work too.

The Coming Wave: A.I., Power and the Twenty-First Century’s Greatest Dilemma

Written & read by Mustafa Suleyman with Michael Bhaskar

We’re in the “lots of people think they have this figured out, but no one really knows” stage of the A.I. hype curve.

On the one hand A.I. may be the catalyst for the next big productivity shift, moving humanity into a new age (à la “the Industrial Age”, “the Information Age”, etc).

On the other hand A.I. may lead to the downfall of society as we know it.

History tells us future generations will look back and most likely conclude reality fell somewhere in between the two extremes.

That doesn’t stop folks predicting possible outcomes, and definitely shouldn’t mean we don’t actively try to avoid the potential darker outcomes being predicted.

That’s why I listened to this one this year. Forewarned is forearmed.

Food for Life: Your Guide to the New Science of Eating Well

Written by Tim Spector, read by Leighton Pugh

As a long-time listener of the Zoe podcast, and ex-customer of theirs, I was keen to listen to this to hear a more in depth explanation of the findings of the research their teams have been doing into the science of eating.

If you’ve listened to the podcast there’s not a lot that’s new in the book per se, though it’s nice to have a lot of their research (not all) explained in one place and with some narrative around it.

If you’ve not listened to the Zoe podcast or been a customer of theirs but are interested in how your diet may impact your day-to-day and long-term health, it’s worth a listen / read.

Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

Written & read by James Clear

I was lucky enough to be working at Shopify when James Clear was invited to speak at a company wide meeting one year.

He spoke about the concepts detailed in his book that help you make long term, compound gains by starting with small (atomic) habits.

As a long time fan of BJ Fogg’s Behaviour Change Model, and his “Tiny Habits” book, I was intrigued to listen to Atomic Habits to see how they compared.

Atomic Habits is well written and a great way to learn about the concepts of marginal gains, compounding to out sized progress. Tiny Habits is equally well written and a great way to learn about the concepts too.

If you’ve not read Tiny Habits, I highly recommend Atomic Habits. If you have, I’d suggest you may not get much out of it.

If you’ve not read either, I personally would recommend Tiny Habits over Atomic Habits, but I’m biased as I’ve been evangelising the Fogg Behaviour Model and associated thinking for a very long time…

The Ministry for the Future

Written by Kim Stanley Robinson, read by Jennifer Fitzgerald, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Ramon de Ocampo, Gary Bennett, Raphael Corkhill, Barrie Kreinik, Natasha Soudek, Nikki Massoud, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Inés del Castillo and Vikas Adam

The sole novel on this year’s listening list, this brilliant book explores the impact of climate change through the lens of one of today’s most acclaimed science-fiction writers.

If you’re even remotely interested in (or worried about) what challenges climate change may present us with in the future, and how we might adapt to and tackle those challenges, I highly recommend reading / listening to this.

If you’re not remotely interested in (or worried about) what challenges climate change may present with in the future, I’d still recommend reading / listening to this…

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need

Written & (partially) read by Bill Gates and (mainly) read by Will Wheaton

If Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future represents a fictional (though based in reality) vision of our climate change induced future, this book by Bill Gates represents the “what we can do in reality, now” vision for the world.

I liked this more than I thought I would.

There’s a lot - I think - of merit in Mr Gate’s suggested practical approach to meeting the climate change challenge.

It aligns well with our vision for Glad and the practical, impact driven focus we are pursuing as our mission.

Elon Musk

Written by Walter Isaacson, read by Jeremy Bobb

Only time will tell how we end up judging the impact of this man.

This won’t be the last book written about him for sure.

It may be the last by an author with such unrestricted access to him though…

Innovators are disruptive. And while the events that have unfolded since this book was published could easily fill another entire book again, what is in this one provides some interesting insights into the life of arguably one of the most innovative and disruptive people of our time.

If you want to understand the man as he was in 2023, it’s worth a read / listen. I don’t think this book will give you much insight into the man he’s become since then.

Obvious Adams: The Story of a Successful Business Man

Written by Robert Rawls Updegraff, read by Andrew Morantz

I can’t remember where I heard about this book, but I’m glad I did.

Originally published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1916, it’s a concisely written story about a man who succeeds in business by being determined and observing things that others overlook.

A reminder of the power of taking a step back from time to time, and taking the time to think about the challenges in front of you.

Also a reminder to not overlook the simple answers, they’re often the best.

Five Times Faster: Rethinking the Science, Economics, and Diplomacy of Climate Change

Written by Simon Sharpe, read by Michael Langan

Simon Sharpe spent ten years at the forefront of climate change policy and diplomacy.

This book is a great look at the (lack of) progress made in addressing the threats of climate change over those ten years as well as a set of (in my opinion, very sensible) recommendations for how we can accelerate our efforts to do so.

We know that climate change is going to impact the lives of billions of people globally. We know the knock-on effects will be huge. And we know what we should / need to do to address the issues. This book is a rallying cry for doing those things faster and with a greater urgency.

Personally, I think this should be compulsory reading for all policymakers at governments around the world, all business leaders and all students.

What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures

Written & read by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (and contributors)

A series of interviews with various people - all experts in their fields - this book explores a future were we make the right choices as individuals, communities and societies at large and tackle the problems we face thanks to climate change.

While slightly too America-focused for my UK-based ears, it’s a good listen.

I’d recommend listening to over reading this one if you can as the collection of interviews format really lends itself to audio.

I like the positivity of the framing of the conversations and the broad range of environment related topics covered including; science, policy, culture and justice.

It also tries to help answer the question: what climate action can you take. If you’re looking for an answer to that question it would be worth a listen.

Conclusion

As with last year’s reading, there are a few recurring themes in this year’s list, climate change being the main one. Not a surprise given my focus on Glad.

I would like to broaden my reading / listening a bit in 2025 though.

Last year I commented on the fact that I’d discovered the BorrowBox app and wished that more of the books I’d read were available there for borrowing. This year I’m happy to say that all but three of the list above were available via BorrowBox.

If you can join your local library, get access to BorrowBox, and make use of the service I’d recommend doing so. This type of public service is at risk of disappearing and that would be a real shame as it broadens access to knowledge, entertainment and escapism for many. The more people make use of it, the more likely it will survive.

NB

^*Dear American friends; please note that it is LEGO not LEGOS. To quote the company themselves; “LEGO is always an adjective. So LEGO bricks, LEGO elements, LEGO sets, etc. Never, ever “legos.”

Kevin Anderson lecture on the reality and impact of climate change

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100

In this lecture given at the “Institutional ceremony for the inauguration of the 2024-2025 academic year of the UAB” (Acte institucional d’inauguració del curs acadèmic 2024-2025 de la UAB) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Professor Kevin Anderson explains why we need to have a long hard look at our global efforts at reducing emissions to date and how delaying doing so is going to impact people around the world.

(His lecture starts around 15 minutes and 11 seconds into the video and ends around the 1 hour and 2 minutes mark. I’ve embedded the full video, but it should play from the beginning of his lecture.)

University of Bath guest lecture - Decarbonisation MSc

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Photo - Obligatory "I was here" selfie taken outside the University of Bath School of Management building

Here’s something I never thought I’d say:

On Wednesday this week, I gave a lecture at the University of Bath.

No, I’m not switching careers, so don’t worry!

I was invited to give a guest lecture to the students taking the university’s new Decarbonisation MSc program, led by Gratsiela Madzharova and Steve Cayzer, after I reached out to Gratsiela earlier this year to learn more about the course.

My talk focused on the experience of building Glad and how Ben and I set out to create an impact-driven business.

I’ll admit, I felt nervous in the days leading up to it, but once I started, I really enjoyed the process. It was rewarding to share some “behind-the-scenes” moments from the startup journey and give the group an honest look at both the successes and the challenges we’ve faced to date.

I also took the chance to introduce one of the models I lean on frequently when thinking about behaviour change: Fogg’s Behaviour Model. If you’ve worked with me in the past 10 years you will know how much I love discussing this! 😁

Ben and I have used it frequently when considering how glad might encourage more businesses to take positive climate action.

I would love to hear from others who’ve given lectures like this - what’s your go-to framework or advice when speaking to a room full of future change-makers?

(Bonus question: any tips for dealing with the nerves in the build up to doing something like this?)

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