Contributors to the April 2023 issue of TD magazine offer their book recommendations.

Rachel Cooke

_The Comfort Book_br> by Matt Haig

The power of humanity, hope, and resilience comes to life in this gorgeous collection of essays. Haig has battled crippling depression throughout his life—a battle he almost lost. And this book is a collection of words he's written to himself over the years—full of inspiration, reflection, and reminders of the beauty to be found in small moments. It's not a book to be read through but rather to open to pages in moments commanding inspiration.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

By Adam Grant

This book is a love letter to humility and lifelong learning. It reminds us that even the most intelligent and well-researched among us must always be willing to question old assumptions, stay open to fresh possibilities, and invite criticism of our most cherished beliefs. This book delivers a road map for rethinking old ideas, shared through the lens of Grant’s own willingness to be proven wrong.

Katrina Kennedy

The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain

by Annie Murphy Paul

Paul presents a unique perspective on the mind and how we are affected by embodied (gestures), situated (environment), and distributed (group) cognition. The book examines how tools, technology, culture, and society shape our cognitive abilities and can help us to improve our learning and thinking.

Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again

By Johann Hari

Hari uses personal anecdotes and extensive research to provide a comprehensive and engaging exploration of our lack of focus in today's information-saturated world. He examines the impact of technology, social media, and societal pressures on our ability to focus and provides practical strategies for reclaiming our attention and fostering deeper thinking.

Wendy Axelrod

The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance

by Ruth Gotian

The author has studied incredible high achievers such as Nobel Prize winners, Olympic champions, and admired business leaders. She has distilled four key attributes we can incorporate into our lives to make the most of our growth journeys.

Coaching the Brain: Practical Applications of Neuroscience to Coaching

By Joseph O’Connor and Andrea Lages

The book offers everything you ever wanted to know about the brain, especially the latest in neuroscience. Importantly, coaches can put the applications to immediate use with their clients.

Sae Schatz

Learning Engineering Toolkit: Evidence-Based Practices from the Learning Sciences, Instructional Design, and Beyond

By Jim Goodell and Janet Kolodner

This is an enjoyable and incredibly useful guide. The first part is a comprehensive primer on learning engineering, and the second part includes rapid-fire how-to information and examples. It’s written in a colloquial style, peppered with images and callouts, and full of actionable strategies.

The Social Leadership Handbook

By Julian Stodd

Stodd’s insights about our changing world—and how to lead and learn within it—are eye-opening. This handbook isn’t only insightful; it’s also approachable and delightful to read. It is filled with dozens of illustrations and narrated in a personable style.

Data and Analytics for Instructional Designers

By Megan Torrance

Interested in learning analytics but aren’t sure where to start? Torrance’s book begins with the basics and then gradually ramps up to full-scale implementation. It is easy to follow, written in a friendly style, and loaded with examples.