Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Adaptability
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A study of the role of randomness in life, and how it can lead to unexpected events.
A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear ... (Goodreads)
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
by Ed Catmull
An exploration of the principles and strategies that drive success in the creative process.
“What does it mean to manage well?” From Ed Catmull, co-founder (with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter) of Pixar Animation Studios, comes an incisive book about creativity in business—sure to appeal to ... (Goodreads)
White Fang
by Jack London
A wolfdog's journey from wild to domestication, navigating the complexities of human civilization.
The story begins before the wolf-dog hybrid is born, with two men and their sled dog team on a journey to deliver the coffin of Lord Alfred to a remote town named Fort McGurry in the higher area of ... (Wikipedia)
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
by Max Brooks
A comprehensive guide to surviving a zombie apocalypse, from preparation to combat.
The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you ... (Goodreads)
Leading Change
by John P. Kotter
A step-by-step guide to successful organizational change management.
John Kotter’s now-legendary eight-step process for managing change with positive results has become the foundation for leaders and organizations across the globe. By outlining the process every ... (Goodreads)
The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization
by Peter M. Senge
A guide to building successful organizations through understanding and applying the principles of learning and knowledge sharing.
Completely Updated and Revised, This revised edition of Peter Senge’s bestselling classic, The Fifth Discipline , is based on fifteen years of experience in putting the book’s ideas into practice. As ... (Goodreads)
Mastery
by Robert Greene
A guide to developing the skills and abilities to reach the highest level of success.
In this book, Robert Greene demonstrates that the ultimate form of power is mastery itself. By analyzing the lives of such past masters as Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and ... (Goodreads)
The Hidden Life of Trees: what they feel, how they communicate : discoveries from a secret world
by Peter Wohlleben
An exploration of the complex relationships between trees and the environment.
A, New York Times, bestseller,, With more than 2 million copies sold worldwide, this beautifully-written book journeys deep into the forest to uncover the fascinating—and surprisingly moving—hidden ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Five Chinese Brothers
by Claire Huchet Bishop
Five brothers use their special powers to outsmart an emperor and save their family from execution.
In the Imperial China of the Qing dynasty , there are five brothers who "all looked exactly alike." They each possess a special talent: one can swallow the sea, one has an unbreakable iron neck, one ... (Wikipedia)
Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
by Cesar Millan
A practical guide on how to train and understand dogs, in a way that is natural and beneficial for both.
There are at least 68 million dogs in America, and their owners lavish billions of dollars on them every year. So why do so many pampered pets have problems? In this definitive and accessible guide, ... (Goodreads)
Brian's Hunt
by Gary Paulsen
A young boy's journey of self-discovery and survival in the wilds of the North.
Brian, who is now sixteen years old, is canoeing through the Canadian wilderness. He realizes that the woods are now his home and he will never be happy in modern society with its noise , pollution, ... (Wikipedia)
Brian's Winter
by Gary Paulsen
A retelling of the classic novel, "Hatchet", from the perspective of a young boy struggling to survive in the frozen wilderness.
The story deals with Brian, still stranded at the L-shaped lake during the fall and winter, constructing a winter shelter, building snow shoes , being confronted by a bear , befriending and naming a ... (Wikipedia)
Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory
by Tod Bolsinger
Using the story of Lewis and Clark's expedition, the author explores how to lead in a rapidly changing world.
Explorers Lewis and Clark had to adapt. While they had prepared to find a waterway to the Pacific Ocean, instead they found themselves in the Rocky Mountains. You too may feel that you are leading in ... (Goodreads)
The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
by Michael D. Watkins
Practical advice for new leaders on how to navigate their first three months in a role.
Since its original release, The First 90 Days has become the bestselling globally acknowledged bible of leadership and career transitions. In this updated and expanded 10th anniversary edition, ... (Goodreads)
Who Moved My Cheese?
by Spencer Johnson
A parable about navigating change through the eyes of four characters.
It is the amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life, for ... (Goodreads)
Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All
by James C. Collins
Examines the strategies and principles used by high-performing companies in uncertain environments.
The new question: Ten years after the worldwide bestseller "Good to Great," Jim Collins returns to ask: Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and others do not? In "Great by ... (Goodreads)
The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
by Eric Ries
Systematic approach to launching and managing successful businesses in an ever-changing market.
Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. ... (Goodreads)
The Story of My Life
by Helen Keller
The extraordinary account of a woman overcoming physical and cognitive obstacles to live an inspiring life.
When she was 19 months old, Helen Keller (1880–1968) suffered a severe illness that left her blind and deaf. Not long after, she also became mute. Her tenacious struggle to overcome these ... (Goodreads)
Nation
by Terry Pratchett
A story of courage and determination, as an island nation rebuilds its culture and identity after a devastating tsunami.
Alone on a desert island — everything and everyone he knows and loves has been washed away in a storm — Mau is the last surviving member of his nation. He’s completely alone — or so he thinks until ... (Goodreads)
Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
by Velma Wallis
Tale of two elderly women struggling to survive in the harsh Alaskan wilderness.
Long before the Europeans came, nomads roamed the polar region of Alaska in constant search for game. The people of the Gwich'in , who belong to the Athabaska tribes, wander the areas around the ... (Wikipedia)
Shoot the Moon
by Billie Letts
An exploration of family dynamics when a husband and wife are forced to confront their issues.
From one of America's best-loved storytellers - the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller WHERE THE HEART IS - comes a tale of a small Oklahoma town and the mystery that has haunted its ... (Goodreads)
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
An exploration of how disorder and chaos can lead to strength and resilience.
From the bestselling author of The Black Swan and one of the foremost philosophers of our time, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a book on how some systems actually benefit from disorder. In The Black Swan ... (Goodreads)
The Long Winter
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
A family's courageous struggle to survive a harsh winter in the American frontier.
On a hot August day in the 1880s, at the Ingallses' homestead in Dakota Territory , Laura offers to help Pa stack hay to feed their stock in the winter. As they work, she notices a muskrat den in the ... (Wikipedia)
Thank You, Jeeves
by P.G. Wodehouse
A bumbling English gentleman finds help from his brilliant valet, thwarting all manner of social disasters.
After a falling-out concerning Bertie's relentless playing of the banjolele , Jeeves leaves his master's service and finds work with Bertie's old friend, Lord "Chuffy" Chuffnell . Bertie travels to ... (Wikipedia)
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness
by Sy Montgomery
An exploration of the wonders of the octopus, with insights into its intelligence and emotions.
In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the ... (Goodreads)
Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders
by L. David Marquet
A former submarine commander's account of transforming a failing organization into one of success.
"Leadership should mean giving control rather than taking control and creating leaders rather than forging followers." David Marquet, an experienced Navy officer, was used to giving orders. As newly ... (Goodreads)
The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
by Norman Doidge
Exploring the brain's remarkable ability to adapt, heal and change itself.
An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country ... (Goodreads)
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
by Michael Lewis
How an unconventional approach to baseball changed the competitive landscape.
Billy Beane, general manager of MLB's Oakland A's and protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball , had a problem: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that's smaller than that of nearly every ... (Goodreads)
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
by Simms Taback
A resourceful man turns an old coat into a variety of new items, showing the power of imagination and creativity.
Joseph had a little overcoat, but it was full of holes—just like this book! When Joseph's coat got too old and shabby, he made it into a jacket. But what did he make it into after that? And after ... (Barnes & Noble)
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble
by Dan Lyons
A humorous account of an older man's experience in the chaotic world of Silicon Valley start-ups.
For twenty-five years Dan Lyons was a magazine writer at the top of his profession–until one Friday morning when he received a phone call: Poof. His job no longer existed. "I think they just want to ... (Goodreads)
A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles
A Russian aristocrat's life of imprisonment in a grand hotel, discovering the beauty of life in confinement.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility—a transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel With his breakout debut novel, ... (Goodreads)
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
by Karen Abbott
Uncovering the untold stories of four women who risked their lives as undercover spies during the Civil War.
Karen Abbott, the New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City and “pioneer of sizzle history” (USA Today ), tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything to ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Rosie Effect
by Graeme Simsion
A professor's unexpected journey of self-discovery, learning to embrace change.
Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman are back. The Wife Project is complete, and Don and Rosie are happily married and living in New York. But they're about to face a new challenge because - surprise - Rosie ... (Goodreads)
Dies the Fire
by S.M. Stirling
After a mysterious global catastrophe, a small group of survivors must adapt to an ancient way of life.
Mike Havel is a former United States Marine , a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf invasion , and bush pilot. On March 17, 1998, at 6:15 pm PST , Havel is flying over the Bitterroot Mountain Range in ... (Wikipedia)
Blue Noon
by Scott Westerfeld
A post-apocalyptic adventure as a group of survivors attempt to rebuild their world.
When time freezes in the middle of the day during a school pep rally, the Midnighters have a problem. The secret hour is slowly making its way into the real world. The last book in the Midnighters ... (Wikipedia)
The Walking Dead, Book One
by Robert Kirkman
Post-apocalyptic survival story of a rag-tag group of survivors fighting against hordes of zombies.
This hardcover features the first 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone needing a ... (Goodreads)
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
by Ryan Holiday
A practical guide on using adversity to achieve success.
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius We are stuck, stymied, frustrated. But it needn’t be this way. There is a formula for success ... (Goodreads)
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
by Simon Sinek
A guide to inspiring and motivating others to take action through understanding the power of why.
Why do you do what you do? Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees ... (Goodreads)
Strawberry Girl
by Lois Lenski
A young girl and her family face the challenges of living on a rural farm in the 1940s.
The land was theirs, but so were its hardships Strawberries – big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida ... (Goodreads)
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
by Roger Fisher
Strategies for successful negotiating, reaching win-win agreements.
Describes a method of negotiation that isolates problems, focuses on interests, creates new options, and uses objective criteria to help two parties reach an agreement Amazon.com description: Product ... (Goodreads)
The Happiest Refugee
by Anh Do
A memoir of an immigrant family's struggles and triumphs as they seek a better life in Australia.
Anh Do nearly didn't make it to Australia. His entire family came close to losing their lives on the sea as they escaped from war-torn Vietnam in an overcrowded boat. But nothing - not murderous ... (Goodreads)
Ramona and Her Father
by Beverly Cleary
A young girl's struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy after her father loses his job.
Ramona is well into her 2nd grade year at Glenwood School, and all is going well until one day her father comes home and announces he has lost his job. The Quimbys must now cope with the breadwinner ... (Wikipedia)
One Second After
by William R. Forstchen
A small town in North Carolina struggles to survive after an EMP attack destroys all electronics and infrastructure in the United States.
A post-apocalyptic thriller of the after effects in the United States after a terrifying terrorist attack using electromagnetic pulse weapons., New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country
by Helen Russell
A British woman's experience immersing in the culture of Denmark, learning lessons on living a better life.
Denmark is officially the happiest nation on Earth. When Helen Russell is forced to move to rural Jutland, can she discover the secrets of their happiness? Or will the long, dark winters and pickled ... (Goodreads)
Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World
by Stanley McChrystal
Exploring the challenges of leading and managing in a world of complexity, uncertainty, and rapid change.
The retired four-star general and and bestselling author of, My Share of the Task, shares a powerful new leadership model As commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), General Stanley ... (Goodreads)
Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes Into Stepping Stones for Success
by John C. Maxwell
Strategies for turning mistakes into opportunities for growth and success.
America's most trusted leadership expert will transform your attitude and belief about failure and empower you to make positive changes in your life to achieve your full potential. Are some people ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Call of the Wild, White Fang and Other Stories
by Jack London
Adventure stories of survival in the wild, featuring animals and humans alike.
Of all Jack London's fictions none has been as popular as his dog stories. In addition to The Call of the Wild, the epic tale of a Californian dog's adventures during the Klondike gold rush, this ... (Goodreads)
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
by Laurence Gonzales
Exploring why some people are able to survive life-threatening situations while others don't.
Laurence Gonzales’s bestselling Deep Survival has helped save lives from the deepest wildernesses, just as it has improved readers’ everyday lives. Its mix of adventure narrative, survival science, ... (Goodreads)
Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work
by Chip Heath
Strategies to make effective decisions and tackle difficult life choices.
The four principles that can help us to overcome our brains' natural biases to make better, more informed decisions – in our lives, careers, families and organizations., In Decisive , Chip Heath and ... (Goodreads)
Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea
by Steven Callahan
A harrowing tale of survival at sea after a shipwreck, and a man's inner journey.
Before The Perfect Storm , before In the Heart of the Sea , Steven Callahan's dramatic tale of survival at sea was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than thirty-six weeks. In some ways ... (Goodreads)
Ashfall
by Mike Mullin
After a supervolcano erupts, a teenage boy must survive in a world of ash and chaos.
Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or ... (Goodreads)
The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business
by Clayton M. Christensen
Examines disruptive innovation and how to manage it in a business setting.
Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen says outstanding companies can do everything right and still lose their market leadership – or worse, disappear completely. And he not only proves what he ... (Goodreads)
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time
by Jeff Sutherland
Strategies for boosting productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
In the future, historians may look back on human progress and draw a sharp line designating “before Scrum” and “after Scrum.” Scrum is that ground-breaking. It already drives most of the world’s top ... (Goodreads)
Life and Death in Shanghai
by Nien Cheng
Autobiographical account of a woman's survival during China's Cultural Revolution.
In August 1966 a group of Red Guards ransacked the home of Nien Cheng. Her background made her an obvious target for the fanatics of the Cultural Revolution: educated in London, the widow of an ... (Goodreads)
The Elephant Whisperer
by Lawrence Anthony
A story of the unlikely bond between a conservationist and a herd of wild elephants.
When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in South Africa, his commonsense told him to refuse. But he was the ... (Goodreads)
Wytches, Volume 1
by Scott Snyder
A family's struggle against a force of ancient evil, lurking in the woods.
Everything you thought you knew about witches is wrong. They are much darker, and they are much more horrifying. Wytches takes the mythology of witches to a far creepier, bone-chilling place than ... (Goodreads)
Bruchko: The Astonishing True Story of a 19-Year-Old American, His Capture by the Motilone Indians and His Adventures in Christianizing the Stone Age Tribe
by Bruce Olson
A 19-year-old's experiences living among and converting a Stone Age tribe in South America.
What happens when a nineteen-year-old boy leaves home and heads into the jungles to evangelize a murderous tribe of South American Indians?, For Bruce Olson, it meant capture, disease, terror, ... (Barnes & Noble)
Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff
by Chip Gaines
A personal account of the journey to success, offering lessons in life and business.
Now available in paperback with bonus content and a new cover. National Bestseller— New York Times , USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly The most important step is the first one. Dive ... (Barnes & Noble)
Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness
by Frederic Laloux
A guide to creating organizations that are more soulful, purposeful, and productive. It explores new ways of organizing and leading that are emerging around the world.
FROM THE BACKCOVER The way we manage organizations seems increasingly out of date. Deep inside, we sense that more is possible. We long for soulful workplaces, for authenticity, community, passion, ... (Goodreads)
438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea
by Jonathan Franklin
A man survives 14 months adrift in the Pacific Ocean after his boat capsizes. A harrowing tale of human endurance and the will to survive.
Declared “the best survival book in a decade” by, Outside Magazine, 438 Days, is the true story of the man who survived fourteen months in a small boat drifting seven thousand miles across the ... (Barnes & Noble)
Marcovaldo
by Italo Calvino
A man's struggles to survive in a modern city, observing the beauty of nature amidst hardships.
The Marcovaldo series depicts the life of a poor rural man with his family living in a big industrial city in northern Italy . The central character of Marcovaldo is an unskilled labourer for the ... (Wikipedia)
The Leadership Challenge
by James M. Kouzes
A practical guide to becoming a better leader and inspiring others.
The most trusted resource on becoming a leader has been completely updated and revised for a new generation. This new edition includes the latest research and case studies, and offers inspiring new ... (Goodreads)
How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In
by James C. Collins
A study of how once-great companies decline and fail, and how to avoid that fate.
Decline can be avoided. Decline can be detected. Decline can be reversed. Amidst the desolate landscape of fallen great companies, Jim Collins began to wonder: How, do, the mighty fall? Can decline ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Mixed-Up Chameleon
by Eric Carle
A chameleon's journey of self-discovery, exploring diversity and developing self-confidence.
From Eric Carle, the New York Times bestselling author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Grouchy Ladybug , comes a colorful and inventive book about a changing chameleon that wants to be a ... (Goodreads)
Hattie Big Sky
by Kirby Larson
A young girl's adventure of resilience, determination and courage in the wilds of Montana.
The novel is set during World War I . Hattie Brooks, a sixteen-year-old orphan who has tired of being shuttled between relatives she hardly knows, receives a letter from an uncle who has recently ... (Wikipedia)
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