This year marks the 25th anniversary of the list, now called the JP Morgan Summer Reading List. The 10 books are carefully selected to match the tastes and concerns of JP Morgan’s wealthy clients. This year’s list includes books on effective communication, artificial intelligence, Formula One, whiskey, hidden vacation spots, and the art collection of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.
JP Morgan creates this list by surveying its more than 35,000 client advisors and employees worldwide and asking them about the topics clients talk and think about most. This year, advisors sent more than 700 recommended book titles, which a committee selected based on their timeliness and appeal.
“Our clients run the gamut, from business owners and entrepreneurs to philanthropists and art collectors,” said Darin Oduyoye, director of communications for JP Morgan Asset and Wealth Management, who has led the list since its inception. “There are books suitable for each of these groups.”
Customers receive an elegant JP Morgan branded box containing one or two books from the list, specifically recommended by their customer advisor. The advisor also includes a handwritten note and commemorative bookmark.
The list helps advisors communicate with clients during the long summer months. This also helps with client events, since authors on the list often agree to host special dinners or conferences for JP Morgan clients.
Authors also like to be on the list since JP Morgan buys thousands of books to distribute and customers often return the books to others.
“This list is something our customers, colleagues and communities look forward to,” Oduyoye said.
This year’s 25th anniversary edition features a “special anniversary” spotlighting Water.org, the charity founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, and their book “The Value of Water.”
Here is JP Morgan’s 25th annual summer reading list, along with summaries of the books, provided by the bank:
“Supercommunicators: how to unlock the secret language of connection” by Charles Duhigg
Sharing the latest research into what makes conversations effective, Charles Duhigg reveals how we can improve our communications and build stronger connections. Whether it’s a divided jury room or how a CIA officer recruits a foreign agent, Duhigg uses examples to illustrate how we can convey effective messages by recognizing and leveraging the three levels of every conversation: practical, emotional and social. Taking us from the writers’ room of one of television’s most successful sitcoms to the couches of in-demand marriage counselors, Duhigg shows us that we all have supercommunicators within us.
“The Anxious Generation: How the Great Remake of Childhood is Driving an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt exposes urgent facts and issues a clear call to action to draw attention to the global epidemic of adolescent mental illness. Haidt identifies the widespread use of smartphones and more than a dozen other mechanisms as having contributed to the “great reshuffling of childhood.” Arguing that these technologies have had a profound negative effect on children’s social and neurological development, it explores what can be done to reverse the significant increase in sleep deprivation, fragmented attention, loneliness, dependence and social comparisons. Above all, Haidt calls for collective action and outlines the steps we all must take to end this epidemic.
“Giants: Dean Collection Art by Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys » published by Phaidon
Celebrating selections from the world-class art collection of musical and cultural icons Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean), “Giants” highlights 100 works by nearly 40 multi-generational Black American, African and African Diaspora artists . Organized by the Brooklyn Museum for its first-ever major exhibition, the Dean Collection features works by legendary and emerging artists, including Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lorna Simpson, Odili Donald Odita, and Kennedy Yanko. “Giants” too includes exclusive conversations between Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys and curator Kimberli Gant, plus interviews with 10 of the renowned artists featured.
“Bold New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (And Why It’s a Good Thing)” by Salman Khan
Salman Khan, the visionary behind the nonprofit Khan Academy, explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform learning in both education and the workplace. Demonstrating how AI will not replace human interaction but rather enhance it with tools to encourage creativity and problem solving, it shows how AI can adapt to each student’s individual pace while identifying strengths and areas for improvement. Describing how emerging technologies can create a more accessible education system, Khan offers practical implications for administrators, advisors, and hiring managers, as well as thoughtful ideas for how we can all use AI in a world of increasingly digital.
“Love & Whiskey: the remarkable true story of Jack Daniel, his master distiller Nearest Green, and the unlikely rise of the nearest uncle” by Fawn Weaver
Entrepreneur Fawn Weaver reveals the untold story of one of America’s most iconic whiskey brands. Set in Lynchburg, Tennessee, “Love & Whiskey” follows Weaver’s quest to uncover the life of Nearest Green, a 19th-century African-American distiller who played a pivotal role in the development of Jack Daniel’s whiskey. Delving through layers of history to uncover the truth about Green’s contributions to the spirits industry and his friendship with Daniels, Weaver uncovers a story that connects generations. His discoveries inspire a new path forward, with Weaver spearheading the creation of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey as a way to honor and celebrate Green’s legacy for generations to come.
“The Formula: How thieves, geniuses and speed freaks revamped F1 to make it the fastest growing sport in the world” by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg
In “The Formula,” The Wall Street Journal’s Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg tell the gripping story of how Formula 1’s fearless reinvention led to its breakthrough in America. With fast cars, engineering geniuses, driver rivalries and glamorous settings, “The Formula” details how F1’s “sudden” arrival in the United States actually took decades. With unlimited access to F1’s most legendary teams and icons, from Ferrari to Mercedes, Robinson and Clegg offer readers a thrilling insight into the drivers, companies, cars and risks that have defined the fastest growing sport. fast in the world.
“Secret stays: pioneer hosts of new chic” by Melinda Stevens, Issy von Simson and Tabitha Joyce
A fascinating exploration curated by Melinda Stevens, Issy von Simson and Tabitha Joyce, “Secret Stays” presents 22 hidden gems that reflect the dynamic evolution of modern travel. Highlighting captivating properties and their owners – from a secluded Croatian monastery to a Japanese machiya townhouse – this beautiful book from Assouline, the luxury culture brand, reveals unique experiences that arise from a rekindled belief in authentic and tailor-made hospitality. Through stunning photography and compelling storytelling, “Secret Stays” takes a fresh look at the diverse and ever-changing face of travel today.
“Finding Fortunato: How a Peruvian Adventure Inspired the Sweet Success of a Family Chocolate Business” by Adam Pearson
In “Finding Fortunato,” Adam Pearson takes us on a journey into the jungles of northern Peru with the inspiring story of the entrepreneurial family who struck gold and discovered the legendary Nacional white cocoa bean, which the previously believed to be extinct. Realizing that their success relied on disrupting a traditional and unethical supply chain to trade directly with local Peruvian farmers, the family launched Fortunato Chocolate, a company that would come to be described as “the Rolex of chocolate “.
“Uptime: a practical guide to personal productivity and well-being” by Laura Mae Martin
Every day, tens of thousands of Google employees, from interns to senior executives, rely on Executive Productivity Advisor, Laura Mae Martin, to make the most of their time. In “Uptime,” Martin offers easy-to-follow steps to increase productivity, prevent burnout, and achieve a better work-life balance. Whether you’re faced with an avalanche of emails, an overloaded calendar, or a difficult-to-run meeting, Martin’s strategic approach presents actionable steps to help you manage your time effectively, focus on priorities, and maintain effective systems and routines.
“The Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles” by Jake Gyllenhaal and Greta Caruso
A whimsical and heartwarming picture book from Academy Award and Tony Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and his childhood best friend Greta Caruso, “The Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles” celebrates the unique and fun role that aunts and uncles in children’s lives. Humorously exploring the call to adventure that being an aunt or uncle can bring – from flexible bedtimes to activities with a “good dose of danger” – this book paints a loving portrait of these special relationships.
Anniversary Spotlight: “The Value of Water: Our Story of Finding Solutions to the World’s Greatest Challenge” by Gary White and Matt Damon
To celebrate the 225th On the anniversary of JPMorgan Chase’s first predecessor, the Manhattan Company, founded as a water utility, we are proud to highlight “The Value of Water” by Gary White and Matt Damon. These two unlikely allies, with a shared mission to end the global water crisis, take readers on a journey to give communities and families the tools to address their clean water shortages. By describing their trial-and-error approach to finding a workable solution, White and Damon demonstrate how the water crisis can be solved through collective action.
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