January Reading Round-Up: Disruption
January reading pulled me in hard.
And by read, I mean I was riveted listening to the authors read their own stories to me in audiobook form. There’s something uniquely powerful about hearing someone tell their own story in their own voice. It sharpens not just comprehension, but empathy and critical listening in a way print sometimes can’t.
Two books stood out immediately.
When Disruption Is External — and When It’s Personal
Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI by Karen Hao
“AI is one of the most consequential technologies of this era. In a little over a decade it is formed the backbone of the internet, becoming a ubiquitous mediator of digital activities. In even less time, it is now on track to rewire a great many other critical functions in society, from health care to education, from law to finance, from journalism to government. The future of AI—the shape that is this technology
takes—is inextricably tied to our future. The question of how to govern
AI, then, is really a question of how to ensure we make our future better, not worse.”
AI is the biggest technological disruptor in recent memory. It has already surpassed the pace and impact of previous waves like mobile devices and the Internet of Things. What Karen Hao does so well in Empire of AI is move the conversation beyond hype and fear into responsibility, governance, and consequence.
This isn’t just a book about technology. It’s a book about power, systems, and the choices we’re making, often without fully understanding what’s being built on our behalf.
Awake by Jen Hatmaker
“The one who will never quit me is me. The one who will never lie to me is me. The one who will always love me is me. The one who will always protect me is me. The one who will always choose me is me. I will never again outsource my life.”
If Empire of AI explores external disruption, Awake is about what happens when disruption comes for your identity, your family, and the life you thought you had secured.
Jen Hatmaker writes about discovering that her husband of 26 years was cheating, and the unraveling that followed. What struck me most wasn’t the betrayal itself; it was her clarity around reclaiming herself. This is a book about self-trust, self-protection, and self-leadership, written with honesty and strength.
Both books, in very different ways, explore what happens when the ground shifts beneath you, and what it takes to stay awake rather than numb or compliant.
Why Reading Still Matters to Me
What I love most about reading, beyond the development of my critical listening skills, is:
Learning something new about someone I thought I already knew
Taking a deep dive into a topic I haven’t yet explored
Sitting with ideas that feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or completely foreign
Reading stretches me. It slows me down in the best way. And it continues to be one of my most important tools for both my personal growth and professional development.
Other January Reads (and What Stayed With Me)
In Pieces by Sally Field
“After spending my whole adult life struggling to find more, the only thing I wanted now was to put a ‘closed’ sign on my forehead and sit in the corner staring at the wall.”
Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert
This book has a lot of promise. I moved it to my Did Not Finish (DNF) list, not because it isn’t worthwhile, but because the subject matter felt heavy. With so much heaviness in the world right now, I chose to set it down and return to it later.
Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
“Abundance, as we define it, is a state. It is a state in which there is enough of what we need to create lives better than what we have had.”
Joyride by Susan Orlean
“And I thought back on that lesson in the Talmud about each person containing the universe. And how, when that person is gone, their individual universe stops spinning.”
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
“A racist idea is any idea that suggests that something is wrong or right, superior or inferior, better or worse about a racial group. An antiracist idea is any idea that suggests racial groups are equals.”
Staying Sharp Is a Practice
I’m curious about your personal development habits.
— What do you do to stay sharp?
—What helps you think more clearly, lead more intentionally, or navigate disruption, both internal or external?
If you’re looking for ideas on how to build habits that strengthen your thinking and professional acumen, I’d love for you to check out a copy of Own Your Career. I wrote it for you, and it’s rooted in the belief that growth doesn’t happen accidentally; it’s a well-honed practice.
As always, if one of these books meets you where you are, I’d love to hear about it.
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