During the last two weeks of July, I was on vacation in South Africa. I LOVED my vacation and the safari experiences, but there was little time for reading.  This month’s recap is later and shorter than normal!

1. Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems by Michael Fullan and Joanne Quinn – Based on Fullan’s article “Choosing the Wrong Drivers for Whole System Reform,” which I first read in my doctoral program, this book puts the right drivers into a framework that is actionable for educational leaders. I really appreciated the systems-thinking this framework takes. So many educational entities lack systems-thinking, and true coherence. This books offers some concrete ideas to move an organization forward strategically.
2. Personal by Lee Child- This was another Jack Reacher classic that I read while on a LONG plane ride.
3. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin – My aunt recommended this book to me and I’m glad I read it. It was a very unusual story, and it actually reminded me of a book I read awhile back (A Man Called Ove). The protagonist was not exactly likable, but due to circumstances beyond his belief, he  became the adopted father to a young baby. That event changed the course of his life, for the better. I loved that he was a small-town bookstore owner!
4. Here’s to Us by Elin Hilderbrand – This was on some “summer beach read” list and that’s exactly what it’s good for! It was a predictable story about the three ex-wives of a man who had just passed away, and their story to forgiveness, for themselves and their children, and their shared history.

This makes my 2016 total to 48. 

What are you reading?
Any must-read recommendations for me this fall?