What’s the buzz? New books aim to help worker bees find solutions to common workplace problems, offer perspectives on modern entrepreneurship, and propose ideas for bringing more women into the workplace at all levels.
But though these are distinct concerns, they aren’t unrelated. As Touchstone senior editor Cara Bedick notes, “It’s all about the balance everyone is looking for”—meaning that today’s professional realm can resemble a Venn diagram. A book about networking relates to a book about how women can get ahead, which relates to a book about a woman executive who founded her own business, and back again.
The overlapping themes are a sign of the gig-economy times. People change jobs more frequently, work as temps and consultants more often than in previous decades, and network all the time. According to Cornell professor Louis Hyman, author of Temp (Viking, Aug.), it’s important to understand that society grew to believe in the power of short-term results, resulting in more part-time work situations. Far from being a negative, that belief, Hyman says, shows “something deeply American about wanting to be independent and autonomous in our work.”
In this feature, we showcase books that highlight that get-it-done spirit, whether the target reader is juggling several part-time gigs, launching a new business, or heading up a major corporation.
Below, more on the subject of business books.
Find the Solution: Business Books 2018
Forthcoming books position problems as challenges to be conquered, opening them up to creative solutions.
Hustle & Grow: Business Books 2018
The authors of books on entrepreneurship and the gig economy are sharing what they’ve learned about modern ways of working.
Fostering Community: PW Talks with Grace Bonney
Design Sponge founder Grace Bonney discusses her changing interests, the tactility of a bookazine, and who’s considered ‘Good Company.’
This Woman’s Work: Business Books 2018
Business books by women, for women, propose that success has to happen on one’s own terms.
Bethanne Patrick is a writer and book critic who lives in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
