I enjoy reading books for both education and entertainment. I learned a long time ago that leaders are readers, so I make it a point to constantly be reading a book or two at a time. I read 71 books this year not counting the duds I put down after only reading a chapter or two. With such a large annual reading list, people often ask me for book recommendations, which cuts down on reading duds.
Of the 71 books I read, I highly recommend 13 of them. Most of the rest were good but did not make my list of great reads.
Following are the 13 books I recommend you add to your 2026 reading list. They are listed in two categories: Fiction for a fun escape from life, and non-fiction for a chance to learn. In each of these categories the books are listed alphabetically by the author’s last name. I have also made every title a hot link to Amazon so you can buy the books you like by simply clicking on the title.
Happy reading.
Fiction
David Baldacci: The Last Mile
Our hero, Amos Decker, is an FBI special task force detective with a photographic memory who sets out to solve a 20-year-old murder case. Just as the person convicted of the killing is about to be executed, another criminal confesses to the double murder. Which tale is true? A man’s life depends on Amos finding the truth. But as all crime stories go, there is a lot more than meets the eye. Not everyone connected to this story will come out alive.
Kim Michele Richardson: The Book Woman’s Daughter
This is the second book in the tale of the blue-skinned people of Kentucky. Their skin was blue because of an enzyme deficiency called methemoglobinemia. Because of the color of their skin, their descendants were discriminated against, almost as bad as black people, since moving to Kentucky from Europe in the 1820s. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was the first book in the series and I recommended it last year. The Book Woman’s Daughter continues the story in the next generation. It tells of the young blue skinned daughter who followed in her mother’s footsteps as a traveling packhorse librarian bringing books and literacy to the people in the back woods of Kentucky. It’s an eye-opening story of perseverance in the face of persecution. The back story of the people of blue skin is fascinating as I had not heard of them before this pair of books. Read them in order.
Karin Slaughter: Pretty Girls
What happens when a glamorous trophy wife of a millionaire is left a widow after her husband’s shocking murder. As she begins to uncover his secrets, the man she knew as her husband, may not have been who she thought he was. He may even be connected to the disappearance of her sister more than two decades earlier. Can she find the truth with the help of her remaining sister before they both end up dead?
Lisa Wingate: Before We Were Yours
This incredible tale is based on a notorious real-life scandal of a Memphis adoption organization that kidnapped children of poor families and sold them to rich couples willing to pay a high price. Four children were enjoying life on a Mississippi shantyboat in 1939 until one day when their father had to rush their mother to the hospital. While the kids were alone on the boat, they were kidnapped by an orphanage, split apart and sold. Would they ever see their parents or siblings again?
Non-Fiction
Hal Elrod: The Miracle Morning
One of the things I teach in my high-performance coaching program is to “Win the Morning.” Many people waste their morning scrolling on their smart phone. But how we begin the day has a powerful influence as to how productive that day will be. Hal presents one plan of attack to win the morning with his S.A.V.E.R.S. method which can transform your life in as little as six minutes a day. If you want your day to be more effective, this is a good place to start.
W. Timothy Gallwey: The Inner Game of Tennis
When I began playing pickleball last year, my coach recommended this book. There are two voices inside our heads controlling what we do while playing tennis or doing anything else in life. One of them is busy telling us what we should do: How to hold the racquet, how to swing, the right follow through, where to place our feet… That voice is causing so much confusion, we can’t seem to do anything right. Then there is the other inner voice that naturally knows what to do and is ready to do it. If we can learn to keep the first one silent so the second one can hit the ball, our game will improve immensely. This book will give you the tools to get out of your own way and let your inner self take you right where you need to be.
Laura Hillenbrand: Unbroken
This is the second time I’ve read this book, and I’ve also seen the movie. This is the incredible story of Louis Zamerini, an Olympic runner who was expected to be the first one to beat the four-minute mile. Then America got into World War II. His plane was downed over the pacific and he floated in a raft for a record length of time before being captured by the Japanese. He went through a horrible ordeal as a prisoner of war where his resilience stood out. An unbelievable tale of a determined man.
Peg Kehrel: Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio
An incredible tale of Peg Kehret, a 12-year-old girl who contracted polio before the lifesaving vaccine was developed. Today, people do not understand the horror and fear associated with some of the diseases we have nearly wiped out through the miracle of vaccines. A heart-warming story of what it was like to be paralyzed, scared, and a long way away from family, as there were only a few places for these paralyzed patients to be treated. Do yourself a favor and read her tale.
Michelle Obama: Becoming
This was an incredible look inside the making of a president and what it is like to live in the white house. Michelle tells of her childhood and how she met and married Barack. What life was like for her kids going to school in a presidential limousine and just hoping for normal birthday parties and a few friends. It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of the Obamas or not, you will love this story and the inside look of what it means to be the First Lady of the United States.
Brian Tracy: Eat that Frog
Have you ever wanted to learn how to get more done in a day? Is procrastination a problem for you? Eat that Frog is one of the best productivity lessons I ever learned. This book has been so good for my life that I reread it every 2-3 years. It is a very short book and can be completed on your next airplane journey.
JD Vance: Hillbilly Elegy
If there was ever a story of pulling yourself up from your bootstraps to become something in America, this is it. I had never heard of J.D. Vance before he showed up as a vice-presidential nominee. So, I read this to learn more about him. He grew up dirt poor and ended up a Yale Law School graduate and later, the vice-president of the United States. It is a great look at what the poor people of Appalachia face trying to survive in America. You might say they are the poorest of the poor. His story made me feel so lucky to have grown up where I did, in middle class Southern Oregon.
Tara Westover: Educated
Another story of coming from a very poor family and breaking free from that poverty to become something special. Tara was raised by a survivalist family in the mountains of Idaho. Her family did not trust the government, the school system, or physicians. Tara was 17 years-old before she set foot in a classroom. Then, against her parents’ wishes, she matriculated at Harvard and Cambridge. It turns out that it is hard to get into college if you don’t have a birth certificate, and no one in the family knows exactly when you were born.
Henry Winkler: Being Henry
Anyone who is a fan of Henry’s work will love this look into how he got started and what his life was like before and after “The Fonz.” He really is a nice guy who overcame severe dyslexia and imposter syndrome to live his dream life. I loved the story of how he got the role of “The Fonz.” He saw who was in the waiting room auditioning for the role and felt there was no way he could ever get the role. But since he was there, he decided to have some fun. When he did the test reading, he decided it would be his goal to get the person reading with him to cower away and sit down in a chair without being told. He did just that and they loved the power and confidence he brought to the character, something Henry himself didn’t have.
I read many very good books last year and the ones listed above are what really stood out to me as books I think you would enjoy or benefit from reading. So, pick a book from this list that resonates with you, curl up by the fire, and enjoy. Maybe you could even read one of my books that spark an interest. You can’t work all the time, so spend some of your down time with a good book.
Happy New Year.