What I’m Reading


The CEO of Axiom EPM, Peri Pierone, and the co-founder of McMenamins, Mike McMenamin, share their recent reads.

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0614whatimreadingPeri-PieronePeri Pierone
CEO, Axiom EPM
“While every day seems to be an influx of information gathering and processing, I’ve found the mornings are my best chance to create white space for reading. It is in the quiet of the morning prior to the onslaught of the day’s busy work schedule that I’m able to be reflective and thoughtful about more strategic ideas. I don’t really read for entertainment. I use other mediums for that; most of my reading is for personal and professional growth.”

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The Return of the Prodigal Son
By Henri J.M. Nouwen

“The author’s encounter with Rembrandt’s painting of the same name plunged him into a fascinating spiritual adventure. Despite being one of the Bible’s most well-known stories, Nouwen does a masterful job reflecting on homecoming, affirmation, jealousy, vengefulness and reconciliation in a manner that’s fresh and thought provoking. The author depicts how the main characters of this story are all resident within us. The book is a beautiful call to spiritual and human maturity and the transformation it requires.”

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Fierce Conversations
By Susan Scott

“Susan Scott’s work has been quite important as we build a culture of transparency and authenticity in our company. A national bestseller, this is an excellent book for any leader who realizes life is really about a series of conversations and exchanges we have with one another. Often it is the words we’re not saying that we should be most concerned about. Fierce doesn’t have to mean confrontational; it refers more to having transparent, strong and passionate exchanges with those we engage with on a daily basis.”

 


0614whatimreadingMike-McMenaminMike McMenamin
Co-founder, McMenamins
“I like to read pretty much anything, including books focused on or containing elements of travel, art, architecture, history, food and beverage, music, philosophy. Books that touch on all or most of these subjects can be akin to finding the Holy Grail. I enjoy reading every night before bedtime, and sometimes it can go late. The spirit can move you, energize you, and the possibilities are endless.”

 

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A Time to Keep Silence
By Patrick Leigh Fermor

“Our world seems to be rocking and rolling at a furious clip. There’s more noise, more distractions and maybe less time for thoughtful person-to-person interaction. As Jerry Garcia put it, tongue in cheek, to David Grisman, ‘Louder is better, David. On this planet, louder is better.’ This tiny but lovely book based on the author’s visit to several abbeys in Europe in the early ’50s reveals some of the very special attributes of these spaces: silence, meditation, the pursuit of knowledge, the power of ritual and structure. A great book. When cell phone madness threatens your equilibrium, you may find yourself relaxing a bit, and thoughts of ‘my precious — your cell phone — forgotten for a while.” 

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The Wet and the Dry
By Lawrence Osborne

“Another tiny book, The Wet and the Dry is packed with history; mostly lucid observations on imbibing and wild stories from about the globe. Mr. Osborne has visited so many enticing bars that you want to immediately follow his trail. My wife and I have had the good fortune to visit some of them, namely the bar at the Dukes Hotel in London, and his descriptions are spot on with more depth and storytelling than you could hope for. While referencing Champagne, Osborne remembered a description of a book by Henry Miller, and I would say it is an apt description of his own book, The Wet and the Dry: ‘Reading it was like listening to all the Champagne corks in the world going off at the same time.’”