Books Of Your Life With Elizabeth

Goodreads co-founder Elizabeth Khuri Chandler talks to billionaire philanthropist Melinda Gates about her new book The Moment of Lift and about the books that have shaped her life. Melinda talks about her spiritual journey, the common frustrations she works to overcome, and being willing to show your vulnerabilities as a leader. And she's sounding the alarm about the risks of women being left out of the process of developing AI technologies.   As the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation she's had a hand in saving millions of lives, through education, health, and vaccination programs.   Her top books are: 

Jared Diamond, the author of Guns Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, invites Elizabeth into his Los Angeles home where he shares the books that have shaped his life. He speaks about Walden by Henry David Thoreau, If This is a Man by Primo Levi, Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, and other books that reflect his adventures in New Guinea. They also discuss his latest book, Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis and why he remains optimistic for the future.  

Author, editor and entrepreneur Will Schwalbe loves to talk about the books that have changed his life. He's written two books to the subject, The End of Your Life Book Club, which was about the books he read with his mother while she was dying, and Books for Living, about the role books can play in our lives and how they can show us how to live each day more fully and with more meaning. In this podcast he talks about a few gems: The Importance of Living, Giovanni's Room, A Little Life, and Why I Wake Early among others. 

Author, essayist, art critic, and Guggenheim fellow Frederic Tuten discusses his memoir, My Young Life, Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, Nightwood by Djuna Barnes, Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo, and why he doesn't want to live in a world without books. 

*Our theme was composed by Mia Schettino. Additional music from Caius Cowgill's Atlas Orchestra and Podington Bear." 

Podcaster, author, blogger, and very tall person Nora McInerny discusses her latest book, No Happy Endings, about how she found love again after her first husband Aaron died of brain cancer, and three other books that have shaped her life: Smashed: The Story of a Drunken Girlhood, Food Freedom Forever: Letting Go of Bad Habits, Guilt, and Anxiety Around Food, and Man's Search for Meaning.

*Our theme was composed by Mia Schettino. Additional music from Caius Cowgill's Atlas Orchestra and Podington Bear." 

Famed author, editor, publisher and activist Dave Eggers discusses his latest book, Parade, as well as the books that have shaped his life: Anna Karenina, Dune, Gulliver's Travels, The Adventures of Augie March, and the Voice of Witness series. 

Prize-winning author Marlon James and Elizabeth discuss books that have changed his life: Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn, Shame by Salman Rushdie and Sula by Toni Morrison. 

LeVar Burton and Elizabeth discuss books that have shaped his life, from Roots by Alex Haley to The Teachings of Don Juan series by Carlos Castaneda. Along the way, he spoke about his desire to live life as a “spiritual warrior,” personal accountability, and the flexible nature of "truth" today.

Radha Agrawal, co-founder of Thinx and founder and CEO Daybreaker--a community that dances together in the early hours of the morning, talks with Elizabeth about our need to combat loneliness and feel like we are part of something. Her new book, Belong, is a how-to guide for her that endeavor. She also speaks about a series of books that gave her values for life, and a famous entrepreneur's memoir that has something for everyone. 

Celebrated novelist and nonfiction writer Anne Lamott talks with Elizabeth about her new book about how to have hope in the modern world. She also recommends two powerful books for all readers. One about a woman's painful quest for enlightenment and another that will inspire writers everywhere. 

Abby Falik, founder and CEO of Global Citizen Year, talks with Elizabeth about three books that changed her perspective: A memoir by a classmate that altered her view on living and dying, a short tome that prescribes taking the time to be present in the moment, and a guilty pleasure book about a man that that rises from rural poverty to tycoon status and the toll it takes on his soul. 

Scott Harrison, founder and CEO of the nonprofit charity: water, talks with Elizabeth about his new memoir, Thirst, which traces his path from club promoter to creative force behind bringing clean drinking water to more than eight million people worldwide. They also discuss his favorite book about parenting and the productivity book that changed his life.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Elizabeth discuss an upcoming book from SJP's new imprint, talk about a recent book she thinks is perfect for the #MeToo movement, and dive into another that explores the dark side of being born with a famous father. 

Follow Sarah Jessica Parker on Goodreads at: http://Goodreads.com/SarahJessicaParker  

What is Sarah Jessica Parker reading right now? What books does the  founder of Charity Water, Scott Harrison, think can change your life? Or what books would Anne Lamott like to foist upon you, dear reader?Goodreads Co-founder and Editor in chief Elizabeth Khuri Chandler wants to know.