More
I'm always reading a book or three. Podcasts are my other go-to while working or commuting.
Below is a collection of books and podcasts I'm reading/listening/thinking about in my work and life, at this moment.
Life
The Daily is a New York Times podcast hosted by Michael Barbaro talking about the day's hard hitting news in 10-20 mins.
This podcast is may main news source.
A book about our relationship with food.
I love food and I love history. This book dissects how our relationship with food is shaped by our history with it.
A podcast about things that are overlooked and misunderstood.
I believe everything has grey areas and generalities are dangerous; this podcast confirms it.
Creativity / Design
A soon-to-be book written by Brad Frost about crafting effective interface design systems.
I think interactive and product design is a great marriage of systematic and intuitive design. This book helps us look at the systematic side of it.
A long running interview series with designers, artists and cultural leaders lead by designer Debbie Millman.
I'm always interested in creative people's journeys and this interview is (in my opinion) the best.
A podcast series with designers Michael Beirut and Jessica Helfand discussing design topics that are on their mind.
This podcast feeds the design intellectualist in me.
Understanding lean principles and how to apply it to UX.
I'm always interested in how we can improve the user experience and that starts with improving our processes to get at those nuggets of wisdom that help us design for people.
Recommendations
Below are a list of the books that I've read and highly recommend...
Just because (non-fiction & fiction)
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
A fascinating and unique telling of the history of human kind.
Consolations by David Whyte
If you love words, this is the book for you.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A novel about self-discovery and finding your path.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
A book about writing and life but is applicable to all forms of creativity.
Creativity/Design
Sprint by Jake Knapp
A book about how to quickly test ideas and maximize discussions with your team.
An excellent guide to the process of creating branding identities
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
A book about how to allow for more creativity into our lives.
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
If you've felt a tug to follow your passion, this book helps you dissect that and gives you practical advice on how to embrace it.