Ghosts, ghouls, and real-life fears—this Halloween, tackle them all. These nonfiction picks offer insight, courage, and strategies to turn your nightmares into opportunities for growth.
The Fear Knot: How Science, History, and Culture Shape Our Fears – and How to Get Unstuck
By Natashia Swalve & Ruth DeFoster
Psychologist Natashia Swalve and journalism professor Ruth DeFoster lead readers through the history and psychology behind our most visible and sensational cultural fears, beginning with the most personal―fear within our bodies―and moving outward to the home, our country, and finally to our broadest society-level fears. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by co-authors Natashia and Ruth, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage
By Ranjay Gulati
A distinguished Harvard Business School professor shares a fresh examination of courage: what it is and how we are all capable of brave acts. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Ranjay Gulati, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Flipside: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower
By Michelle “MACE” Curran
Former Thunderbird Lead Solo Michelle “MACE” Curran provides a blueprint for converting your fear into a strength based on the hard-earned lessons she learned in the cockpit and beyond. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Michelle Curran, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality
By Amanda Montell
A delicious blend of cultural criticism and personal narrative that explores our cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical thinking. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Amanda Montell, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual
By Luvvie Ajayi Jones
A hilarious and transformational book about how to tackle fear–that everlasting hater–and audaciously step into lives, careers, and legacies that go beyond even our wildest dreams. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Luvvie Ajayi Jones, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Key Ideas in 15 Minutes
“If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books,” Roald Dahl once famously said. The only trouble is, reading even one book from cover to cover takes hours—and you may not have many hours to spare.
But imagine for a moment: What if you could read a groundbreaking new book every day? Or even better, what if you could invite a world-renowned thinker into your earbuds, where they personally describe the 5 key takeaways from their work in just 15 minutes?
With the Next Big Idea App, we’ve turned this fantasy into a reality. We partnered with hundreds of acclaimed authors to create “Book Bites,” short audio summaries of the latest nonfiction that are prepared and read aloud by the authors themselves. Discover cutting-edge leadership skills, productivity hacks, the science of happiness and well-being, and much more—all in the time it takes to drive to work or walk the dog.
Go Deeper with a Next Big Idea Club Membership
The Next Big Idea App is free for anyone to try—and if you love it, we invite you to become an official member of the Next Big Idea Club. Membership grants you unlimited access to Book Bites and unlocks early-release, ad-free episodes of our LinkedIn-partnered podcast. You also gain entry to our private online discussion group, where you can talk big ideas with fellow club members and join exclusive live Q&A sessions with featured authors.
For a more focused learning experience, we recommend a Hardcover or eBook Membership. Every few months, legendary authors and club curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink select two new nonfiction books as the must-reads of the season. We then send hardcover copies straight to your doorstep, or eBook versions to your favorite digital device. We also collaborate with the authors of selected books to produce original reading guides and premium e-courses, 50-minute master classes that take you step by step through their most life-changing ideas. And yes, it’s all available through the Next Big Idea App.
Learn Faster, from the World’s Leading Thinkers
Whether you prefer to read, listen, or watch, the Next Big Idea is here to help you work smarter and live better. Wake up with an always-fresh Idea of the Day, the perfect shot of inspiration to go with your morning coffee. Then dive into one of our Challenges, hand-picked collections of Book Bites that form crash courses in subjects like communication, motivation, and career acceleration. Later, watch the playback of an interview with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Stanford psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt, or philosopher John Kaag. And be sure to check the “Events” tab in the app, so that you can join an upcoming live Q&A and personally chat with the next featured thought leader.
If you’re hoping to grow as a person or as a professional, we hope you’ll join us and tens of thousands of others who enjoy the Next Big Idea. Get started by downloading the app today!
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