5 new, potentially good reads for October

New York--Goodreads, an online book discussion website, has released its monthly list of recently published books in all categories, from historical fiction to biography and memoirs. 

National Jeweler chose four of these books that could be useful to business owners. This month’s picks include The Innovators, which tells the story of the collaborative geniuses of the digital age, as well as The Woman Who Would Be King, which touches on the world’s reactions to women in power. A staff pick also is included, as the last recommendation. 

The following list provides a brief summary of each book and links to additional information on Goodreads.

1. The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
Walter Isaacson

Isaacson tells the story of the collaborative innovators of the digital age: who they were, how their minds worked and what made them so creative. It’s also a narrative of how they worked together and why their ability to work in teams led to even more creativity. This book is 528 pages.

2. The Invisible History of the Human Race: How DNA and History Shape Our Identities and Our Futures
Christine Kenneally

This book is a researched and provocative perspective on how our stories, psychology and genetics affect our past and future, exploring how everything from DNA to emotions to names and the stories that form our lives are part of our human legacy. Kenneally explores how trust is inherited in Africa and silence is passed down in Tasmania--how the history of nations is written in DNA. This book is 368 pages.

3. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Kara Cooney

This biography explores the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her rise to power in a man’s world. Hatshepsut was born into a privileged position of the royal household, as the daughter of a general who took Egypt’s throne, and whose mother had ties to the previous dynasty. Cooney traces the unconventional life of the almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores the world’s complicated reactions to women in power. This book is 384 pages.

4. Yes Please
Amy Poehler

In her first book, actress Amy Poehler offers up personal stories, funny bits on life, friendship and parenthood, and real-life advice on topics including when to be funny and when to be serious. This book is 288 pages.