--- description: New releases from Peter Thiel, Linda Rottenberg and more title: Books To Look Out for This Fall image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt32200ac5a0a306d6/6986a24d55a8594d59a8270c/162715854.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Media](/tag/media/) ## Media Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Books To Look Out for This Fall by [Adam Grant](/author/adam-grant/) ## Adam Grant Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 8, 2014 3:38 PM CUT  Books taking off from a stack Books taking off from a stackJorg Greuel—Getty Images by [Adam Grant](/author/adam-grant/) ## Adam Grant Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 8, 2014 3:38 PM CUT _LinkedIn Influencer_ [_Adam Grant_](https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=69244073&authType=name&authToken=M8J0&trk=pulse-det-athr%5Fprof-art%5Fhdr "undefined") _published this post originally on_ [_LinkedIn_](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140904134011-69244073-the-new-books-to-read-this-fall "undefined")_._ [_Follow_](https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=69244073&authType=name&authToken=M8J0&trk=pulse-det-athr%5Fprof-art%5Fhdr "undefined") _Adam on LinkedIn._ My favorite part of being an author is writing. A close second is finding new books in my mailbox. This fall, there’s an unusually exciting crop of big idea and business books about human behavior, innovation and entrepreneurship, and the fundamental questions of success, meaning, and happiness in work and life. Here are the 14 forthcoming and just-released books to check out: **1\.** [**Me, Myself, and Us**](http://www.amazon.com/Me-Myself-Us-Personality-Well-Being/dp/1586489674 "undefined") **by Brian Little** (October 14) I’ve never read a book that revealed so much about my own personality, let alone the peculiar habits of my friends, coworkers, and family members. With extraordinary wit and wisdom, Little— the winner of Canada’s highest award for university teaching and one of Harvard’s favorite professors—offers startling insights about our trivial pursuits and magnificent obsessions. **2\.** [**Rookie Smarts**](http://www.amazon.com/Rookie-Smarts-Learning-Beats-Knowing/dp/006232263X "undefined") **by Liz Wiseman** (October 14) If you believe in the value of experience, prepare to have your worldview turned upside-down. Wiseman masterfully shows why novices can outdo veterans, expertise blinds us to fresh ideas, and we’re all missing out on the brilliance of the newbies around us. **3\.** [**The Innovators**](http://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Inventors-Hackers-Geniuses-Revolution-ebook/dp/B00JGAS65Q "undefined") **by Walter Isaacson** (October 7) The author who brought us the epic biographies of Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin is back. It’s the saga of Silicon Valley as we’ve never seen it before: a behind-the-scenes journey with the pioneers who invented the computer, the Internet, and the digital revolution. **4\.** [**Crazy is a Compliment**](http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Compliment-Power-Zigging-Everyone/dp/1591846641 "undefined") **by Linda Rottenberg** (October 7) Rottenberg offers a treasure trove of ideas to jumpstart new entrepreneurs and accelerate the success of startups. She has guided many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, and this book is full of tips for fueling innovation in companies, nonprofits, governments, and schools. **5\.** [**The Upside of Your Dark Side**](http://www.amazon.com/Upside-Your-Dark-Side-Self--Drives/dp/1594631735 "undefined") **by Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener**(September 25) At long last, here’s a book on why happiness can make us sad, mindfulness might be overrated, and discomfort sets the stage for comfort. This pair of psychologists offers a provocative, evidence-based case for a balanced life. If you don’t read it, you should feel guilty—and it turns out that will be good for you. **6\.** [**A Path Appears**](http://www.amazon.com/Path-Appears-Transforming-Creating-Opportunity/dp/0385349912 "undefined") **by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn** (September 23) In their fourth book together, this Pulitzer Prize-winning married couple examines how regular people make a difference. From preventing disease and fixing education, to evaluating global aid and local charity, to fighting violence, the combination of inspiring examples, cutting-edge science, and practical recommendations is going to change how we think about changing the world. **7\.** [**How Google Works**](http://www.amazon.com/How-Google-Works-Eric-Schmidt/dp/1455582344 "undefined") **by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg** (September 23) How did Google grow from a disruptive search engine into the world’s most valuable company? Two leaders share lessons from the inside out on strategy, decision-making, innovation, and culture. **8\.** [**Zero to One**](http://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296/ "undefined") **by Peter Thiel** (September 16) Thiel argues that the secret to progress is not competition, but monopoly. Drawing on his experience as cofounder of PayPal and Palantir, and an early investor in companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Yelp, he offers fascinating ideas about how to shift from copying something old to creating something new. **9\.** [**Hello, My Name is Awesome**](http://www.amazon.com/Hello-My-Name-Is-Awesome/dp/1626561869 "undefined") **by Alexandra Watkins** (September 15) How do you find the right name for your brand or your company? This is what Watkins does for a living—her company is responsible for renaming a wedding brunch service Bloody Married and a frozen yogurt franchise Spoon Me—and her clever examples and advice will spare us all from putting the wrong foot forward. **10\.** [**The Small Big**](http://www.amazon.com/small-BIG-changes-spark-influence/dp/1455584258 "undefined") **by Robert Cialdini, Noah Goldstein, and Steve Martin**(September 9) If you’ve ever struggled to change the beliefs or behaviors of other people, there’s hope. The world’s leading experts on persuasion offer the best of science and practical insights about influence. **11\.** [**Smartcuts**](http://www.amazon.com/Smartcuts-Hackers-Innovators-Accelerate-Success/dp/0062302450 "undefined") **by Shane Snow** (September 9) This book solves a major mystery, illuminating how visionaries and pioneers find faster ways to achieve their goals. With spellbinding stories and relevant research, Snow has delivered one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking books of the year. **12\.** [**Excellent Sheep**](http://www.amazon.com/Excellent-Sheep-Miseducation-American-Meaningful/dp/1476702713 "undefined") **by William Deresiewicz** (August 19) According to this former Yale professor, elite colleges aren’t teaching students how to think. Deresiewiczproposes to reinvent higher education so that students develop strong values and find meaningful definitions of success. **13\.** [**Powers of Two**](http://www.amazon.com/Powers-Two-Finding-Innovation-Creative/dp/0544031598 "undefined") **by Joshua Wolf Shenk** (August 5) We think bold new ideas come from individuals and teams, but the heart of creativity lies in dynamic duos. Shenk examines the chemistry behind the imaginative pairs who spawned the Beatles, Apple, _South Park_, and the civil rights movement. Learn about the surprising benefits of conflict and power imbalances—and how to find the right partner and build trust. **14\.** [**Building a Better Teacher**](http://www.amazon.com/Building-Better-Teacher-Teaching-Everyone/dp/0393081591 "undefined") **by Elizabeth Green** (August 4) Great education is the foundation of a flourishing society, and it depends on great teachers. Green, a leading education journalist, offers strong evidence and compelling cases to illuminate what it takes to get children to pay attention, sharpen their reasoning, and contribute to insightful discussions. And if you’re still searching for more, here are the other new releases that I’m looking forward to reading: * [Pioneering the Possible](http://www.amazon.com/Pioneering-Possible-Awakened-Leadership-Activism/dp/1583948627 "undefined") by Scilla Elworthy (October 7) * [How to Kill a Unicorn](http://www.amazon.com/How-Kill-Unicorn-Hottest-Innovation/dp/0804138737 "undefined") by Mark Payne (October 7) * [Being Mortal](http://www.amazon.com/Being-Mortal-Medicine-What-Matters/dp/0805095152 "undefined") by Atul Gawande (October 7) * [Not That Kind of Girl](http://www.amazon.com/Not-That-Kind-Girl-Learned/dp/081299499X "undefined") by Lena Dunham (September 30) * [This Changes Everything](http://www.amazon.com/This-Changes-Everything-Capitalism-Climate/dp/1451697384 "undefined") by Naomi Klein (September 16) * [Innovating Women](http://www.amazon.com/Innovating-Women-Changing-Face-Technology-ebook/dp/B00LFVJT6E/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409841493&sr=8-1&keywords=innovating+women "undefined") by Vivek Wadhwa and Farai Chideya (September 9) * [Dataclysm](http://www.amazon.com/Dataclysm-When-Think-Ones-Looking/dp/0385347375 "undefined") by Christian Rudder (September 9) * [Mind Gym](http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Gym-Achieve-Thinking-Differently/dp/0062331442 "undefined") by Sebastian Bailey and Octavius Black (September 9) * [The Impulse Society](http://www.amazon.com/The-Impulse-Society-America-Gratification/dp/1608198146 "undefined") by Paul Roberts (September 2) _Adam Grant is a Wharton professor and the New York Times bestselling author of_ [Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success](http://www.amazon.com/Give-Take-Helping-Others-Success/dp/0143124986/ "undefined")_. Sign up for his free newsletter at_ [_www.giveandtake.com_](http://www.giveandtake.com/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3303378/books-fall-2014/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3303378/books-fall-2014/"},"headline":"Books To Look Out for This Fall","datePublished":"2014-09-08T15:38:57.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:54:43.134Z","description":"New releases from Peter Thiel, Linda Rottenberg and more","url":"https://time.com/3303378/books-fall-2014/","keywords":["Media"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt32200ac5a0a306d6/6986a24d55a8594d59a8270c/162715854.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Adam Grant","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/adam-grant/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt32200ac5a0a306d6/6986a24d55a8594d59a8270c/162715854.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"162715854","caption":"162715854","creditText":"Jorg Greuel—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/media/","name":"Media"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3303378/books-fall-2014/","name":"Books To Look Out for This Fall"}}]}] ```