Where do you look for book recommendations? The book charts rarely result in good ones, a safe bet is to find a topic of interest and read through reviews on Goodreads, or find a book reviewer with similar taste to you and follow what they love.

For the past 2 months, I was really lucky to find some good books without purposely searching for them, they came to me like I was destined to read them. None of them are serious enough that require deep focus, making them good choices for summer holiday reads. Enjoy!

Robot Dreams — Isaac Asimov

First, let me start by saying that please forgive my ignorance for not knowing Issac Asimov before. Truth be told, I am not a sci-fi fan, or I am not a fan of most of the sci-fi I’ve read.

How I came across Issac Asimov was from watching the movie ‘I, Robot’. I was fascinated by how genius the storyline was, then found out that it’s based on Issac Asimov’s novel with the same title (duh, the best movies are always based on novels). I started reading some short stories by Issac Asimov and was instantly hooked.

His stories are sci-fi but not your typical sci-fi, not the kind that is stuffed with sci-fi elements just to be in that category, which in turn buries the stories underneath it. These stories are witty, and profound without being heavy, even deceptively simple. They touch on AI, Robots, their relationship with humans, and the future of human beings. Not one single story disappoints, but many stood out, my favorites are The Last Question and Sally from this collection of short stories.

A side note: Issac Asimov was a biochemistry professor at Boston University. A prolific writer, he managed to edit and write 500 books among other things. If you like his writing, you will have a long to-read list before you run out.

Ketamin — Bita Moghaddam

My partner bought this book and had it lying around among other books. It caught my eyes because I listened to a podcast episode about Ketamin therapy. This short book just filled the gap in my knowledge on this topic.

I wouldn’t reveal too much as it’s a short book. But if you are interested in depression medication, its progression, and even how generally how drugs are tested and approved in the US, this would be an interesting read for you.

Palette Mini 02: Multicolour

Ok…these books might seem random. I picked one up from a bookstore and was fascinated by the concept. It’s a collection of color-themed series with design examples — used as references for designers.

Even though I am not a designer, my job in analytics and my other side projects all require me to understand color and design principles. These books are extremely helpful whenever I need some inspiration or directions.

I recommend you get the multi-color one first. If you make slides or visualizations, understanding how to use different colors together is crucial for effective communication.