This week marks the official start of summer, which means we’re all looking forward to bbqs, beach time and of course, some good summer reading. There’s nothing better than sitting in the sun with a good book, so we wanted to share a few of our current favorites around the office: Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose

By Tony Hsieh

This is an outstanding read written by the CEO of Zappos (an online shoe store I may be slightly addicted to). Tony shares important business lessons we can all relate to, drawing upon his impressive career, and most notably, how he built a billion-dollar business by focusing on a strong corporate culture, above all else.

Inside the Organization: Perspectives on Employee Communications

By Jack LeMenager

Published just a few months ago (by a respected colleague and friend of mine), this book provides some outstanding insights into the work we do every day. It’s highly readable – full of short anecdotes and examples that help to drive home the important role managers play in communications, and how effective communications can fuel a company’s success.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

By Chip and Dan Heath

Two of our favorite business authors – brothers Chip and Dan Heath – came out with this book about a year ago that looks at why humans are so fiercely resistant to change. The book is chock full of anecdotes, examples and psychological research designed to help companies, communities and individuals effect lasting change.

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for its Life Without Losing its Soul

By Howard Shultz

Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks, shares a brutally honest account of the challenges Starbucks faced in 2008, and how he fought to help the company get its “mojo” back. This one is more than just your run-of-the-mill business book – it actually reads like an exciting and sometimes suspenseful narrative, as Shultz pulls back the curtains and reveals some of his toughest decisions.

And just to prove that we also have a lighter side, here are a few of our favorite “beach reads": Bossy Pants

By Tina Fey

I have woken up my husband a number of times laughing out loud reading this book in bed. Tina Fey’s memoir is hilarious and insightful, sharing everything from a behind-the-scenes look at the comedy writing that goes into an episode of SNL to the challenges of motherhood. Highly recommend this one.

The Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins

Although technically a young adult novel, I know plenty of grown-ups (myself included) that love this book and its two sequels. It ties together several traditional themes – family loyalty, good vs. evil, a love triangle – into a riveting story that I had a hard time putting down. And now it’s being made into a big-budget Hollywood movie.

Stories I Only Tell My Friends

By Rob Lowe

If you’re slightly obsessed with celebrities and Hollywood (shamefully, I admit, I am), definitely check this one out. Rob Lowe traces his career from The Outsiders through The West Wing and beyond, and is brutally honest about the highs and lows in between. Our own Janice Smith Collins gave this one a huge thumbs up, so it’s at the top of my summer reading list!

What are your current favorite books? Leave a comment with your recommendations!