On the beach or at the lake, Dr. Seuss is whom we take

“What books are you taking with you (to the beach or on vacation) this summer, and why are you looking forward to reading them?”

Daryl Morey
General Manager
Houston Rockets

“If I Ran the Circus,” by Dr. Seuss

Metaphor for my job day to day.

“The Killer Angels,” by Michael Shaara

Strategy lessons from the Civil War.

“The Count of Monte Cristo,” by Alexandre Dumas

Inspires my quest to win a title.

Dan Beebe
Commissioner
Big 12 Conference

“A New Earth,” by Eckhart Tolle

I am usually drawn to what I would refer to as esoteric, psycho-spiritual books, which delve into the meaning of life.

“The Art of the Short Game,” by Stan Utley

Because nothing can teach me to be more spiritual than becoming better at golf!

Frank Huckabone
Senior Vice President, National Sales
Fenway Sports Group

“Pinkalicious,” by Victoria Kann

Looking forward to sharing this book with my daughter Annie as she reads it from cover to cover with little to no help from Daddy.

“The Last Lecture,” by Randy Pausch

“Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court,” by John Wooden

“Killing Bono,” by Neil McCormick

Due to a recent cycling accident, a number of friends and colleagues have sent me a number of “must reads” during my recovery process. I’m simply looking to experience all the emotions and thoughts each book promises to provide.

Brian Jennings
Executive Vice President, Marketing
NHL

“Seven Events That Made America America,” by Larry Schweikart

I enjoy history immensely and always welcome different perspectives.

“19 Stars,” by Edgar F. Puryear Jr.

Interesting to read about different styles of leadership.

“Always by My Side,” by Jim Nantz

A special relationship between a father and his son … life lessons on what’s really important and how to share the journey.

Anything and everything by Dr. Seuss

My 5-year-old girl loves to read “Go, Dog. Go!” and “Ten Apples Up On Top!”

Steve Penny
President
USA Gymnastics

“Outliers,” by Malcolm Gladwell

This book is very interesting to me because it looks at both the tangible and intangible reasons for success. It also provides perspective on evaluating the things you can control, but never overlooking that there will always be things beyond your control.

“When the Game Was Ours,” by Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson Jr. and Jackie MacMullan

Bird and Magic are icons. Think about the impact they had on both NCAA and NBA basketball. I remember the Celtic/Laker rivalries from their era, and given what just transpired in the NBA Finals, I can’t wait to read their stories. What I think makes this even better is how closely intertwined the two of them are today. For them to co-author a book says a lot about the respect they have for one another.

“Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games,” by Tom and Jerry Caraccioli

This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the USA’s decision to boycott the 1980 Olympic Games, and we are bringing the 1980 Olympic gymnastics team back together at the Visa Championships in August. Not enough has been done to acknowledge these athletes and the dreams that were taken away from them. The longer I have been in the Olympic movement, the more I realize what a travesty the 1980 and the 1984 boycotts represent. The Olympic movement should never again be used as a political tool.

Jim O’Connell
Vice President, Corporate Marketing
NASCAR

“Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime,” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

An inside look at the 2008 presidential race. Unfortunately, we all know how the book ends.

“South of Broad,” by Pat Conroy

By far my favorite author. He is a great storyteller — a perfect summer read.

“The Weekend Starts on Wednesday,” by Andrew Giangola

A fascinating book delving into the back stories of the best fans in sports.

Derek Eiler
Senior Vice President & Managing Director
IMG College

“A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring,” by John Wooden

I purchased the book a couple weeks before Coach Wooden passed away and can’t wait to read it. He is admired by so many for his mentorship, and I look forward to learning from his examples.

“Hay Fever: How Chasing a Dream on a Vermont Farm Changed My Life,” by Angela Miller

The author left a fast-paced New York career to become a goat cheese maker and writes about her experiences during the transition. I am a foodie at heart. If I could retire tomorrow, I would follow my love for gourmet cheeses and cheese making and find a great dairy farm somewhere.

“James and the Giant Peach,” by Roald Dahl

I am currently reading this book with my 5-year-old daughter, Kelsey, who has a completely different reaction to the book than her brother did when we read it a year or so ago. It’s great to see the differences in the children’s personalities through reading.

Nick Sakiewicz
CEO & Operating Partner
Keystone Sports & Entertainment / Philadelphia Union

“The Talent Code,” by Daniel Coyle

“Managing My Life: My Autobiography,” by Alex Ferguson

“Star-Spangled Soccer,” by Gary Hopkins

A historical chronology of the growth of soccer from 1988 to present day.

“Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey — and Even Iraq — Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World’s Most Popular Sport,” by Simon Kuper

Joe Favorito
Sports and Entertainment Marketing Communications Consultant

“Blood, Sweat and Chalk,” by Tim Layden

“Bliss, Remembered,” by Frank Deford

“Are We Winning?” by Will Leitch

“Get Capone,” by Jonathan Eig

Ken Solomon
Chairman & CEO
Tennis Channel

“The Promise: President Obama, Year One,” by Jonathan Alter

Crystalline insight into the past year of our political lives makes it clear that we may be witnessing one of the great transformational presidencies in history.

“How to Get Divorced By 30,” by Sascha Rothchild

Hilarious, brilliantly sarcastic and painfully true … just ask my cousin — she wrote it!

“A Terrible Splendor,” by Marshall Jon Fisher

If you wrote and pitched this story, no one would believe it — the unreal-yet-true epic of a late ’30s Davis Cup clash between the world’s two best players, representing America and Germany, respectively, played at Wimbledon in a precursor to a coming war.

Jim Tanner
Partner & Head of Sports
Williams & Connolly

“Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime,” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

Like so many people, the 2008 presidential election was a compelling story for me. I have great interest in learning what I missed behind the scenes.

“The Checklist Manifesto,” by Atul Gawande

I consider myself very organized, and from what I understand, Dr. Gawande’s book is a great read and provides tools that I can use in my daily life to help streamline my processes, both professionally and personally.

Jon Schmieder
President, Phoenix Regional Sports Commission
Chairman, National Association of Sports Commissions

“The 4-Hour Workweek,” by Tim Ferriss

While this book is a bit out of the box for many type-A leaders, it does have a few nuggets of good time management ideas, so I like to refer back to it every year or so.

“The Dip,” by Seth Godin

Bill Squadron
Head
Bloomberg Sports

“Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime,” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

“The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine,” by Michael Lewis

“Stumbling on Wins,” by David Berri and Martin Schmidt

“The Snakehead,” by Patrick Radden Keefe