The Reading List | Recommended by Prof Renata Schoeman

Prof Renata Schoeman, Head of the MBA Health Care Leadership, recommends her recent and current reads.

“I have a stretch goal of reading one book per week – outside of my usual academic reading, journals, and “Blinkist” (a book summary app). This is sometimes tricky between work, being a new mom, exercise and other obligations. However, I grew up in a library (my mom used to be a librarian) and reading has always been a part of our family’s life. My reading varies from historical novels (e.g. Phillipa Gregory, Alice Hoffman, Joanne Harris), to parenting and cooking, and then everything in between!

Two books I’ve recently completed and enjoyed, are “The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future” (Kevin Kelly) and “Factfulness: Ten reasons we’re wrong about the world – and why things are better than you think” (Hans Rosling).

Currently, co-occupying the space on my bedside table with my Bible, a book on baby milestones, and a book on baby feeding and weaning, and a novel by Louis de Bernieres, are “Social: Why our brains are wired to connect” (Matthew Lieberman) in which he argues that our need to connect with people is even more fundamental and basic than our needs for food and shelter, and “The Leader’s Bookshelf” (James Stavridis and Manning Ancell) which is a powerful collection of leadership lessons drawn from outstanding works of literature, history and biography.