Recommendations you can check.
Organizational psychologist and professor at the Wharton School; author of Give and Take, Originals, Think Again and Hidden Potential, and host of the Re:Thinking podcast.
12 things
Poisonous PeopleBook Leanne ten Brinke
Poisonous People by social psychologist Leanne ten Brinke (March)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "How to recognize, avoid, and neutralize narcissists, psychopaths, and Machiavellians."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
The Balancing ActBook Nedra Tawwab
The Balancing Act by therapist Nedra Tawwab (February)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "Walking the tightrope between setting boundaries and staying open."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
FlourishBook Dan Coyle
Flourish by journalist Dan Coyle (February)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "Why certain people, projects, and places make us feel alive."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
MatteringBook Jennifer Wallace
Mattering by journalist Jennifer Wallace (January)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "Where we should look for purpose and contribution."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
The Story of StoriesBook Kevin Ashton
The Story of Stories by technologist Kevin Ashton (March)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "A journey through the hidden past and potential future of narratives."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
RevealingBook Leslie John
Revealing by behavioral scientist Leslie John (February)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "The science and practice of healthy vulnerability."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
Your Best Meeting EverBook Rebecca Hinds
Your Best Meeting Ever by management scientist Rebecca Hinds (February)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "Ways to eliminate pointless gatherings—and make the most of our time together."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
JoltedBook Anthony Klotz
Jolted by organizational psychologist Anthony Klotz (March)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "How to decide whether to stay or leave your job—and other relationships too."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
The Other Side of ChangeBook Maya Shankar
The Other Side of Change by cognitive scientist Maya Shankar (January)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "Finding purpose after adversity and possibility under uncertainty."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
Politics Without PoliticiansBook Hélène Landemore
Politics Without Politicians by political scientist Hélène Landemore (February)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "What if citizens ran the government?"
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
We the WomenBook Norah O’Donnell
We the Women by journalist Norah O’Donnell (February)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "The forgotten history of the heroines who shaped America."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
The Triangle of PowerBook Alexander Stubb
The Triangle of Power by political scientist and head of state Alexander Stubb (January)
His GRANTED newsletter round-up of forthcoming books, introduced as "My favorite new releases this winter". His one-line description on the list: "The present and future of geopolitics, from Finland’s president and former prime minister."
2026-01-18·adamgrant.substack.com ↗
Every entry is a verbatim quote and a link to the public post it came from. Nothing is paraphrased. If it is not on record somewhere public, it is not here.
The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.
A dashed affiliate link, sponsored or their own label means the post disclosed a relationship. It is shown, never hidden.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is for its kind of thing.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is, for its kind of thing. Fully green is recent. It drains a quarter at a time as the post gets older, and is empty once it reads as dated.
What counts as old depends on the thing. A laptop praised four years ago has been replaced twice; a book loved twenty years ago is probably still loved. The shading is gone after about:
Stripes mean the post carries no date and the date shown is an estimate. No date at all, no shading.