2011 Holiday Reading List

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Many dream of changing the world; Steve Jobs achieved it. Jobs’ authorized biographer explores the genius who shifted the technological paradigm and sparked a worldwide obsession with his innovative products, changing the way we define phones, listen to music and use computers. Chronicled against the frenzy of Silicon Valley, Isaacson’s account examines the legacy of one of the most celebrated CEOs of our time, mapping the intensity of Apple’s visionary leader whose life ended all too soon.

The Oil Prince’s Legacy: Rockefeller Philanthropy in China by Mary Brown Bullock. The history of one of the world’s best-known philanthropic families is intertwined with the history of the world’s most-populous nation. A noted scholar on China, Dr. Bullock examines how Rockefeller support of missions, medicines and industry in the region for the last 150 years has helped shape America’s perception of China. Today, the generosity of the Rockefeller family and its philanthropic strategies in health care, energy and art continue to evolve, helping foster progressive new directions in China.

Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen. After her mother’s death from cancer in1998, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen founded SV2 (Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund) to bring philanthropists together and help them be more efficient and effective donors. Maximizing impact and smart philanthropy remain Arrillaga-Andressen’s guiding principles, as well as an expansive definition of charity—time, expertise and funding—making this an essential how-to guide for those seeking to expand their philanthropic endeavors.

Eleanor Lambert: Still Here by John Tiffany. From small-town girl to the toast of Manhattan, Lambert enjoyed a life that spanned nearly the entire 20th century to become the greatest fashion publicist of her day. Tiffany, Lamber’s former assistant and now fashion historian, examines the achievements of the woman who helped launch Fashion Week, created the “Best Dressed List,” and introduced millions to American fashion at the 1964 World’s Fair. This richly detailed tribute documents Lambert’s work championing the careers of Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Perry Ellis, among others, lavishly illustrated throughout with archival photographs.

Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War by Leymah Gbowee and Carol Mithers. One of the three winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, Leymah Gbowee shares the brutal facts of her life in war-torn Liberia under the ruthless regime of Charles Taylor, when she came to realize that it was women who suffered most in conflict. Frank in self-reflection and generous of spirit, she details how she discovered the determination in herself to help organize women to act as “an unstoppable force” and demand—and achiev—peace.