41 books like Two Mirrors And A Cheetah

By Fiona McDonnell,

Here are 41 books that Two Mirrors And A Cheetah fans have personally recommended if you like Two Mirrors And A Cheetah. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life

Matt Phelan Author Of The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success

From my list on workplace happiness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Matt Phelan, and I've always been fascinated by how people think and feel, especially in the workplace. That's why I co-founded The Happiness Index, where we use data to help organizations understand and improve their workplace culture. I love exploring the connection between happiness and performance, and I'm eager to share the insights I've gained along the way. 

Matt's book list on workplace happiness

Matt Phelan Why did Matt love this book?

This book highlights the science behind positive psychology and its impact on workplace success. It demonstrates how happiness fuels productivity, creativity, and resilience, leading to improved performance and better outcomes.

By cultivating positive emotions and fostering strong relationships, you can create a more supportive and enjoyable work environment for everyone.

By Shawn Achor,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Happiness Advantage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Most people want to be successful in life. And of course, everyone wants to be happy. When it comes to the pursuit of success and happiness, most people assume the same formula: if you work hard, you will become successful, and once you become successful, then you'll be happy. The only problem is that a decade of cutting-edge research in the field of positive psychology has proven that this formula is backwards. Success does not beget happiness.

Based on the largest study ever conducted on happiness and human potential (a survey conducted by the author of more than 1,600 students),…


Book cover of Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

Matt Phelan Author Of The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success

From my list on workplace happiness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Matt Phelan, and I've always been fascinated by how people think and feel, especially in the workplace. That's why I co-founded The Happiness Index, where we use data to help organizations understand and improve their workplace culture. I love exploring the connection between happiness and performance, and I'm eager to share the insights I've gained along the way. 

Matt's book list on workplace happiness

Matt Phelan Why did Matt love this book?

This book delves into the complexities of human emotions, providing a nuanced vocabulary to understand and navigate our inner experiences. It explores the power of vulnerability, empathy, and authentic connection in building trust and fostering a sense of belonging.

By developing greater emotional literacy, you can improve communication, strengthen relationships, and create a more compassionate workplace.

By Brene Brown,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Atlas of the Heart as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In her latest book, Brené Brown writes, “If we want to find the way back to ourselves and one another, we need language and the grounded confidence to both tell our stories and be stewards of the stories that we hear. This is the framework for meaningful connection.”

Don’t miss the five-part HBO Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart!

In Atlas of the Heart, Brown takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and…


Book cover of Happiness by Design: Finding Pleasure and Purpose in Everyday Life

Matt Phelan Author Of The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success

From my list on workplace happiness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Matt Phelan, and I've always been fascinated by how people think and feel, especially in the workplace. That's why I co-founded The Happiness Index, where we use data to help organizations understand and improve their workplace culture. I love exploring the connection between happiness and performance, and I'm eager to share the insights I've gained along the way. 

Matt's book list on workplace happiness

Matt Phelan Why did Matt love this book?

This book offers practical strategies and tools to boost creativity and foster a more fulfilling work experience by encouraging innovative thinking and problem-solving.

It promotes a human-centered approach, emphasizing empathy and understanding in the workplace. By applying design thinking principles, you can create a more enjoyable and productive environment for yourself and your colleagues.

By Paul Dolan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Happiness by Design as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

How can we make it easier to be happy? Using the latest cutting-edge research, Professor Paul Dolan reveals that wellbeing isn't about how we think - it's about what we do. By making deliberate choices that bring us both pleasure and meaning, we can redesign our lives for maximum happiness - without thinking too hard about it.

'Outstanding, cutting-edge, and profound. If you're going to read one book on happiness, this is the one' Nassim Nicholas Taleb

'Bold and original ... what I wish for my grandchildren: a life that is rich in activities both pleasurable…


Book cover of Leading Beyond the Numbers: How accounting for emotions tips the balance at work

Matt Phelan Author Of The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success

From my list on workplace happiness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Matt Phelan, and I've always been fascinated by how people think and feel, especially in the workplace. That's why I co-founded The Happiness Index, where we use data to help organizations understand and improve their workplace culture. I love exploring the connection between happiness and performance, and I'm eager to share the insights I've gained along the way. 

Matt's book list on workplace happiness

Matt Phelan Why did Matt love this book?

This book challenges traditional leadership models that solely focus on metrics, advocating for a more holistic approach. It explores the importance of emotional intelligence, ethical decision-making, and meaningful connections to cultivate a thriving workplace culture.

By prioritizing employee well-being and fostering a sense of purpose, leaders can inspire greater engagement and job satisfaction.

By Susan Ni Chriodain,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leading Beyond the Numbers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Emotions at work: irrational, or invaluable?

For centuries we have divided mind and body, valuing reason over emotion. But new research is fundamentally changing our understanding about how our brains and bodies work. What might be possible when we leverage both our reason AND emotion?

Explore the vital link between emotions and organizational performance. Knowing more about our body and brain and how we are interconnected and interrelated can positively impact people, performance and profit.

Leadership coach and experienced finance director Susan Ni Chriodain sits at the nexus of business and emotion and reveals how to reintroduce humanity into the…


Book cover of What If You Had Animal Feet?

Kim Zachman Author Of There's No Ham in Hamburgers: Facts and Folklore about Our Favorite Foods

From my list on children's stories for laughing while learning.

Why am I passionate about this?

I used to be a freelance writer for magazines, but my secret passion was kids’ lit. When I decided to become a children’s author, I wanted to write nonfiction that was fun to read, not the dull, boring books I remembered from my childhood. When I discovered the first three books on my list, I was inspired to free up my funny bone and write to delight. The second two books also showcase innovative formats and humorous writing styles. Reading nonfiction doesn’t have to be a chore. These books will have children laughing while they learn. 

Kim's book list on children's stories for laughing while learning

Kim Zachman Why did Kim love this book?

Readers learn about how animals’ feet help them adapt to their environment. For example, the Green Basilisk Lizard has long, fringed toes that allow it to run across the surface of water. I love the innovative format of this book. Each spread has one page of informational text with actual photos next to a corresponding page with imaginative illustrations of children with that particular animal’s foot. This series includes feet, hair, eyes, ears, teeth, tail, and nose and is perfect for elementary school students.

By Sandra Markle, Howard McWilliam (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What If You Had Animal Feet? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

If you could have any animal's feet, whose would you choose?

WHAT IF YOU HAD ANIMAL FEET? is the next book in the successful WHAT IF series by Sandra Markle, illustrated by Howard McWilliam, following the very popular WHAT IF YOU HAD ANIMAL TEETH? and WHAT YOU IF HAD ANIMAL HAIR? This latest edition will teach kids about the amazing variety of feet in the animal kingdom and their specialty functions! From cheetahs' fast feet to mountain goats' nimble climbing hooves, to flies' sticky feet! Each animal profile will include a photo as well as illustrations of kids with animal…


Book cover of In the Wild

Matt Forrest Esenwine Author Of Once Upon Another Time

From my list on children’s poetry collections about animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since my parents gave me a copy of Dorothy Aldis’ The Secret Place and Other Poems, I have enjoyed a lifelong love of poetry. Now, as a traditionally-published children’s author, I have had numerous books and poems published over the years, including books that began as poems, like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) and Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021). My poems can be found in various anthologies including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (N.G. Children’s Books, 2015) and Construction People (Wordsong, 2020) as well as Highlights for Children magazine.

Matt's book list on children’s poetry collections about animals

Matt Forrest Esenwine Why did Matt love this book?

This book proves that poetry is thoughtful, succinct, and beautiful to read – and most importantly, accessible to all. From elephants and cheetahs to American bison and polar bears, David distills the essence of each animal into short poems that are brimming with insight and wit. While all of David’s books in this series are wonderful, In the Wild was one of the first and remains one of the best.

By David Elliott, Holly Meade (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked In the Wild as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

“A stunning combination of poems and illustrations celebrating some of Earth’s wildest and most beautiful creatures.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The stellar team who brought us On the Farm presents a companion book evoking creatures of the wild in simple, clever poems and vibrant woodcuts. From the lion standing alone on the African savannah to the panda in a bamboo forest, from the rhinoceros with its boot-like face to the Arctic polar bear disappearing in the snow, David Elliott’s pithy verse and Holly Meade’s stunning woodcut and watercolor illustrations reveal a world of remarkable beauty and wonder.


Book cover of The Mystic Masseur

Raymond A. Saraceni Author Of Off the Beach in the Caribbean: Travels in the Little Leeward Islands

From my list on accompaning your Caribbean Sojourn.

Why am I passionate about this?

Over the years, I have had the good fortune to visit various ports of call through the eastern Caribbean and have been struck repeatedly not by the sameness but by the diversity of things and people. I also began to lament that those who visit the islands are encouraged to do so as vacationers rather than as travelers – to borrow a binary from the great Paul Bowles. Encountering a place with any sense of generosity necessitates reading about it, and while the titles I have included here represent some of those that I have found most rewarding and exciting, the full list is as long and varied as the archipelago of islands itself.           

Raymond's book list on accompaning your Caribbean Sojourn

Raymond A. Saraceni Why did Raymond love this book?

Every so often you come across a book that opens up a world you have never encountered before. This 1957 novel by Trinidadian noble laureate V.S. Naipaul is one such book. Its account of the enterprising Ganesh Ramsumair – a Trinidadian of South Asian descent – and his rise from obscurity to national prominence is recounted with a satirical wink and rendered in delicious prose. Every scene is meticulously observed, and every character impeccably drawn – particularly Ganesh’s cantankerous father-in-law and sometime rival, Ramlogan. Sly, sardonic, and Dickensian in its (generally good-natured) reflection upon human frailty, The Mystic Masseur remains as fresh and fun today as ever.

By V.S. Naipaul,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mystic Masseur as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Two of V. S. Naipaul's earliest novels, already displaying his humour, endless inventiveness and imaginitive brilliance.

The Mystic Masseur tells the story of Ganesh, who at the beginning of the novel is a struggling masseur at a time when 'masseurs were ten a penny in Trinidad'. From failed primary-school teacher and masseur to author, revered mystic and MBE, his is a journey memorable for its hilarious and bewildering success. Naipaul's clarity of style, humorous touch and powerful characterization are all in evidence in this, his first book. Funny, touching and perceptive, this novel is a wonderful introduction for readers new…


Book cover of Speak Gigantular

Peter Kalu Author Of One Drop

From my list on bleak urban futures that give you a sense of hope.

Why am I passionate about this?

I spent most of my childhood hiding under the table reading science fiction and fantasy books to avoid having to communicate with the weird people claiming to be my family up in the world above. After a while, the local library turned me away saying they had no more books left on those shelves, so I started writing my own. I like a mix of urban themes like in Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and dystopias like George Orwell’s 1984. That said, I love most futurist novels that have a love story at their centre, because despite everything I’m a romantic.

Peter's book list on bleak urban futures that give you a sense of hope

Peter Kalu Why did Peter love this book?

This is a bit of a cheat selection because it’s a set of short stories and not all of them are speculative or future-focused. Still, sometimes cheating is worth it.

Okoije has a wonderfully warped imagination and a wide-ranging set of edgy interests that seed her stories with such invention and energy that she expands your idea of what a good story can do.

Fancy some fluorescent, scaly fish wriggling out of mouths? Try ‘Outtakes’. Want to hear from a girl with a long, furry grey tail? Have a read of  ‘Animal Parts’. Keen on psychopaths with a penchant for sending unsuspecting women poetry? Then ‘Fractures’ will float your boat.

Why Okoije is not a major literary star I have no idea. But I love her writing the way I love cream cakes.

By Irenosen Okojie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Speak Gigantular as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Precise and illuminating." - Bernardine Evaristo OBE.

Shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, the Saboteur Awards, the Shirley Jackson Award and the Jhalak Prize.

Lovelorn aliens abduct innocent coffee shop waitresses. Ghosts of errant Londoners haunt the Underground, caught between here and the hereafter. Brave young women seek erotic empowerment... at their own peril.

These are the worlds of Speak Gigantular, the startling debut short story collection from acclaimed author Irenosen Okojie MBE. Understated in her humour and razor-sharp in her observations of humankind, Okojie's eclectic anthology offers an unflinching gaze into the darkest corners of the human…


Book cover of Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History

Hans Offringa Author Of A Field Guide to Whisky: An Expert Compendium to Take Your Passion and Knowledge to the Next Level

From my list on whisky & whiskey.

Why am I passionate about this?

Hans Offringa has written 25 books about whisky in one way or another, among which the international bestseller A Field Guide to Whisky. He has been contributing editor of Whisky Magazine and American Whiskey for a number of years, and is a Keeper of the Quaich, Kentucky Colonel, Lifetime International Ambassador of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Founder of International Whisky Day, Honorary Ambassador of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and Patron of the Whisky Festival North Netherlands. Together with his American spouse Becky Lovett Offringa, who is co-author and contributing photographer to at least ten of Hans’ books, he conducts tastings and presentations.

Hans' book list on whisky & whiskey

Hans Offringa Why did Hans love this book?

Charles MacLean MBE is without any doubt the number one expert on Scotch whisky in the world. His writings are always a joy to read. Charlie, as he is known by friends and family, has a penchant for history and pouring it in highly entertaining sentences, avoiding facts like figures cluttering up the story line. He has been researching and writing whisky books & articles since 1981, and shares his enthusiasm and knowledge by giving talks and tastings around the world, by leading ‘whisky expeditions’ in Scotland and by presenting training programmes and Masterclasses for whisky companies, clubs and individuals. Without wanting to pay short on his many other books, Scotch Whisky: A liquid history, is a seminal work.

By Charles MacLean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Scotch Whisky as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Whisky is widely considered the finest spirit in the world and its history has evolved against a fascinating backdrop. This is the story of a traditional spirit with an intriguing past. The book explores and unfolds, decade by decade, the history, secrets and untold tales surrounding one of the world's most popular tipples. Beginning as far back as 2000 BC, the tale moves through the centuries to the present day, looking at the fascinating characters who smuggled, bribed, conspired and advertised with a vengeance to turn whisky from a common man's drink into an integral and admired part of popular…


Book cover of William Birchynshaw's Map of Exeter, 1743

Jeremy Black Author Of Maps and History: Constructing Images of the Past

From my list on for people who love maps.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a historian fascinated with maps and geography, I have produced historical atlases on the world, Britain, war, cities, naval history, fortifications, and World War Two, as well as books on geopolitics and maps. I am an Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Exeter and a Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and of Policy Exchange.

Jeremy's book list on for people who love maps

Jeremy Black Why did Jeremy love this book?

The discovery of hitherto unknown maps is a great treat and this edition uses one to show the development of urban mapping. Well-anchored in the locality, this book is also of much wider value.

By Roger Kain, Todd Gray, Richard Oliver

Why should I read it?

1 author picked William Birchynshaw's Map of Exeter, 1743 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This major re-examination of the history of map-making in Exeter, the historic county town of Devon, follows from the recent discovery of a 'new' Georgian town map of the city. That map, by William Birchynshaw (a man not known tohave produced any other), is reproduced in facsimile, along with nearly two dozen other maps from 1587 through to 1949. They are prefaced by an introduction which places the new discovery within the context of four centuries of map-making, demonstrating how Birchynshaw owed a debt both to John Hooker's map of 1587 and to that by Ichabod Fairlove of 1709; and…


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