We still know what you’re reading this summer
S. Mitra Kalita

S. Mitra Kalita

CEO and Cofounder, URL Media

The Vanishing Half: A Novel
by Brit Bennett

Highly recommended by all my girlfriends, and I’m about a quarter way through and can see why. It moves quickly.

The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X
by Les Payne and Tamara Payne

I am reading this book with an eye toward two issues that reflect the companies I’ve launched: Queens, New York, and the world. Malcolm X lived his last years in Elmhurst, Queens, just a few blocks from my home. During these years, he developed a much more global view, as well. Finally, the author, the late Les Payne, was one of my bosses and mentors when I started my career at Newsday.

Free Food for Millionaires
by Min Jin Lee

I loved Pachinko and have heard great things about Free Food for Millionaires, her first book. This one, too, has Queens roots but apparently delves into themes of race, power, and money. I am reading it for inspiration in understanding and reconciling the sharp wealth divides of New York City.

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OTHER MEDIA

Kevin Merida
Los Angeles Times

Sally Buzbee
Washington Post

Gwendolyn Bounds
Consumer Reports

Adrienne LaFrance
Atlantic

Anup Kaphle
Rest of World

Danielle Belton
HuffPost

S. Mitra Kalita
URL Media

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Other 2021 reading lists you might want to explore

McKinsey Global Publishing’s top 25 picks

Summer books of 2021: Business (Financial Times)

Summer is coming. Bring a book. (New York Times)

Barack Obama: My summer 2021 lists (Medium)

The Harvard Business School faculty summer reader 2021 (Harvard Business School)

The books of summer (Wall Street Journal)

Summer reading: The 50 hottest new books everyone should read (Guardian)

Summer reading: 10 of the best art books of the past year (Christie’s)

5 ideas for summer reading (Bill Gates)

Summer reads 2021: What are Princeton professors reading—and listening to—this summer? (Princeton University)

What politicos are reading this summer (Politico)

Summer reading book list (reading adventures for babies, kids, and teens) (New York Public Library)

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Acknowledgments

It takes a village to curate amazing lists from this rather busy group of leaders from all over the world. We would like to thank Kris Coratti, Chantal De Soto, Rimjhim Dey, Melanie Newman, Joellen Perry, and Jayne Rosefield for their help.

Within McKinsey Global Publishing, Eleni Kostopoulos led the effort to make this year’s list come alive, with collaboration and support from Mike Borruso, Nancy Cohn, Victor Cuevas, Torea Frey, Mary Halpin, Drew Holzfeind, Kathleen O'Leary, LaShon Malone, Philip Mathew, Janet Michaud, Kanika Punwani, Sarah Thuerk, Duane Tomaszewski, Petra Vincent, and Nathan Wilson.

And thank you to our contributors and their organizations for providing McKinsey Global Publishing with their photographs and permission to use them.

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