Good morning, friends!

Thank you to so many of you who sent me your fiction recommendations. I’m currently reading The Silent Patient, a psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive. So far so good!

Here are some of your favorite fiction book recommendations:

The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom: A thought-provoking novel about a group of shipwreck survivors who pull a mysterious man from the sea — one who claims to be God — forcing them to confront faith, hope, and the meaning of miracles.

11/22/63 by Stephen King: A time-travel thriller about a teacher who discovers a portal to the past and attempts to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy, only to realize that changing history comes with unforeseen consequences.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: A gripping sci-fi thriller about a lone astronaut who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory, only to realize he’s humanity’s last hope in a desperate mission to save Earth.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: A gripping World War II novel that follows two sisters in Nazi-occupied France as they each embark on courageous, perilous paths of resistance and survival.

The Women by Kristin Hannah: A powerful historical novel that follows a young nurse who serves in the Vietnam War, confronting the horrors of combat and the challenges of returning to a divided America.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles: An elegant historical novel about a Russian aristocrat sentenced to house arrest in a grand hotel, where he discovers a rich life of purpose, love, and friendship despite his confinement.

Table for Two by Amor Towles: A collection of six short stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles, exploring themes of chance encounters, personal reinvention, and the pivotal moments that shape our lives.

Threads of Us by Christie Havey Smith: A heartfelt novel about grief, family secrets, and self-discovery as a woman unravels the past to find her true path forward.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett: A sweeping historical epic set in 12th-century England, following the lives of cathedral builders, monks, and nobles as they navigate ambition, war, and political intrigue.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman: A dark, fantastical adventure that follows an ordinary man who stumbles into the mysterious and dangerous underground world of London Below.

A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan: A genre-defying novel that weaves together interconnected stories of lost time, music, and personal reinvention across decades.

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins: A surreal, witty tale that intertwines romance, mysticism, and the quest for eternal life, all centered around the intoxicating power of fragrance.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman: A heartfelt and humorous novel about a failed bank robbery that turns into an accidental hostage situation, revealing the intertwined lives, struggles, and secrets of a group of strangers.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker: A gripping novel set in 1975 Missouri, where 13-year-old Patch Macauley heroically saves a girl from abduction, leading to his own kidnapping and a decades-long journey filled with trauma, obsession, and the pursuit of hope amidst darkness.

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood: A poignant novel that weaves together the lives of two women — one in 1919 grieving a lost love and another in 1960 trapped in an unfulfilled marriage — as they seek truth, love, and redemption across time.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt: A captivating blend of true crime and Southern gothic storytelling, chronicling the eccentric characters and shocking murder trial that rocked Savannah, Georgia.

Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer: An epic saga of two men — one a wealthy Boston banker, the other a penniless Polish immigrant — whose lives become intertwined in a decades-long rivalry fueled by ambition, revenge, and fate.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: A haunting and beautifully written novel set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death, following a young girl who finds solace in stolen books and the power of words amidst the horrors of war.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: A sweeping historical novel that follows four generations of a Korean family in Japan, navigating identity, love, and survival amid discrimination and political turmoil.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr: A richly woven literary epic that spans centuries, connecting five characters — from ancient Constantinople to the future — through a lost Greek manuscript that explores the power of stories to endure and transform lives.

The Devil In the White City by Erik Larson: A gripping true crime history that intertwines the creation of Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair with the chilling story of H.H. Holmes, one of America’s first known serial killers.

Trust by Hernan Diaz: A layered, literary novel that deconstructs wealth, power, and truth through multiple narratives, unraveling the mystery behind a 20th-century financier and the woman overshadowed by his fortune.

God Carlos by Anthony C. Winkler: A provocative historical novel that explores the brutal clash of cultures when 16th-century Spanish explorers arrive in Jamaica, confronting their own prejudices and the resilience of the island’s indigenous people.

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict: A historical novel that reimagines the life of Mileva Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife, exploring her overlooked brilliance, sacrifices, and the challenges she faced in the shadow of her famous husband.

Happy reading! Thank you so much to everyone who sent me recommendations!

— Polina

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For more book recommendations, check out:

30 Book Recommendations From the World’s Most Successful People Polina Pompliano · December 10, 2021 Read full story

PROFILES.

— The billionaire philanthropist focused on legacy
— The influencer providing ‘therapy’ for small business owners
— Hollywood’s last true movie star
— Brazil’s superstar gymnast
— The secretive hedge fund rewriting the rules of the industry [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— America’s most convenient bank for money launderers

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The billionaire philanthropist focused on legacy: Melinda French Gates has carved her own path beyond being the wife of tech titan. After her high-profile divorce from Bill Gates, she pledged to give away the majority of her wealth and focus her efforts on empowering women, funding billions toward gender equality, reproductive rights, and women in tech. Here’s how she plans to spend her money. (ELLE)

“There’s something about turning 60, and having grandchildren, that has made me incredibly reflective about, ‘What kind of world are we leaving behind?'”

The influencer providing ‘therapy’ for small business owners: Running a small business is lonely, but Rand Larsen’s SMB Community offers a $3,000/year peer group where entrepreneurs swap strategies and support each other. Dubbed “trench therapy,” the Zoom sessions provide a safe space to discuss challenges like hiring, sales, and scaling. Larsen, a 29-year-old networking guru, has turned business isolation into a thriving community of founders helping founders. (Forbes; alternate link)

“You can’t talk about this stuff with employees. Not even managers. You don’t want to overburden your spouse. And your friends just don’t get it.” The man felt completely alone.”

Hollywood’s last true movie star: Scarlett Johansson, Hollywood’s last true movie star, surprises everyone with a stint as a guest host on the TODAY show — piercing ears, making chicken wings, and proving she’s effortlessly charismatic. Despite her famously private nature, she’s embracing new ventures, from her directorial debut Eleanor the Great to her thriving beauty brand, The Outset. Still, she draws a firm line at social media and maintains control over her image, pushing back against AI and streaming disputes that threaten artists’ rights. (InStyle)

“Scarlett is an Avenger. But her badassery is not surpassed by her kindness and her generosity.”

Brazil’s superstar gymnast: Rebeca Andrade made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics, standing atop the podium with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles — the first time three Black women shared a gymnastics podium. From a childhood in Brazil’s periferia (“low-income neighborhood”) to becoming the country’s most decorated Olympian, Andrade’s journey is one of resilience, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in her potential. Overcoming three ACL tears, she returned stronger every time, winning Olympic and world titles while inspiring a new generation. (ELLE)

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

The secretive hedge fund rewriting the rules of the industry: A secretive hedge fund, QRT, is building a cutting-edge data center in Iceland — not for AI, but to outsmart markets. In just seven years, it has grown into a $23-billion powerhouse, using tech-driven strategies and extreme leverage to crush competitors. With sky-high fees and market-beating returns, QRT is rewriting the hedge fund playbook and shaking up Wall Street. (Bloomberg; alternate link)

“They’re extremely curious, sensible, consistent and especially rigorous, I would say to the nth degree.”

America’s most convenient bank for money launderers: TD Bank’s rapid U.S. expansion turned it into a prime money-laundering hub, with criminals exploiting lax oversight to move billions in illicit funds. Federal investigators uncovered a vast network of drug traffickers, human traffickers, and other criminals funneling money through TD, aided by compliance failures and, in some cases, bank insiders. The scandal led to TD becoming the first U.S. bank to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, resulting in $3.1 billion in fines and an indefinite asset cap. Now, the case is shaking the banking industry, signaling that “convenience” may no longer come at the cost of security. (Bloomberg; alternate link)

“The anti-money laundering challenges we face took place on my watch as CEO and I take full responsibility.”

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