Summer reading list

It’s amazing how time flies. I have now been a clinical supervisor for a whole academic year. There was quite a feeling of achievement at the end of my last session with the year 3 students on bays 4 and 5 at the Exeter site who, after a well deserved summer break will be continuing their education journey in Truro. I was so touched by the gratitude (and very generous and unexpected gifts) given at my final session.


Anyway, onto the real reason for this post. I thought that with an extended summer break about to begin it might be a good idea to share some recommendations for books (or audiobooks) that are worth reading to help promote a good mindset or improve critical thinking or even just inspire and amaze. It doesn’t matter whether you have just finished your first year at dental school or are getting close to retirement, hopefully there will be something on this list that will be relevant for you.

If you want more information about any of these recommendations please follow the links to full reviews of them.


Black box thinking
A fascinating and enlightening look at learning from failure. Something that humans (and most healthcare organisations) are not good at doing.
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/black-box-thinking-revisited


Peak performance
Universally applicable and one of my top books ever. Understand how to consistently achieve your best and feel less stress at the same time.
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/revisiting-peak-performance


Critical thinking lectures
A series of lectures about how to apply high level logic to any endeavour which is particularly relevant to evidence based dentistry.
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/book-review-critical-thinking-lectures


Deep work
I wish I had discovered the ideas in this book back at uni when I really struggled with revision.
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/deep-work-revisited


Think like freak
One of my favourite books from this year. How to become a world champion hotdog eater (or excel at almost anything else) by not being afraid to see every situation as an experiment.
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/think-like-a-freak


Art of learning
Josh Waitzkin was a world champion chess master and then just a few years later a world champion at the martial form of Tai Chi. In this book he explains the mindset that allowed him to achieve this.
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/book-review-the-art-of-learning


Sapiens
Not a “learning” book but on this list because it is one that I think everyone is likely to enjoy and be amazed by. There is also the follow up Deus (and apparently a new book by the author coming out in August)
http://www.drchrisharper.co.uk/blog/book-review-sapiens


If you have come across other books that you think should be on people’s holiday reading list, please comment below.