We recently asked some of our team to share their go-to reads for spring break, and they delivered! Whether you’re headed to the beach, your back porch, or are looking for something to add to your professional bookshelf, consider these great picks selected by the BTS team. 

—

“Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” by Jenny Lawson – I laughed out loud multiple times reading this and I can relate to her awkwardness and her imaginative thoughts on so many levels. 

•  April Quinn, Contracts Manager

---

“Make Your Bed” by Admiral Bill McRaven. A few years back I had an opportunity to work closely with Adm McRaven.  I was impressed by his commitment and service.   Make Your Bed is equally straightforward and delivers small actions that can have a big personal impact.

• Doug Himes, PMP, Program Manager

---

“The Second Most Powerful Man in the World: The Life of Admiral William D. Leahy, Roosevelt’s Chief of Staff” by Phillips Payson O’Brien. Leahy was the most senior ranking and perhaps the least remembered of those appointed to Five Star Rank during WWII. Great example of how much gets done by those who work quietly behind the scenes.

• Kevin Spurlin, Operations Manager

---

“Enders Game” by Orson Scott Card. Way better than the movie. Excellent study of direct and indirect leadership as well as non-traditional planning. 

• David Tohn, CEO

---

“Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown. Exciting read about the power of perseverance, adversity, and teamwork involving a US rowing teams’ goal to make the 1936 Olympics- many applications to today’s business culture.

• Dan Cummings, COO

---

“The Women” by Kristin Hannah. A story of Vietnam War nurses and their journey through life during and after the war. The story highlights veteran challenges that include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, relationship issues, and the lack of respect and acknowledgment from society that Women served and contributed to the war. This book is intense, but it is also a great education and recognition of service.

• Mimi French, Director of Talent Acquisition

---

“All the Colors of the Dark” by Chris Whitaker. This book was both a suspenseful mystery and epic life story spanning decades that made me laugh and cry. The writing and character development was exceptional.

• Aislinn Blazejak, CPA, Chief Financial Officer

---

“Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High” by Kerry Patterson and other authors. This book is a great read for professionals in any field.

• Lindsey Brown, SHRM-CP, Director of Corporate Services

---

“The Wheel of Time” by Robert Jordan. This is a  monumental fantasy series and one of the best written; it is the source material for the highly rated Prime TV series. If you enjoy being pulled into an alternate universe with good pitted against evil, with the world’s fate in the balance, this 15-book series is for you! Follow Rand al’Thor and his friends as they fight against the Dark One, and save the world in the process.

• Paul Norwood, Chief Growth Officer
  

---

“Animal Farm” by George Orwell. Who doesn’t love a story about Animals, right? This classic satirical tale describes what happens when the animals take over their farm. More fabled than Aesop!

• Chris Cardwell, Portfolio Lead

---

“Left of the Bang” by Jason A. Riley and Patrick Van Home. This is the story about the Marine Corps Combat Hunter program, (I was part of the initial planning of the program) and how to identify and read people and situations. The ratiocination of the book can be applied to everyday situations and potentially save your life.

• Chris Manning, Senior Technical Intelligence Recruiting Specialist

---

Tags: books, staff