2025 Reading Recommendations from our Staff
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Whether you're enjoying a break, commuting, or winding down after a day of work, there's nothing quite like getting lost in a good book.
We asked our staff to share some of their favorite recent reads, and they’ve delivered a thoughtful and diverse collection. From novels that transport you to other worlds to nonfiction that challenges how we think and work, these books have moved, inspired, and entertained us.
Inspiring Books: Recommendations From TechnoServe Staff
Below are 2025’s picks for fiction and nonfiction. Happy reading!
Fiction
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozie
Recommended by Mouna Mbacke, Country Director, Benin
This fiction work is by an award-winning author. An easy read with relatable and endearing characters so typical of Chimamanda. It also follows the intricacy of ordinary people’s lives and is a reminder that life is never just black or white.
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Recommended by Lisa Kagel, Senior Director, Digital Engagement, USA
This novel is centered primarily around a young man named Hai, whose family came to the U.S. from Vietnam, and an elderly woman, Grazina, who came to the U.S. as a refugee from Lithuania after World War II. The book is beautifully written (Ocean Vuong is also a poet) and delves into the everyday life of people just trying to survive, earn a living, and find community. I think in that way it connects to our work and the people we serve, who are looking for ways to improve their circumstances and build better futures.
What resonated with me: There were several scenes in the book when Grazina woke up in the middle of the night suffering from dementia, thinking she was still a teen during the war. Hai would go there with her, pretending he was helping to save her. His empathy and imagination were so emotional and touching. I could relate to this idea of meeting our elderly parents and grandparents where they need us to be, rather than trying to fix them. Just beautiful scenes of caring.
Margo’s Got Money Trouble by Rufi Thorpe
Recommended by Cristina Manfre, Senior Director, Global Practice for Women and Youth, USA
This was a delightful, thought-provoking book about a young woman who has an affair with a married professor, gets pregnant, and needs to figure out how to make money to support herself and her baby. She does so in an unconventional (and some might say questionable) way, while also reconnecting with her own estranged father. The story explores themes of financial struggles, internet fame, sex work, and the complexities of modern life.
This is a smart book about good people in challenging situations who make difficult and sometimes bad decisions. It is wonderfully written, and I laughed out loud in between moments when I shook my head in despair.
You will know in the first 1.5 pages if this book is for you. And if it’s not, that’s ok!
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
Recommended by Gabe Pinksi, Senior Director, Major Gifts, USA
This is a wonderful book of short stories. The last story in the book is my favorite. There’s an older married couple in the hospital, and one just wants to see the other while they’re in the Intensive Care Unit. This part of the story seems to ground the reader in what love means to different people and what it can mean.
Recommended by Leslie Oliver, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, USA
I loved “The Alchemist” by Coelho and have re-read it many times. “The Zahir” is another fictional quest for happiness, self-acceptance, and love wrapped into an adventure. It shifted my mind on how I view life’s ordinary-ness. I have found myself reflecting on its message long after I read the last sentence.
Nonfiction
“Ours Was the Shining Future” by David Leonhardt
Recommended by Will Warshauer, CEO, USA
It’s a bit of an economic history of the U.S., and it helps explain the appeal of populist politicians in the country.
What resonated with me: The story of Paul G. Hoffman, who came from humble beginnings and later was a major influence for capitalism that was concerned with the national interest.
The Fifth Estate: The Power Shift of the Digital Age by William H. Dutton
Recommended by Julieta Ocampo, Senior Communications Specialist, USA
This book is helping me break the habit of doomscrolling on social media and is giving me a more empowering perspective—not just on the kind of information I choose to consume (fighting algorithms), but also on the kind I choose to put out into the world. It’s a silver lining on technology and how it can be used for good, especially in the face of authoritarianism and uncertainty.
What resonated with me: “The internet enables people to source information and create networks of collective intelligence that could indeed empower them in everyday life.”
Como fazer amigos e influenciar pessoas by Dale Carnegie
Recommended by Isabella Cunha, MEL Manager, Brazil
Although “Como fazer amigos e influenciar pessoas” was written nearly a century ago, Dale Carnegie’s book remains deeply relevant. For those of us working in social development and community empowerment, it is essential to understand that behind every strategy or intervention are people: their motivations, fears, aspirations, and need for belonging.
The book offers timeless lessons on empathy, active listening, and positive influence, essential skills for building trust-based relationships with local partners, community leaders, producers, and colleagues. The author shows us that genuine human connection is not just a “nice-to-have” at work; it is part of the path toward generating sustainable impact.
What I find most thought-provoking about the book is how it turns the obvious into the essential. It challenges us to observe others more closely, to offer sincere praise, to disagree respectfully, and to ask more than we tell. In the context of TechnoServe, these attitudes are fundamental to driving lasting change, as they reinforce the agency of those at the center of the solutions.
I recommend this book as a practical and accessible tool to enhance our daily interactions, whether with clients, partners, or colleagues, and in doing so, strengthen TechnoServe’s mission of helping people, businesses, and communities thrive.
What resonated with me: “When dealing with people, we must remember that we are not dealing with logical creatures, but with emotional beings, susceptible to prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.”
This quote reminds me that working in development means working with people in all their complexity. It’s a powerful call for empathy and humility. Real change starts when we recognize the emotional and human layers behind every decision and interaction.
MUJERES 4.0 – Empoderamiento y Transformación/Libro Colaborativo
Recommended by Dinora Reyes Castillo, Senior Coordinator, El Salvador
Cómo a través de sus experiencias de vida, impedimentos, negativas, situaciones adversas que narran las coautoras han logrado desde su perspectiva superar estas dificultades y adversidades y se permitieron ser ellas mismas a través de sus propias expereriencias e intentan dejar una huella y trascender.
Este libro, me hace conectar con nuestro compromiso como TechnoServe de empoderar mas jovenes y mujeres, y que mejor ejemplo: lograr ser nosotras mismas ese claro ejemplo de empoderamiento y transformación para nuestros clientes, beneficiarios, y colegas de trabajo.
Resonó conmigo: En el apartado de Erika Barrientos (Guatemala), enfocado en el empoderamiento economico de la mujer, hace referencia a varias frases de celebridades, la que más que llamo la atención fue: “La única manera de hacer que tu trabajo sea genial es amar lo que haces.” (Steve Jobs)
Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World Without a Bullhorn by Omkari Williams
Recommended by Anne Komer, Donor Engagement Specialist, USA
It connects to my desire to live a purpose-driven life and make a positive impact. This book has helpful thought exercises to investigate how a person can use their own unique strengths, resources, and skills.
What resonated with me: “When you limit yourself to one or two areas of focus in your activism, you reduce decision fatigue.” This helps me in times of overwhelm.
The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
Recommended by Sarvesh Dwivedi, Business Advisor, India
I recommend “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker. It’s a powerful and insightful book that dives into how our intuition and gut feelings act as vital warning signals. While it often focuses on personal safety, its lessons on recognizing subtle cues and trusting your instincts are invaluable for making smarter decisions in uncertain situations, professionally and personally.
For us at Greenr Sustainability Accelerator, as we advise MSME founders, this book makes me think about how crucial a founder’s instincts and ability to pick up on key cues are. These skills can be the real foundation for effective daily decisions in the unpredictable world of a growing business. I believe understanding these core messages can truly benefit us all.
What resonated with me: “True fear is a gift. It is a guide that only warns you of danger. False fear is a roamer in the mind.”
In entrepreneurship and development work, understanding “true fear” (real risks) versus “false fear” (paralysis by perceived obstacles) is crucial. Our programs equip entrepreneurs to identify and manage genuine business risks (like running out of working capital: a tangible threat that directly impacts survival) while overcoming unfounded anxieties (like hesitation to delegate: believing no one else can do the job as well, leading to founder burnout and missed opportunities) that might hinder growth. It’s about discerning actual threats from mere anxieties in dynamic market environments.
Recommended by Aditya Yuvaraj, Associate, India
It’s a book apt for the current world we live in and experience, where we are bombarded by bad news and doom mongering. Cynicism has taken root in more and more people. This book will allow us to cast aside that cynicism and move forward to do good through hope and perseverance. It will give you the courage to look beyond your circle and connect to more of our fellow human beings.
What resonated with me: “I’ve had a growing realization about Sisyphus…; His story only becomes a tragedy if he doesn’t like pushing the boulder—or if he is fixated on the summit.”
What if he, like Havel and activists around the world, exerted themselves not because they were sure to reach the summit, but because it was the right thing to do? There could be meaning in struggle.
“The Premise is set: the boulder must be pushed,” Emile announced. “Whether it is a comedy, a drama, or a tragedy is up to the one pushing”.
This made me feel hope for the struggle. The struggle for a better world.
This is Strategy by Seth Godin
Recommended by Alejandro Marchand, Program Manager, Puerto Rico
Strategic thinking is essential for all of us, especially NGOs. Godin describes strategy as the “Philosophy of Becoming”.
He asks, “Who will we become, who will we be of service to, and who will they help others to become? This is strategy.” Easier said than done, right! There are a lot of books on “tactics” of “strategy,” but few like this one where Seth gets to the heart of the matter of why companies like Kodak, Blockbuster, and Nokia are no longer relevant.
The structure of the book is like a book of daily meditations that builds on itself in a way that I must believe is unique for each reader. Depending on your current way of thinking, some parts will seem trite, others vaguely familiar, and a few heretical.
In them, he pulls on four threads that the book is built around: systems, empathy, games, and time. Mastery of strategic planning requires a comprehension of how they work apart and together. Strategy lies in the interactions between them and how we affect change with our actions.
What resonated with me:
“A series of 17 questions shines a light on the work to be done. It brings tomorrow forward to today, right here and right now, allowing us to articulate a strategy.
‘Who are we here to serve? What is the change we seek to make? What are our resources? What is the genre we’re working in? Who has done something like this before me? What systems are in play? Am I changing someone’s status? Why would anyone voluntarily choose to be part of this work? What will they tell their colleagues? Who gains in status, affiliation, and power by supporting this work? Will early support translate into more support later? Where is the network effect? What do I need to learn to make this work? Who do I need to work with? Where is the dip, and when should I quit? What will I do if it doesn’t work out? How much is enough?’”
The Top Five Regrets of the Dying – A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
Recommended by Elvy Gerez, Global Service Desk Manager, USA
I highly recommend “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying” by Bronnie Ware because it offers timeless insights into what truly matters at the end of life. Drawn from the author’s experience as a palliative care nurse, the book shares the reflections of people facing death. Their regrets are not about money or achievements, but about missed chances to live authentically, maintain relationships, and pursue joy.
What makes this book so powerful is its gentle but urgent call to reevaluate our priorities before it is too late. It challenges the ways we often trade self-expression for approval, time with loved ones for work, and personal happiness for external definitions of success. Ware’s stories are poignant reminders that life is fleeting and that living with intention can spare us future regrets.
Although it is not a development book, its connection to TechnoServe’s mission is surprisingly strong. Our work enables individuals to improve their livelihoods, but beyond that, it gives people the freedom to make choices that align with their own goals and values. When a farmer earns more or an entrepreneur grows their business, they gain more than income. They gain the agency to live fully and meaningfully.
Personally, this book helps me reconnect with why our work matters. Amid limited resources and ambitious goals, Ware’s reflections remind me that empowering others is not only economic. It is about enabling people to pursue what truly matters in life. That perspective is both grounding and deeply motivating.
What resonated with me: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
This simple reflection captures a universal struggle, the tension between conformity and authenticity. It reminded me how easy it is, even in meaningful work, to drift from our values in pursuit of external validation or productivity. In our mission-driven environment at TechnoServe, this quote is a powerful reminder that our goal is not just to improve outcomes. It is to support people in living lives that are truly their own, on their own terms.
Recommended by Ahmed Kurfi, Project Administrator, Nigeria
This is a powerful guide on how to stop procrastinating and get more done in less time. The “frog” symbolizes your biggest, most important task—the one you are most likely to avoid but that can have the greatest positive impact on your life or work.
Brian Tracy’s core message is: start each day by tackling your hardest task first. Once you’ve “eaten the frog,” everything else will seem easier.
He shares 21 practical strategies to boost productivity. These include setting clear goals and planning daily tasks in advance; prioritizing using the ABCDE method, where ‘A’ tasks are the most critical; applying the 80/20 rule to focus on the 20% of tasks that bring 80% of results; breaking big tasks into smaller steps; and developing self-discipline and daily habits that keep you moving forward.
The book emphasizes action over perfection and encourages readers to take responsibility for their time.
Bottom line: Identify your “frog” every day—then eat it without delay!
What resonated with me: The central idea is simple. If the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you can go through the day knowing it’s probably the worst thing you’ll face.
Recommended by Thiago Chang, Operations Director, Strategic Initiatives, Brazil
I discovered this book through a colleague’s recommendation for our Strategic Initiatives Book Club, which we’ve been running for a few years.
“Strangers Drowning” is a profoundly thought-provoking book that feels incredibly relevant to our work and the motivations that bring people to organizations like TechnoServe.
I like to think that all of us at TechnoServe are altruistic at some level, and we care more about others than the average person. This book looks into the lives of “extreme altruists”, people who have dedicated their entire lives to helping others, often at immense personal cost.
The author explores the complex philosophies, psychological drives, and sacrifices that define their lives. The book forces you to ask powerful questions about your own life and commitments. Where do we draw the line between caring for ourselves and our families and caring for strangers in need? What does it truly mean to “be good”?
What resonated with me: All the stories were really touching and powerful, but I guess the one that stuck the most with me was the story about the couple who adopted 20+ children, many of them with severe disabilities and challenges.
Historia del Rey Transparente por Rosa Montero
Recommended by César José Pinto, Especialista M&E, Honduras
“Historia del Rey Transparente”, de Rosa Montero, nos sumerge en la vida de Leola, una joven campesina que, empujada por los giros del destino, asume el inesperado rol de caballero en pleno siglo XII. En una época marcada por guerras, injusticias y profundas desigualdades, Leola se ve obligada a abandonar la tranquilidad de su aldea para enfrentarse a un mundo hostil, donde la supervivencia depende de la astucia, la fuerza y, muchas veces, del silencio.
A lo largo de la novela, la autora nos guía con una prosa envolvente por los momentos clave en la vida de esta valiente mujer: desde su transformación forzada, pasando por su participación en las batallas que rodearon la defensa de los cátaros en España, hasta su evolución interior. De analfabeta a mujer culta, de esconder su identidad bajo una armadura masculina a reconciliarse con su feminidad, Leola encarna la lucha de tantas mujeres invisibles a lo largo de la historia.
Aunque el contexto es medieval, los temas que atraviesan la obra (la migración forzada, la violencia estructural, la desigualdad de género) siguen siendo profundamente actuales. Montero nos recuerda, con inteligencia y sensibilidad, que las raíces del desarraigo y la discriminación no han cambiado tanto, y que la mirada femenina, aún hoy, sigue enfrentándose a múltiples formas de opresión.
Es una historia a ratos dolorosa, a ratos luminosa, siempre poderosa. Una novela que conmueve, enseña y permanece. Sin duda, una lectura que recomiendo profundamente.
La frase con la que inicia el libro (y la cual lo leí): “Soy mujer y escribo. Soy plebeya y sé leer. Nací sierva y soy libre.”
