Marriott School students don’t stop with their diplomas; they continue on to masterful feats—reaching top leadership roles, starting successful businesses, and, in the case of a select few, penning acclaimed page-turners.
So power up a Kindle (or dust off your library card) and grab a copy of these seven alumni-authored tomes. Ranging from science fiction to self-help, these books deserve a spot on your summer reading list.
1. Grand Slam
The Voices of Baseball is a look at America’s favorite pastime from an unexpected point of view. Baseball broadcasters are the stars of 2002 marketing grad Kirk McKnight’s book, a nostalgic read so anticipated that Amazon’s first batch sold out in preorders. McKnight, a popular sportswriter and blogger himself, is currently working on a book about NHL announcers.
2. Keeping it Simple
With his book The Myth of Multitasking, 2000 entrepreneurship alum Dave Crenshaw sets out to prove we really can’t do it all—and we shouldn’t. Multitasking, he argues, defines our frenzied lives and is inefficient and even destructive. Crenshaw is a consultant focusing on productivity and time management in business.
3. Teenage Dream
James Dashner, a 1999 MAcc alum, is the mind behind the best-selling Maze Runner series. The dystopian saga has led to two Hollywood blockbusters with a third film hitting theaters next year. Dashner has also found success with his latest offering: The Mortality Doctrine, a young adult cyberadventure trilogy.
4. Music Maker
Besides racking up more than a billion YouTube views, playing sold-out concerts, and releasing two full-length albums, 2015 recreation management grad Lindsey Stirling can boast one more success: her first book. The 2016 autobiographical release The Only Pirate at the Party chronicles Stirling’s unconventional path to success.
5. Father Figure
In Power Dads: The 10 Basic Principles Successful Fathers Use to Raise Happy and Responsible Children, Wayne Parker, a 1981 MPA grad and Provo City’s chief administrative officer, shares ten precepts for fathers. Drawing on his experience as a father of five, Parker has written hundreds of parenting articles for About.com.
6. Blazing Trails
If you’re looking to take advantage of Utah’s outdoor scene, you’ll want to consult the hiking guidebooks of 1978 MOB grad Greg Witt. Witt, who also works as an adventure guide in Utah and the Alps, distinguishes himself as the ultimate outdoor adventure guru in his book 50 Best Short Hikes: Utah’s National Parks.
7. Family Ties
Robison Wells, a novelist and 2009 MBA grad, was bound for literary success ever since he joined a BYU writing group with well-known authors Dan Wells (his brother) and Brandon Sanderson. His sci-fi novel Variant made the Publishers Weekly 2011 Best Books list. Dark Energy, his latest work, hit stores in March.
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Written by Kasee Bailey
