01/14/2026
My Top Reads for 2026 — Reflections on Books I Read in 2025
I love to read, and 2025 was a year filled with books. I read many—across disciplines, genres, and themes. As I look ahead to 2026, these eight stand out. Each one challenged my thinking, offered perspective, or reinforced why intentional planning, thoughtful communication, and family wellbeing, matter—particularly within families and family enterprises.
1. The Family War: Winning the Inheritance Battle — Jordan Atin, Barry Fish, and Les Kotzer
This book is informative, story-driven, and at times deeply unsettling. Through real cases of inheritance disputes and estate litigation, it illustrates how quickly well-intended plans can unravel. The recurring themes are familiar: secrecy, assumptions, misalignment—and the resulting fractured family relationships that often persist long after the legal battles end.
While the book places less emphasis on prevention and the family dynamics that surface before conflict, I could not put it down. The stories were that sobering. It reinforced for me how estate planning done in isolation—without transparency or dialogue—can lead not only to wasted wealth through legal fees, but also to permanent damage to family relationships and the original intent of the wealth creator. It left me thinking about how wills and legacy planning might be approached as a more open, collaborative family process rather than a private exercise revealed too late.
2. The Safekeep — Yael van der Wouden
A quietly unsettling work of historical fiction set in post-war Europe. This novel explores memory, ownership, silence, and the emotional weight carried by places and possessions. It is beautifully written, a little strange, and intentionally restrained.
Rather than offering easy answers, it invites reflection on what is kept, what is hidden, and how unresolved histories resurface across generations—often in unexpected ways.
3. Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversations — Katherine Mannix
In a world of instant communication and quick responses, this book felt like a pause—a deep breath. It is a gentle reminder that listening well requires presence, patience, and comfort with silence.
The stories are real, the writing is thoughtful, and the message resonates deeply: meaningful connection—within families, partnerships, and advisory relationships—comes from slowing down, staying curious, and allowing space for difficult conversations. This is a book I plan to reread with intention.
4. The Little Book of Family Treasure — Peter W. Johnson Jr.
An accessible and practical read that focuses less on technical structures and more on the relational foundations of legacy. The book emphasizes trust, communication, shared values, and intentional family conversations as the true “treasure” families pass forward.
While I found the appendices particularly useful, I also attended a workshop Peter facilitated—co-led with a minister—which brought these concepts to life in a powerful way. A helpful reminder that preparing heirs emotionally and relationally is just as important as preparing the balance sheet.
5. The Kingship of Self-Control — William George Jordan
Originally published in 1898, this book feels remarkably current. It challenges readers to examine discipline, responsibility, and purposeful living while cutting through distraction and noise.
Each chapter offers insights that prompt reflection on how we choose to think, act, and respond—particularly in moments of pressure or uncertainty. Timeless wisdom and another reread for me.
6. The Last Things We Talk About — Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Boatwright
Reading about end-of-life transitions while feeling healthy and engaged in life may seem uncomfortable, yet that perspective is precisely what gives this book its depth. It invites reflection on values, meaning, and the realities of loss before we are forced into reactive decisions.
Elizabeth’s quiet grace—something I also experienced when she presented at a conference in Denver—comes through clearly. This is not simply a book about dying; it is about living with intention, clarity, and acceptance across life’s transitions.
7. From Stigma to Strength — Edited by Andrew Keyt (Generation Six)
This book addresses a critical and often overlooked dimension of family enterprise continuity: mental health. Drawing on contributions from experienced clinicians and researchers, it explores how anxiety, addiction, identity, and emotional strain show up within family systems—and how they directly affect both family relationships and business outcomes.
What stands out is its focus on moving families from silence and stigma toward understanding, resilience, and strength. A must-read for any family enterprises committed to long-term stewardship.
8. Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl
A timeless classic and my number-one recommendation. Each reread offers new perspective. Frankl’s message—that even in the most difficult circumstances, we retain the freedom to choose our response—remains profoundly grounding.
More than the foundation of logotherapy, this book is a reminder of responsibility, intention, and meaning—principles that quietly underpin how we live, lead, and plan for the future.
If any of these books resonate—or if you have reads that stayed with you—I would welcome the conversation. Often, the most meaningful insights emerge where planning, family, and purpose intersect.
— Sandy
