I am not here to tell you which books will make you a better researcher. These are the books that I have read and enjoyed *while* being a Early Career Researcher. ## *The Wayfarers series* by Becky Chambers *For anyone who could do with a break*. In the words of Hank Green *"Becky Chambers is a genius"*. Becky Chambers' book series *The Wayfares* resides in a universe where humans comprise of a small and, to a large extent, inconsequential fraction of an galactic commons. A sci-fi series where humans, and human bodies, are not the default. In the Wayfarers saga, a menagerie of different civilisations with different evolutionary histories mix, befriend, and thrive together. What does is mean for a civilisation that communicates exclusively by chromophores, by changing the colour of their skin, to work and live in an audio centric world. How does the strong parental connection between a human parent and their child interplay with a society in which the majority lay eggs. You should read the Wayfarer books, starting with *A long way to a small angry planet*, to swim in an alternative universe of kind, beautiful, and rich characters. This is not sci-fi where the future of planets or civilisations hang in the balance but where everyday interactions with friends and work colleagues are the story. ![[The_Wayfarers_books.png]] ## *The Far Side Gallery* by Gary Larson There is a cliché that every university lecture could start with a Gary Larson cartoon. Larson's distinctive single pane portrait cartoons cover biology, history, physics, natural history, chemistry, and more. Delving into any one of his five collections is a treat that every researcher should find time to do. Highlights, for me included a bear standing cross armed at the mouth of a cave angrily asking her partner what is their excuse for me late is. The reprimanded bear stands there with a satellite collar labelled 'No 5', an ear tag with 'No 5, and spray painted across its body in large letter is, again, 'No 5'. Another has two bears wearing hard hats standing by a pipeline with flows out of the woods across a field, through a window and into a very peeved looking persons living room. And finally, a chalk board filled with complex mathematical formulas is left abandoned by a group of lab coat attired researchers that skip merrily towards the ice cream van that drives by the open window. Many of Larson's comics don't mock science and scientist from the outside in, but often feel like in jokes made by scientists themselves. They are worth a look through for any researcher of any field. ## *Team of rivals* by Doris Goodwin For understanding leadership there is no better resource than the biography of American civil war president Abraham Lincoln.