Follow the Footsteps of the First: Come Co-Create a Conversation Club on Leading Authors
Tags: writing, discuss, books, learning
Published: 2021-04-25 17:30:04

#[Why](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA&ab_channel=TEDxTalks) Living Authors Club?#

As [swyx](https://www.swyx.io/) noted in [Pick Up What They Put Down](https://www.swyx.io/puwtpd/), addressing new work about which one is enthusiastic has three advantages:
1. Learning from the thinkers on the top of their niche and their inspirations. 
2. Opening the possibility of feedback on reflection outcome by the author.
3. Healthy time pressure to react among the first while the work is still new.

If interested members set up a discussion group around the resource, they can gain a deeper and broader understanding, enjoy accountability, and build relationships.  This set-up is consistent with [Resnick's P's framework](https://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/Designing-Constructionist-Futures.pdf) and models the inclusive [Learning Webs in Ilych's Deschooling Society](https://web.archive.org/web/20120109010955/http://ournature.org/~novembre/illich/1970_deschooling.html#chapter6).

#How to Set It Up?#

You can comment with the author from below or add a new proposal. The time coordination and meeting platform are primarily up to self-organization. One option would be [Doodle](doodle.com) and [free4talk](free4talk.com). Another one could be the [Scratch](scratch.mit.edu) comment thread, in the case of youngsters. Alternatively, if you are a facilitator with thorough knowledge about the topic, you can add an [Eventbrite](eventbrite.com) invitation. If you are a native speaker and want to moderate the club as a language learning session, you can, too. If you meet and have outcomes you want to share from the sessions, please post the link to them in the comments for others to benefit from your journeys. Also, you can list the preparation prompts on the discussion you would have had for other groups to use. 

#Whose Work to Discuss?#
  
Here is a curated list of people whose creative written work in English I consider suitable for discussion.

[Allen, David](https://gettingthingsdone.com/) - Getting Things Done methodology 
[Ariely, Dan](https://danariely.com/) - motivation and rationality researcher
[Arye, Lane](http://processworklane.com/) - process work, author of Unintentional Music
[Atwood, Margaret](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s? k=Margaret+Atwood&geniuslink=true&tag=raninc-21) - the author of The Handmaid's Tale
[Babauta, Leo](https://zenhabits.net/) - the author of Zen Habits blog
[Bansal, Seema](https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/seema-bansal) - educational consultant leading an educational reform
[Belák, Andrej](https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/the-health-of-segregated-roma-first-line-views-and-practices-a-ca) - ethnographer, a specialist in Roma health 
[Boaler, Jo](https://www.youcubed.org/) - math education researcher and teacher-trainer
[Bornstein, David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Change_the_World) - journalist writing on successful social innovation
[Bransford, John, et al.](https://www.desu.edu/sites/flagship/files/document/16/how_people_learn_book.pdf) - authors of How People Learn book
[Brown, Brené](brenebrown.com) - vulnerability and trust researcher 
[Bryant, John](https://johnhopebryant.com/) - a financial literacy coach and banking innovator
[Bryson, Bill](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bill-Bryson/e/B000APXTVM?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1618774846&sr=8-2) - author of The Body, A Guide for Occupants
[Buffet, Warren](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Buffett) - an investor and philanthropist
[Burke, Tarana, et al.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarana_Burke) - MeToo movement author, a racial justice activist
[Cameron, Julia](https://juliacameronlive.com/) - author of the Artist's Way book
[Case, Nicky](https://ncase.me/) - explorable explanations, learning, and systems author
[Cloud, Henry, et al.](https://www.drcloud.com/about) - authors of book series on boundaries
[Dawkins, Richard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene) - an ethnologist and evolutionary biologist 
[Duckworth, Angela](https://angeladuckworth.com/) - grit and behavioral change researcher
[Dweck, Carol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Dweck) - a psychologist, mindset researcher
[Epstein, David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Epstein_(journalist)) - the author of a book on specialization and range
[Ferris, Tim](https://tim.blog/) - entrepreneur, investor, author of lifestyle content
[Francis, John](https://planetwalk.org/) - environmentalist, "planetwalker"
[Gaiman, Neil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman) - author of American Gods and other fantasy
[Godin, Seth](https://seths.blog/) - a marketer, the author of altMBA program 
[Graham, Paul](http://www.paulgraham.com/) - computer scientist, entrepreneur, venture capitalist
[Grün, Anselm](https://www.vier-tuerme.de/anselm-gruen/?p=1) - a Benedictine monk, author of books about spirituality
[Haidt, Jonathan](https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=VafYYacAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate) - professor, author of books on morality
[Hayden, Torey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torey_Hayden) - special education teacher, and university lecturer
[Heracleous, Loizos, et al.](https://www.amazon.com/Janus-Strategy-Loizos-Heracleous/dp/B08HH1JRW4) - professor, author on paradoxical strategy
[Heydorn, Wendy, et al.](https://www.cambridge.org/us/education/subject/humanities/theory-knowledge/theory-knowledge-ib-diploma-3rd-edition/theory-knowledge-ib-diploma-3rd-edition-course-guide-digital-access-2-years-digital-course-guide-2-years?isbn=9781108865982&format=DO#) - Theory of Knowledge book author
[hooks, bell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_hooks) - an author, professor, feminist, and social activist
[Hosseini, Khaled](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Khaled-Hosseini/e/B001HCX9N0?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1618774754&sr=8-1) - a novelist, author of A Thousand Splendid Suns 
[Howard, Jeremy](fast.ai) - an ethical Machine Learning educator
[Chi, Michelene, et al.](https://education.asu.edu/sites/default/files/the_role_of_collaborative_interactions_versus_individual_construction_on_students_learning_of_engineering_concepts.pdf) - cognitive and learning scientist 
[Jamison, Kay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Redfield_Jamison) - clinical psychologist, drawing from her own experience
[Jemisin, Nora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin) - a science fiction and fantasy writer
[Kabat-Zinn, Jon](https://www.eomega.org/workshops/teachers/jon-kabat-zinn) - a doctor, meditation researcher, and teacher
[Karsdorp, Folgert, et al.](https://www.amazon.com/Humanities-Data-Analysis-Studies-Python-ebook/dp/B08L9FWY6D/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=) - author of Humanities Data Analysis book
[Kast, Verena](https://www.verena-kast.ch/) - psychotherapist author of books on conflict and attachment
[Kingsolver, Barbara] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poisonwood_Bible) - novelist, essayist, social change author
[Lockhart, Paul](https://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf) - a teacher, author of Mathematician's Lament
[Mama, Raouf](https://www.amazon.com/Raouf-Mama/e/B001JOZZPG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) - African and multicultural storyteller, professor
[Maté, Gabor](https://drgabormate.com/) - addiction, stress, childhood development researcher
[Maturana, Humberto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humberto_Maturana) - a biologist, philosopher, cybernetician
[Matuschak, Andy](https://andymatuschak.org/) - a software engineer, designer, and researcher
[Mayer, Dan](https://blog.mrmeyer.com/) - explorer of the future of math, technology, and learning
[Mccrea, Peps](https://web.archive.org/web/20161001154336/http://mathagogy.com/) - teacher educator, author of Mathagogy
[Meade, Michael](https://www.mosaicvoices.org/) - mythology, anthropology, and psychology author
[Miller, Chanel](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50196744-know-my-name) - artist, public speaker, author of Know My Name book
[Muller, Derek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Muller) - science communicator on Veritasium channel
[Oakley, Barbara](https://barbaraoakley.com/) - author of the Learning How to Learn MOOC
[Obama, Michelle](https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Michelle-Obama/dp/1524763136) - former first lady of the USA, author of Becoming
[Payne, Ruby, et al.](https://www.amazon.com/Bridges-Out-Poverty-Professionals-Communities/dp/0964743795) - the author of Bridges out of Poverty
[Peschl, Markus](https://www.univie.ac.at/knowledge/php/wordpress/about/) - design for innovation researcher
[Peter, Marc, et al.](https://mml-book.github.io/) - author on Math for Machine Learning book
[Pressfield, Steven](https://stevenpressfield.com/) - the author of the book War of Art
[Priest, Graham](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/one-9780199688258?cc=gb&lang=en&) - professor connecting Eastern and Western logic
[Rees, Martin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Future) - the author of On the Future: Prospects for Humanity 
[Resnick, Mitchel](https://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/) - founder of Scratch and Computer Clubhouse
[Saks, Elyn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elyn_Saks) - professor, mental health and destigmatization advocate
[Satrapi, Marjane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjane_Satrapi) - creator of Persepolis comic strip
[Seligman, Martin](https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/people/martin-ep-seligman) - a positive psychology researcher
[Shirow, Masamune](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masamune_Shirow) - manga artist, author of the Ghost in the Shell
[Scharmer, Otto](https://www.ottoscharmer.com/) - researcher on Presencing social change method
[Schäfer, Susanne](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1966901.Sterne_pfel_und_rundes_Glas_Mein_Leben_mit_Autismus) - author describing her experience with autism
[Siegler, Robert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_S._Siegler) - researcher in cognitive development and reasoning
[Sinek, Simon](https://simonsinek.com/) - Start with Why and The Infinite Game author
[Soros, George](https://www.georgesoros.com/) - a philanthropist, philosopher, and economist
[Talbot, Bryan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Talbot) - a writer, artist, author of The Tale of One Bat Rat
[Victor, Bret](http://worrydream.com/) - computer scientist, future of technology visionary
[Walker, Alice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Walker) - activist, feminist, and author of The Color Purple
[Wang, Shawn (swyx)](https://www.swyx.io/) - Learning in Public author
[Winfrey, Oprah](https://www.oprah.com/) - talk show host, television producer, and philanthropist 
[Yalom, Irving](https://www.yalom.com/) - psychotherapist, the author of Matter Of Death and Life
[Yousafzai, Malala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malala_Yousafzai) - activist for female education, Nobel Prize laureate
[Zimmer, Carl](https://www.amazon.com/She-Has-Her-Mothers-Laugh/dp/1101984597) - science journalist on heredity and others

Plus: 
[Recommendations on books on the environment.](https://greenthatlife.com/best-environmental-books/)
[Open Up Resources - an open-source English and Math curriculum](openupresources.org)

**Note 1**: This is my spotlight of authors I would like to explore and see explored. I am aware they vary in their seniority, focus, background, and worldviews. Some authors I chose because I want to challenge myself, as I possess a different outlook. Some I do not know, but people I trust recommended them. Finally, I am aware my bubble skews the authors I know and like, despite some effort to even out the demographics. If you want to fix it, write your favorite resources in the comments.

**Note 2**: I would love to see this proposal transformed to an open ecosystem including a library of remixable learning resources beyond written ones, relevant prompts, (automated) scheduling, meeting calendar, meeting area, annotations technology, collaborative whiteboard, writing space, portfolio platform, review on resources and recommendations of conversation partners, and optional donations for facilitators. There are open source or free technologies that do each of these. However, they are not yet woven together, as far as I know. If you deem the offered vision inspirational, I encourage you to comment and connect, remix and build upon. 
 
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@syinq?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Susan Q Yin</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>