The festival season is in full swing, but between two events, you hopefully treat yourself to a lazy afternoon too. Beach chair, terrace or hammock: it doesn't matter, as long as there's a good book to go with it. We picked five titles that get your event brain going without feeling like homework.
One comes from our own house; the other four aren't all strictly about events, but they cover topics that turn out to be surprisingly handy for planners.
1. EVENTPLANNER 4 - Kevin Van der Straeten
Yes, we're starting shamelessly close to home. And for good reason: this is the fourth, fully revised edition of the best-selling event book ever, now also available in English. It holds everything you need to turn your event into a success, from objectives, budget and run-of-show to marketing, logistics and evaluation. New or heavily expanded in this edition: sharper event marketing, safety and weather monitoring (rather topical this summer), cybersecurity and privacy, AI as your new right hand, and a full chapter on wedding planning. It's written in a brisk style, packed with checklists and hands-on tips from dozens of industry pros. In short, your complete toolbox to become the hero of your event.
2. The Art of Gathering - Priya Parker
This is about as close to a bible as our field gets: a book about bringing people together with genuine purpose. Parker's core argument is that most gatherings fail before they even begin, because we rush past the one question that matters: why are we actually meeting? For anyone who designs experiences for a living, it's a mindset shift you'll feel at your very next kickoff, conference or dinner. A modern classic that's well worth (re)reading with your feet in the sand.
3. Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI - Ethan Mollick
The most readable, hype-free guide to actually working with AI. Mollick treats AI as a colleague rather than a magic trick, and shows down-to-earth ways to put it to work in your day-to-day. Ideal for the planner drowning in supplier emails, briefings and copy who wants to get time back without losing the human touch. Smart, light and genuinely useful.
4. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini
The definitive book on why people say yes, and a goldmine for anyone who needs to fill seats, win over sponsors or nudge no-shows into actually showing up. Cialdini lays out the principles of persuasion through stories and experiments you'll start spotting everywhere, from your ticket pages to your invitation emails. Look for the New and Expanded edition for the freshest examples.
5. The Bookability Formula - Maria Franzoni
A former international speaker-bureau owner opens up her data to reveal what the most-booked speakers do differently. The striking finding: a tiny fraction of speakers lands the lion's share of the gigs. Handy whether you book talent for your events or want to get booked yourself, with plenty of insider perspective and a light, conversational tone.
Source: Photo: iStockPhoto 1296909811
