Six thought-provoking reads for a sustainable future

Poverty, by America (2023) By Matthew Desmond Recommended by Jean-Pierre Benoît, Professor of Economics

The sociologist Matthew Desmond opens his book with a question: Why is there so much poverty in America? The answer, as Desmond emphasises, is not that eliminating poverty would be too expensive. Indeed, he could have opened with the question, “Why is there so much poverty in such a rich country?” Desmond argues that America not only tolerates poverty but actively promotes it, through choices and policies. “America”, here, means individuals, groups, institutions and businesses, who do little to abolish poverty while often benefiting from it. It’s an important read (or audiobook listen).

The Coming Storm: Why Water Will Write the 21st Century (2024) By Liam Fox Recommended by Linda Yueh, Adjunct Professor of Economics

Written by the former UK Secretary of State for International Trade and Defence Secretary, who is also a physician, Dr Liam Fox has set out a wide-ranging approach that looks at the significance of water in its many aspects. The interplay between economic development, national security and health helps the reader to see the multi-faceted nature of water and its significance in a more sustainable future for all. By drawing on history, it sets out crucial lessons for policymakers, businesses and communities to consider in order to avoid the mistakes of the past and improve the future of this unique commodity.

The Overstory (2018) By Richard Powers Recommended by Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance

This novel, which won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize, is a sweeping meditation on humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Through the interwoven stories of nine Americans, each profoundly shaped by encounters with trees and forests, Powers reveals the many ways in which nature imprints itself on human lives – often unnoticed, yet always present. As their paths converge, the characters are drawn into a collective response to the escalating destruction of the environment.

The book is both powerful and beautifully written. Powers’ prose is lyrical and immersive, carrying the reader effortlessly across perspectives without feeling fragmented. The shifts between characters keep the narrative dynamic and engaging, while the overarching vision ties everything together into a cohesive whole. This mirrors the book’s theme of interconnectedness – within humanity, and between humanity and the world.

Balancing Green: When to Embrace Sustainability in a Business (and When Not To) (2018) By Yossi Sheffi with Edgar Blanco Recommended by Stefano Turconi, Teaching Fellow of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

I’ve chosen a book that has shaped my understanding of how sustainability can be operationalised. In Balancing Green, Sheffi and Blanco resist treating sustainability as a universal moral imperative. Instead, they pose a more pragmatic question: when does it make business sense to embrace sustainability, and when might it not? Their argument is compelling: executives’ personal beliefs matter less than the hard realities of resource costs, regulation, public opinion and consumer demand. Sustainability, in this framing, is not a simplistic “profits versus planet” dilemma, but a balancing act between constituencies – some seeking affordable jobs and products, others prioritising ecological preservation.

The book distils corporate approaches into three rationales: cutting costs, reducing risk and driving growth. Whether through energy efficiency, hedging against regulatory shifts or capturing value from green markets, Sheffi and Blanco illustrate how sustainability can be woven into competitive advantage. At the same time, they caution against assuming that every green initiative automatically serves shareholders or society. Ultimately, Balancing Green challenges us to approach sustainability less as a fixed ideal and more as a set of strategic trade-offs. For business leaders grappling with how to embed socio-environmental goals into their organisations, it offers much-needed realism and guidance.

Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (1983) By Benedict Anderson Recommended by Aharon Cohen-Mohliver, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

My copy of Imagined Communities has been on my shelf since I first read it as an undergraduate. Benedict Anderson’s core idea was to challenge the notion that nations are timeless entities. Instead, he argued they are "imagined communities," constructed through technologies such as print culture that foster a sense of belonging among strangers.

Re-reading Anderson now, I find myself thinking how it would have been written today. The original work was published in 1983, a time before online platforms could generate new imagined communities that fracture national ones in previously unimaginable ways. This process of fragmentation has accelerated rapidly. Digital platforms, echo-chambers, algorithmic radicalisation and the rise of niche platforms, have blurred the distinction between online and offline, as online rhetoric and movements increasingly spill into the physical world, leading to real-world protests, violence and legislative action.

This highlights the strength of imagined communities, and the fragility of the ones we live in: the shared symbolism and beliefs of online groups can spill over to our physical environment, severing the ties of physical communities, turning neighbours into strangers and colleagues into ideological opponents.

Yet, the power of proximity – a core principle of London Business School – offers hope. Daily, in-person interactions may still foster a sense of shared community that resists the fragmentation and polarisation coming from this new form of imagined communities. Anderson’s central thesis – that our collective identity is a human creation – has never felt more urgent, as we are forced to confront the dual power of technology to both unite and profoundly divide.