From a Betta fish brooch to a “dragon’s trove” of zircon eggs, here are seven pieces that’ve stuck with Associate Editor Lauren McLemore.
5 good reads for May
From landing that dream job to wading through all the misinformation online, National Jeweler has chosen some books from Goodreads’ list of new releases for May that could be beneficial to business owners.

New York--Now that online book discussion website Goodreads has shared its list of new releases for May, National Jeweler has combed through the virtual stacks to pick some books that might benefit business owners.
Topics include how to score the best job and be great at it, and how to wade through all the misinformation on the Internet, as well as the story behind the two brothers who successfully put the first manned plane into the air more than a century ago.
1. Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. Kill It in Your Career. Rock Social Media.
Aliza Licht
A global fashion communications executive at Donna Karan New York, Licht has become a social media superstar, growing the popular “DKNY PR GIRL” Twitter account to more than half a million followers. In this book, Licht details her entire background and the lessons and advice that can be learned from it, with an emphasis on communicating and building a personal brand. This book is 288 pages.
2. When to Rob a Bank
Steven Levitt, Stephen Dubner
When the popular Freakonomics was published, authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner started keeping an accompanying blog. This book is a compilation of what Levitt and Dubner consider to be the best posts on that blog, including topics such as what people lie about and why, the best way to cut gun deaths and when to rob a bank. This book is 400 pages long.
3. The Wright Brothers
David McCullough
This book tells the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, who made history when they got the first manned plane in the air on a winter day in 1903 in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, despite having no more than a public high school education, little money and no contacts. This book is 336 pages.
4. Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules: Separating Fact from Fiction, and the Science of Everyday Life
Joe Schwarcz
Though the answer to pretty much any question can be found on the Internet, figuring out which source is correct and which information reliable can be the real struggle. In this book the author takes a look at how information is misconstrued, and debunks myths surrounding things like canned food, artificial dyes and chemicals, advocating for a more scientific approach to everyday life. This book is 280 pages.
5. Editor’s Pick: The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins
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