Our Bathroom Reading List
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Our Bathroom Reading List

The average human spends 213 days in the bathroom over a lifetime. Might as well bring a good book.
words:
Jenn Maer
visuals:
Jane Ha
read time:
published:
June
2017

There’s one IDEO tradition you’ll only get to witness if you stop by our San Francisco office with a full bladder. Every few weeks, a new question goes up on the bathroom wall. IDEOers pop into the loo throughout the day, spend a few moments minding their own business, so to speak, and the wall fills up with answers.

Sometimes the questions are serious (“How might we better design for equity—inclusion, diversity, ageism, access, technology, etc—for all?) and sometimes they’re playful (“What’s your favorite restaurant in the Bay Area?”). But no matter what type of question goes up, the responses are always intriguing.

If you're ever wondering why IDEOers spend so long in the bathroom...

Our latest bathroom installation asked: “What book are you currently reading?” I’m always on the hunt for a good read, so I couldn’t be happier with the bonanza of recommendations. Dig in:

Books A through F

4321A Fine BalanceA Man Named OveA Manual for Cleaning WomenAmazon BeamingAmericanahBarbarian DaysBeing MortalBeyond the 100th MeridianBig MagicBorneBridaCelineCommonwealthComo Agua Para ChocolateDanny the Champion of the WorldDark ForestDevil in the White CityDolly - My Life and Other Unfinished ProjectsDreamblood DuologyEast of EdenEssentialismExit WestFacebookFaith of the FallenFar from the Tree

Books G through T

GutHeatHomo DeusLife Over CancerLovieM TrainMary Shelley’s FrankensteinMoon TigerMustache ShenanigansMy Life on the RoadMy Year of MeatsNeuromancerOn BoozeOrigin of the SpeciesOther MindsPachinkoReality is BrokenSapiensShoe DogStealing FireStories of Life and OthersThe ABCs of Real Estate InvestingThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and ClayThe CircleThe Collapse of American Criminal JusticeThe Drowned World

Books T through Y

The Ethical SlutThe GeneThe God of Small ThingsThe GunslingerThe Harry Potter SeriesThe IncalThe InterestingsThe Labyrinth of SpiritsThe Language of FoodThe Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ckThe Lightbringer SeriesThe Name of the WindThe Orphan Master’s SonThe QuranThe SelloutThe Sixth ExtinctionThe SympathizerThe Travels of Ibn BattutahThe Unbanking of AmericaThe Unseen CityThe VegetarianThe Violet HourThird PlateTopics in Calamity PhysicsTrials of Apollo IIYes, Please

What have you read (or listened to) on the list? And what are you curious to read? Tag your response on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with #bathroomread.

Visuals by Jane Ha.

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Jenn Maer
IDEO Alum
Jenn is a Portfolio Director in IDEO's Design for Change studio. She loves a well told story.
Jane Ha
IDEO Alum
Jane is an interaction designer with a notorious reputation for drowning her house plants in love. If she’s not whispering sweet nothings to her variegated rubber plant, she’s finding some other crafting hobby to obsess over, then discard shortly after.
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