MSM New Years Recommendation Countdown
With the holiday season and New Year fast approaching, we at MSM wanted to wrap up the year in a special way. We asked our current students, staff and faculty members, and alumni, which movie, book or podcast they found interesting, felt inspired by, or they simply enjoyed this year. Hopefully this provides our community plenty of recommendations to dive into this holiday season, or to support your 2026 New Years resolutions.
Dr. Diederik de Boer, Director a.i. / Director Expert Center for Emerging Economies / Associate Professor Sustainable Business Development
| Movie | Hotel Rwanda |
| Year | 2004 |
| Why this movie? | The movie tells the powerful and tragic true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who saved over a thousand lives during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The film's central message is a searing indictment of international indifference to humanitarian crises and an affirmation of individual courage and morality in the face of widespread evil. |
| Book | The Border |
| Author | Erika Fatland |
| Why this book? | The book is a non-fiction travelogue chronicling author's, Erika Fatland's, epic 259-day journey circumnavigating Russia's 60,000-kilometer border, exploring the complex histories, cultures, and landscapes of the neighbouring nations from North Korea to Norway, offering a unique perspective on the Russian empire without entering Russia itself, blending history, anthropology, and sharp observations. Written before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the book offers strikingly prescient insights and remains a powerful lens for understanding Russia and its enduring impact on the world. |
Hermina Kooyman, Manager Enrolment and Career Services
| Movie | Don't look up |
| Year | 2021 |
| Why this movie? | It is a great watch because it reminds us, through its satirical humour, how easy it is to get caught up in distractions and miss what really matters. It encourages us to stay grounded and work together instead of getting pulled into division. It is also a wake-up call for all of us to stop living in denial about the severity of climate change. |
| Movie | Top Gun: Maverick |
| Year | 2022 |
| Why this movie? | Top Gun: Maverick is not only a fun and entertaining film to watch but it has some great lessons about leadership, teamwork, inclusivity, making mistakes, ownership and responsibility. It really is a great movie and a Must Watch. |
| Book | Stormlight Archives (5-book series) |
| Author(s) | Brandon Sanderson |
| Why this book? | Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive is a fantastic series to get into because it mixes epic fantasy with honest, relatable themes. The characters deal with hope, trauma, and personal growth in a really human way, showing how connection and responsibility can help us pull through tough times. It also touches on depression, addiction, leadership, and learning to think for yourself instead of following blind faith. It’s a series that entertains you but also leaves you feeling inspired and a little stronger. |
Oliver Olson, Senior Lecturer Marketing and Strategy
| Movie | Frankenstein |
| Year | 2025 |
| Why this movie? | Who knew!?! The monster is not a monster! Acting is top rate. Extremely faithful to the original Mary Shelley book. (A bit gruesome in parts... be warned.) |
| Book | Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future |
| Author(s) | Dan Wang |
| Why this book? | I have been fortunate to teach at Nanjing University for 12 years and have witnessed first hand many of the insight from this great book. |
| Podcast | Acquired |
| Host(s) | Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal |
| Why this podcast? | Almost (I emphasize ALMOST) replaces the MBA/MM. If you listen to these 4 hour deep-dives into the history and stories behind the biggest companies in the world, you will be ready to ask all the right questions in class... you might even find some of the right answers! https://www.acquired.fm/ |
Parmiss Ghahremani Qajar, Student Master in Management
| Movie | We Live in Time |
| Year | 2024 |
| Book | What Happens in Amsterdam |
| Author(s) | Rachel Lynn Solomon |
| Podcast | What's The Juice? |
| Host(s) | Alia Zaita and Yoni Ekoto |
Michela Parrillo, Manager Executive Education and Custom Made Training
| Movie | Challengers |
| Year | 2024 |
| Book | The Covenant of Water |
| Author(s) | Abraham Verghese |
| Why this book? | I recommend The Covenant of Water because it’s a beautifully written, deeply emotional multigenerational story that immerses you in Kerala’s culture and history. The characters feel alive, the themes of family, love, and resilience stay with you, and Verghese’s compassionate, humanist storytelling makes the book unforgettable. |
Stefano Locatelli, Project Consultant at ECEE
| Movie | One Battle After Another |
| Year | 2025 |
| Book | Americanah |
| Author(s) | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie |
| Podcast | SERIAL |
| Host(s) | Serial Productions & the New York Times |
| Why these recommendations? | In different ways, they have been not only entertaining but also very enlightening about contemporary U.S. society and its relationship with issues such as racism, democracy, violence, and the rule of law. But more importantly, they are all media products of the highest quality. |
Andre Dellevoet, Senior Consultant
| Movie | Darkest Hour |
| Year | 2017 |
| Why this movie? | A compelling film about Winston Churchill, masterfully played by Gary Oldman, in his early days as Prime Minister of the UK during WW II and the May 1940 Cabinet crisis. This political drama shows how awfully close the UK came to surrendering to Hitler and how Churchill almost stood alone in his defiance of Nazi Germany. It is in such times of crisis that true leadership qualities emerge, or not, and that the fate of millions hangs in the balance. Gripping and relevant as the call for such courageous leadership in our time grows louder and louder. |
Dayna Cabrera, Alumni Master in Management
| Movie | Yes, Man |
| Year | 2008 |
| Book | The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter-And How to Make the Most of Them Now |
| Author(s) | Meg Jay |
| Why these recommendations? | They are take action encouragement. |
Noreen Vingerhoedt, Alumni Online MBA
| Book | Mother of God |
| Author(s) | Paul Rosolie |
| Podcast | Aspire |
| Host(s) | Emma Greede |
Harsha Ramesh Kandackappalli, Alumni Master in Management
| Movie | Android Kunjappan Ver 5.25 |
| Year | 2019 |
| Why this movie? | Android kunjappan was a movie that explored the depth of human relations intertwined with migration and technology. |
| Book | When breath becomes air |
| Author(s) | Paul Kalanithi |
| Why this book? | The book by Paul kalanithi, explores the journey of the author as a medical professional through cancer diagnosis. It's a book that make you think about life, death and much more emotions. A must read. |
Masood Majiet, Alumni Full-time MBA
| Movie | Blade Runner 2049 |
| Year | 2017 |
| Book | Notes From Underground |
| Author(s) | Fyodor Dostoevsky |
| Podcast | Review Revue |
| Host(s) | Reilly Anspaugh and Alfred Bardwell-Evans |
| Why these recommendations? | I'm a fan of nihilistic themes in both film and literature. Blade Runner 2049 displays a world of brutalistic yet beautiful chaos, in which the protagonist pushes back against an infinite universe trying desperately to crush any sense of hope an individuality. The film is transportive, and hopeful, despite the dystopian picture painted of the future. |
Urs Egli, Alumni Executive MBA
| Podcast | Dirty Deeds Done Well |
| Host(s) | Hannah Leimert and Torsten Tomczak |
| Why this podcast? | Best out of life marketing podcast to date. Managing Director of the Center for Innovation Hannah Leimert, along with marketing professors Marcus Schögel and Torsten Tomczak from the University of St. Gallen, discuss the actions and misdeeds of marketing every Thursday. Every two weeks, they meet in the original trio format, and in the alternate weeks, they hold one-on-one discussions with guests from business and academia. The conversations are highly subjective, always controversial, and generally academically accurate, addressing and contextualizing current events in marketing. |
Haura Khairani, Alumni Master in Management
| Book | You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters |
| Author(s) | Kate Murphy |
| Why this book? | An easy-to-digest self-improvement book that provides insight and practical suggestions on how to become better listeners. Entering the new year, we should be aiming to make real connections to help us stay grounded in these uncertain times. |
Ahmed Khodair, Alumni Full-time MBA
| Book | Think Like a Freak |
| Author(s) | Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt |
| Why this book? | New thinking. |
Iris Weyenberg, PhD Admissions Officer / Manager Information Office
| Book | Queen Esther |
| Author(s) | John Irving |
| Why this book? | I’m a big fan of John Irving’s books. I have his entire collection in my bookcase in both English and Dutch. I was pleasantly surprised when, some time ago, I saw the announcement of his new book, Queen Esther. I bought the book last week at the Dominicanen bookstore, and can’t wait to read it during the upcoming Christmas period. Irving’s books are so enjoyable to read because of his unique writing style, which combines themes such as friendship, love, family, and life’s absurd twists in a tragicomic way. He is known for his thick, challenging novels with multiple, complex plotlines and well-developed characters. The stories often contain absurd situations that, because of the way they are told, feel hilarious. Irving uses humor and tragedy in a way that makes suffering bearable and gives the reader something to think about. |
Ranveer Mohapatra, Alumni Master in Management
| Movie | The Imitation Game |
| Year | 2014 |
| Why this movie? | Real story on Enigma during World War 2. |
| Book | Trade like a Stock Market Wizard |
| Author(s) | Mark Minervini |
| Why this book? | The only way that Wall Street analysts look at stocks. |
Nicky De Bie, Officer Student and Alumni Support / Student Counsellor
| Book | How to be a Bad Friend (by Katherine Sleadd) helped me understand more about friendship dynamics. Also any Dan Brown book if you love mystery. Same for Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn), also one that I keep re-reading. |
| Podcast | My go to F1 related podcasts are the Red Flags Podscast (Especially the 'Vankah Hours' episodes) and the P1 with Matt & Tommy. Besides that, I love anything Esther Perel makes, like the Where Should We Begin podcast. If you want to hear relatable (and often sad) stories, I recommend Thanks for Asking (previously Terrible, Thanks for Asking) podcast by Nora McInerny. Also really recommend her Ted Talk! And if you, like me, loved watching (and rewatching, like I am doing now) Bones, the Boneheads podcast is great to hear more behind the scenes of all the episodes! Same for NCIS with the Off Duty podcast! |
Pilar Gonzalez Vigil, Officer Global Education programmes
| Book | Restore Your Mind, Rebuild Your Life: The Science-Backed Approach to Free Yourself from Distraction and Instant Gratification |
| Author(s) | Marian Rojas Estapé |
| Why this book? | In this book Dr. Marian Rojas, international bestselling author, dives into the science that explains why we look for quick rewards. She will introduce you to dopamine, the pleasure hormone, and explain its role in the search for instant gratification, as well as its influence on our perception of pain, boredom, and discomfort. I recommend this book because is an invitation to reflect on your own behavior, understand your emotions, break unhealthy patterns by implementing "vitamin routines", and take back control of your mind. |
Sonia Pawlowska, Student Assistant Recruitment and Communications
| Book | Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life |
| Author(s) | Bill Burnett and Dave Evans |
| Why this book? | Usually when asked what you want to do when you're older, we are expected to give one answer of the one perfect career you envision yourself going into. This book however challenges you to think outside of the box, and use design thinking to build up multiple possible dream career paths. I really loved the various reflection and practical exercises, and simply thinking about things in new ways. Its also an entertaining book to read, especially hearing real-life examples of other's lives. |
| Book | Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed |
| Author(s) | Lori Gottlieb |
| Why this book? | I read this book in basically 2 days. It is meaningful but also entertaining, and provides a rare insight into real conversations that happen behind closed doors in therapy. There are plenty of twists and surprises, and it really draws you in to the very end. |
Andreea Badea, Student Assistant Enrolment and Career Services
| Movie | Up |
| Year | 2009 |
| Why this movie? | This animated movie brought me back to the classic Disney feeling and reminded me how important it is to stay connected to our inner child. Beyond the visuals and nostalgia, it gently speaks about curiosity, courage, and hope, qualities we often had naturally as children and sometimes forget as adults. Watching it felt like a small reminder to reconnect with that part of myself and carry it forward into the new year. |
Cheers and happy New Year from us at MSM.
Check out our previous MSM recommendation list from a couple years ago here.
