Trailblazing ideas, innovations, future technologies, learning, and more — it’s all on the agenda for Dreamforce

And, with the countdown now at hand, the Salesforce Blog editors compiled this reading list of books written by former and upcoming Dreamforce speakers to help those attending or following the action from home mentally prepare for a year’s worth of inspiration and new ideas.

Each author is a Trailblazer in their own right: they are “pioneers, innovators, and lifelong learners who help make the world a better place by propelling future technology and giving back to their communities.” Readers of all persuasions are sure to uncover something unexpected to inspire and motivate.

Photo credit: Penguin Random House
 

Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change by Marc Benioff and Monica Langley (Penguin Random House). “In Trailblazer, Benioff gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of one of the world's most admired companies. He reveals how Salesforce’s core values — trust, customer success, innovation, and equality — and commitment to giving back became the company's greatest competitive advantage and the most powerful engine of its success.” (description abridged from order page)

Photo credit: Penguin Random House
 

Becoming by Michelle Obama (Penguin Random House). “Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private.” Michelle Obama spoke at Dreamforce ‘17. (description abridged from Goodreads)

Photo credit: Penguin Random House
 

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World , by Melinda Gates (MacMillan). “In this candid and inspiring book, Gates traces her awakening to the link between women's empowerment and the health of societies. She shows some of the tremendous opportunities that exist right now to “turbo-charge" change. And she provides simple and effective ways each one of us can make a difference.” Melinda Gates spoke at Dreamforce ‘14. (description abridged from Goodreads)

Photo credit: Hachette Book Group
 

Sisters First: Stories From Our Wild and Wonderful Lifeby Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Hager Bush (Grand Central Publishing). Former first daughters “take readers on a revealing, thoughtful, and deeply personal tour behind the scenes of their lives, with never-before-told stories about their family, their adventures, their loves and losses, and the special sisterly bond that fulfills them.” Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Hager Bush spoke at Dreamforce ‘17. (description abridged from Goodreads)

Photo credit: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
 

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, by Dr. Kai Fu Lee (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). “As the US-Sino AI competition begins to heat up, Lee urges the US and China to accept and embrace the great responsibilities that come with significant technological power. [Lee] provides a clear description of...how we can provide solutions to some of the most profound changes in human history that are coming soon.” Dr. Lee spoke at Dreamforce ‘18. (description abridged from Goodreads).

Photo credit: Penguin Random House
 

Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, by Scott Kelly (Penguin Random House). The veteran of four space flights and the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few have. Now, he takes us inside a sphere utterly inimical to human life. He makes clear his belief that Mars will be the next, ultimately challenging step in American spaceflight.” Scott Kelly spoke at Dreamforce ‘16. (description abridged from Goodreads)

Grab one of these titles for your flight to San Francisco — they're an ideal seat companion.

See the Dreamforce '19 agenda for all the must-see sessions.