{"id":157839,"date":"2026-09-17T01:08:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=157839"},"modified":"2026-09-16T23:18:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T17:48:45","slug":"united-airlines-ceo-reveals-7-favorite-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/17\/united-airlines-ceo-reveals-7-favorite-books\/","title":{"rendered":"United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby Reveals 7 Favorite Books"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CHICAGO-<\/strong> United Airlines (UA)<\/a> CEO Scott Kirby has revealed seven books he particularly enjoyed reading this summer, covering hospitality, aerospace, history, anthropology, science fiction, and literature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United Airlines operates a major hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), where a selection of books from Kirby\u2019s reading list is available through the airline\u2019s Scott\u2019s Shelf initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"United
Photo: Scott Kirby LinkedIn Page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

United CEO Scott Kirby\u2019s Summer Reading List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kirby is known for maintaining a demanding reading routine. He previously said he spends about three hours reading each day, including newspapers, magazines, and books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His latest list includes seven titles that reflect a broad range of interests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book<\/th>Author<\/th>Main subject<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Unreasonable Hospitality<\/em><\/td>Will Guidara<\/td>Customer service<\/td><\/tr>
The Impossible Factory<\/em><\/td>Josh Dean<\/td>Aerospace and Skunk Works<\/td><\/tr>
Freedom\u2019s Forge<\/em><\/td>Arthur Herman<\/td>U.S. industrial production<\/td><\/tr>
The Sleepless Ape<\/em><\/td>David R. Samson<\/td>Human sleep and evolution<\/td><\/tr>
Sea of Tranquility<\/em><\/td>Emily St. John Mandel<\/td>Science fiction<\/td><\/tr>
The End of Eternity<\/em><\/td>Isaac Asimov<\/td>Time travel and science fiction<\/td><\/tr>
Tolkien and the Great War<\/em><\/td>John Garth<\/td>Tolkien and World War I<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The selection combines books directly related to business and manufacturing with fiction and academic subjects, Live and Let’s Fly<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: United Airlines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why Hospitality Made Kirby\u2019s List<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Will Guidara\u2019s Unreasonable Hospitality<\/em> focuses on the idea that exceptional service can transform an ordinary customer interaction into a memorable experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby described the book as required reading for people working in the service industry. That subject has direct relevance to an airline such as United, where customer service plays a central role in the passenger experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book examines how companies can create stronger customer relationships by paying close attention to individual needs and experiences. For an airline CEO, its focus on service provides a clear connection to the challenges of managing a large passenger operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lockheed
Photo: Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird Spy Plane Surveilling Hill Area Above the Snowy Mountains \/ Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aerospace Lessons From Lockheed\u2019s Skunk Works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Josh Dean\u2019s The Impossible Factory<\/em> examines Clarence L. Johnson and Lockheed\u2019s Skunk Works program, which became known for developing advanced aircraft under demanding timelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The subject is particularly relevant to aviation because Skunk Works played a major role in programs that produced some of the most notable aircraft in U.S. aviation history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby has identified the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird as his favorite aircraft. He said he would like executives and employees at Boeing<\/a>, Airbus, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce to read The Impossible Factory<\/em> and consider its lessons about developing and manufacturing aircraft and engines more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recommendation also highlights a major issue facing the commercial aviation industry. Aircraft production delays, supply-chain constraints and engine-related problems have affected airlines and manufacturers, limiting the pace at which new aircraft can enter service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby\u2019s interest in the Skunk Works model therefore extends beyond aviation history. It reflects an interest in how aerospace companies can organize engineering and manufacturing programs to deliver complex products efficiently while maintaining safety requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freedom\u2019s Forge<\/em> Focuses on Industrial Mobilization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Arthur Herman\u2019s Freedom\u2019s Forge<\/em> examines the industrial mobilization of the United States during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book looks at how American<\/a> industry expanded production on an enormous scale during the conflict. Its focus on manufacturing capacity and industrial organization provides another connection to Kirby\u2019s interest in aerospace production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike The Impossible Factory<\/em>, which centers on a specific aerospace development culture, Freedom\u2019s Forge<\/em> explores industrial mobilization on a much broader scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Science Behind The Sleepless Ape<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

David R. Samson\u2019s The Sleepless Ape<\/em> takes a different direction, examining human sleep and how sleep evolved alongside humans as a social species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The subject also connects with Kirby\u2019s previously discussed personal routine. He has emphasized the importance of maintaining approximately 8.5 hours of sleep each night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inclusion of the book demonstrates that Kirby\u2019s reading interests extend beyond subjects directly connected to airlines, business, and aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: United Airlines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kirby\u2019s Longstanding Interest in Science Fiction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Three books on the latest list connect with Kirby\u2019s established interest in fiction and science fiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily St. John Mandel\u2019s Sea of Tranquility<\/em> explores time, history and interconnected lives across different periods. Kirby has also highlighted Isaac Asimov as his favorite author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He described Asimov\u2019s The End of Eternity<\/em> as the best time-travel novel he has read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby previously identified Asimov\u2019s The Last Question<\/em> as his favorite book, although the work is actually a short story. His broader reading history has also included The Three-Body Problem<\/em> and other science fiction titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Garth\u2019s Tolkien and the Great War<\/em> examines the impact of World War I on J.R.R. Tolkien and the experiences that influenced his literary development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby has previously described Tolkien as another favorite author, placing the book within a longer-running interest in Tolkien\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"United
Photo: Cl\u00e9ment Alloing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Reading List That Extends Beyond Aviation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kirby\u2019s latest recommendations cover several distinct subjects rather than focusing exclusively on management or aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list moves from customer service and aerospace engineering to industrial history, human evolution and science fiction. That range is consistent with Kirby\u2019s earlier comments about reading across multiple disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a previous reading-list discussion, Kirby said he reads the Wall Street Journal<\/em> and New York Times<\/em>, several monthly magazines and one to two books per week. He has also said that reading across a wide range of subjects helps people continue learning and connect ideas when dealing with unfamiliar situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That approach provides context for the variety of books he recommends. Some titles relate directly to running an airline, while others address subjects far removed from commercial aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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