100 Books That Shaped my Life: Reflections on a Lifetime of Reading

John Pepper's love affair with books began when he was a child. He sought refuge and escape in books; he began to explore the world through them; he developed friendships, of a sort, with the authors whose writing inspired him. Over time, he came to know many of his favorite authors personally. As he said later, "Reading let me know I wasn't alone."

He began to write about the books he was reading many decades ago-summarizing them, calling out passages that stood out for him, and reflecting on their timeless relevance and lessons. Those summaries, captured in 100 Books That Informed and Changed My Life, are like a fireside chat with John about the books he's loved, what he learned from them, and what they still say to us today.

For anyone who loves to read, 100 Books is a treasure of insight and inspiration.

In addition to serving as chief executive officer and chairman of Proctor & Gamble, John Pepper has also served as non-executive chairman of the Walt Disney Company and senior fellow and vice president of finance and administration of the Yale Corporation, his alma mater.

A lifelong advocate for education-particularly early childhood development-Mr. Pepper co-founded the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative and Every Child Succeeds. He was also instrumental in the development of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he continues to champion equity and historical education.

His contributions to public service and leadership have been recognized with honorary degrees from Yale University, Xavier University, Mount St. Joseph University, St. Petersburg University (Russia), The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, and St. Joseph's University.

He was married to his late wife, Francie, for over fifty years. They are the proud parents of four children and have ten grandchildren.