Favorite Business Books

Here’s my list of the best business books. Note that none of them are technically business books! I included Amazon links so you know exactly what book I’m recommending, but there are many other places to buy books. Many of these titles have been on the market long enough that you can pick them up at your neighborhood used bookstore.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Introverts comprise half of the population, and understanding them better will make your business more successful, especially if you are an introvert!

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

In this readable and fascinating overview of recent human evolution, Harari shows how we accomplish things together through shared fictions.

Influence: Science and Practice by Robert Cialdini

This is the only textbook I saved from four years of college. Cialdini is a social psychologist, but you can’t understand business without a keen knowledge of human behavior. If you’re interested in the rules governing our patterns of interaction, it’s a almost a page-turner.

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

A surprisingly accessible book considering that Kahneman won a Nobel Price in Economic Sciences. He has done pioneering research in the many ways your own mind conspires against you to do stupid things. Understanding hard-wired cognitive biases can help you make better decisions.

The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

Counter-intuitively, having more options generally causes more problems than it solves. Thoughtfully narrowing your option set can help you make happier, quicker, more effective choices.

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout

This book is almost 40 years old but the insights about marketing are timeless, especially with respect to the idea that you need a carve out a “position” in a prospective customer’s mind that differentiates you from the competition. Written by advertising executives who worked on national accounts, it’s focused more towards national brands than small businesses but many of the same principles apply to both.

Getting Things Done by David Allen

This is not a fun book to read, but necessary if you just can’t seem to figure out how to make the best use of your time and stay organized.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

By a dying Carnegie Mellon professor, it’s nominally focused on achieving your childhood dreams. But it’s really a tour de force of living your life with intention. Even better than the book is watching him deliver the lecture.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White

That’s right, the E.B. White of Charlotte’s Web fame. If writers could only read one book to improve their skills, this is it. Not a wasted word in the whole book, they walk the talk of crisp communication.