Screw It, Let’s Do It is a short book that outlines Richard Branson’s business philosophy. The millionaire founder of Virgin Group offers his thoughts and the keys to his success in the book. Read this short book if you’re presently dealing with skepticism and fear of failure in your entrepreneurial endeavor.
Goodreads Rating: 3.94/5 (11,000+ ratings)
53. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
On Writing is half autobiography, part master lesson in writing technique. He’s been dubbed the “King of Horror,” and his works include horror classics such as Carrie, Misery, and It. Even if you’re not a Stephen King fan, you’ll find the suggestions and advice in this book quite beneficial.
Goodreads Rating: 4.3 (186,000+ ratings)
Jim Collins and his research team conducted a five-year study to address one intriguing question: “Can a good firm become a great company, and if so, how?” The book is a goldmine of ideas and concepts that can help business executives make good-to-great changes for their organizations.
Goodreads Rating: 4.07/5 (104,000+ ratings)
Clayton Christensen’s business book The Innovator’s Dilemma focuses on the notion of disruptive technology. Christensen illustrates how successful businesses may do everything properly and still lose market share or fail entirely. Christensen outlines a set of principles that organizations must follow to ride the wave of innovation, using lessons from the successes and failures of successful enterprises.
Goodreads Rating: 3.98/5 (31,000+ ratings)
Jessica Livingston describes what happened in the early days of over 30 important businesses in Founders at Work. The book includes interviews with the founders of firms including Apple, PayPal, Flickr, and others. These entrepreneurs describe the numerous problems they faced and the enormous obstacles they surmounted in order to make their ideas a reality.
Goodreads Rating: 3.93/5 (21,000+ ratings)
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau is an intriguing book that acts as a beneficial guide for individuals who are weary of their typical nine-to-five work. Several instances and case studies of “solopreneurs” who launched their own firm (or microbusiness) on a shoestring budget are included in the book. It highlights how easy an idea can be turned into a profitable business.
Goodreads Rating: 3.83/5 (40,000+ ratings)
Console Wars provides a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most heated rivalries of the 1990s. The book tells the story of Sega, a modest gaming firm established by Tom Kalinske that took on Nintendo and altered the video game industry. Over 200 interviews with former Sega and Nintendo personnel were conducted for Console Wars.
Goodreads Rating: 3.93/5 (7,500+ ratings)
Masters of Doom chronicles the story of John Carmack and John Romero, co-creators of two of the most legendary video games in history, Doom and Quake. The book also briefly discusses the aftermath of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and its influence on the game industry. Masters of Doom, like Console Wars, chronicles the history and evolution of PC games in the 1980s and 1990s.
Goodreads Rating: 4.28/5 (14,000+ ratings)
Lee Iacocca is most known for developing the Ford Mustang and Pinto automobiles while at Ford in the 1960s, and subsequently for revitalizing Chrysler Corporation as its CEO in the 1980s. He narrates his ascension through the ranks of Ford Motor Company to become president, only to be sacked by Henry Ford II. A life catastrophe that would have broken most people in his situation instead made him stronger and more determined to salvage Chrysler from bankruptcy.
Goodreads Rating: 3.97/5 (7,500+ ratings)
Total Recall tells the incredible biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his own words. Lee Iacocca is most known for developing the Ford Mustang and Pinto automobiles while at Ford in the 1960s, and subsequently for revitalizing Chrysler Corporation as its CEO in the 1980s. There are also some crucial takeaways and lessons for entrepreneurs in the book.
Goodreads Rating: 4.07/5 (19,000+ ratings)
Nathalie Molina Nio, a serial digital entrepreneur and investor, presents fifty tried-and-true techniques for female entrepreneurs in her book Leapfrog. Women receive about 2.5 percent of venture capital financing, with only around 0.2 percent being women of color. This is a must-read for any woman who has a fantastic idea but is plagued by the nagging feeling that all doors are closed to her.
Goodreads Rating: 4.4/5 (135 ratings)
Reddit is the world’s sixth most-visited website, but millions of people have no understanding what it is or how it works. We Are the Nerds tells the story of Reddit’s inception and ascent. The book demonstrates Reddit’s essential position in the 21st century transmission of culture and knowledge.
Goodreads Rating: 3.98/5 (200+ ratings)
Conspiracy tells the story of how billionaire investor Peter Thiel surreptitiously took down the controversial media company Gawker Media with the aid of Terry Bollea, better known as wrestling icon Hulk Hogan. Author Ryan Holiday delves into how Thiel orchestrated the entire plan, his motivations, and the events that led to Gawker’s demise. Though the book is perhaps slanted in favor of Thiel, it is an engaging read that is difficult to put down.
Goodreads Rating: 4.04/5 (3,200+ ratings)
Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday is an eye-opening look at media manipulation. Holiday discusses his personal experience as a media manipulator before providing real-life instances of media manipulation involving famous media brands such as Huffington Post, Gawker (now defunct), Buzzfeed, HARO, and many more.
Goodreads Rating: 3.90/5 (6,600+ ratings)
66. It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work is more of a straight follow-up to Fried and Hansson’s great book Rework (see #10). I was a little unimpressed by the book, but that might be because Rework is one of my favorite business books. It’s jam-packed with ideas and advice for entrepreneurs looking to create and maintain a great work culture.
Goodreads Rating: 3.99/5 (4,400+ ratings)
The Winning Way by Anita and Harsha Bhogle was a delight to read. I feel he knows and analyzes the game better than any other cricket analyst in the world. It was fascinating to watch him blend his cricket expertise with business and leadership. The book is chock-full of entertaining tales and sports analogies (mostly cricket).
Goodreads Rating: 3.68/5 (1,200+ ratings)
Steve Wozniack, who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs, wrote the book iWoz. iWoz provides a unique viewpoint on Apple’s intriguing path and how they got to be considered as the world’s most successful tech firm. Woz was commonly referred to as the “Other Steve” during Apple’s early years, and his reputation has been mostly eclipsed by Steve Jobs’.
Goodreads Rating: 3.85/5 (12,500+ ratings)
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