It’s not really a New Year’s resolution, but I’ve decided to try to read more. Here is a list of books that Auren Hoffman — a friend, and former boss — has read in 2005. He has highlighted his highest recommendations in orange. Unfortunately for me, I am color blind and can’t seem to see the color difference on my latpop screen. So I picked through the HTML, found the most recommended ones, and have listed them here.
- The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations by James Surowiecki
- The Moral Animal : Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology by Robert Wright
- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
- Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman
- A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance – Portrait of an Age by William Manchester
- Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
- Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
- Charlie Wilson’s War by George Crile
Since I don’t have a list of my own, I’ll probably use Auren’s list as a starting point. I’ve already read the Feynman book, and I have recently purchased Blink (audiobook) and Freakonomics (hardback), so I should be busy for a while.
Let me know if you have any other suggestions.
optionsScalper
Good list, but needs more math material.
—O
Brennan Stehling
I am reading Blink now. It is pretty good.
briantinkler
Hey Scott,
Looks good. I’d also recommend…
1. The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. This was also one of Bill Gate’s favorite books of 2005, so it might be worth reading. 🙂 I got the audio book of it and enjoyed it.
2. From Good to Great, by Jim Collins. Absolutely insightful book on how companies transition from good to great. Surprising results, imo. Again, I got the audio book and enjoyed it.
3. Winning, by Jack Welch. Whether you like Jack or not (I really don’t) this was very insightful. I especially learned a lot about how to hire the right people. Get this one – it’s a quick read and it’s also available on audio.
4. Leadership, by Rudy Giuliani. Again, a great book on the principles and characteristics of leaders. Not always what you’d think. Also available on audio.
5. The 8th Habit, by Stephen Covey. Amazing book on what it takes to help other people succeed and how that defines you as a leader. One of my favorite books – it will give you so many quotes you’ll use in daily conversations, you’ll be amazed.
6. Getting Things Done, by David Allen. This is the bible of how to process work and get the most done in the shortest timeframe.
7. Raising Great Kids, by Brian Tracy. Everything you wished your parents knew and all that you hope to be with your kids. Highly recommended.
8. Master Strategies for Higher Achievement, by Brian Tracy. Good, solid, basic skills and reminders about things you thought you already knew but don’t yet practice. Great stuff.
9. The Likeability Factor, by Tim Sanders. This shows you why some people get more than others – it’s because they’re more likeable. This book helps you understand what those characteristics are and how to implement them in your life so you can get more out of it.
10. Winning Every Time, by Lis Wiehl. The recomendations of a trial lawyer on how to negotiate and win in your life situations.