ashes of my shelf
Over the years, I've read a few thousand books. Some of which were about business. This list has 44 recommendations.
The Art of War
The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a timeless treatise on military strategy that has transcended its origins to become a cornerstone text in leadership, business, and personal development. Composed over 2,000 years ago, this concise yet profound work outlines fundamental principles of conflict, including deception, adaptability, timing, and knowing oneself and one’s opponent. […]
Mind Master
Few people know better than Viswanathan Anand how to think strategically at lightning speed and work under immense pressure to overcome the toughest odds. From the time he learnt to move pieces on a chessboard as a six-year-old, Vishy – as Anand is fondly called – has racked up innumerable accolades. The first World Chess […]
The Lucifer Effect
The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil is a chilling and deeply insightful exploration into the psychology of human behavior. Written by renowned psychologist Philip Zimbardo—creator of the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment—this book examines how ordinary, decent individuals can commit unspeakable acts under the influence of certain social and situational forces. Through gripping […]
That Will Never Work
That Will Never Work is the candid and compelling origin story of Netflix, as told by its co-founder and first CEO, Marc Randolph. Part memoir, part entrepreneurial playbook, the book chronicles the company’s early struggles—from shaky beginnings and laughable ideas to market pivots and eventual success. Randolph writes with wit and humility, capturing the chaotic, […]
The Catalyst
The Catalyst by Jonah Berger offers a refreshing alternative to traditional persuasion tactics. Instead of trying to push people toward change, Berger explains how great catalysts reduce barriers that are holding people back. Using the REDUCE framework—Reactance, Endowment, Distance, Uncertainty, and Corroborating Evidence—he explores how to identify and lower these friction points in order to […]
The Black Swan
What have the invention of the wheel, Pompeii, the Wall Street Crash, Harry Potter and the internet got in common? Why are all forecasters con-artists? Why should you never run for a train or read a newspaper? This book is all about Black Swans: the random events that underlie our lives, from bestsellers to world […]