Reading recommendations
It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it. ― Oscar Wilde
I love this quote from Oscar Wilde. It explains my experience with books just in few words. These are my personal reading recommendations that changed my mindset or had a great influence on my life and career.
Creativity, Inc.
by Ed Catmull
This is a book that hooked me to reading. Since I can remember myself I loved Pixar animations. Ed Catmull is one of the founders of Pixar. In this book he gives a lot of context to how 3D animation emerged as a field and his life long dream of building 1st animation movie, the life of learnings and inspiring management lessons that he gained building Pixar.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
The title might be really cheesy, but I have read this book 2 times, listened to audiobook 3 times. I tend to become really self-centered jerk only caring about myself, this book helps me to get along with people and appreciate others. I keep forgetting the principles and advice, so I tend to go back and read it again to bring me on track. It’s a classic. Everyone should read it.
A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life
by Brian Grazer
Film producer Brian Grazer shares his learnings and advice from his life about being naturally curious and life-long benefits of being interested in people and how he was inspired to produce such a huge variety of brilliant movies. Brian Grazer produced one of my favorite movies of all times “A beautiful mind”.
Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline
This was my first Sic-Fi book and it won my heart. This is a story on self-search, technology influenced life and world full of imagination. Ernest Cline touches a lot of internet stigmas as online gaming, virtual reality, and digital relationships.I have listened to the audiobook and another layer of interaction was created by an amazing narrator Wil Wheaton.
Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
by Steve Krug
This book helped me to onboard myself to user experience design and web usability in general. Whenever I build something or give my opinion I always keep in mind Steve Krug’s advice — does it create additional questions. It might seem outdated, but the examples that the author gives are classic and always useful.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
by David Allen
Recently it seemed that whatever was happening in my life was messy and chaotic. I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed-out nearly always. This book has helped me to put my life on ease, organize it and work smarter. It’s just so much time in a day that it’s impossible to do more, we need to learn to do things differently.
Power of HABIT
by Jonathan Briggs
Whatever we do, we do it in terms of habit. Our brain is designed to process information easily that is based on habit. This is a really important book that had my eyes opened to a lot of behaviors and the reason why I had them. The hardest thing is to be able to change habits, and this book allowed me to establish these paths.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
by Carol S. Dweck
This book is an amazing source of knowledge about the way we think and what kind of influence does it make to our lives. This book gives advice to parents, business owners, athletes, couples, families, and anyone else that wants to take control over growth mindset. I had a great learning from this book.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
by Austin Kleon
Starting in the creative industry might be overwhelming to a newcomer. You might doubt yourself for a very long time thinking that you’re not creative enough, not good enough and other just have it in them. This book helps to put you at ease. This book helps to understand the creative process that everyone is going through.
Outliers: The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell
I really appreciate Malcolm Gladwell writings. His simple language makes the reading really enjoyable. He goes through the biggest achievers and most famous individuals and asks what makes them special and if there’s a pattern to success that we can learn from? One of my favorite books that it’s a great pleasure to read.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
by Scott McCloud
The book that surprised me greatly. When I started reading it I did not have a lot of expectations. I’m not a big fan of comics in its classical understanding, but this book helped me to open my eyes. The most important learning is that magic happens between the two panels in the readers head.
Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story
by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Another book that surprised me and had a lot of influence to my life and learnings. Famous Arnold Schwarzenegger shares his life story, passion, struggles and unbelievable desire to reach his dreams. Inspiring story and simple, honest language that I really enjoyed reading.
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants
by Malcolm Gladwell
If you have disadvantages, can you make a good use of them? Is it actually better to have disadvantages in your life? And what makes a difference in creating a life of success? Provoking and inspiring book that I really highly recommend.
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
by Dan Ariely
Eye opening book that gives a lot of context why we make decisions that are irrational and how other can make a good use of these irrationalities. One of the most enjoyable books that after every chapter you stop and think about irony in your decisions.
These are my current book recommendations that in one or another way have influenced my life. It’s an ongoing process and this list will be updated every time I would read a life shaking and mindset changing book. It is said that one’s personality is changing with every good book that you read. And I hope this will have no end.
