40 Books Worth Reading

Ben Battaglia
Jul 25, 2017 · 2 min read

I love books. These are some of my favorites.

Note: These are not in ranking order. They are all great :)

Top 7 Fiction Books

  1. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (The best writing, best storytelling)
  2. S by J.J. Abrams (The most creative book I’ve ever read)
  3. The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason (An erudite thriller)
  4. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (An ode to books)
  5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (An ode to the 80's)
  6. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Simply beautiful writing)
  7. The Secret History by Donna Tartt (draws you in and doesn’t let go)

Top 3 Best Fiction Series

  1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (7 books—I simply love these novels)
  2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (7 books—beautiful metaphor)
  3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (3 books—The classic adventure)

Top 6 Leadership Books

  1. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin (about Lincoln’s leadership)
  2. Multipliers by Liz Wiseman & Greg McKeown (about empowering others)
  3. The Answer To How Is Yes by Peter Block (about organizational culture)
  4. Linchpin by Seth Godin (about personal growth and contribution)
  5. Essentialism by Greg McKeown (about doing things that matter)
  6. Radical Candor by Kim Scott (about being a “kickass boss”)

Top 5 Non Fiction Books

  1. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown (about vulnerability)
  2. Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull (about Pixar)
  3. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (about race in America)
  4. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (poignant for 2016)
  5. The Road Back To You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile (I’m really into this personality test called the Enneagram. It’s better than Meyers-Briggs or Strength Finders or anything else. Ask me about it.)

Top 5 Religious Books

  1. Love Does by Bob Goff (whimsical and inspiring storytelling)
  2. Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber (she swears a lot, it’s awesome)
  3. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (a perfect primer to Christianity)
  4. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard (a deep dive into following Jesus)
  5. The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning (heartfelt and real)

Do you have any books you love? What should I add to my reading list?


Ben Battaglia

Written by

Marketing at Lessonly | MBA at Michigan Ross | BA at Northwestern | Husband | Dad | Learner | Bibliophile

Ben Battaglia

Leadership. Books. Marketing. Organizational Culture.

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