Why Read These 6 Books
It seems like yesterday when beads of sweat would trickle down my forehead as I struggled to catch up on reading Lord of The Flies in case there was a pop quiz during 3rd period English. Luckily, we now get to choose — what we read and if we read at all. I cannot affirm that reading books will be your gateway to riches or professional success, but it sure is a source of knowledge and skills that can open that gate. Reading can also have some unintended consequences, such as irresistible charm and wit that woos beautiful women (allow Shia LeBeouf to demonstrate in this scene from Transformers). Alright, let’s get down to it — I will break down my recommendations into three categories, starting with:
Social Entrepreneurship
These inspirational reads will accompany any car, train or plane ride you take
The Promise of a Pencil by Adam Braun
Why: This book remains one of my favorites of all time thanks to how authentic Braun’s writing voice is. It is his autobiographical account of leaving his secure job at Bain & Co. to start a “for-purpose” organization that has now built 350+ schools worldwide — Pencils of Promise. The book is filled with stories of the moments of inspiration, persistence, incredible hard work and hustle that allowed Adam to build PoP from the ground up. I am convinced that you will find several experiences or emotions depicted in this book that will strike a chord!
Goodreads score: 4.08/5
Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie
Why: Here is another autobiography, this time from the founder of TOMS. Blake Mycoskie packs in the story of his experience in Argentina that inspired TOMS shoes, and the “one for one” donation model that TOMS deploys to this day. He also includes entrepreneurial tips and personal views on how his business is able to stay profitable and give to charitable causes. He grew the company from his apartment to a point where it now helps underprivileged folks by providing shoes, sight, clean water, and more!
Goodreads score: 4.06/5
Deep Shower Thoughts
Grab some Jasmine green tea and nestle into bed with these books, if that’s your cup of tea
God’s Debris by Scott Adams
I found out about Scott Adams through his interview on Tim Ferris’s podcast. He talked about hypnosis, affirmations, and his famous ‘Dilbert’ cartoon. My instant reaction was in the voice of DJ Khaled saying to Scott, “you smart.” I grew curious about his short piece of philosophical fiction, God’s Debris. This book will challenge your interpretation of life, free will, religion, and basically everything around you. Is everything that happens to us mere chance? Is there even such a thing as free will?
Goodreads score: 3.96/5
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
I admire when complicated concepts, such as the psychology of habit formation, are presented in a digestible way. Duhigg does that well in this book as he intermixes behavioral psychology with bite-sized stories to try and demonstrate how we develop good habits and break bad ones. The book does seem a little oversimplified at times, but I think that you will still have much to learn from it as I did. I talk more about Duhigg’s golden rule of habit change in my post here.
Goodreads score: 3.99/5
The Billionaire Club
Get down to business and grab a highlighter pen at your favorite cafe for these biographies
Elon Musk: Inventing The Future by Ashlee Vance
Why: Because Musk’s work may shape what our society looks like in the future. Electric cars, solar energy, and space travel have already been incorporated into our lifestyle to an extent, and may become ubiquitous. This book is a deep dive into the world of Elon Musk, from his childhood and early entrepreneurial successes with Zip2 and PayPal, to his current involvements in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. You can learn more of thoughts on this book here.
Goodreads score: 4.21/5
Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson
Why: Because after reading this autobiography, Richard Branson might become one of your favorite people in the world. This man’s skill, charm, courage, and business acumen are the envy of many (including me). Some of the Branson’s personal adventures and business escapades are such that they will make you wonder whether you are reading a nonfiction book or a Hollywood script. Apart from the Harry Potter series (dork alert), this may be the most effortless 575+ page book that I have ever read. My favorite part of the book was the time-bending journey into the world of Virgin Records in the 70s and 80s. Virgin has businesses in so many industries that you are bound to find one that excites you!
Goodreads score: 4.04/5
Wow! I guess you don’t hate reading that much…you made it to the end :)
