best books on online education

15 Best Distance Learning Books For Teachers

by AuthorAmy

This year more than ever, online education has grown both in popularity and necessity. Whether you are a seasoned online instructor or one of the many teachers thrown into the remote learning sector by force, you will love these awesome distance learning books to enhance your professional development.

Just so you know, we may get a small share of the sales made through the Amazon affiliate links on this page.

1 . The Online Teaching Survival Guide

By Judith V. Boettcher and Rita-Marie Conrad

The second edition of The Online Teaching Survival Guide was updated in 2016, well before the pandemic. Though not originally written with the pandemic in mind, the text offers theory-based techniques for the online classroom that help teachers new to the world of online instruction understand and implement best practices. The book covers everything from community building to assessment and is a great starting place for teachers in need of some fast PD.

2 . Teaching in the Online Classroom

By Doug Lemov

Author Doug Lemov wrote Teaching in the Online Classroom in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledging that teachers across the country made an immediate shift online into unknown instructional waters. Lemov studied videos of this new world of online teaching to provide teachers with a transition guide perfect for the short-term distance learning many educators currently find themselves in .

3. Teaching and Learning at a Distance

By Michael Simonson, Susan, Zvacek, and Sharon Smaldino

Updated in 2019 and now in its seventh edition, Teaching and Learning at a Distance promises research-based best practices validated by scientific evidence. Educators will appreciate the thorough overview of the teaching online process. Additionally, the section on equivalency theory is particularly helpful, discussing how distance learning should strive to provide students with learning opportunities that are equivalent to – not identical to – a face-to-face classroom environment.

4. Excellent Online Teaching

By Aaron Johnson

Excellent Online Teaching is short and practical, organized according to the author’s 16 characteristics of effective online teaching. The book promises a focus on “enduring” teaching practices while also acknowledging that the world of online teaching is ever-evolving.

5 . Balance With Blended Learning

By Catlin R. Tucker

Balance With Blended Learning is not written strictly for teachers in an online setting, but the content is highly applicable for teachers seeking work-life balance amidst pandemic workloads . The goal of this book is to help teachers empower students to take ownership of their own education, which is more important than ever while students are online.

6 . The Golden Climate in Distance Learning

By Dr. Marina Kostina and Dr. William LaGanza

The Golden Climate in Distance Learning focuses not on instruction but on relationship building within the online setting. Although distance learning isn’t the same as face-to-face instruction, the authors of this book posit that online we can still build the same vibrant relationships we are used to in our in-person classrooms. Teachers just have to embrace new techniques.

7. Small Teaching Online

By Flower Darby and James M. Lang

“Small teaching” is the idea that small shifts in how we teach can lead to big payoffs. The authors of Small Teaching Online show readers how to make these small but strategic changes to see increases in student learning. This approach is refreshing because overwhelmed teachers won’t feel like they need to do a complete overhaul after reading this book. The changes recommended are manageable and make a big difference.

8. Humanizing Distance Learning

By Paul Emerich France

Author Paul Emerich France asserts a powerful truth that is at the heart of this book – distance learning is helping teachers return to the heart of education, which we have previously strayed from. He argues that educators have lovingly created a generation of students who are dependent upon us as teachers when we should be helping students become independent learners and free thinkers . Emerich helps teachers recenter equity in this distance learning book that is released on Dec. 15, 2020.

9 . Creating Engaging Discussions

By Jennifer H. Herman and Linda B. Nilson

As an online teacher, do you ever feel like tapping your mic and asking, “Is this thing on?” The sea of avatars and muted microphones can be daunting. Creating Engaging Discussions gives teachers a toolkit of strategies they can use to get students talking – even online.

10 . The Distance Learning Playbook – Grades K-12

By Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie

Teachers seeking evidence-based strategies for distance learning should look no further than The Distance Learning Playbook . This book was released in Summer 2020, after what the authors identify as the “crisis teaching” implemented when the pandemic hit. Now, they say, teachers have a chance to deliberately apply research-based techniques to fine-tune their craft in an online setting.

11 . Connecting With Students Online

By Jennifer Serravallo

If you have felt like teaching online is a completely different job than teaching in person, you’re not alone. In her book, Connecting with Students Online , Jennifer Serravallo practically reflects on her own experiences distance teaching. Offering step-by-step instructions for each aspect of a teacher’s online day, Serravallo’s book will help you feel comfortable and connected in this new teaching space.

12. Distance Learning Workbook

By Kharen Minasian and Debra Kidder

Just released in October, the Distance Learning Workbook promises to help teachers master the art of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ready-to-go materials educators can use right now, like distance learning class openers and community building activities to increase engagement , are especially helpful.

13. 50 Strategies for Your Virtual Classroom

By Jennifer Jump

This is another distance learning primer that has been released in response to the pandemic. This book contains tips for all the different types of schools we are seeing right now, from fully online to hybrid. It also contains a helpful list of online materials teachers can reference for even more ideas.

14 . Engaging Learners Through Zoom

By Jonathan Brennan

This book promises “the antidote to Zoom fatigue,” which is quite the promise! It’s filled with science-backed information and strategies that can be used to make Zoom work for you, whether you teach Kindergarten or college.

15 . SEL From a Distance

By Jessica Hannigan and John E. Hannigan

Educators everywhere are talking about Maslow over Bloom, a philosophy that prioritizes mental well-being over content delivery. The pandemic made it crystal clear how much schools provide beyond education – food, shelter, security. Now that students are learning at home, it is more important than ever to see to their social and emotional needs. But how? This book provides some answers.

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9 e-learning classes, books, and podcasts we loved in 2020 — from Yale's popular course on how to be happier to Margaret Atwood's writing MasterClass

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• In 2020, many people dove into online courses, books, and podcasts to keep themselves entertained during quarantine or use the extra time for personal growth.
• Below are 9 favorite online classes, programs, books, and podcasts from the Insider staff, from Yale's The Science of Well-Being course to an entrepreneurship program from UPenn.
• Read more: Here are the 28 best books of 2020 — from revealing tell-all memoirs to scathing political indictments
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For many people, 2020 challenged how we view higher education, with some experts stating that certain changes are long overdue . Between increases in online learning due to the pandemic, to the possibility of student-loan forgiveness in the future , this year could be the start of a much-needed turning point.

On an individual scale, the pandemic opened up new opportunities to learn. Some people used their time at home to pick up a new hobby online or get through a book or podcast. Others committed to longer-term certificate programs to improve their career prospects at a lower cost than a traditional college degree.

From a popular positive psychology class and writing workshop to a Wharton business program and bestselling finance book, these online courses, books, and podcasts helped the Insider staff feel engaged and inspired throughout quarantine. 

The nine e-learning classes, books, and podcasts we loved in 2020:

The science of well-being (coursera).

I first completed the Science of Well-Being a few years ago, but quarantine made it worth revisiting to map out better, happier habits with reduced resources. Professor Laurie Santos, who I interviewed about how to be happy during quarantine , is a thoughtful and warm authority — shot in Santos' own home, her lessons were so practical and thoughtful   that the class never felt like work . It was relieving to hear how to make concrete improvements to everyday life, and to understand what our misconceptions about happiness are as well as what can make us happier, according to science. 

This class is also low-pressure. It's meant to be enjoyed — and there's zero required reading.

— Mara Leighton, e-learning senior reporter

User Experience Design Immersive Program (General Assembly)

Although I was hoping to do the 12-week program in person, I could not have been more impressed with the remote program. I was surprised at the comradery that existed between the 34 students in my cohort and excited about the topics we covered. Students were taught about research, design thinking, and the UX industry. We also completed six projects, including a portfolio and a project for a real client.

— Lily Oberstein, production fellow

“I Will Teach You To Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi

One of my goals this year was to focus on improving my finances. "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi is the first financial book I've read. It was easy to read , and filled with good advice.

— Alyssa Powell, associate graphic designer

The Entrepreneurship Specialization offered by the Wharton School of Business (Coursera)

I learned so much in the first two courses of this five-part Entrepreneurship Specialization, which I completed virtually between April and June 2020. I loved how knowledgeable and engaging the Wharton professors were, the practical case studies we used during each lesson, and that I could keep our source materials for my reference long after the courses ended. I opted for the formal certificate route, which required weekly quizzes that helped keep me accountable. It was actually a lot of fun and was absolutely worth the hard work, time, and commitment!

— Crystal-Angelee Burrell, sales and partnerships manager, consumer subscriptions

Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing (MasterClass)

MasterClass is one of my favorite online learning platforms for its content and its flexibility — its convenient features and unique "edutainment" style accommodates both casual and deep learning.

This Margaret Atwood creative writing class is a great example. Atwood is an engaging teacher — I genuinely looked forward to every lesson for her expertise, witticisms, and behind-the-scenes tidbits. And on the weeks when I couldn't devote much free time to the course, I downloaded the lessons to my phone and listened to them while I exercised, cooked, or showered. It was entertaining, informative, and customizable; I learned a lot, but it never felt overwhelming.

Satire Writing Workshop (Reductress)

This was originally supposed to be in person and was moved to Zoom at the start of the pandemic, but it felt just as fun as I'm sure it would have face-to-face. I was lucky to have the supremely talented Taylor Garron as my instructor and learned about the ideal structure of satirical articles, while also workshopping a headline of my own with the class. Reductress also provided information on how to actually submit ideas to them as a writer, which inspired me to send pitches and eventually even write for an article for them.

— Julia Pugachevsky, e-learning editor

Instructional Design MasterTrack offered by the University of Illinois (Coursera)

When I started taking this two-course, five-month Coursera MasterTrack program back in August, I was a freelance writer wanting to transition into more of an ed-tech career. The program taught me how to prioritize learners when designing anything instructional, which, when you think about it, can be applied to almost any field. I got to meet some cool people through my virtual group projects and completed an e-portfolio to show future employers. 

I did realize, halfway through, that I'm not as passionate about instructional design as a career as I thought. Though I found the broader teachings interesting (especially from a psychological, cognitive standpoint), I felt less interested in the technical side of the career, which is good to know! I still gained useful experience and knowledge within a short amount of time which I applied to my professional aspirations as an e-learning editor at Insider. All in all, this seemed like a much more affordable alternative to committing to a full grad degree, and I'm glad I did it.

The James Altucher Show

Emphasized by every Side Hustle Friday episode, The James Altucher Show inspires living in a state of abundance by sharing 10 business ideas a day. Brainstorming business ideas isn't only a mental exercise — it builds character by pushing you to ignore small issues.

— Joshua Cadavez, test engineering

Introduction to Psychological Research Methods offered by the University of Queensland (edX)

At the start of 2020, I was looking into psychology-related degree programs abroad and had this whole plan of studying in Belgium before the pandemic began. To strengthen my applications, I wanted to take a class in psychological research methods, which was often a requirement.

The University of Queensland offers four intro psychology classes  through edX , and although this was the psych class I thought I'd be least interested in, I ended up actively looking forward to it. The course is brilliantly designed to have you answer short prompts as you go along — saving all the pieces into one file that you'll eventually tweak and submit as your final research paper. I also found the professors' delivery in the videos highly engaging and thought they made potentially dry information fun with outlandish hypotheticals. You can audit all these courses for free, but I paid $99 for a certificate to add to my LinkedIn.

Subscribe to our newsletter. You can purchase syndication rights to this story here. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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2017 Top Ten Books on Online Learning

2017 was a strong year for books and publications with respect to teaching and learning in the digital age, blended learning, open education and technology enabled learning. There are gaps – little on digital assessment technologies, not much on artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality that is practical and helpful – but the 2018 and 2019 commissions already indicate these will be strong components of the lists to come.

We selected thirteen books which help capture the ideas and resources made available in 2017. We make no pretense to be representative of all books published in all languages – our focus is on books easily accessible to our partner institutions in Ontario and of general relevance.

Rather than use the traditional format, in this year-end review we look at why, how and “so what?”. The focus, as always, is on online and technology-enabled learning. We also suggest some older books – books not published in 2017 – which are worth reading if you haven’t already done so.

In June 2015, Contact North | Contact Nord established Worth Reading, a feature available on the teachonline.ca portal, now known as Must-Read Books on Online Learning . Since then, some sixty books were reviewed and presented in eighteen expositions of this feature. They are generally presented under three headings – books of interest to faculty members and instructors; books relevant to the work of instructional designers and those of primary interest to policy makers and administrators. It is a popular feature on teachonline.ca , with one prominent reader suggesting she “looks forward to this list each time it appears and pursues the suggested readings diligently”. Another said “I get our library to order the books so that we can use them in our professional development work”.

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Books | Best Sellers

Education - january 15, 2017.

This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only.

THINKING, FAST AND SLOW

by Daniel Kahneman

Farrar, Straus & Giroux

A winner of the Nobel in economic science discusses how we make choices in business and personal lives and when we can and cannot trust our intuitions.

• Apple Books
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• Books-A-Million

by Angela Duckworth

A psychologist says passion and perseverance are the keys to success.

THING EXPLAINER

by Randall Munroe

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Cells, elevators, smartphones, nuclear reactors and more are demystified with simply annotated blueprints. From the author of "What If?"

SPEAKING AMERICAN

by Josh Katz

The creator of the New York Times dialect quiz provides a guide to how words are pronounced in different parts of the country.

I AM MALALA

by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

Little, Brown

The experience of the young Pakistani advocate for women’s education who was shot by the Taliban and later won the Nobel Peace Prize. Originally published in 2013.

by Stephen King

A memoir that is a master class on the writer's craft.

WEAPONS OF MATH DESTRUCTION

by Cathy O'Neil

How decisions that impact our lives are made by algorithms instead of people.

BEST AMERICAN NONREQUIRED READING 2016

edited by Rachel Kushner

Mariner/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

A wide-ranging anthology selected by high school students.

HOW NOT TO BE WRONG

by Jordan Ellenberg

A mathematician shows how his discipline helps us think about problems of politics, medicine and commerce.

OTHER-WORDLY

by Yee-Lum Mak

From the blog of the same name, 64 intriguing words from a dozen languages.

The New York Times Book Review

Inside maga’s plan to take over america.

“Finish What We Started,” by the journalist Isaac Arnsdorf, reports from the front lines of the right-wing movement’s strategy to gain power, from the local level on up.

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1. Start Each Lesson with a Personal Check-In

2. use real-world examples to explain concepts, 3. optimize content for online learning, 4. leverage multimedia tools, 5. incorporate game-based learning, 6. track student progress with technology, 7. utilize formative assessments, 8. personalize your teaching, 9. foster a strong classroom community, 10. offer flexible learning paths.

Have you ever thought about how to make your online teaching better? As more classes move to virtual spaces, it’s important to learn some online teaching tips . In this blog, we’ll look at practical ways to improve your teaching skills in the digital world. Let’s dive in and discover how to excel in online teaching!

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13 Online Teaching Tips for Educators

When you’re figuring out how to teach online, one of the best online teaching tips is to kick off every session with a quick personal check-in. Ask your students how they’re doing or if they have anything interesting to share. 

This not only warms up the virtual classroom but also strengthens the bond between you and your students, creating a supportive and connected learning environment . It’s a simple yet effective tip for online teaching that makes students feel valued and ready to engage.

One of the top tips for online teaching is to anchor your lessons in the real world. By weaving real-world examples into your teaching, you make complex or abstract ideas more tangible and easier for students to grasp. 

This method not only aids understanding but also shows students the relevance of what they’re learning, making the educational experience more meaningful. Whether it’s math, science, or literature, showing how concepts apply in real life can significantly enhance students’ comprehension and interest.

It’s crucial to tailor your course material specifically for digital platforms. This means breaking down your lectures into shorter, more digestible pieces that fit the online medium perfectly. 

Such structuring not only makes the learning process more manageable for students but also boosts their engagement and retention rates. This approach is one of the best online teaching tips for creating an interactive and engaging online course.

By integrating various types of content, such as instructional videos, podcasts , and interactive simulations, you cater to different learning styles and preferences. This diversity in teaching materials not only keeps the course interesting but also helps in conveying complex concepts more clearly, ensuring that your students remain hooked and learn effectively.

Game-based learning is a powerful strategy to boost student engagement and motivation. Platforms like SplashLearn take this to the next level by transforming math and reading lessons into interactive games. This method not only makes learning more enjoyable but also allows students to understand and apply complex concepts in a fun, engaging environment. SplashLearn’s curriculum-aligned games ensure that while students are having fun, they’re also receiving a quality educational experience.

In today’s digital age, tracking student progress has become more straightforward and efficient with technology. SplashLearn offers a robust platform where educators can monitor their students’ progress in real-time. This feature is incredibly beneficial for identifying students who may be struggling with certain topics, allowing educators to provide targeted support promptly. 

Additionally, the platform facilitates the provision of timely feedback, enabling educators to quickly address students’ questions and assignments, further enhancing the learning experience. SplashLearn’s detailed reports and analytics make it easier to customize teaching strategies to meet the individual needs of each student, ensuring that every learner receives the attention and guidance they need to succeed.

Regularly integrating formative assessments like quizzes, reflection journals, or discussion prompts is crucial. These tools offer immediate feedback to students , helping you identify areas where they might be struggling. Early intervention can then be made to address these issues. It’s one of the most impactful online teaching tips and techniques, ensuring that the learning process is continuous and adaptive to student needs.

Leveraging data and analytics from your Learning Management System (LMS) is among the top online teaching tips for tailoring your approach to each student’s unique learning journey. By understanding each student’s progress, strengths, and areas for improvement, you can adjust your teaching methods to meet their individual needs, making teaching online a more personalized and impactful experience.

Creating a welcoming and inclusive online environment is crucial for building a strong classroom community. Start with ice-breaker activities, encourage ongoing group discussions, and facilitate peer feedback sessions. These strategies not only make students feel more connected but also enhance their learning experience.

One of the best ways to teach online classes is by offering flexible learning options. Allow students to dive deeper into subjects with additional resources, choose their assignment topics, or participate in optional discussions. This approach empowers students to take charge of their learning, making education more relevant and engaging for them.

11. Stay Updated on Online Teaching Practices

Continuously seeking professional development and staying abreast of the latest online teaching tools , trends, and methodologies are vital online teaching tips for educators. By dedicating yourself to lifelong learning, you ensure that your teaching strategies remain effective and innovative, providing your students with the highest quality online education possible.

12. Use Student Feedback to Adjust Teaching Methods

A crucial tip for teaching online classes is to actively seek and use student feedback. Asking your students how they feel about the teaching methods and materials gives you invaluable insights. Be ready to adapt and change your strategies based on what they tell you. This approach ensures that the learning experience is continuously improving, making it more engaging and productive for your students.

13. Promote a Growth Mindset

Encouraging a growth mindset is fundamental in teaching online effectively. Motivate your students to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Remind them that effort leads to improvement and mastery over time. Celebrating their progress and efforts, instead of focusing solely on the outcomes, helps build resilience and a love for learning . This strategy is not just a tip for teaching online classes; it’s a powerful approach to education that empowers students to become lifelong learners.

Pros and Cons of Online Teaching 

Conclusion .

Embracing these teaching tips for online teaching can make a significant difference in your digital classroom. By incorporating student feedback, fostering a growth mindset, and adapting your teaching methods, you’re not just teaching online effectively; you’re also creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the biggest challenge in online teaching.

The biggest challenge in online teaching is maintaining student engagement and motivation in a virtual environment, where physical cues and in-person interaction are limited. Overcoming this requires creative teaching strategies and effective use of digital tools.

Is online teaching stressful?

Yes, online teaching can be stressful, especially when adapting to new technologies, managing student engagement remotely, and balancing the demands of online lesson planning . However, with proper support and resources, this stress can be managed effectively.

Why online teaching for teachers?

Online teaching offers teachers flexibility in scheduling, the ability to reach a broader audience, and opportunities to utilize innovative teaching tools and techniques. It also challenges educators to continually adapt and improve their teaching methods, enhancing their professional growth.

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100 Best Learning Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best learning books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Kahneman | 5.00

Barack Obama A few months ago, Mr. Obama read “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” by Daniel Kahneman, about how people make decisions — quick, instinctive thinking versus slower, contemplative deliberation. For Mr. Obama, a deliberator in an instinctive business, this may be as instructive as any political science text. (Source)

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2012.] (Source)

Marc Andreessen Captivating dive into human decision making, marred by inclusion of several/many? psychology studies that fail to replicate. Will stand as a cautionary tale? (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

Make It Stick

The Science of Successful Learning

Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel | 4.96

Barbara Oakley If you’re trying to keep up your reading about learning, one of the best books about learning is Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter Brown, Henry Roediger III, and Mark McDaniel. This insightful book was co-authored by some of the most influential researchers around. The book jacket says it best: “Many common study habits and practice routines turn out to be... (Source)

The New Psychology of Success

Carol S. Dweck | 4.87

Tony Robbins [Tony Robbins recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Bill Gates One of the reasons I loved Mindset is because it’s solutions-oriented. In the book’s final chapter, Dweck describes the workshop she and her colleagues have developed to shift students from a fixed to a growth mindset. These workshops demonstrate that ‘just learning about the growth mindset can cause a big shift in the way people think about themselves and their lives. (Source)

Dustin Moskovitz [Dustin Moskovitz recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

A Mind for Numbers

How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra)

Barbara Oakley PhD | 4.75

Mike Rowe A good teacher will leave you educated. But a great teacher will leave you curious. Well, Barbara Oakley is a great teacher. Not only does she have a mind for numbers, she has a way with words, and she makes every one of them count (Source)

How to Win Friends & Influence People

Dale Carnegie | 4.75

Dustin Moskovitz Seek to be understood. (Source)

Scott Adams [Scott Adams recommends this book on his "Persuasion Reading List."] (Source)

Daymond John I love all the Dale Carnegie books. (Source)

Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl, William J. Winslade, et al. | 4.74

Tony Robbins Another book that I’ve read dozens of times. It taught me that if you change the meaning, you change everything. Meaning equals emotion, and emotion equals life. (Source)

Jimmy Fallon I read it while spending ten days in the ICU of Bellevue hospital trying to reattach my finger from a ring avulsion accident in my kitchen. It talks about the meaning of life, and I believe you come out a better person from reading it. (Source)

A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.70

Richard Branson One example of a book that has helped me to #ReadToLead this year is Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. While the book came out a few years ago now, I got around to it this year, and am very glad I did. I’ve always been fascinated in what makes humans human, and how people are constantly evolving, changing and growing. The genius of Sapiens is that it takes some daunting,... (Source)

Reid Hoffman A grand theory of humanity. (Source)

Barack Obama eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',164,'0','1'])); Fact or fiction, the president knows that reading keeps the mind sharp. He also delved into these non-fiction reads. (Source)

How to Read a Book

The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren | 4.67

Sergey Brin had “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler as one of his most recommended books. (Source)

Ben Chestnut I also love How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. I’m teaching its tips to my children while they’re young, so they can consume books much faster and have more fun reading. (Source)

Kevin Systrom [The author's] thesis is that the most important part of reading a book is to actually read the table of contents and familiarize yourself with the major structure of the book. (Source)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Stephen R. Covey | 4.67

Dustin Moskovitz [I] was surprised at how familiar the topics felt. (Source)

Dave Ramsey [Dave Ramsey recommended this book on his website.] (Source)

Kishore Biyani Immensely helpful and influential during my early years, it explained some of the basic mindsets required to succeed in any profession. (Source)

The Story of Success

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.63

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2011.] (Source)

James Altucher Gladwell is not the first person to come up with the 10,000 hour rule. Nor is he the first person to document what it takes to become the best in the world at something. But his stories are so great as he explains these deep concepts. How did the Beatles become the best? Why are professional hockey players born in January, February and March? And so on. (Source)

Cat Williams-Treloar The books that I've talked the most about with friends and colleagues over the years are the Malcolm Gladwell series of novels. Glorious stories that mix science, behaviours and insight. You can't go wrong with the "The Tipping Point", "Outliers", "Blink" or "David & Goliath". (Source)

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The Power of Habit

Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

Charles Duhigg | 4.62

Naval Ravikant I also recently finished The Power of Habit, or close to finish as I get. That one was interesting, not because of its content necessarily, but because it’s good for me to always keep on top of mind how powerful my habits are. [...] I think learning how to break habits is a very important meta-skill that can serve you better in life than almost anything else. Although you can read tons of books... (Source)

Blake Irving You know, there's a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Simple read book about just how to build positive habits that can be I think I what I'd call you know whether in your personal life or whether in your business life to help you build you know, have a loop that can build your success and that's one I mean there are so many great books out there. (Source)

Santiago Basulto Another book with great impact was “The power of habit”. But to be honest, I read only a couple of pages. It’s a good book, with many interesting stories. But to be honest, the idea it tries to communicate is simple and after a couple of pages you’ve pretty much understood all of it. Happens the same thing with those types of books (Getting things done, crossing the chasm, etc.) (Source)

The Tipping Point

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.62

Kevin Rose Bunch of really good information in here on how to make ideas go viral. This could be good to apply to any kind of products or ideas you may have. Definitely, check out The Tipping Point, which is one of my favorites. (Source)

Seth Godin Malcolm Gladwell's breakthrough insight was to focus on the micro-relationships between individuals, which helped organizations realize that it's not about the big ads and the huge charity balls... it's about setting the stage for the buzz to start. (Source)

Andy Stern I think that when we talk about making change, it is much more about macro change, like in policy. This book reminds you that at times when you're building big movements, or trying to elect significant decision-makers in politics, sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. Ever since the book was written, we've become very used to the idea of things going viral unexpectedly and then... (Source)

The Art of Learning

A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence

Josh Waitzkin | 4.62

Joan Boixados Recover soon from your mistakes. (Source)

Erik Rostad For career books, I'll focus on more overarching themes. You can get books on particular skills you need for a given job, but these books will help having the right mindset for a career and how work should fit into the greater story of your life. For learning new skills: The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin. (Source)

Chris Oliver The Art of Learning as well is phenomenal. You're always learning new things in programming and startups so being good at learning is a crucial skill to have. (Source)

The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert B. Cialdini | 4.58

Charles T. Munger Robert Cialdini has had a greater impact on my thinking on this topic than any other scientist. (Source)

Dan Ariely It covers a range of ways in which we end up doing things, and how we don’t understand why we’re doing them. (Source)

Max Levchin [Max Levchin recommended this book as an answer to "What business books would you advise young entrepreneurs read?"] (Source)

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Cal Newport | 4.57

Marvin Liao The Joy of Not Working (Zelinkski), Flash Foresight (Burrus), The Art of Worldly Wisdom (Gracian), Sapiens (Yuval), The End of Jobs (Pearson), Deep Work (Newport), Sovereign Individual (Davidson), The Fourth Economy (Davison) & The Monk & the Riddle (Komisar). Every single one of these books completely changed how I looked at everything in the world & literally pushed my life in a new direction.... (Source)

Daniel Pink As automation and outsourcing reshape the workplace, what new skill do we need? The ability to do deep work. Cal Newport's exciting new book is an introduction and guide to the kind of intense concentration in a distraction-free environment that results in fast, powerful learning and performance. Think of it as calisthenics for your mind-and start your exercise program today. (Source)

Seth Godin Cal Newport is a clear voice in a sea of noise, bringing science and passion in equal measure. (Source)

Secrets from the New Science of Expertise

Anders-Ericsson | 4.56

Seth Godin This book is a breakthrough, a lyrical, powerful, science-based narrative that actually shows us how to get better (much better) at the things we care about. (Source)

Sergey Sapelnyk PEAK by Anders Ericsson phenomenally explains how experts develop their skills. The author makes a profound claim: you can get significantly better at almost anything. This includes your job, a specific skill, or a hobby. From a career perspective, in most instances, the only barrier to personal development and success is effective effort. This book isn’t specific to a career, however it’s highly... (Source)

Moonwalking with Einstein

The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

Joshua Foer | 4.53

Bill Gates Of the five books I finished over vacation, the one that impressed me the most – and that is probably of broadest interest – is Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, by science writer Joshua Foer. This is an absolutely phenomenal book that looks at memory and techniques for dramatically improving memory. Foer actually mastered these techniques, which led him to... (Source)

Chelsea Handler It has changed my life and made me embarrass myself much less when meeting someone twice. (Source)

Deborah Blum This book focuses not so much on the scientists but more on the consequence and meaning of memory for the rest of us. Within the framework of a memory championship, Foer looks at this almost obsessive interest in learning, how to remember everything. He asks the really interesting philosophical question, which is, are we defined by what we remember? (Source)

The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Susan Cain | 4.52

Simon Sinek eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',164,'0','1'])); Leaders needn’t be the loudest. Leadership is not about theater. It’s not about dominance. It is about putting the lives of others before any other priority. In Quiet, Cain affirms to a good many of us who are introverts by nature that we needn’t try to be extroverts if we want to lead.... (Source)

Jason Fried A good book I’d recommend is “Quiet” by Susan Cain. (Source)

James Altucher Probably half the world is introverts. Maybe more. It’s not an easy life to live. I sometimes have that feeling in a room full of people, “uh-oh. I just shut down. I can’t talk anymore and there’s a lock on my mouth and this crowd threw away the key.” Do you ever get that feeling? Please? I hope you do. Let’s try to lock eyes at the party. “Quiet” shows the reader how to unlock the secret powers... (Source)

Freakonomics

A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Stephen J. Levitt, Steven D.; Dubner | 4.47

Malcolm Gladwell I don’t need to say much here. This book invented an entire genre. Economics was never supposed to be this entertaining. (Source)

Daymond John I love newer books like [this book]. (Source)

James Altucher [James Altucher recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Atomic Habits

An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

James Clear and Penguin Audi | 4.47

Cal Newport I recently read an advance copy of James Clear’s new book, Atomic Habits. His thesis is that small but carefully selected habits can, over time, create massively positive results — not just in terms of what you accomplish, but also in terms of the type of person you become. James’s exposition rings true with what’ve I learned hanging around interesting people and high achievers. I recommend you... (Source)

Mark Manson A lot of people email me asking about habits - how to form good ones, how to break bad ones, how to stop doing the dumb shit we always do. I've got a friend named James Clear. He's an accomplished author and business owner and is kind of a "habit guru." He's probably forgotten more habits research than I've ever brought myself to look at. He just launched his first book. It's called Atomic Habits... (Source)

Ryan Holiday This book is out on Tuesday and it's also very good. An atomic habit is a tiny habit or change that can have an enormous impact on your life. Getting up a little earlier, deleting social media from your phone, automating your savings, developing a system, these are atomic habits. Me personally, I don't feel like I am particularly talented or even that disciplined, but I have a number of atomic... (Source)

A Brief History of Time

Stephen Hawking | 4.47

Richard Branson Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. (Source)

Dan Hooper Everybody knows Hawking’s greatest contributions: understanding that black holes radiate light and other particles, that they contain entropy and all these things that no one imagined before him. Hawking and Roger Penrose also worked out the Big Bang singularity, the very moment of creation. To hear him describe some of these things with his own word choices, his own phrasing—not to mention his... (Source)

Adam Hart-Davis When Stephen Hawking wrote A Brief History of Time..his publisher told him that every equation he left in would halve the number of readers (Source)

The Lean Startup

How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

Eric Ries | 4.45

Sheryl Sandberg Provides a great inside look at how the tech industry approaches building products and businesses. (Source)

Ben Horowitz Great. (Source)

Dustin Moskovitz At Asana, we've been lucky to benefit from [the author]'s advice firsthand; this book will enable him to help many more entrepreneurs answer the tough questions about their business. (Source)

Made to Stick

Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Chip Heath, Dan Heath | 4.45

Cristian-Dragos Baciu I highly recommend all the books written by the Heath brothers, especially Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive And Others Die. This one's a must-read for marketers. The reason I enjoyed their work so much is because they offer real-life stories and insights that makes it so much easier for the reader to imprint that information in his mind (Source)

Tudor Mihailescu First thing first, finance people need to be decent communicators, ideally awesome communicators. There is an art in building a case or in delivering a presentation and we need to treat this step as seriously as we have treated the other steps. I do believe this is a top priority for an aspiring or practicing CFO - There are plenty of books on this topic, I would recommend the works of Chip and... (Source)

Steve Lance Made to Stick is about what makes a message memorable. Why is it that we can all say ‘Call me Ishmael’ and remember this opening line to Moby Dick, and yet none of us can say the second sentence. Made to Stick is a thoughtful, fact-based empirical study about this idea of stickiness. (Source)

How We Learn

The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens

Benedict Carey | 4.42

Vladimir Oane He does a brilliant job proving that our thinking about learning is rooted more in superstition than in science. And boy this book is filled with science. It is extremely evident that the author is a science nerd because this book is 95% filled with studies and experiments on lots and lots of topics related to the learning: memorization, forgetting, associations, perceptions etc. This could make... (Source)

The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.41

Mike Shinoda I know most of the guys in the band read [this book]. (Source)

Marillyn Hewson CEO Marilyn Hewson recommends this book because it helped her to trust her instincts in business. (Source)

The 4-Hour Workweek

Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

Timothy Ferriss, Ray Porter | 4.41

Eric Weinstein [Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

Tim Draper With this kind of time management and focus on the important things in life, people should be able to get 15 times as much done in a normal work week. (Source)

Marvin Liao SUCH a hard question to answer because there are so MANY favorite books of mine. For Business, i'd say either 80/20 Principle (Koch) or 4 Hour Work Week (Ferriss) for the principles it teaches on how to optimize work & life. (Source)

Factfulness

Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Ola Rosling | 4.40

Barack Obama As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Here’s my best of 2018... (Source)

Bill Gates This was a breakthrough to me. The framework Hans enunciates is one that took me decades of working in global development to create for myself, and I could have never expressed it in such a clear way. I’m going to try to use this model moving forward. (Source)

Nigel Warburton It’s an interesting book, it’s very challenging. It may be over-optimistic. But it does have this startling effect on the readers of challenging widely held assumptions. It’s a plea to look at the empirical data, and not just assume that you know how things are now. (Source)

Tara Westover | 4.39

Bill Gates Tara never went to school or visited a doctor until she left home at 17. I never thought I’d relate to a story about growing up in a Mormon survivalist household, but she’s such a good writer that she got me to reflect on my own life while reading about her extreme childhood. Melinda and I loved this memoir of a young woman whose thirst for learning was so strong that she ended up getting a Ph.D.... (Source)

Alexander Stubb If you read or listen to only one book this summer, this is it. Bloody brilliant! Every word, every sentence. Rarely do I go through a book with such a rollecoaster of emotion, from love to hate. Thank you for sharing ⁦@tarawestover⁩ #Educated https://t.co/GqLaqlcWMp (Source)

The Art of War

Sun Tzu | 4.37

Reid Hoffman Reid read Carl von Clausewitz and Sun Tzu as a boy, which informed his strategic thinking. (Source)

Neil deGrasse Tyson Which books should be read by every single intelligent person on planet? [...] The Art of War (Sun Tsu) [to learn that the act of killing fellow humans can be raised to an art]. If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world. (Source)

Evan Spiegel After meeting Mark Zuckerberg, [Evan Spiegel] immediately bought every [Snapchat] employee a copy of 'The Art Of War'. (Source)

Getting Things Done

The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

David Allen, James Fallows | 4.37

Dustin Moskovitz Put first things first. (Source)

Tony Hsieh Getting Things Done by David Allen. He recently spoke at our Zappos all-hands meeting and gave me a signed copy of his book. (Source)

Eric Rose When I'm flat-out stressed about the volume and complexity of my work, I open this book and find immediate ways to gain a sense of control. That's really a critical need for decision making. David made me what I am today: headstrong and proud of it. (Source)

The Checklist Manifesto

How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande | 4.36

The New York Times bestselling author of Better and Complications reveals the surprising power of the ordinary checklist

We live in a world of great and increasing complexity, where even the most expert professionals struggle to master the tasks they face. Longer training, ever more advanced technologies‚neither seems to prevent grievous errors. But in a hopeful turn, acclaimed surgeon and writer Atul Gawande finds a remedy in the humblest and simplest of techniques: the checklist. First introduced decades ago by the U.S. Air Force, checklists...

We live in a world of great and increasing complexity, where even the most expert professionals struggle to master the tasks they face. Longer training, ever more advanced technologies‚neither seems to prevent grievous errors. But in a hopeful turn, acclaimed surgeon and writer Atul Gawande finds a remedy in the humblest and simplest of techniques: the checklist. First introduced decades ago by the U.S. Air Force, checklists have enabled pilots to fly aircraft of mind-boggling sophistication. Now innovative checklists are being adopted in hospitals around the world, helping doctors and nurses respond to everything from flu epidemics to avalanches. Even in the immensely complex world of surgery, a simple ninety-second variant has cut the rate of fatalities by more than a third. In riveting stories, Gawande takes us from Austria, where an emergency checklist saved a drowning victim who had spent half an hour underwater, to Michigan, where a cleanliness checklist in intensive care units virtually eliminated a type of deadly hospital infection. He explains how checklists actually work to prompt striking and immediate improvements. And he follows the checklist revolution into fields well beyond medicine, from homeland security to investment banking, skyscraper construction, and businesses of all kinds. An intellectual adventure in which lives are lost and saved and one simple idea makes a tremendous difference, The Checklist Manifesto is essential reading for anyone working to get things right.

Bill Gates A great read. (Source)

David Allen Atul is really talking about how absolutely powerful checklists are, and I think he makes a very creative point: that checklist are not just some static, boring thing. They actually allow you to do excellent work and free up your brain by not having to keep remembering what you need to do when. That then allows your brain to be a lot more creative about whatever it is you’re doing. (Source)

Timothy Ferriss Ramit and I are both obsessed with checklists and love a book by Atul Gawande titled The Checklist Manifesto. I have this book on a shelf in my living room, cover out, as a constant reminder. (Source)

The War of Art

out of 5 stars4,70 | 4.36

James Altucher When a writer or an entrepreneur, or a manager, or an employee, or a…whatever…sits down to get to work, he or she is often met by “the resistance”. The excuses that come up: I can’t do this. I am too old. I don’t have enough money. I’m scared. “The War of Art” is the guide to getting through that block. The comfort zone is papered up and cemented shut by our excuses. Learn to blast through that... (Source)

Seth Godin Also hard to find on audio. I find Steve's voice to be fascinating, and even before I knew him, I was fascinated by listening to him speak his own work. The War of Art is one of those books, at least for me when I finally was exposed to it, I said, 'Why wasn't I informed? Why did it take this long for this book to land on my desk?'... You need to be clear with yourself about what you are afraid... (Source)

Brian Koppelman Talks about resistance. (Source)

Fluent Forever

How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It

Gabriel Wyner and Dreamscape Media, LL | 4.34

Angela Duckworth | 4.34

Benjamin Spall [Question: What five books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path?] [...] Grit by Angela Duckworth (Source)

Bogdan Lucaciu Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - it was frustrating to read: “Where was this book 20 years ago!?” (Source)

Stephen Lew When asked what books he would recommend to youngsters interested in his professional path, Stephen mentioned Grit. (Source)

The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Daniel H. Pink | 4.34

Tobi Lütke [Tobi Lütke recommended this book in an interview in "The Globe and Mail."] (Source)

David Heinemeier Hansson Takes some of those same ideas about motivations and rewards and extrapolates them in a little bit. (Source)

Mike Benkovich I'd recommend a sprinkling of business books followed by a heap of productivity and behavioural psychology books. The business books will help you with principals and the psychological books help with everything else in your life. Building your own business can really f!@# you up psychologically. (Source)

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Mark Manson, Roger Wayne, et al | 4.33

Ryan Holiday I loved Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck. There’s a reason this book is blowing up. It’s that good. (Source)

Ella Botting You’ll meet a lot of d*ck heads at work. This book helps you prioritise how you spend your energy. I liked how Mark used examples from his real life to explain his points, means you can relate to his whole ideology more. (Source)

Chris Goward Here are some of the books that have been very impactful for me, or taught me a new way of thinking: [...] The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. (Source)

Robert Greene | 4.32

James Altucher What better way to learn about success then the minute paths taken by 100s or 1000s of successful people.It feels like Robert takes everyone in history and dissects the exact moments and decisions that led to their great success. (Source)

Ryan Holiday There is no living writer (or person) who has been more influential to me than Robert Greene. I met him when I was 19 years old and he’s shaped me as a person, as a writer, as a thinker. You MUST read his books. His work on power and strategy are critical for anyone trying to accomplish anything. In life, power is force we are constantly bumping up against. People have power of over us, we seek... (Source)

Tobias S @Oliver_Rankin @Ashthorp Great book, read it twice! (Source)

The Talent Code

Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.

Daniel Coyle | 4.30

Peter Attia [One of] the books I’ve read the most. (Source)

Rupert Murdoch Great reading. The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle. Forget genes! Greatness isn't born, it's grown - the hard way. (Source)

Jason Fried Highly recommend reading The Talent Code. Wonderful book w/ great insights. (Source)

Why We Sleep

Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

Matthew Walker PhD | 4.30

Bill Gates Explains how neglecting sleep undercuts your creativity, problem solving, decision-making, learning, memory, heart health, brain health, mental health, emotional well-being, immune system, and even your life span. (Source)

Brad Feld Several friends, who know I both love to sleep and am intrigued with how sleep works, recommended that I read Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. It was excellent. While my self-assessment of my sleep habits are very positive, I learned a few things. More importantly, I now have a much better understanding of the “Why” surrounding sleep, especially around sleep’s importance to... (Source)

Alexis Ohanian Sr. Agree! Best book I've read this year. Wasted so many hours just proving to myself I'd be the last one up working at @reddit and for what??? Stupid. Diminishing marginal returns after enough hours without sleep. https://t.co/cT7fDNBF3A (Source)

Ultralearning

Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career

Scott Young and HarperAudi | 4.29

Cal Newport Ultralearning is like a superpower in our competitive economy. Read this book! It will change your life. (Source)

Chris Guillebeau This book is an invaluable tool to help you master complicated skills in a short period of time. Read Ultralearning and level up your life! (Source)

Derek Sivers A truly great book about learning. Riveting, useful, practical, and applicable to anyone ready to learn something at their own pace. Ultralearning shows you exactly how to learn better than you thought possible. (Source)

Brain Rules

12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School

John Medina | 4.28

James Altucher Discusses how to keep your brain healthy. (Source)

Dmitry Dragilev There’s a book called Brain Rules, also a great book, by John Medina, sort of like how your brain works. (Source)

Zero to One

Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Peter Thiel; Blake Masters | 4.27

Elon Musk Peter Thiel has built multiple breakthrough companies, and Zero to One shows how.” - Elon Mus (Source)

Mark Zuckerberg This book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to create value in the world. (Source)

Eric Weinstein If you really understand something that the rest of the world is confused about, and it’s an important truth, [this book] says here are all the ways you might want to make that work. (Source)

Essentialism

The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Greg McKeown | 4.27

Casey Neistat This is a great book. I've read it, I've bought it for a friend. (Source)

Noah Kagan [Noah Kagan recommended this book in the book "Tools of Titans".] (Source)

Gilles Bernhard Essentialism is a mindset. It is a combination of discipline, long term thinking, identifying goals and the pursuit of less. This is a book I will definitely read again and again, until mastered, because it resonated very much with me. It is also an easy to read book. (Source)

Predictably Irrational

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Dan Ariely | 4.26

Nick Harkaway Predictably Irrational is an examination of the way in which we make decisions irrationally, and how that irrationality can be predicted. (Source)

Jonah Lehrer Dan Ariely is a very creative guy and was able to take this basic idea, that humans are irrational, and mine it in a million different directions. (Source)

The 48 Laws of Power

Robert Greene | 4.26

Charlamagne Tha God These are the books I recommend people to listen to on @applebooks. (Source)

Marvin Liao My list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On the non-business side, a mix of History & classic fiction to understand people, philosophy to make... (Source)

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson | 4.25

Amanda Palmer [Amanda Palmer recommended this book in the book "Tools of Titans".] (Source)

Fabrice Grinda I have lots of books to recommend, but they are not related to my career path. The only one that is remotely related is Peter Thiel’s Zero to One. That said here are books I would recommend. (Source)

David Goldberg What I really liked about A Short History of Nearly Everything is that it gives an excellent account of a lot of the personalities and the interconnectedness of important discoveries in cosmology and elsewhere. He does such a great job of bringing together our understanding of cosmology, evolution, paleontology, and geology in a very, very fluid way. (Source)

Guns, Germs and Steel

The Fates of Human Societies

Jared Diamond Ph.D. | 4.24

Bill Gates Fascinating.... Lays a foundation for understanding human history. (Source)

Daniel Ek A brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning book about how the modern world was formed, analyzing how societies developed differently on different continents. (Source)

Yuval Noah Harari A book of big questions, and big answers. The book turned me from a historian of medieval warfare into a student of humankind. (Source)

The Four Agreements

A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

Don Miguel Ruiz, Janet Mills | 4.24

Jack Dorsey Question: What are the books that had a major influence on you? Or simply the ones you like the most. : Tao te Ching, score takes care of itself, between the world and me, the four agreements, the old man and the sea...I love reading! (Source)

Karlie Kloss I just think it’s got a lot of great principles and ideas. (Source)

The Black Swan

The Impact of the Highly Improbable

Nassim Nicholas Taleb | 4.24

Jeff Bezos [From the book "The Everything Store: and the Age of Amazon"] “The scholar argues that people are wired to see patterns in chaos while remaining blind to unpredictable events, with massive consequences. Experimentation and empiricism trumps the easy and obvious narrative,” Stone writes. (Source)

James Altucher And throw in “The Black Swan” and “Fooled by Randomness”. “Fragile” means if you hit something might break. “Resilient” means if you hit something, it will stay the same. On my podcast Nassim discusses “Antifragility” – building a system, even on that works for you on a personal level, where you if you harm your self in some way it becomes stronger. That podcast changed my life He discusses... (Source)

Life and Work

Ray Dalio | 4.23

Mark Cuban The book I wish I had as a young entrepreneur. (Source)

Tony Robbins I found it to be truly extraordinary. Every page is full of so many principles of distinction and insights—and I love how Ray incorporates his history and his life in such an elegant way. (Source)

Bill Gates Ray Dalio has provided me with invaluable guidance and insights that are now available to you in Principles. (Source)

How to Become a Straight-A Student

Cal Newport | 4.23

Emotional Intelligence

Why It Can Matter More Than IQ

Daniel Goleman | 4.22

Drew Houston It’s nonfiction, but it spelled out something that I just didn’t know you could kind of break down in a logical way. And, suddenly, I had this understanding about the world that I didn’t have before. (Source)

Sharon Salzberg [Sharon Salzberg recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Roxana Bitoleanu [One of the books recommends to young people interested in her career path.] (Source)

The 5 Love Languages

The Secret to Love that Lasts

Gary Chapman and Oasis Audi | 4.20

Kaci Lambe Kai The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman impacted how I interpret and receive love. Not just romantically, but in my friendships and business relationships. I had several personal and professional relationships that improved when I could appreciate that their "love language" was different than mine. I could at least see their efforts as an attempt at showing me love and kindness, even if it wasn't... (Source)

Pedro Cortés The books that had the biggest impact are the ones that are controversial and challenge people's beliefs around work, relationships, life, and money most of them were things I already thought about (that's how I found them or decided to read them) but just by putting it in an actionable and structured way it made me think 100x more clearly about my goals and beliefs. Such examples could be the... (Source)

The Selfish Gene

Richard Dawkins | 4.20

Why are there miles and miles of "unused" DNA within each of our bodies? Why should a bee give up its own chance to reproduce to help raise her sisters and brothers? With a prophet's clarity, Dawkins told us the answers from the perspective of molecules competing for limited space and resources to produce more of their own kind. Drawing fascinating examples from every field of biology, he paved the way for a serious re-evaluation of evolution. He also introduced the concept of self-reproducing ideas, or memes , which (seemingly) use humans exclusively for their propagation. If we are puppets, he says, at least we can try to understand our strings. --Rob Lightner

Charles T. Munger recommends this book in the second edition of Poor Charlie’s Almanack. (Source)

Matt Ridley Turned evolutionary biology on its head and was written like a great detective story. (Source)

Phil Libin Had a profound influence on me pretty early on. (Source)

The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals

Michael Pollan | 4.19

Barry Estabrook Michael Pollan looks at food production through four meals. One is a fast-food meal, the other is an industrial-scale organic meal, then there is a small-scale organic meal and finally he actually goes out and either grows or kills, in the case of the meat, the entire meal himself. That is the narrative. (Source)

Gabriel Coarna Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" --more precisely, the first 3rd of it-- was what first made me realize how badly the Earth, as an ecosystem, is out of balance. (Source)

Tristram Stuart He concludes that there is food out there that tastes good, is good for us and is good for the planet. (Source)

The 4-Hour Chef

The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life

Timothy Ferriss | 4.19

Bryan Callen [Bryan Callen recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Marin Gerov Talking of Tim Ferriss, his series (The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef) have been extremely good resources for improving work, health, and learning. (Source)

Cristina Riesen First, a word on career paths. In time, I realised that career paths are like one-way streets. Magic happens in unexplored territories. Plus life is how you choose to live every moment, every day. So today, rather than building a career, I prefer to make lateral moves in life, working with great people and being part of ambitious projects impacting the world. There are a few books that got me... (Source)

The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi | 4.19

Austin Kleon While re-reading Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s wonderful book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, I came across this passage on working crossword puzzles. I think he could just as well be talking about making blackout poems: "There is much to be said in favor of this popular pastime, which in its best form resembles the ancient riddle contests. It is inexpensive and portable, its challenges... (Source)

Tom Chatfield The notion of flow is the idea that there is a state that is characterised by complete immersion in an activity, by a constant response to stimuli, and a perfect match between your ability and the challenge in front of you. (Source)

Never Split the Difference

Chris Voss, Tahl Raz | 4.19

Daniel Pink Emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence without sacrificing deal-making power. From the pen of a former hostage negotiator—someone who couldn’t take no for an answer—which makes it fascinating reading. But it’s also eminently practical. In these pages, you will find the techniques for getting the deal you want. (Source)

Adam Grant eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_6',164,'0','1'])); This book blew my mind. It’s a riveting read, full of instantly actionable advice—not just for high-stakes negotiations, but also for handling everyday conflicts at work and at home. (Source)

The Power of Now

A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Eckhart Tolle | 4.18

Roxana Bitoleanu [One of the books that had the biggest impact on ] The power of now, as time is a limited resource and we should spend it as wonderfully as possible. (Source)

Darrah Brustein Others include The Power Of Now which is powerful reminder that all we have is the present and helps give you meaningful ways to live in it, not in the past or the future. (Source)

Valeria Mercado @Ye_Ali The best book (Source)

Start with Why

How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

Simon Sinek | 4.18

Tony Robbins The basis of this book is so important to anyone looking to increase their influence, profits or impact. People won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it. When you start with the why, everything else falls into place. This book is so impactful, I consider it required reading. (Source)

Tony Hsieh Over the years he’s [] recommended well over 20 business books — including his own, the 2010 bestseller Delivering Happiness and you can always find what he’s currently reading atop his cluttered desk. Start with Why is amogst those titles. (Source)

Extreme Ownership

How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win

Jocko Willink, Leif Babin | 4.18

Casey Neistat My favorite Jocko book. (Source)

Timothy Ferriss Jocko is also the co-author of Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win — which I loved. (Source)

Roger Ailes This is the SEAL Leadership book we have been waiting for. Poignant, powerful, practical. A must read for every leader. (Source)

The Fifth Discipline

The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization

Peter M. Senge | 4.18

Josh Brewer After working at many startups and now running my own company, the one difference I have observed between good and great companies (and products) is how oriented the org is toward learning, The more people in an organization learn, the more value they create for the whole company. (Source)

Jana Eggers My entrepreneurial and leadership inspiration came from a long line of amazing women in my family that always acted independently and gave me the fire and confidence to chose my path, and some fantastic and inspiring men who always expected me to do more. What I love about 5th Discipline is that it focuses on learning, specifically teaching and inspiring your organization to be a learning org. It... (Source)

Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

Richard H. Thaler | 4.17

Dan Ariely Nudge is a very important book. One of the reasons Nudge is so important is because it’s taking these ideas and applying them to the policy domain. Here are the mistakes we make. Here are the ways marketers are trying to influence us. Here’s the way we might be able to fight back. If policymakers understood these principles, what could they do? The other important thing about the book is that it... (Source)

Eric Ries A pioneer in behavioral economics and just recently awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics, his classic book on how to make better decisions. (Source)

Ryan Holiday This might feel like a weird book to include, but I think it presents another side of strategy that is too often forgotten. It’s not always about bold actors and strategic thrusts. Sometimes strategy is about subtle influence. Sometimes it is framing and small tweaks that change behavior. We can have big aims, but get there with little moves. This book has excellent examples of that kind of... (Source)

12 Rules for Life

An Antidote to Chaos

Jordan B. Peterson | 4.17

Marc Andreessen A bracing disassembly and reconstruction of a theory of individual progress in the modern world. Fascinating compare and contrast with The Courage To Be Disliked. (Source)

James Altucher Just look at the table of contents: Rule 1: Stand up straight with your shoulders back Rule 2: Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping Rule 3: Make friends with people who want the best for you Rule 4: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today Rule 5: Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them Rule 6: Set your house in... (Source)

Andrew Price @stewheckenberg @jordanbpeterson Thanks mate. I almost wish the book was published under a different author so more people would give it a chance. It’s really one of the best “how to fix your life” books around. (Source)

A Memoir of the Craft

Stephen King | 4.16

Mark Manson I read a bunch of books on writing before I wrote my first book and the two that stuck with me were Stephen King’s book and “On Writing Well” by Zinsser (which is a bit on the technical side). (Source)

Jennifer Rock If you are interested in writing and communication, start with reading and understanding the technical aspects of the craft: The Elements of Style. On Writing Well. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. (Source)

Benjamin Spall [Question: What five books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path?] On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft by Stephen King, [...] (Source)

Pragmatic Thinking and Learning

Refactor Your Wetware

Andy Hunt | 4.15

The Innovator's Dilemma

When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail

Clayton M. Christensen | 4.15

Jeff Bezos Brad Stone's new book, The Everything Store, describes how Bezos developed this strategy after reading another book called The Innovator's Dilemma by Harvard professor Clayton Christensen. (Source)

Steve Jobs It's important that we make this transformation, because of what Clayton Christensen calls "the innovator's dilemma," where people who invent something are usually the last ones to see past it, and we certainly don't want to be left behind. (Source)

The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow, et al | 4.15

Gabriel Coarna I read "The Last Lecture" because I had seen Randy Pausch give this talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo (Source)

Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

David Epstein | 4.14

Malcolm Gladwell For reasons I cannot explain, David Epstein manages to make me thoroughly enjoy the experience of being told that everything I thought about something was wrong. I loved Range. (Source)

Susan Cain It’s a joy to spend hours in the company of a writer as gifted as David Epstein. And the joy is all the greater when that writer shares so much crucial and revelatory information about performance, success, and education. (Source)

Kobe Bryant This book looks at how an emphasis on specialization can actually hamper our ability to really excel at something. It aligns with what I try to do when I am coaching, in my stories, and what we’re doing with Mamba Sports Academy — create all-around athletes who can think critically and make assessments in real time to enhance their play rather than rely only on a narrow set of skills. (Source)

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"

Adventures of a Curious Character

Richard P. Feynman, Ralph Leighton, Edward Hutchings, Albert R. Hibbs | 4.13

Sergey Brin Brin told the Academy of Achievement: "Aside from making really big contributions in his own field, he was pretty broad-minded. I remember he had an excerpt where he was explaining how he really wanted to be a Leonardo [da Vinci], an artist and a scientist. I found that pretty inspiring. I think that leads to having a fulfilling life." (Source)

Larry Page Google co-founder has listed this book as one of his favorites. (Source)

Peter Attia The book I’ve recommended most. (Source)

The First 20 Hours

How to Learn Anything...Fast

J. Kaufman | 4.13

James Altucher @jamie_maguire1 @TEDTalks Thanks for that Jamie. Love Josh's book. (Source)

Who Moved My Cheese?

Spencer Johnson, Kenneth Blanchard | 4.12

Daymond John [Daymond John said this is one of his most-recommended books.] (Source)

Darren Chua When asked what books he'd recommend to young people interested in the same career path, mentioned Who Moved My Cheese. (Source)

Thinking in Systems

Donella H. Meadows, Diana Wright | 4.12

Tobi Lütke [Tobi Lütke recommended this book on the podcast "The Knowledge Project".] (Source)

Kate Raworth It was a real revelation for me to discover such a different approach to thinking and analysing challenges. (Source)

Mira Kirshenbaum A nice overview of how initial conditions lead to patterns that determine what the relationship feels like to the people in it (Source)

The New Jim Crow

Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

Michelle Alexander, Cornel West | 4.11

Mark Zuckerberg I read The New Jim Crow, a study of how the U.S. justice system disproportionately criminalizes and jails blacks and Latinos. Making our criminal justice system fairer and more effective is a huge challenge for our country. I’m going to keep learning about this topic, but some things are already clear: We can’t jail our way to a just society, and our current system isn’t working (adapted with... (Source)

Peter Temin The new Jim Crow that Michelle Alexander is talking about is mass incarceration. (Source)

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Bessel van der Kolk M.D. | 4.11

Matthew Green Reading The Body Keeps the Score was a eureka moment for me. (Source)

Walter Isaacson | 4.11

Elon Musk Quite interesting. (Source)

Gary Vaynerchuk I've read 3 business books in my life. If you call [this book] a business book. (Source)

Unlimited Memory

How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive (Mental Mastery Book 1)

Kevin Horsley | 4.10

How to Build Habit-Forming Products

Nir Eyal, Ryan Hoover | 4.09

Matt Mullenweg Hooked gives you the blueprint for the next generation of products. Read Hooked or the company that replaces you will. (Source)

Tee-Ming Chew Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal. It changed the way I think about product and helps you to be hyper focused on what matters rather than what is cool for your users. (Source)

Irina Marinescu Already a classic about how to build successful products. Also, retention is a priority goal for any Product Manager, but you can't have retention if you are not setting a good engagement rate. It was a great starting point for me as part of my first startup and continues to help me today as acquired knowledge about user behavior. (Source)

The Intelligent Investor

The Classic Text on Value Investing

Benjamin Graham | 4.09

Warren Buffett To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual framework for making decisions and the ability to keep emotions from corroding that framework. This book precisely and clearly prescribes the proper framework. You must provide the emotional discipline. (Source)

Kevin Rose The foundation for investing. A lot of people have used this as their guide to getting into investment, basic strategies. Actually Warren Buffett cites this as the book that got him into investing and he says that principles he learned here helped him to become a great investor. Highly recommend this book. It’s a great way understand what’s going on and how to evaluate different companies out... (Source)

John Kay The idea is that you look at the underlying value of the company’s activities instead of relying on market gossip. (Source)

A Brief History of Tomorrow

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.09

Richard Branson I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a big reader of paleontology or anthropology – not good words for us dyslexics! – but I enjoy learning about how society has unfolded and history has developed in an exciting, easy to read way. The sequel, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, is a fascinating look into the future too. While these aren’t traditional business or leadership books, they are all... (Source)

Bill Gates Harari’s new book is as challenging and readable as Sapiens. Rather than looking back, as Sapiens does, it looks to the future. I don’t agree with everything the author has to say, but he has written a thoughtful look at what may be in store for humanity. (Source)

Vinod Khosla Not that I agree with all of it, but it is still mind-bending speculation about our future as a follow-up to a previous favorite, Sapiens. It’s directionally right. (Source)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot | 4.09

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia — a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo — to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family — past and present — is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother’s cells. She was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Did it hurt her when researchers infected her cells with viruses and shot them into space? What happened to her sister, Elsie, who died in a mental institution at the age of fifteen? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?

Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.

Carl Zimmer Yes. This is a fascinating book on so many different levels. It is really compelling as the story of the author trying to uncover the history of the woman from whom all these cells came. (Source)

A.J. Jacobs Great writer. (Source)

How Learning Works

Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching

Susan A. Ambrose, Michael W. Bridges, et al. | 4.08

Tools of Titans

Timothy Ferriss, Arnold Schwarzenegger | 4.08

Tony Robbins Tim is a brilliant thinker. The way he approaches mastery is inspiring in many ways. His latest book is no exception. What I loved about Tools of Titans is that it distills key tactics, routines and habits of the ultra-successful in actionable ways that anyone can take advantage of. Highly recommended. Every chapter is a valuable lesson. (Source)

Kamal Ravikant I’m reading Tools of Titans which is just amazing. (Source)

So Good They Can't Ignore You

Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

Cal Newport | 4.07

Reid Hoffman Entrepreneurial professionals must develop a competitive advantage by building valuable skills. This book offers advice based on research and reality--not meaningless platitudes-- on how to invest in yourself in order to stand out from the crowd. An important guide to starting up a remarkable career. (Source)

Seth Godin Stop worrying about what you feel like doing (and what the world owes you) and instead, start creating something meaningful and then give it to the world. Cal really delivers with this one. (Source)

Daniel Pink Do what you love and the money will follow' sounds like great advice -- until it's time to get a job and disillusionment quickly sets in. Cal Newport ably demonstrates how the quest for 'passion' can corrode job satisfaction. If all he accomplished with this book was to turn conventional wisdom on its head, that would be interesting enough. But he goes further -- offering advice and examples that... (Source)

The Elements of Style

William Jr. Strunk | 4.06

Tobi Lütke [My] most frequently gifted book is [this book] because I like good writing. (Source)

Bill Nye This is my guide. I accept that I’ll never write anything as good as the introductory essay by [the author]. It’s brilliant. (Source)

The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking

Edward B. Burger | 4.05

Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Sheryl Sandberg | 4.05

Mark Zuckerberg For the past five years, I've sat at a desk next to Sheryl and I've learned something from her almost every day. She has a remarkable intelligence that can cut through complex processes and find solutions to the hardest problems. Lean In combines Sheryl's ability to synthesize information with her understanding of how to get the best out of people. The book is smart and honest and funny. Her... (Source)

Oprah Winfrey Honest and brave... The new manifesto for women in the workplace. (Source)

Richard Branson If you loved Sheryl Sandberg's incredible TED talk on why we have too few women leaders, or simply believe as I do that we need equality in the boardroom, then this book is for you. As Facebook's COO, Sheryl Sandberg has first-hand experience of why having more women in leadership roles is good for business as well as society. Lean In is essential reading for anyone interested in righting the... (Source)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Marie Kondō | 4.04

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed...

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).

With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house "spark joy" (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

David Heinemeier Hansson On a lighter note, I finished The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. It’s a short book, but it still manages to repeat itself a lot. And yet the core patterns it covers are as effective as they are simple. I’ve been on a decluttering kick at home and feel so much better because of it. It was also the kickstarter for the conversation... (Source)

Benjamin Spall The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo [...] I started reading on vacation. I interviewed Marie for my own book and while the translation is somewhat quirky in places, her book is worth the hype. (Source)

Annie Loves Covfefe @Benny29143790 @Thereal_ssteele Oh how I love Kondo cleaning. Her first book is fantastic too!! (Source)

Talent is Overrated

What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else

Geoff Colvin | 4.04

Chelsea Frank I read everything with an open mind, often challenging myself by choosing books with an odd perspective or religious/spiritual views. These books do not reflect my personal feelings but are books that helped shape my perspective on life, love, and happiness. (Source)

Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential

Barbara Oakley PhD | 4.04

The Inner Game of Tennis

W. Timothy Gallwey | 4.03

Rkun @ Tokyo @krkdnz @perepereden I've read that one since it's a classic, great book 👍 (Source)

Bill Cole Gallwey was the first author to detail practical, in-the-trenches sports psychology techniques. He wasn’t really a theory guy or a data guy or a research guy, but practical techniques—his books are loaded with those. (Source)

Dave Elitch It had a huge effect. (Source)

Learning How to Learn

How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying; A Guide for Kids and Teens

Barbara Oakley, Terrence Sejnowski, et al | 4.02

The Little Book of Talent

52 Tips for Improving Your Skills

Daniel Coyle | 4.02

Creativity, Inc.

Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

Ed Catmull, Amy Wallace | 4.02

Mark Zuckerberg This book is written by the founder of Pixar and is about his experience building a culture that fosters creativity. His theory is that people are fundamentally creative, but many forces stand in the way of people being able to do their best work. I love reading first-hand accounts about how people build great companies like Pixar and nurture innovation and creativity. This should be inspiring to... (Source)

Timothy Ferriss No matter your circumstances, storytelling and creativity are two 'meta-skills' that can take your business and life to the next level. Ed is a master. (Source)

Ezra Klein An amazing, amazing book. (Source)

Crucial Conversations

Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High

RON MCMILLAN JOSEPH GRENNY, AL SWITZLER, KERRY PATTERSON | 4.01

Max Levchin A now-venerable guide to having tough conversations in a way that engages the debaters. (Source)

Deke Bridges Picked up this great book @Powells to read. Better conversation and listening enables you to get deeper into subjects at hand. When talking with people, this makes your communication skills a very powerful tool. Always be learning. #growth #education #leadership https://t.co/r0ujX9IPqh (Source)

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

Ben Horowitz | 4.01

Larry Page Ben's book is a great read - with uncomfortable truths about entrepreneurship and how to lead to a company. It's also an inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. (Source)

Mark Zuckerberg Ben's experience and expertise make him one of the most important leaders not just in Silicon Valley but also in the global knowledge economy. For anyone interested in building, growing or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource - and a funny and insightful read. (Source)

Dustin Moskovitz [Dustin Moskovitz recommended this book during a Stanford lecture.] (Source)

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

Neil deGrasse Tyson | 4.01

Vinod Khosla Great, very quick overview of astrophysics. Easily accessible. (Source)

The Pragmatic Programmer

From Journeyman to Master

Andrew Hunt and David Thomas | 4.00

Hadley Wickham This book is about the craft of software development, and thinking about how to produce good code. (Source)

David and Goliath

Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.00

Catalina Penciu Business-wise, my goal for this year is to improve my collection and my mindset, but my favorite so far has been David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. (Source)

Robert Katai Buy Malcolm Gladwell’s book “David and Goliath” and read the interesting stories about how the Davids of that moments have defeated the Goliaths. (Source)

The Brain that Changes Itself

Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

Norman Doidge | 4.00

Carol Dweck For me it was exciting to read this book because while my research shows a growth mindset is really good for you, this book shows that a growth mindset also has a strong basis in modern neuroscience. It illustrates, though fascinating case histories and descriptions of recent research, the amazing power of the brain to change and even to reorganise itself with practice and experience. (Source)

Naveen Jain I think the book that I really, really enjoy was, "The Brain That Changes Itself." It's all about neuroplasticity, you'd really love that book. (Source)

Bogdana Butnar I don't have favourite books. I equate a favourite something with wanting to do it over and over again and I've never wanted to read a book too many times. I have favourite authors and I have books that changed me in significant ways because they moved me or taught me something or changed my view of the world. So, here's some of those books... (Source)

Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?

Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University

Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania

Disclosure statement

Brendon Hyndman is Senior Manager - Research, Innovation and Impact with Brisbane Catholic Education.

Vaughan Cruickshank does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Charles Sturt University and University of Tasmania provide funding as members of The Conversation AU.

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During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone away.

What are online schools doing now? What does the research say? And how do you know if they might be a good fit for your child?

Online learning in Australia

Online learning for school students has been around in basic form since the 1990s with the School of the Air and other government-run distance education schools for students who are geographically isolated or can’t attend regular school.

But until the pandemic, online schooling was largely considered a special-case scenario. For example, for students who are in hospital or training as an elite athlete.

While learning in COVID lockdowns was extremely tough, it also showed schools, students and parents the potential benefits of online learning for a wider range of students. This can include greater accessibility (learning from any location) and flexibility (personalised, self-paced learning).

Students who have mental health challenges or who are neurodiverse particularly found learning from home suited them better. There is also less hassle with transport and uniforms.

This has prompted an expansion of online learning options in Australia.

Primary and high school options

Some schools have been developing online subjects and options to sit alongside in-person classes. For example, in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, some Catholic schools are using online classes to widen subject choices.

Some private schools have also begun fully online or blended online/in-person programs in the recognition some students prefer to learn largely from home.

There are also specialist courses. For example, Monash University has a free virtual school with revision sessions for Year 12 students.

Read more: Australia has a new online-only private school: what are the options if the mainstream system doesn't suit your child?

What about academic outcomes?

Research on the academic outcomes of distance education students is inconclusive.

For example, a 2019 US study of around 200,000 full-time online primary and secondary students showed they had less learning growth in maths and reading compared to their face-to-face peers.

A 2017 study of primary and high school students in Ohio found reduced academic progress in reading, maths, history and science. Another 2017 US study also found online students had lower graduation rates than their in-person peers.

Research has also found it is difficult to authentically teach practical subjects online such as visual arts, design and technology and physical education.

But a lot of research has been limited to a specific context or has not captured whether online learning principles have been followed. Online teaching approaches need to be different from traditional face-to-face methods.

These include ensuring there is an adequate number of teachers allocated and personalised attention for students, and ways to ensure collaboration between students and parental engagement with the school.

What about wellbeing?

Online schooling approaches are still catching up with the support services provided by in-person schools. This includes access to specialists such as psychologists, nurses and social workers.

Some research has noted concerns about online student engagement , social isolation , sense of belonging and social and emotional development .

But COVID showed schools could address these by starting the school day with wellbeing check-ins or supporting mental health through meditation, deep listening journals and taking nature photos.

Online approaches now also include having mentor teachers or summer programs to meet in-person as well as online clubs for students to socialise with each other.

Read more: As homeschooling numbers keep rising in Australia, is more regulation a good idea?

Is online learning a good fit for your child?

Traditional schooling might still be the best option for families who do not have good internet access, or the flexibility or financial freedom to work from home and support your child.

However, if certain subjects are unavailable, or health, elite sport and distance to school make in-person learning difficult, learning online could be a viable option to consider.

Because online learning tends to be a mix of live lessons and self-paced learning, online students need to be independent, motivated and organised to succeed.

The best online learning programs to look out for are those that provide a lot of opportunities for students to learn from each other.

Online learning should also include an active teacher presence, wellbeing support, and quality, interactive digital resources. There should also be flexible approaches to learning and assessment.

• Secondary education
• Primary school
• distance education

Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy

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The experts: librarians on 20 easy, enjoyable ways to read more brilliant books

Do you love reading – but all too often find yourself just scrolling through your phone or watching TV? Here is how to get lost in literature again

I n the age of digital distractions, it is easy to struggle to find the time and headspace to get lost in literature. How can you get back into the habit? Librarians share the best ways to rediscover reading, make it a regular habit – and their tips for the most unputdownable books.

1. Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t read in years

“A whole combination of things have come together in an unfortunate way to make it harder for people to read,” says Nancy Pearl, who is referred to as “ America’s librarian ” and lives in Seattle, where she worked for almost 40 years in public libraries. “The state of the world makes it very hard to read, because there is so much to worry about. People don’t have the energy to concentrate on reading as we used to.”

2. Listen to a book rather than ‘read’

“The thing about reading is that it is a choice that you make,” says Pearl. “You can read or you can go out in the garden and get rid of some weeds or watch the television. If you have consistently not found pleasure in reading, then you’re not going to choose reading, because it involves sitting down doing one thing at a time – except if you’re listening to audiobooks.

“I was a very late adopter of audiobooks. Now I would much rather listen to a book than sit down and read a book because I can do it while I’m walking.”

“Listening to an audiobook is reading,” says Louise Morrish, a librarian turned novelist who has worked at all kinds of libraries, including a haunted one, and now works at a secondary school in Hampshire. “There have been scientific studies where they’ve stuck sensors on to people’s heads, and the areas of the brain that are lighting up and connecting are the same when you’re listening to a story as when you’re reading it yourself.”

3. Join a library

“Your local library is a really good source,” says Morrish. “The librarians there are brilliant at helping you find books and it is free: you can take a punt on something and won’t have wasted money.”

“I always suggest going to the library or bookstore and talking about what you’re looking for,” says Pearl. “Say: ‘I just read this book, I want another book just like it.’”

There is so much more than just books in libraries. Danny Middleton works at Manchester Central Library , which has to be the coolest public library in Britain (and officially the busiest, with 4,200 visitors a day), offering murder mystery nights, silent discos and drag bingo. Middleton is in charge of reader development, which involves “encouraging people to come through the doors and discover what magic is inside”, he says. “Once we get them in the library, then it’s bam! You can’t go out until you’ve joined.”

4. Widen your search

“Think about books that you have liked in the past,” says Morrish. “Searching on the internet for ‘books like …’ or ‘books written like …’ is always a good place to start. Goodreads is incredible. It has lists and lists of books: novels, short stories, thrillers. There are so many bespoke lists on there so you can find books that you fancy. A new website – shepherd.com – collates books in terms of your interests. You can type in, ‘I want to read books about women who have overcome adversity,’ and you’ll have people on there who have curated lists of books with that as the subject matter.”

Morrish also recommends BookTok and following authors and book bloggers on social media, which she says is a “fantastic corner of the internet to hang out”. Joining a local book club “is a really good way of meeting people who love books”, Morrish says.

5. Work out what you are drawn to in books

For some readers this will be characters, for others it will be a sense of place, but for most it is all about the plot, says Pearl. “One book that satisfies all three of those needs is Larry McMurtry ’s Pulitzer prize-winning Lonesome Dove,” says Pearl. “It is the story of two Texas Rangers after the [American] civil war, taking a herd of cattle across the United States to be slaughtered. You will never forget the experience of meeting those two characters. And for those who are plot people, oh my gosh, the story of that cattle drive, and what happens on the way, that keeps the pages turning.”

6. Create a positive reading routine

“My big life hack is to read every single day,” says Morrish. “I read every night without fail, even if it’s just for five minutes or a page. You get through a book that way. You don’t lose your place or forget what is going on in the story. It becomes a habit.” If you are too tired at night, “you could create a routine where you read when you commute or listen to an audiobook when you walk the dog”, Morrish suggests. Setting a reading target can be a good incentive: “Say to yourself: ‘This month I’m going to try to read two books a week.’ And if you reach that target, give yourself a treat,”.

7. Read what you love

Finding the right thing to get back into reading depends entirely on your preferences, says Middleton, who doesn’t “do grisly”. But for many people, crime and thrillers are very accessible, with Richard Osman, James Patterson, Ann Cleeves and Lee Child particularly hot in Manchester, Middleton says. “Don’t be put off reading things by worrying about what other people might think,” says Ian Cooke, head of contemporary British and Irish collections at the British Library in London. “Loads of people love reading romance and it’s a really strong, innovative genre. I love reading comics, which some people think isn’t ‘proper reading’; it’s a different type of literacy.”

8. Be open minded

“Experiment with trying something new,” says Cooke, which you can do easily through public libraries. “If you don’t like something, take it back, borrow something else.” He gives poetry as an example, which he got into eight years ago after previously being slightly scared by it: “It’s like music; it’s people talking about their experiences in very personal ways.” Charlotte Wetton is a current favourite poet of Cooke’s. “Try to read as widely as you can because your tastes may have changed if you’ve had a gap,” says Morrish. “You may have once loved vampire books but now you’ve moved on to something else.”

9. Consider nonfiction

If you struggle to get into a story, head to the non-fiction aisle, says Morrish. “I’m very interested in the gut microbiome at the moment so am finding books on that. If you watch a lot of true crime on television, there are loads of books out there that are based on true crime cases. Biographies and memoirs are very readable, too.” Literary prizes can offer inspiration: “The Women’s prize have their inaugural prize for non-fiction this year and there is the Walter Scott prize for historical fiction,” says Morrish. “Reading comes in all forms – magazines, catalogues, books, short story collections, manuals – it doesn’t have to be a novel.”

10. Pick up a Quick Read

Middleton suggests the Quick Reads series, which are short and accessible versions of novels and non-fiction. “Massive authors contribute page-turning thrillers, comedy or holiday read romances. They are written in very accessible English, with short, snappy chapters, and are only about 150 to 200 pages.”

11. Remove any distractions

When reading, “turn your phone off or put it in a different room”, says Morrish. “It is the biggest distraction possible. For children particularly, if they get a notification on their phone, then they’re off and they don’t get back to the book.”

12. Surround yourself with books

“Leave books lying around your home that look enticing,” says Mariesa Dulak, a librarian at a primary school in Ealing, west London and a children’s author . This is a helpful technique to encourage yourself and family members to read more: “If you let children see you reaching for a book rather than your phone, then it is going to make them want to read, too.” This can also be replicated in the workplace says Middleton: “If you have books in the staff room, when you’re sat having a brew, the books will be staring at you and you might be tempted to pick one up.”

13. It is never too early to establish good reading habits

Start reading to kids as soon as possible, says Dulak. “If you are taking your baby out with the buggy, in the same way that you might pack a snack, make sure you’ve got a board book in there which they can interact with. Hearing you read the words out loud to them is such an important part of learning language: there is nothing that a child likes more than their parent’s voice.”

14. Read aloud

“Somehow we stop reading to kids when they learn to read themselves,” says Pearl. “One of the best things to do is to set aside a part of the evening for a family read, which can be all of you sitting around reading, not having your phone handy. I do think reading out loud through the teen years is a great way to share that experience with your children.” Cooke recommends attending or tuning in online to an author reading, such as through the library Living Knowledge network.

15. Keep a reading diary

“Write down what you’re reading, who wrote it, who published it and what you thought of it,” says Cooke. “So over time, you can go back, see what you’ve read and what you’ve liked. It doesn’t have to be very involved, just a couple of sentences to jog your memory.”

16. Ebook or print?

“Print,” says Middleton. “I’m old school, I like holding it in my hands and turning the page. I like an audiobook when I’m doing the ironing, though.” Pearl adds: “I read Susie Boyt’s book Loved and Missed recently and that was a book that I really needed to hold to encounter the words and the characters myself.” Dulak says: “I would say that a Kindle has its place but only when I’m on holiday,”

Cooke is an ebook enthusiast: “What’s really exciting about digital is it can allow new ways to tell stories and engage people, such as books that include the reader making a choice as they go through or [a book] that reacts to the reader’s environment.” He recommends Breathe by Kate Pullinger , a ghost story that is designed to be read on your phone and uses data about you to create a personal experience of the book based on your circumstances.

17. Avoid fines

The best way to do this, says Dulak, is to “keep your books visible – not under the bed – and in the same place so you always know where they are”. “Don’t fear the fine,” says Cooke. “Find out what your library’s policy is, how to renew online, and set a calendar alert.”

18. For the perfect unputdownable holiday read, try …

Pearl: “What I would look for is a good saga or a really good fantasy novel. Rosamunde Pilcher was a great holiday book writer.”

Morrish: “For people who don’t read regularly, I would recommend Tahereh Mafi , a crossover author who writes adult and YA. Her writing style is almost like a text message: short, sharp chapters, written in stream of consciousness.”

Middleton: “The Tales of the City books by Armistead Maupin. I’m halfway through the new one – it’s brilliant.”

Cooke: “ 80 Days by Inkle Studios , an online retelling of the classic in which you help Phileas Fogg around the world and get drawn into your own adventures too.”

Dulak: “The Skandar series by AF Steadman is good for kids because it’s got bloodthirsty unicorns and Harry Potter-esque magic but with a more contemporary twist. For older readers, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, a beautifully written page-turner about love, loss and gaming.”

19. Know when to give up

The librarians agree on the 50-page rule. “Read to the bottom of page 50,” says Pearl. “If you’re enjoying it, of course go on. If you just can’t slog through it, then stop reading. If all you care about is, did they get the killer?, then turn to the last page.” She adds: “As my 50s came and went, I realised that you don’t have enough time left to read all the books that you want to read. So if you’re 51 and up, subtract your age from 100 and that number, which gets smaller every year, is the number of pages you should read before you can guiltlessly give up on a book. When you turn 100, the ultimate reward is that you can judge a book by its cover.”

20. Read a book and reap the rewards

“If you take 10 minutes a day to sink into a book, newspaper or read anything, it is very good for your mental health,” says Middleton. “There is lots of medical evidence of that being the case. Reading a book for 10 minutes is better for you than listening to your favourite record.”

Morrish makes a final impassioned plea: “It has been scientifically proven that reading increases your powers of empathy, social skills and ability to relate to other people. It relaxes you, it lowers your cortisol levels and blood pressure. It increases your vocabulary, your knowledge, creativity and imagination. If you read for pleasure, your grades will be better. To read from a book gives you time off the screen, which is hugely beneficial for your mental health.”

• The experts
• Pulitzer prize
• Richard Osman
• British Library

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