Learning Journey: My Top 33 Non-Fiction Bookshelf

The landscape of non-fiction books is vast. In this post I want to share my top 33 picks accompanied by a brief summary with you.

Photo by Iñaki del Olmo on Unsplash

1. Homo Deus: This book is the successor of the bestseller “Sapiens”. The author explores the future of humanity, envisioning a world where humans transition from conquering the challenges of the past, such as famine and disease, to aspiring for god-like capabilities and immortality through technological advancements.
2. SCRUM: How to Do Twice the Work in Half the Time: A great read delving into agile methods and how they can supercharge projectmanagement.
3. How to Fail: This book offers a philosophical perspective on the inevitability of failure and explores the valuable lessons one can glean from these setbacks. The author shares personal anecdotes of her own failures and details how she successfully navigated through them.
4. Getting To Yes: A negotiation guide that advocates for principled negotiation, focusing on mutual interests and solutions rather than positions. The book emphasizes creating win-win agreements by fostering open communication and collaborative problem-solving.
5. Capital in the Twenty-First Century: In this influential book, the author analyzes the historical patterns of wealth inequality, highlighting the dynamics between capital accumulation and economic growth while proposing policy solutions to address the increasing disparity in the modern era.
6. Thinking, Fast and Slow: Nobel Prize-winning author Daniel Kahneman’s acclaimed work delves into the intersection of economics and psychology, debunking the concept of the homo economicus and revealing how human decisions are shaped by psychological biases and distortions. For a deep dive in this influential book, check out this article.
7. How to win friends and influence people: This is a timeless self-help classic that provides practical principles for building meaningful connections, enhancing interpersonal skills, and positively influencing others.
8. Outliers: Malcom Gladwell shows stories of successful people and shows how big the influence of chance is.
9. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century: The book offers insightful reflections and practical wisdom on navigating the challenges of our rapidly evolving world, addressing issues such as technology, politics, and humanity’s future. The author provides a compelling guide for understanding and adapting to the complexities of the present era.
10. Meditations: The author Marcus Aurelius was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher. The book is a timeless collection of personal writings and philosophical reflections, offering profound insights on life, virtue, and the pursuit of wisdom. As there does not exist a copyright anymore, the book is available for free (e.g. here).
11. Shaolin: In this book, the author shares his experiences from the time he spent with the Shaolin monks and what he learnt with regards to leadership, self-control and continous improvement.
12. The Art of War: It is a classic Chinese book on military strategy and tactics, providing timeless wisdom on leadership, planning, and conflict resolution. This ancient text remains a profound guide for navigating various challenges in strategic decision-making in diverse fields.
13. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Stephen Covey outlines a holistic approach to personal and professional effectiveness through cultivating seven fundamental habits. The book emphasizes principles such as proactivity, prioritization, and synergy to empower individuals to achieve lasting success and fulfillment in their lives.
14. The Infinite Game: Simon Sinek explores the concept of business as an infinite game, offering insights on adopting a long-term perspective, embracing adaptability, and fostering a culture of collaboration for sustained success in the ever-changing landscape of business.
15. Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The book delves into the principles of effective strategy, emphasizing the importance of clear diagnosis, guiding policies, and coherent actions, while contrasting it with common pitfalls like fluff and unrealistic goals, providing valuable insights for strategic thinking. The book offers practical guidance on developing strategies that go beyond mere goal-setting and encompass thoughtful, coordinated actions for success.
16. Psychology of Money: The author explores the intricate relationship between human behavior and financial decision-making, revealing the psychological nuances that shape our attitudes towards wealth and success.
17. Leaders Eat Last: In this book the focus is on the concept of leadership and the importance of fostering a supportive and selfless environment within organizations to inspire trust and collaboration among team members.
18. The 4 Hour Startup: Felix Plötz, the German author of this book shares his collection of startup stories which started small as a side business. The book also contains an actionable guide on how to start a small side-business.
19. The Lean Startup: Lean has become a potent strategy to increase efficiency and effectiveness in manufacturing. “The Lean Startup” revolutionizes traditional business approaches by championing a lean methodology, promoting continuous innovation, and customer feedback loops to navigate the unpredictable terrain of entrepreneurship, fostering resilient and successful ventures. You want to read more? Check out my deep dive.
20. Calling Bullshit: As data permeates every aspect of our lives, so do visualizations. The authors provide compelling insights on discerning misleading visual representations, offering effective strategies to navigate the vast landscape of data interpretations. For a deeper dive, you can check out my post about habits.
21. Führen mit Hirn: The book explores brain-based leadership strategies, delving into the neuroscience behind effective leadership practices to enhance decision-making and team dynamics.
22. One Minute Manager Meets The Monkey: In the book leadership challenges are addressed through the metaphor of “monkey management,” where managers learn to delegate effectively and empower their teams, breaking the cycle of dependency. The book provides practical insights into time management, responsibility delegation, and fostering a more productive work environment.
23. The Miracle of Appreciation: The book elucidates how workplace appreciation not only enhances employee satisfaction but also positively impacts performance and the overall work environment.
24. The Subtle Art of not Giving a F.ck: Mark Manson challenges conventional self-help notions, advocating for embracing life’s challenges, focusing on essential values, and recognizing that not everything deserves our attention.
25. Designing Your Life: The authors leverage design thinking principles to offer a transformative approach to personal development, empowering readers to craft a life that reflects their values and goals through a dynamic process of exploration and iteration. If you are interested in the book, check out my 3 part series distilling the key insights.
26. Start with Why: Simon Sinek delves into the concept of inspiring leadership by emphasizing the importance of identifying and communicating the fundamental “why” behind actions and decisions, asserting that this clarity can foster trust and loyalty.
27. Getting Things Done: David Allen provides a comprehensive system for productivity, focusing on organizing tasks, managing commitments, and achieving a stress-free workflow through practical techniques that enhance efficiency and clarity. If you are interested in the book, check out my deep dive.
28. The Machine That Changed the World: This book is one of the most influential books about lean manufacturing of all times. The methods described are not only interesting for the manufacturing industry, but can be also applied in personal productivity.
29. Man’s Search For Meaning: The book by Viktor Frankl is a profound exploration of the human experience in the face of suffering, drawing from his experiences in Nazi concentration camps. The book delves into the psychological resilience that can be found through finding purpose and meaning, even in the midst of the harshest circumstances.
30. The Millionaire Fastlane: The book emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurial mindset and unconventional approaches to financial success, challenging conventional notions of wealth-building and advocating for strategies that prioritize speed and innovation.
31. Rich Dad Poor Dad: The narrative contrasts two contrasting approaches to financial management, offering insights into the mindset and strategies that contribute to sustainable wealth creation.
32. Atomic Habits: James Clear delves into the transformative power of tiny habits, illustrating how small changes can lead to remarkable results in personal development and achievement. For a deeper dive, you can check out my post about habits.
33. How to Take Smart Notes: This book provides a comprehensive exploration of Prof. Niklas Luhmann’s highly effective method of note-taking. If you are interested, I wrote a book summary.

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