ashes of my shelf
Over the years, I've read a few thousand books. Some of which were about business. This list has 44 recommendations.
The Tools of Argument
The Tools of Argument by Joel P. Trachtman is a concise but powerful guide for mastering persuasive reasoning and structured debate. Written by a professor of international law, the book distills the techniques used by lawyers to craft airtight arguments and dismantle flawed logic. Trachtman provides readers with an accessible toolkit: how to build syllogisms, […]
The Innovator’s Dilemma
His work is cited by the world’s best-known thought leaders, from Steve Jobs to Malcolm Gladwell. In this classic bestseller—one of the most influential business books of all time—innovation expert Clayton Christensen shows how even the most outstanding companies can do everything right yet still lose market leadership. Now with a foreword by Marc Benioff, […]
The Lean Startup
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries redefines how startups—and even large enterprises—should approach product development and innovation. Rooted in lean manufacturing principles and agile development, Ries introduces a methodology that emphasizes rapid experimentation, validated learning, and iterative product releases to build businesses that are both capital-efficient and responsive to customer needs. Central to Ries’ approach […]
That Will Never Work
That Will Never Work is the candid and compelling origin story of Netflix, as told by its co-founder and first CEO, Marc Randolph. Part memoir, part entrepreneurial playbook, the book chronicles the company’s early struggles—from shaky beginnings and laughable ideas to market pivots and eventual success. Randolph writes with wit and humility, capturing the chaotic, […]
The Lucifer Effect
The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil is a chilling and deeply insightful exploration into the psychology of human behavior. Written by renowned psychologist Philip Zimbardo—creator of the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment—this book examines how ordinary, decent individuals can commit unspeakable acts under the influence of certain social and situational forces. Through gripping […]
Obedience to Authority
In the 1960s Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram famously carried out a series of experiments that forever changed our perceptions of morality and free will. The subjects – or “teachers” – were instructed to administer electroshocks to a human “learner,” with the shocks becoming progressively more powerful and painful. Controversial but now strongly vindicated by […]