many books, so little time.
How to consume more books
- get a subscription to Audible.com
- buy a Kindle (the Paperwhite is a great)
- a few pages a day in regular habit beats trying to schedule ‘downtime’ to read a whole book IMHO, but everyone has their own way
Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog
Which books?
A few quick wins which I found great reads; there are of course so many more.
Strategic – the idea, the why, the approach
Tactical – how to build product
The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses
If you’re building a product or service for users or customers, I recommend you read this immediately. One the best books I’ve ever read providing a practical methology (which when you accept it, is actually just common sense) to building what your customers or users actually want. Having learnt the hard way by doing it wrong, I wish I’d read this book 15 years ago and it’s provided a concrete backup to the recommendations I make to early stage start-ups today. If you’re not yet convinced, read this sample “Are you building the right product?” from Techcrunch and a video from Techcrunch TV and another interview on TC.
Tactical & Strategic – covering many bases
A guide-in-a-box; swallow this plus Lean Startup and Zero to One, you’ll be armed with everything you need for your first year in the trenches.
One of the very best all-rounder books for someone who has never run a start-up; and in fact a good reminder of what is really important for all of us who have!
Resilience
Management and building businesses
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
Leadership
Improving oneself and managing others.
Napoleon Hills keys to Success
I’ve never been huge on “self help” books, but as this sector goes, you’d do worse than this. Re-edited from original copy written in the 30’s and 40’s it is all relevant today. If only I could memorise this entire book and apply everything every day. If you’re going to get one like this, get this one.
Businesses Wisdom
A tasting menu.
Want an MBA? forget it – you’re better off just going building and breaking things. This is a compendium of the thoughts of the best business builders in the world, their books concentrated into the core ethos, enabling the everyday reader to easily understand these hugely influential management ideas and how they changed the face of modern-day business. Disclaimer: I co-wrote this.
Branding & Marketing
Awesome book about brands, practical tips and wonderfully designed
Culture
Management and being different
Maverick
Read about the remarkable real world example of giving staff autonomy and responsibility; even choosing their own salary.
Human Behaviour
Getting people (inc. your customers) to do things
Influence: Science and Practice
Designing a consumer product or service? This is an insanely valuable read. Buy it right now (this link goes to a new, 5th Edition of the book)
Getting a Job
Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions
As a repeated co-founder, I’ve never read this thoroughly; but I have given it as a gift and the feedback was that it is brilliant. ‘Nuff said.
Urban Horizon blog 
Loved the lean start up! Such a must for all entrepreneurs!