Book Reviews: Top Recommendations & Summaries

A reader on my blog (shout-out to Saadman!) suggested that I write post on book reviews. I have had that on my mind for quite a while but whenever I contemplated putting pen to the paper, I couldn’t write. That’s because there’s so many great books out there and who knows when I’ll discover the best book. But I’ve worked my way around it. This post will always be a work in progress – meaning that I’ll keep on updating it every now and then. Over time, I will be writing in depth reviews of each and every book I read.

The books mentioned below are ones I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn and better himself. Mind you that these are books I have read so my views might be a little biased and I understand that there are other great books that I may have not read. But that’s exactly why this is a work in progress. Let me know in the comments if you have a great book you’d want me to read.

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

I can’t even begin to stress how much of a life-changer this book has been to me. My decision to become an entrepreneur is influenced by great books like this one. The style in which this book has been written will grab your attention from the first page to the last. Throughout the book, Robert stresses the importance of financial education – something that our parents don’t know about. Income, expenses, assets, liabilities – these are terms used in accounting, but Robert uses them to teach us valuable lessons. Lessons like – the poor only have expenses; the middle-class buy liabilities which they think are assets, and the rich buy income-generating assets. This book will thoroughly convince you to start your own business. I will be writing an article soon on my motivations behind ditching a corporate career and choosing entrepreneurship but I’ll give you a few teasers here. Did you know that Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary? Did you know that in a 9 to 5 job, you get taxed twice – the time you earn and the time you spend – whereas someone with a corporation would simply pay for his expenses from using pre-tax dollars from the company? I doubt you do. So give this book a read if you want to learn more about financial literacy.

2. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

If you haven’t read this 1937 classic, you’re doomed. Yes, this book is old and that’s what makes it so great. Carnegie’s principles are timeless. The level of depth and research this man has done to create this masterpiece is absolutely amazing. Who knew simple concepts like remembering a person’s name, making the other person feel important, and admitting our mistakes are really foundation of communication. I have used some of the techniques in the book and they work! If you want to improve your social and communication skills, then this is the ultimate go-to book.

3. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

It’s funny how we seem to know what’s good and what’s bad yet we need someone to tell us so. This book does exactly that. In order to be highly effective, Stephen Covey tells us to pick up 7 habits. I won’t go over each of them here but I’ll tell you that it’s this book is a gem. It talks about simple concepts with vivid examples. Concepts like being proactive, or putting first things first, or sharpening the saw seem so simple yet we struggle with them the most. I would highly recommend you read at least the summary (I will be publishing one next week! 🙂 You can subscribe to my newsletter to keep track.).

4. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris

The tagline of the book “Escape 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich” is very tempting and encapsulates the core idea of the book very well. A lot of people claim this book to be a scam, but I assure you that there are many people out there who are living their dream by working only 4 hours a week. Don’t be naive about it and think that there’s a shortcut here. You have to be willing to work your butt off for this. This book talks about how you can do that by creating a product, and being effective by eliminating and outsourcing your processes. The core idea of this book revolves around the concept of absolute and relative income. In short, you’ll learn a lot and its a great read.

5. Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk

I have been reading on running online businesses a lot lately and every time the word online business/blog is mentioned, you’ll find that Gary Vaynerchuck’s name is being thrown around. Although the theme of this book revolves around creating a personal brand in the online world, Gary shares his three simple rules to live life by – loving our family, working superhard, and living our passion. If you want to crush it financially, personally, and professionally, then this book is a must read.

6. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

This book pinpoints what real happiness is all about. It provides a different perspective than what we are taught by this materialistic world. Happiness is not something we can pursue. It is something that’s always with us. The book has some life changing ideas like how we don’t have any control over the stimulus that’s presented to us but how we maintain absolute control over our response. If you want to learn more about happiness, head on over to my article How to be Happy: The Only Way to be Truly Happy.

7. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

The name of the book gives it away. But written in 1937, this book is another timeless classic. Napoleon Hill says that the only way to be become rich is by thinking. I know you’re wondering that it can’t be that simple. But it is! Think of it this way – everything in a business can be outsourced but not the thought process. Most people like to be told what to do, and they know how to do it very well. If only they could figure what to do on their own, they’ll become rich. It would be foolish to think that you can become successful just by thinking and doing nothing, but it’s a start. Do give this book a read to find out more about this classic.

For now, you’ll just have to make do with 7 book reviews. I hope to one day include the books that I’m yet to read. Most of them won’t make it to my top list but I have great things about them and will surely leave a separate review for them. My reading list currently has:

1. Willpower by Roy Baumeister & John Tierney
2. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
3. The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
4. Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
5. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
6. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
7. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
8. Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
9. Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
10. Predictably Irrational by Ariely
11. Originals by Adam Grant
12. Getting Things Done by David Allen
13. Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
14. Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson
15. The Warren Buffett Way by Robert G. Hagstrom
16. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
17. Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova
18. The 4-Hour Chef by Tim Ferris
19. The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris
20. #AskGaryVee by Gary Vaynerchuk
21. Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson
22. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
23. Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield
24. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
25. And God knows how many more!!

Wish me luck so that I can finish them all.

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