I read 100+ books this year. I want to pass on the best ones that have impacted me, hoping they'll do the same for you.
I read more than 100 books this year, mainly focusing on business, psychology, economics, and biographies. Some of these books have really changed the way I think and see the world. My goal is to pass along the very best of what I read this year with the hope that one or two of these could impact you the way they have impacted me.
Books are a huge part of my ongoing self-education. I try to read many different types of books from different time periods. I want my mind to be challenged in more than just one stream of thought. This list represents my varied reading and covers business, history, faith, relationships, psychology and economics. Scroll down to read my summary and what impacted me about each book.
What we think of as capitalism is over.
We're living life after capitalism. George Gilder, a bestselling futurist and venture capitalist, explains that economics is an information system, not an incentive system. Free markets thrive on human creativity, leading to economic growth. By tapping into capitalism's infinite promise, humanity can escape stagnation and tyranny. Gilder's paradigm-shifting ideas rock modern information theory and economics.
Everywhere we look these days, there's a reason to be discouraged. I found myself deeply encouraged by the power of human innovation and its ability to harness natural resources in increasingly efficient ways. In his book, Gilder explores the concept of time theory of money and explains how it is the most accurate measure of economic health. When viewed through the lens of time theory, it is truly remarkable to see how human innovation continually drives economic growth and creates wealth.
We live in a moment in history dominated by devices, social media, virtual work and limitless content designed to capture our attention.
Brian Grazer's book "Face to Face" explores how genuine connections with people have revolutionized his life and can change yours, too. He shares his experiences with people like Bill Gates, Taraji P. Henson, Barack Obama, Eminem, and Prince to show how personal interaction can lead to our greatest achievements and most meaningful moments. Only when we are face to face can we form the kinds of connections that open doors we could never have imagined.
In the last decade, I have spent a considerable amount of time meeting with interesting individuals to learn how they think. Brian refers to these types of meetings as curiosity conversations, and he has had them with some of the most interesting people in the world. This book has inspired me to be more intentional about investing my time in face-to-face curiosity conversations. Most meetings have an agenda, and it's easy to make people and relationships into something that must have a practical use. My curiosity conversations have helped me become a better father and emboldened me to take adventures, explore new ideas, and gain fresh insights into business. In the end, these conversations probably have more utility than most agenda-driven meetings, but we don't know ahead of time what that will be.
Salespeople are not what we expect. Successful salespeople are not overly confident or pushy but rather self-aware and socially aware. Colin Coggins and Garrett Brown interviewed successful people from different fields and found that they all had a similar approach to selling. The Unsold Mindset is a new approach to selling and life that challenges traditional sales techniques. The best salespeople aren't successful because of what they do, but because of what they think.
This book is a much-needed perspective change for everyone who is in a sales role (I also recommend reading To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink). I have traditionally hated everything about sales. However, I love sharing things that I love and believe in. This book showed me that I can still reject everything about pushy, manipulative sales methods and be great at sales.
Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky published a series of studies about how people make decisions. They showed that people often make mistakes when faced with uncertain situations. Their work created the field of behavioral economics and revolutionized Big Data studies. The Undoing Project chronicles their partnership and profound influence on the study of psychology.
The StacDek Framework and our value-based approach to strategic decision-making were heavily influenced by Kahneman and Tversky's research. Our personal experience showed us how easy it is for people to fall into thinking traps and build their business strategies around assumptions, biases, and feelings. Their work helped us understand the human decision-making processes and how we can bring an evidence-based approach to strategic design. This book is a fascinating dive into their journey and its implications on our lives.
The only reason I read this book is because I was committed to reading all of George Gilder's books. He is one of the thought leaders that has had the most profound impact on my life, so I felt obligated to at least read this book. I had no idea that it was currently having a resurgence in popularity and had recently been reprinted. I was shocked when it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite books.
Marriage is a powerful force that transforms men and builds nations. Our society is confused about the character and purpose of men and masculinity in the 21st century. Gilder's book offers a thought-provoking look at men and how marriage matters to them. In true Gilder fashion, he connects the personal impact of marriage on men to the social and economic impact it has on society. Gilder goes beyond the religious or moral question of marriage by exploring the real-world impact of what happens when men get married and have families.
Whether you agree or not with his vision, this book is worth your attention.
The Comanches were known for their exceptional fighting skills and stopped colonial Spain and French expansion westward. When white settlers arrived in Texas, they found the Comanches pushing back against their invasion of tribal lands. They were so effective that they forced the creation of the Texas Rangers and the development of a new weapon, the Colt revolver, specifically designed to fight them. The war with the Comanches lasted 40 years, delaying the development of the new American nation.
I loved this book first because much of it took place where we live in the Texas Hill Country and also because it challenged what I thought about the history of the American West. It has led me to read more books on the history of American Indians, the frontier, and westward expansion. I was particularly interested in how John "Jack" Coffee Hays rapidly innovated the Texas Rangers into a formidable fighting force.
I first read this book ten years ago but chose to pick it up again and was very glad I did. It can be challenging to read, even for those who are determined. He uses obscure references and outdated vocabulary, which can leave you feeling overwhelmed. If you can take your time and push through it, you will find it to be full of wisdom. Chesterton manages to simplify the complexity of Christian theology into wonderfully clear and logical thoughts.
Below I tried to paraphrase and simplify one of Chesterton's main points in the book and the one that had the most impact on me personally.
I believe that miracles have occurred in human history, based on human testimonial evidence, just like I believe in the discovery of America. It's a common misconception that people who don't believe in miracles are rational, while those who do believe only do so because of their faith. In reality, it's the opposite. Believers in miracles have evidence to support their belief, while non-believers deny miracles simply because of their doctrine.
There is an overwhelming amount of human testimony in favor of the supernatural. If you reject it, you're either denying the main principle of democracy (the value of each individual vote) or affirming the main principle of materialism (the abstract impossibility of miracle). You have the right to do either, but you're the dogmatist or the elitist. We Christians accept all actual evidence, while rationalists refuse actual evidence because of their creed. As for me, I'm not constrained by any creed in this matter, and after looking into certain miracles of medieval and modern times, I've concluded that they did occur. Arguments against these facts are always circular.
The Net Promoter System (NPS) is a popular management idea used by thousands of companies worldwide. Its creator, Fred Reichheld, believes that the main goal of any business should be to improve the lives of its customers. When customers feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to return and bring their friends. This generates good profits, which is why Reichheld offers a new take on the Golden Rule - to treat customers the way you would want to be treated.
Companies that follow NPS have consistently delivered higher returns to shareholders across several industries. However, winning on purpose isn't easy. Reichheld explains that many NPS practitioners only achieve a small fraction of the system's full potential. In this book, Reichheld shares wisdom and personal stories to advance how we think about improving the lives of our customers. This book is an indispensable guide for inspiring customer love within your team.
I care about this topic a lot, and it's central to our work. Our value-based approach to strategy helps companies put customers at the heart of everything they do, from raising for an early round to employee retention, marketing, and product design. This book shares overwhelming evidence for why every company should be in the business of improving their customer's lives in everything they do.
Thanks for checking out my favorite books from 2023. If you want more recommended reading, then sign up for our email updates.
John Walt
CEO/Cofounder - StacDek
StacDek helps companies design strategies that drive growth.
