Read 100 Business Books I

In pursuit of becoming a successful blogger and entrepreneur, I set myself the challenge of reading a hundred books related to my projects. Following you’ll find an overview of the books that I’ve read so far, the ones I’m currently reading, and the next read up.

Two same women reading Kindle on couch

In 2012, when I started this blog, and Mr. G and I were getting ourselves into internet marketing, I didn’t know anything about running a blog or online business. My degree in European studies, which got me an insight into European politics, proved of little use when it came to building websites or writing copy.

I figured that if I was ever to become a successful blogger and entrepreneur, I needed to school myself in the topics of my new pursuits. Thus, inspired by James Altucher’s article, The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Reinventing Yourself, I decided that one way I was going to do this was by reading a hundred books related to my projects.

The following list includes the* first part* of the books that I’ve read so far. Reads that influence my everyday life are marked with a 🖖🏼; light, fun ones with a 🐧; topic-specific stunners with a ⭐ and general must-reads with a ⚡.

UPDATE - October 2017

For finished read number 28 and up, the book I’m currently reading, and the next one on the list, go to Read 100 Business Books II.

Finished Reads

27. Ikigai

🔗 Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life – Héctor García & Francesc Miralles

I read the Spanish edition: Ikigai: Los Secretos de Japón para una Vida Larga y Feliz, which was gifted to me by the author.

Ikigai is one of the first books that I read in Spanish and it was great for practicing my reading skills. The language was easy to follow, and I liked the topics discussed. I also loved the peeks into the Japanese way of living, but I did hope the book would go much further into the subject of how to find one’s passion–which, unfortunately, it didn’t.

Sidenote: Before Ikigai, there was Mr. G’s high-school poetry book, The Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James, and El Trabajo De Un Dragón Nunca Tiene Fin by Stephanie Barrett.

26. The New Psycho-Cybernetics

🔗 The New Psycho-Cybernetics – Maxwell Maltz

A theory on how our self-image controls our ability to achieve our goals.

You act and feel not according to what things are really like, but according to the image your mind holds of what they are like. You have certain mental images of yourself, your world, and the people around you, and you behave as though these images were the truth, the reality, rather than the things they represent. (p.50, loc. 978)

I haven’t done any of the exercises in the book, so I can’t say if the theory works or doesn’t. Nonetheless, I do recognize the potential in building a better self-image. And, I plan on putting some of the theory into practice, like challenging the negative ideas that I accept as facts about myself.

25. Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition

🔗 Bryan Peterson’s Exposure Solutions: The Most Common Photography Problems and How to Solve Them – Bryan Peterson ⭐

Presents twenty-eight of the most common exposure problems and solutions.

Touches upon the same concepts about exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and light as in Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition, but in a far more concise manner, and with a new set of before-and-after images. I suggest reading Understanding Exposure first and then using this book as a reference for when you find yourself in a tricky exposure situation.

24. Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition

🔗 Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera – Bryan Peterson ⭐

Explains how to get creatively correct exposures in a variety of situations (with plenty of example images and their settings).

I wanted to re-read Understanding Exposure, Third Edition for my photography spin-off when I saw that this revised version was available. I’m happy I went with the newer version as it includes more timely tips and new before-and-after images and examples.

Also, this time around I understood the concepts explained much better. But, even though I’m now convinced that Understanding Exposure is an unmissable resource for beginner photographers, I do also still think the book can be difficult to follow if you don’t have a decent understanding of your camera’s manual settings yet.

23. On Writing Well

🔗 On Writing Well – William Zinsser ⭐

A guide to writing cleaner, better nonfiction.

I first picked up On Writing Well when I was struggling with writer’s block. I thought a guide on how to write better might help me work through it, but unfortunately, however, the opposite was true.

Zinner’s principles, and his half-condescending tone about “bad writing,” only seemed to underline all that I was doing wrong, and how poor my writing was. It wasn’t until months later when I found the joy of writing back, that I would return to the book, and was able to use it to improve my writing drastically. I now often go back and reread parts of it.

22. The Artist’s Way

🔗 The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron 🖖🏼

A 12-week program for un(b)locking your creativity through daily journaling and weekly exercises.

Without The Artist’s Way, I wouldn’t have been able to finish blogging about The Spin-Off Project. Cameron’s program helped me regain the joy of creating and writing that I had lost to perfectionism. The Artist’s Way is a tool, by the way, and for it to work, you need to use it. Only reading the book won’t be enough. Also, you’ll need to swallow some “God-talk”–just do it.

I first read about The Artist’s Way in Tim Ferriss’s article What My Morning Journal Looks Like.

21. Ego Is the Enemy

🔗 Ego Is the Enemy – Ryan Holiday (audiobook) 🖖🏼

How falling into the trap of trying “to be someone” (liked, popular, famous), can sidetrack us from producing good work, which is what matters most when it comes to having a meaningful career (and life), not fame.

For a long time, I struggled to consolidate producing good work and trying to make this blog more popular. Ego Is the Enemy put into perspective for me that it’s okay to find the former more important than the latter, and that I can do the work without chasing the recognition.

20. Big Magic

🔗 Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert (audiobook) 🖖🏼

Discusses the fears that come with the pursuit of a creative life and shows us how to overcome them.

Big Magic changed the way I think of the creative process. It helped me to release some of the pressure I was putting on myself and my work. Nowadays, I try to have more fun while creating, and instead of chasing perfectionism, I force myself to meet self-set deadlines.

Recommended to me by my dear friend and super-talented photographer, Silvia Falcomer.

19. The Art of Possibility

🔗 The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life – Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander (audiobook)

Introduces new perspectives on how to deal with everyday obstacles.

Although I haven’t yet managed to fully live by the practices as introduced in this book, which is greatly inspiring but at the same time still feel a little utopian, they do exist in the back of my mind from where they come to the foreground now and then. I especially like “Rule Number 6” (“Don’t take yourself so damn seriously”) and “Giving an A” to yourself at the beginning of new projects.

Recommended by Seth Godin on The Tim Ferriss Show in the podcast episode How Seth Godin Manages his Life–Rules, Principles, and Obsessions.

18. How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less

🔗 How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less – Nicholas Boothman 🖖🏼

Introduces a set of communication skills that can help you become a better conversation partner.

I can’t believe I never picked up a book like this before. What could be more important than learning how to communicate with people? I’m far from consistent when it comes to leaving a great first impression, and understanding why that might be, and how I can try to tip the odds in my favor when needed, has been quite helpful.

17. Marco Polo Didn’t Go There

🔗 Marco Polo Didn’t Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer – Rolf Potts 🐧

Twenty travel articles of which some accompanied by endnotes that reveal the scenes behind the author’s travel journeys and the literary choices he made in the name of good storytelling.

I love Rolf Potts’ writing. It’s good, and it’s funny. And having his stories complemented with a peek into his writing process and travel journeys is very special. I based the behind-the-scenes posts in 30 Days of Travel Stories and Lessons Learned on the Road on this idea.

16. Influence

🔗 Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – Robert B. Cialdini ⚡

Explains six techniques of persuasion that are used by people to talk us into buying their products, or even, their beliefs and ideas.

It’s super useful and fun (because it’s empowering) to be able to recognize when you’re being persuaded into buying something or into complying with a request. I’ve used some of the techniques on Mr. G (just once or twice 🙄), and they worked. In my defense, though, I did tell him to read the book–and you should too.

15. Travel Writing

🔗 Travel Writing: Expert Advice from the World’s Leading Travel Publisher (Lonely Planet) – Don George

A practical guide to (never) becoming a (barely) paid travel writer.

I like part one of the book for its writing exercises, advice on crafting stories, and examples of travel stories. Nevertheless, there’s too much emphasis on the gloom and doom of a travel writer’s life throughout the entire book. It will kill any dreams that you might have of becoming a travel writer.

14. The Art of Learning

🔗 The Art of Learning – Josh Waitzkin (audiobook – semi-autobiography)

I hoped to learn more about “The art of learning” and how to best master a skill but found the material to be very vague on this topic. I learned more about these subjects by reading Derek Sivers’ highlights and notes on Waitzkin’s book.

13. Daily Rituals

🔗 Daily Rituals: How Artists Work – Mason Currey 🐧

Fun, easy read covering the creative routines of Franz Kafka, Jean-Paul Sartre, René Descartes, Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, Benjamin Franklin, Jane Austen and 155 other great minds.

For some time now, I’ve been experimenting with different working routines, trying to create one that works best for me. And it’s not easy. This book, however, reminds me that building discipline and creating daily habits is something most creatives struggle with and encourages me to keep trying.

12. Losing My Virginity

🔗 Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way – Richard Branson (autobiography)

Branson’s life and business endeavors are nothing short of remarkable. And yet, his success stories fail to inspire me because they seem irreplicable: based on irresponsible risk-taking and supported by a whole lot of luck.

11. The Power of Full Engagement

🔗 The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal – Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz 🖖🏼⚡

Insights into how to increase performance by alternating periods of hard work with rituals of disengagement. Accompanied by case studies and easy-to-implement habit hacks.

Stressed the importance of building in meaningful breaks during my working hours which made me feel less guilty about taking them.

Gifted to me by Daniele.

10. Get Rich Click!

🔗 Get Rich Click!: The Ultimate Guide to Making Money on the Internet – Marc Ostrofsky

Showcases the ways that you can make money online, or at least, could’ve made.

This is not a guide. It’s more of an extended table of contents, and an outdated one for that matter. If you’re interested in learning about the available online business opportunities, I suggest you use good ole’ Google.

9. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

🔗 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change - Stephen R. Covey 🖖🏼⚡

On living a more grounded and integer life based on principles rather than emotions.

This book has had an enormous impact on both my personal and professional life. One of the most important things it taught me, is that my greatest power lies in my freedom to choose a response to whatever happens to me.

This has helped me improve my communication skills and ease tensions in numerous situations. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of one of the techniques or habits described in this book. It’s an endless source of life lessons.

8. Web Marketing All-in-One For Dummies

🔗 Web Marketing All-in-One For Dummies – John Arnold et al.

Eight books in one covering different areas of web marketing, like search engine optimization, web analytics, online advertising, social media marketing and mobile marketing.

Offers at times too much detail for total beginners and too little for advanced beginners. Although surely not the best material around on web marketing, it could serve as a starting point.

7. The Art of Thinking Clearly

🔗 The Art of Thinking Clearly: Better Thinking, Better Decisions – Rolf Dobelli ⚡

Explains the cognitive biases (errors in thinking) that lead to inaccurate judgments, incorrect interpretations, and erroneous decision-making.

Fascinating, humbling and super educational.

6. How to Thrive in the Digital Age

🔗 How to Thrive in the Digital Age – Tom Chatfield

Discusses what effect our ever-connected world has on our lives and offers suggestions on how to best live in a digital world.

Light philosophical reads like these are my idea of reading for fun.

5. Purple Cow

🔗 Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable – Seth Godin

Explains with one overarching idea (be remarkable) and inspiring case studies how to create an exceptionally successful business, service or product, and how to get it noticed

4. The Associated Press Guide to Punctuation

🔗 The Associated Press Guide to Punctuation – Rene J. Cappon

About the rules of punctuation.

Taught me everything I needed to know about punctuation, but unfortunately, however, I couldn’t remember any of it. Thus, I tried using it as a reference book but then found it easier to use Google instead.

3. How to Write about Food

🔗 How to Write about Food: How to Become a Published Restaurant Critic, Food Journalist, Cookbook Author, and Food Blogger – S.J. Sebellin-Ross

What you need to know about becoming a published food writer.

This book isn’t about “How to Write about Food” (like the main title suggests), but about “How to Become a Published Restaurant Critic, Food Journalist, Cookbook Author, and Food Blogger” (like the subtitle says). It didn’t help that I was interested in the former topic rather than the latter, but I found the content weak.

2. Understanding Exposure, Third Edition

🔗 Understanding Exposure, Third Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera – Bryan Peterson

Explains how to get creatively correct exposures in a variety of situations (with plenty of example images and their settings).

Although I now have a better understanding of the fundamental photography concepts, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure; I didn’t get as much out of this book as I hoped. I suspect this has to do with my not being familiar enough with my camera’s manual settings.

I picked up Understanding Exposure per Tim Ferriss’s recommendation in Food Photography Made Easy — Simple Tricks and Pro Tips from The 4-Hour Chef.

1. Bird by Bird

🔗 Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life – Anne Lamott ⭐

Instructions on how to write well and soothing advice on how to deal with insecurities and difficulties that come with writing.

Lamott reassured me that writing isn’t easy for anyone, and that writing well has to do more with practice than talent.

Tell me what you think. Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (links match comment pages for this post) and let me know: Do you have any must-read recommendations on the topics mentioned? And if you’ve changed careers before, what strategies did you use to become better at your new job?