Recommendations based on Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Muchby Sendhil Mullainathan

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Thinking, Fast and Slow

    by Daniel Kahneman
    An exploration of the two systems of the mind, and how they influence decision-making.

    In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow , Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and ... (Goodreads)

  2. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

    by Atul Gawande
    An exploration of the human experience of mortality and the importance of end-of-life care.

    In, Being Mortal, author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending Medicine has triumphed in modern ... (Goodreads)

  3. Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

    by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
    An exploration of how disorder and chaos can lead to strength and resilience.

    From the bestselling author of The Black Swan and one of the foremost philosophers of our time, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a book on how some systems actually benefit from disorder. In The Black Swan ... (Goodreads)

  4. Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

    by Ed Catmull
    An exploration of the principles and strategies that drive success in the creative process.

    “What does it mean to manage well?” From Ed Catmull, co-founder (with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter) of Pixar Animation Studios, comes an incisive book about creativity in business—sure to appeal to ... (Goodreads)

  5. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

    by Robert B. Cialdini
    An analysis of the psychology of persuasion and how to use it to influence people.

    Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding ... (Goodreads)

  6. Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics

    by Richard H. Thaler
    An exploration of the principles of behavioral economics and its implications for society.

    Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Get ready to change the way you think about economics., Nobel laureate Richard H. Thaler has spent his career studying the radical notion that the central ... (Barnes & Noble)

  7. Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty

    by Abhijit V. Banerjee
    Examines global poverty from economic, social and political perspectives and offers strategies to reduce it.

    Winner of the 2011, Financial Times,/Goldman Sachs Best Business Book of the Year Award Billions of government dollars, and thousands of charitable organizations and NGOs, are dedicated to helping ... (Goodreads)

  8. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

    by Cal Newport
    Strategies and techniques to help readers stay focused on tasks and achieve greater success.

    One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Art of Thinking Clearly

    by Rolf Dobelli
    A guide to common thinking errors and how to avoid them, providing practical advice for making better decisions in life and business.

    In engaging prose and with practical examples and anecdotes, an eye-opening look at human reasoning and essential reading for anyone with important decisions to make. Have you ever: • Invested time ... (Goodreads)

  10. Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

    by Kim John Payne
    A guide to parenting with less stress and fewer material possessions, while creating more meaningful relationships with children.

    Today’s busier, faster, supersized society is waging an undeclared war . . . on childhood. As the pace of life accelerates to hyperspeed–with too much stuff, too many choices, and too little ... (Goodreads)

  11. Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

    by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
    A critical examination of the impact of randomness/chance in life and financial markets.

    Fooled by Randomness, is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

    by Thomas S. Kuhn
    An analysis of how scientific progress is made, and the role of paradigms and paradigmatic shifts.

    A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, ... (Goodreads)

  13. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City

    by Matthew Desmond
    An exploration of eviction’s devastating consequences on the lives of the urban poor.

    NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF, TIME,’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • One of the most acclaimed books of our time, this modern classic “has set a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  14. Models: Attract Women Through Honesty

    by Mark Manson
    A guide to attracting women through honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity, rather than manipulation or deceit.

    Models is the first book ever written on seduction as an emotional process rather than a logical one, a process of connecting with women rather than impressing them. It's the most mature and honest ... (Barnes & Noble)

  15. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

    by Sheryl Sandberg
    An exploration of gender dynamics in the workplace and solutions for women to achieve success.

    Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In is a massive cultural phenomenon and its title has become an instant catchphrase for empowering women. The book soared to the top of bestseller lists internationally, ... (Goodreads)

  16. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

    by Peter Thiel
    A guide to launching a startup, exploring the power of entrepreneurship.

    If you want to build a better future, you must believe in secrets. The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, ... (Goodreads)

  17. Influencer: The Power to Change Anything

    by Kerry Patterson
    A guide to becoming an influencer, with practical advice on how to change behavior and make a difference in the world.

    "From the New York Times bestselling authors of Crucial Conversations . . . Whether your goal is to change minds, change markets, or change the world-anything is possible for an influencer.Everyone ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid

    by Douglas R. Hofstadter
    A complex exploration of logic, mathematics and art, exploring their relationships and interconnections.

    Douglas Hofstadter's book is concerned directly with the nature of “maps” or links between formal systems. However, according to Hofstadter, the formal system that underlies all mental activity ... (Goodreads)

  19. A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy

    by Sue Klebold
    A mother's story of her son's involvement in a school shooting and her journey of understanding and healing.

    On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Over the course of minutes, they would kill twelve students and a teacher and wound ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind

    by Michio Kaku
    A journey through the possibilities of the human mind, exploring the science behind telepathy, telekinesis, and other mind-bending concepts.

    The New York Times best-selling author of Physics of the Impossible , Physics of the Future and Hyperspace tackles the most fascinating and complex object in the known universe: the human brain . For ... (Goodreads)

  21. Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World

    by Liaquat Ahamed
    An exploration of the economic decisions of four central bankers that changed the course of history.

    The book discusses the personal histories of the four heads of the Central Banks of the United States, Great Britain, France, and Germany, and their efforts to steer the world economy from the period ... (Wikipedia)

  22. Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think

    by Peter H. Diamandis
    An optimistic look at the future, exploring how humanity's greatest challenges can be solved.

    Providing abundance is humanity’s grandest challenge—this is a book about how we rise to meet it. We will soon be able to meet and exceed the basic needs of every man, woman and child on the planet. ... (Goodreads)

  23. The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves

    by Matt Ridley
    Examining the history of human progress, the book argues that human civilizations can only thrive with the exchange of ideas.

    Life is getting better—and at an accelerating rate. Food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down — all across the globe. Though the world is far ... (Goodreads)

  24. Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

    by Roy F. Baumeister
    Examining the power of self-control and how it can be used to reach life goals.

    One of the world's most esteemed and influential psychologists, Roy F. Baumeister, teams with, New York Times, science writer John Tierney to reveal the secrets of self-control and how to master it. ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

    by Barry Schwartz
    An exploration of how the abundance of choice in modern life can lead to unhappiness and paralysis.

    In the spirit of Alvin Tofflers' Future Shock , a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret. Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ... (Goodreads)

  26. Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction

    by Philip E. Tetlock
    An exploration of the science behind prediction and its potential to improve decision making.

    Everyone would benefit from seeing further into the future, whether buying stocks, crafting policy, launching a new product, or simply planning the week’s meals. Unfortunately, people tend to be ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Undercover Economist

    by Tim Harford
    A journey through economics, exploring the hidden forces that shape our lives.

    An economist's version of The Way Things Work , this engaging volume is part field guide to economics and part expose of the economic principles lurking behind daily events, explaining everything ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

    by Charles Duhigg
    Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.

    A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True

    by Richard Dawkins
    Exploring the science behind phenomena of the natural world, from the big bang to evolution.

    Magic takes many forms. Supernatural magic is what our ancestors used in order to explain the world before they developed the scientific method. The ancient Egyptians explained the night by ... (Goodreads)

  30. The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It

    by Kelly McGonigal
    A scientific approach to understanding and improving self-control, with practical exercises and real-life examples.

    The first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. After years of watching her students struggling with their ... (Goodreads)