Recommendations based on Where Good Ideas Come from: The Natural History of Innovationby Steven Johnson

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

  1. 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)

  2. The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

    by Eric Ries
    Systematic approach to launching and managing successful businesses in an ever-changing market.

    Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. ... (Goodreads)

  3. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

    by David Allen
    A guide to improving efficiency and productivity through better organization.

    The book, Lifehack, calls ,"The Bible of business and personal productivity.","A completely revised and updated edition of the blockbuster bestseller from 'the personal productivity guru'",—,Fast ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

    by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
    A study of the role of randomness in life, and how it can lead to unexpected events.

    A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear ... (Goodreads)

  5. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

    by Daniel H. Pink
    Exploring the rise of right-brain thinking and how creativity and emotion are shaping our world.

    The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Design of Everyday Things

    by Donald A. Norman
    Examining how design can influence human behaviour and improve user experience.

    Anyone who designs anything to be used by humans – from physical objects to computer programs to conceptual tools -- must read this book, and it is an equally tremendous read for anyone who has to ... (Goodreads)

  7. 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)

  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. 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)

  10. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

    by Daniel H. Pink
    A thought-provoking analysis of what truly motivates people, challenging traditional notions of rewards and punishments.

    The, New York Times, bestseller that gives readers a paradigm-shattering new way to think about motivation Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money—the ... (Goodreads)

  11. Rich Dad, Poor Dad

    by Robert T. Kiyosaki
    A financial literacy guide that explores the power of financial education and investment.

    Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert's story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his "rich dad" — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money ... (Goodreads)

  12. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

    by Scott McCloud
    Exploration of the visual language of comics and its role in storytelling.

    Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the ... (Goodreads)

  13. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers

    by Geoffrey A. Moore
    A guide for high-tech companies to successfully market and sell their products to mainstream customers.

    Here is the bestselling guide that created a new game plan for marketing in high-tech industries. Crossing the Chasm has become the bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger ... (Goodreads)

  14. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

    by Chip Heath
    Exploring ways to make change easier in life and work, using practical strategies.

    Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives? The primary obstacle is a conflict that's built into our brains, say Chip and Dan Heath, authors ... (Goodreads)

  15. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

    by John J. Ratey
    Exercise is not just good for the body, but also for the brain. It can improve mood, cognitive function, and overall well-being.

    Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. 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)

  17. Contagious: Why Things Catch On

    by Jonah Berger
    Exploring the science behind why some products and ideas become popular.

    New York Times bestseller and named Best Marketing Book of 2014 by the American Marketing Association What makes things popular? Why do people talk about certain products and ideas more than others? ... (Goodreads)

  18. Rework

    by Jason Fried
    A guide to starting and running a successful business with unconventional advice and practical tips.

    Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf. ... (Goodreads)

  19. As a Man Thinketh

    by James Allen
    A philosophical work about the power of thought and its potential for unlocking one's inner greatness.

    James Allen was an inspired spiritual mind; whose work was so highly applicable that many consider him the father of the self-help book genre. As an orphan, Allen had a difficult life and learned to ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

    by Dan Ariely
    An exploration of why humans make irrational decisions, and how to overcome them.

    Why do our headaches persist after taking a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a 50-cent aspirin? Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't ... (Goodreads)

  21. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers

    by Timothy Ferriss
    Strategies and insights from top performers to help you reach your fullest potential.

    The latest groundbreaking tome from Tim Ferriss, the #1, New York Times, best-selling author of, The 4-Hour Workweek,.,, From the author:, , “For the last two years, I’ve interviewed more than 200 ... (Goodreads)

  22. 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)

  23. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World

    by Adam M. Grant
    A study of successful non-conformists and their unique approaches to creativity, innovation, and leadership.

    In Originals the author addresses the challenge of improving the world from the perspective of becoming original: choosing to champion novel ideas and values that go against the grain, battle ... (Goodreads)

  24. A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

    by William B. Irvine
    A practical guide to applying Stoic philosophy in modern life, offering techniques for finding joy and tranquility in the face of adversity.

    One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life , William B. Irvine plumbs ... (Goodreads)

  25. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

    by Carol S. Dweck
    Examining the impact of mindset on achievement, and strategies to cultivate a growth mindset for success.

    A newer edition of this book can be found, here., After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the ... (Goodreads)

  26. Leaders Eat Last

    by Simon Sinek
    Explores the power of trust and how leaders can create a real connection with their teams.

    The highly anticipated follow-up to Simon Sinek’s global bestseller, Start with Why, Simon Sinek is an optimist, a visionary thinker, and a leader of the cultural revolution of WHY. His second book ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World

    by Steven Johnson
    The discovery of the source of a cholera outbreak in London and its implications for modern science and urban living.

    From Steven Johnson, the dynamic thinker routinely compared to James Gleick, Dava Sobel, and Malcolm Gladwell, The Ghost Map is a riveting page-turner about a real-life historical hero, Dr. John ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Art of War

    by Sun Tzu
    Ancient Chinese military treatise outlining strategies for success in battle.

    Twenty-Five Hundred years ago, Sun Tzu wrote this classic book of military strategy based on Chinese warfare and military thought. Since that time, all levels of military have used the teaching on ... (Goodreads)

  29. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

    by Ashlee Vance
    A revealing look into the life and accomplishments of tech innovator Elon Musk.

    Elon Musk, the entrepreneur and innovator behind SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, sold one of his internet companies, PayPal, for $1.5 billion. Ashlee Vance captures the full spectacle and arc of the ... (Goodreads)

  30. The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood

    by James Gleick
    A comprehensive history of the development of information technology, from ancient times to the digital age.

    James Gleick, the author of the best sellers Chaos and Genius , now brings us a work just as astonishing and masterly: a revelatory chronicle and meditation that shows how information has become the ... (Goodreads)