100 Must-Read Books Of 2018.
We asked you what books inspired you this year. We took your answers and turned then into this list. We hope it proves useful. Onward. Let this list begin.
WELL-BEING
Joyful: The Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness
Ingrid Fetell Lee
Do you ever find yourself getting a little shot of joy from doing a mundane task? That is the essence of ‘Joyful’: that if we look for it, joy can be found anywhere.
The Four Tendencies
Gretchen Rubin
There are 4 tendencies; upholders, questioners, obligers and rebels, these are the behaviour influencers. Rubin’s framework for these helps us live more effectively.
The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life
Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson
A daring look at our hidden motives and how in order to know ourselves better, we must confront our ugly motives; damn it, sch…elephant in the brain.
The Language of Kindness: A Nurse’s Story
Christie Watson
Watson’s memoir of her twenty years nursing takes us through the highest and lowest moments of a person’s life.
You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment
Thich Nhat Hanh
Zen Monk, Thic Nhat Hanh, reveals how to use mindfulness to enjoy the freedom of living fully in the present moment and the magic that comes with that.
Notes On A Nervous Planet
Matt Haig
Anxiety levels are rising. How can we keep ourselves sane? A look at the effect of media, technology and societal pressure on our mental health.
The Craving Mind
Judson Brewer
A leading neuroscientist looks at why our addictions are so strong and how we can learn to conquer them once and for all.
The Source: Open Your Mind, Change Your Life
Dr Tara Swart
Using a four step plan to conquer our brain, it is possible to rewire our thinking to be able to achieve our true potential with the confidence we have locked inside.
Radical Acceptance: Awakening the Love That Heals Fear and Shame
Tara Brach
Using the Buddhist perspective to view our emotional life, this tender-hearted read helps to eradicate the feelings of self-doubt and unworthiness.
Happy Money: The New Science of Smarter Spending
Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton
How much money we make doesn’t make us happy, how we spend it does. Why spending money on experiences, makes us happier than buying things.
TECH
Digital Minimalism
Cal Newport
Evaluating our relationship with technology, Newport offers a minimalist approach in which we radically reduce the time spent online.
Blitzscaling: The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Valuable Companies
Reid Hoffman and Chris Yeh
How to easily manage fast growth using the Blitzscaling method and navigate any changes in strategy as used by the likes of Apple and Google.
Silicon States: The Power of Big Tech and What It Means for Our Future
Lucie Greene
How could the faces behind Big Tech change the way that politics and society are run and is that something we should be willing to hand over to them?
AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order
Kai-Fu Lee
How to ready ourselves for the AI future; which jobs will be affected and how to prepare ourselves for the biggest changes human history has ever seen.
WTF?: What’s The Future And Why It’s Up To Us
Tim O’Reilly
With new technologies seeming to appear every week, how do we negotiate the future in a tech driven world? Tim gives us some sagely wisdom.
The People Vs Tech: How The Internet is Killing Democracy (And How We Save It)
Jamie Bartlett
Can we save our political system from the digital revolution? With 6 key pillars of democracy, the citizens just might be able to.
Machine Platform Crowd: Harnessing the Digital Revolution
Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson
How to thrive in business in a technology fronted world. How to maintain the balance between the core and the crowd.
Everybody Lies: What The Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are
Seth Stephens — Davidowitz
People reveal their truest selves in their internet searches. The data gathered from these could help us to make a better culture for ourselves.
Blockchain: The Future of All Database-Based Technology
David Morales
Blockchain Technology could change the face of finance as we know it, in 25 concise steps, David Morales explains the principles behind this tech.
Measure What Matters: OKRs: The Simple Idea that Drives 10x Growth
John Doerr
OKRs have the ability to take a business from under 100 employees to over 10,000. These behind the scenes case studies will share how.
ENVIRONMENT
Turning the Tide On Plastic
Lucy Siegle
Journalist Lucy Siegle, provides a clear-eyed and accessible guide on how to help us fight the war on plastic in our personal lives.
Wilding
Isabelle Tree
A fascinating story of hope that is part memoir, part ecological account of the re-wilding of the British countryside.
The Water Will Come
Jeff Goodell
In 100 years the landscape of the Earth will be altered beyond recognition by the encroaching water, as he travels the globe Goodell looks at how and why.
The Wisdom of Wolves
Jim and Jamie Dutcher
Six years spent living beside a wolf pack. This captivating account of the canine’s habits reveal some of the startling similarities they share with human nature.
Kiss The Ground
Josh Tickel
Through fascinating interviews with scientists and chefs, celebrated filmmaker Josh Tickel looks at how we can reverse climate change by changing our diets.
The Archipelago of Hope
Gleb Raygorodetsky
Indigenous communities around the world deal with the effects of climate change on a daily basis, they can teach us solutions that will help us save our planet.
Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming
Paul Hawken
Bold solutions to prevent climate change have been presented for the first time. The findings shine a hopeful light on how we combat climate change.
Return of the Sea Otter: The Story of the Animal That Evaded Extinction on the Pacific Coast
Todd McLeish
100 years after they nearly became extinct, the sea otter has returned to North America and their eco system is thriving along with it.
Small Town, Big Oil
David W. Moore
How three women in the 70s fought to prevent the New Hampshire coastline becoming the world’s largest oil refinery.
Jimmy Nelson: Homage to Humanity
Jimmy Nelson
Capturing the last human heroes, Jimmy Nelson travelled the world to present this all-immersive experience of the world’s unimaginable diversity.
BUSINESS
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts
Brené Brown
How can leaders lead with courage? How can they share the power? How can they create empathy?
It Doesn’t Have To Be Crazy At Work
Jason Fried
It is time to stop celebrating crazy and start celebrating calm with Fried’s manifesto to combat workplace worries and fears.
Who is Michael Ovitz?
Michael Ovitz
The underdog’s story. How Ovitz made his way from a kid in a mailroom to the most powerful agent in Hollywood.
Crushing It: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business And Influence and How You Can, Too
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes, Gary V. celebrates the hustle, but there is another narrative to him, where the focus is not about getting rich, but living life on your own terms.
The Surfboard: How Using My Hands Helped Unlock My Mind
Dan Kieran
Dan Kieran went to Cornwall to learn to make a surfboard, but what he learnt went far deeper than that, in this honest guide to breaking self-imposed limits.
Hyper Focus
Chris Bailey
Hyper Focus, explores how we can best manage our much fought for attention using the ultimate combination of both hyper and reflective focus.
Radical Candor
Kim Scott
Kim Scott shares insight into how to build great relationships between bosses and teams using three simple principles to help the team succeed.
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
Daniel Coyle
An inside look into some of the most successful groups in the world: A glimpse at their team building and collaboration strategies.
The Captain Class: The Hidden Force Behind The World’s Greatest Teams
Sam Walker
Sam Walker spent a life time watching sports. He learnt how the best teams are formed and why the Captain was more important than the coach to their success.
The Skills: From First Job to Dream Job — What Every Woman Needs to Know
Mishal Husain
A guide for woman of all ages and professions to help navigate the working world to get to their dream job.
CREATIVITY
Feck Perfuction
James Victore
There are no rules, your craziest ideas can come to life. Live dangerously and your dreams will be rewarded are the cornerstones of Victore’s masterful manifesto.
Architects’ Houses
Michael Webb
Thirty of the world’s leading architects discuss their homes; what inspired them, the difficulties they faced and how a home can enrich your life.
Raw: My Journey into the Wu-Tang Main
Lamont U-God Hawkins
The incredible story of the Wu-Tang Clan told for the first time, by U-God. His journey from the Brownsville projects to transforming the Hip Hop scene forever.
The Artist’s Journey: The Wake of the Hero’s Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning
Steven Pressfield
What comes after the Hero’s Journey? The Artist’s Journey. Where the true self is discovered and the pieces we were born to create are made.
Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossing
Sally Greenough, Sarah Kennel, Sally Mann
An intimate photographic story of the American South. A journey across land, family and memory.
An Audience of One
Srinivas Rao
By creating purely for yourself, an audience of one, you can increase productivity, happiness and push yourself along the path of creative success.
Know Your Onions: Graphic Design
Drew de Soto
Imagine having a pocket size graphic design mentor within easy reach? That’s exactly what this book will be for you.
I Thought About It in My Head and I Felt It in My Heart but I Made It with My Hands
Rob Ryan
In his first collected works of art, Rob Ryan shares his engaging paper cuts with the reader taking them on a journey of child-like enthusiasm with each piece.
In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power Dissent in Life and Business
Charlan Jeanne Nemeth
Consensus is the enemy. Consensus makes bad decisions. Dissent is where the magic happens. Where change is made. A must read for those working in groups.
The Landscape
Don McCullin
Drawn to the darkened clouds and emptiness, Don McCullin’s ‘Landscapes’ are enough to stop a person dead in their tracks.
FUTURE YOU
The Laws of Human Nature
Robert Greene
The Laws of Human Nature offers an insight into mastering self-control, developing empathy and understanding others in the world around us.
Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones
James Clear
Improving your life doesn’t happen with big changes. It happens with little ones. The easy ones. But boy, the compounding impact of those Atomic Habits is huge.
Enlightenment Now
Steven Pinker
Ignore the headlines. Life is longer, happier, safer and more stimulating than it has ever been. It can get even better by applying the laws of Enlightenment.
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing
Daniel H. Pink
Using cutting edge data on timing, Pink reveals when the best time to put things into action to succeed.
Choose Wonder Over Worry
Amber Rae
How to move beyond worry and fear. How to return to the wonder that allows us to live as we truly are.
Aging Well
George E Vaillant
Vaillant provides an insightful guide to help make the changes needed for a successful life to age well.
Money Master The Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom
Tony Robbins
Making finance jargon accessible for the masses, Robbins expertly shows how to create a lifetime plan to gain financial freedom and achieve financial dreams.
The Untethered Soul
Michael A. Singer
Spiritual teacher Michael Singer answers the age old question about personal identity ‘Who are you?’ His answer. We are consciousness.
Own The Day
Aubrey Marcus
How can we get the best out of every single day? How do we ensure we are living life to its full capacity. Aubrey Marcus’s groundbreaking guide will get us there.
My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired
Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander
What makes you different from Ed Catmull, president of Pixar? Or Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter? Your morning routine. Here’s how to get a successful one.
The Thriving Introvert: Embrace the Gift of Introversion and Live the Life You Were Meant to Live
Thibaut Meurisse
You don’t need to talk more. You don’t need to be louder or more outgoing. You are an introvert and you are wonderful as you are. Celebrate your introversion.
CHANGEMAKERS
Designs for the Pluriverse
Arturo Escobar
In this insightful read, Arturo Escobar looks at how changing our relationship with design could lead to more just and sustainable social orders.
Be More Pirate
Sam Conniff Allende
In this inspiring perspective on leadership and drawing from legends such as Blackbeard and Banksy, Sean Allende rewrites the rules and reinvents society.
The Intrapreneur
Gib Bulloch
In this gut-wrenching personal story Gib Bulloch shares his experiences of trying to change the corporate world from within.
Doughnut Economics
Kate Raworth
By radically re-thinking the economic system, Kate Raworth creates a system that meets all our needs whilst not draining the planet.
The Rules Do Not Apply
Ariel Levy
Ariel Levy’s unflinching memoir about life, the pain of loss and how to fight against the stream.
Weird in a World That’s Not: A Career Guide for Misfits, F*uckups and Failures
Jennifer Romolini
The norm is finished. Now is the time of the weird and wonderful, which is celebrated in this practical guide to business for those who fall outside the norm.
Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child
John Gottman
Arming children with emotional intelligence will set your children up for a happy, healthy, successful life. This is a game changer for your child’s development.
Skin In The Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Having something to risk can be a powerful tool, Taleb powerfully argues the importance of applying it, not just to business, but to all aspects of life.
The Art of Asking
Amanda Palmer
Amanda Palmer has mastered the art of turning strangers into friends, audiences into communities all through learning to ask for what she needs.
Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track
Richard P. Feynman
A scientific legend of his time, Feynman’s letters give a little seen insight into his personal life and the basis of some of his key developments in modern science.
SPORT AND ADVENTURE
Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance
Alex Hutchinson
How far can a person be physical pushed? Humans are always pushing to the limits, testing their abilities, Hutchinson shows how to push past those limits.
Pressure Myths: Understanding the Psychology of Performance
Rich Hudson
Pressure doesn’t have to be the enemy. How to retain your ‘you-ness’ and still be tough enough to take on the world.
Hit The Road: Vans, Nomads and Roadside Adventures
Gestalten
The road is their home. Follow the journeys of these modern day nomads as the explore the world on their freedom- granting four-wheels.
The Push
Tommy Caldwell
The captivating story of one man’s journey to overcome the obstacles, one foothole at a time.
The Monocle Travel Guides Series: Mexico Series
Monocle
Past the hustle and bustle of the main streets, Monocle’s guide takes us to the thriving heart of Mexico City where there are beguiling sights and smells abound.
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life
William Finnegan
Surfing is a way of life. It may look like sport, but to the partakers it’s more than that. Finnegan has spent his life chasing waves. To him, it’s a beautiful addiction.
Chasing Excellence Building The World’s Fittest Athletes
Ben Bergeron
Bergeron has helped train some of the world’s fittest athletes, he believes fitness should be for the many, not the few. Through Crossfit he spreads his message.
Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes
Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky
There is no need to sacrifice time or taste when fuelling for a marathon or an after-work run with these delicious recipes designed to nourish and sustain you.
Explorer: Road, Rail & Trail
Barbara Ireland
Guiding you through 25 dream trips the New York Times explorer treads on new ground well-trodden ground alike.
Gridiron Genius: A Master Class in Winning Championships and Building Dynasties in the NFL
Michael Lombardi
What makes a successful organisation win? Lombardi shares the greatest tips from one of NFL’s greatest leaders.
FOOD
Strudel, Noodles and Dumplings
Anya Dunk
The long awaited revival of German cuisine, with over 200 recipes, Strudel, Noodles and Dumplings provides delicious homemade comforts all year round.
Korean Home Cooking: Classic And Modern Recipes
Sohui Kim
Sharing authentic family recipes, Sohui Kim provides a comprehensive look at Korean cuisine and through her personal stories shares rich cultural traditions.
The Indian Vegetarian Cookbook
Pushpesh Pant
A mouthwatering collection of vegetarian recipes sourced from all over India, full of imaginative dishes it is a true celebration of the countries culinary diversity.
Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One
Anita Lo
Dining for one should be exciting as hosting a meal. With 101 easy recipes from around the world, the solo dining experience has never tasted so good.
The Noma Guide to Fermentation
Rene Redzepi and David Zilber
Fermentation is a staple at the four times named world’s best restaurant Noma, now Redzepi and Zilber share their knowledge about the joy of fermentation.
Ottolenghi SIMPLE
Yotam Ottolenghi
130 recipes to make when you are Short on time, have less than 10 Ingredients, want to Make ahead, use the Pantry, feel Lazy and are Easier than you think.
Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen
Yasmin Khan
Amongst this evocative collection of personal stories are a cornucopia of recipes celebrating the fresh, fragrant, healthy food Palestinian cuisine offers.
Bread & Butter: History, Culture, Recipes
Richard Snapes, Grant Harrington, and Eve Hemingway
A true celebration of a great partnership, there are lots of recipes mixed in with facts and myths about the ingredients. Nice.
Plants Taste Better: Delicious plant-based recipes, from root to fruit
Richard Buckley
Plants are held under the spotlight here with over 70 delicious recipes, pushing the boundaries with the use of carnivorous plants to create delectable dishes.
What The Fast
Grant Schofield
Super-fasting is transforming the way we look at modern medicine. Working with the body instead of against, Schofield’s method explains the amazing benefits.
EDUCATION
The Art of Gathering: Create Transformative Meetings, Events and Experiences
Priya Parker
Parker explores how any meeting or event can be transformed into a mind-changing experience by using personal energy to take it to the next level.
Factfulness: Reasons We’re Wrong About The World
Hans Rollins
An optimistic book for human progression. Why the world is in a much better state than we think when we ignore inherent bias and look at facts.
The Secret Barrister
Secret Barrister
An insightful first hand account into the justice system. You will find the best and worst of humanity and learn why the system matters.
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Global Politics
Tim Marshall
Geography plays a large role in Politics. Marshall, succinctly explores the ten most important maps that affect the politics around us.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari
Professor Harari takes the reader on a journey through today’s most pressing issues and asks the question if we can understand this world we have created?
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
Jordan B. Peterson
One of the most important thinkers of our time, Jordan Peterson shares 12 profound and practical principles to remove the chaos from your life.
A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life
Santideva
By following the six principles explored within its pages, it is possible to live life in accordance to the Bodhisattva way of life.
Poverty Safari
Darren McGarvey
An unflinching account of the poverty faced in some parts of Britain on a day to day basis which challenges the reader to re-think their views on society.
Lost Art of Good Conversation
Sakyong Mipham
In today’s world of social media led interaction, it is important to have a little reminder about the beauty of a face to face conversation .
Big Ideas For Curious Minds: An Introduction To Philosophy
The School of Life
Children are mini philosophers from the get go. Here’s some fuel to feed their knowledge hungry fires.
Phew.
Thank you for making it all the way to the bottom of the list. Our aim was to share useful and inspiring books that we have come across from 2018 so far. If you have any suggestions, we would love to hear them.
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100% Biased.
Check out the Do Book Co. To try and be impartial we didn’t include any Do Books in the list, but heck, it has been an incredible year for them.
