A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. A man who never reads lives only one. That was the famous quote from the author of “Game of Thrones” series, George R.R. Martin. He isn’t wrong.
By reading book, readers can see things they otherwise won’t ever see in their life, get insights they otherwise couldn’t even think by themselves, and learn from other people’s mistake they can’t afford in real life.
However, there are too many books and too little time, according to musician Frank Zappa. He isn’t wrong either. It is impossible to read all the books printed in this world, so people must choose their reading material with much care and consideration about the subject they need so they won’t waste time reading low quality books.
Not sure where to start? These 25 books are complete list of books a man should read in his life, covering five important subjects in a man’s life: attitude and habits, happiness, work life, communication, and personal finance.
Attitude and habits for men
1. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
One’s habits influence one’s life. If life is a computer, then habit is the auto run program inside. It makes one works even without immediate reward. This number one book about habits showed the seven habits everybody should possess in order to live the most successful and fulfilling life.
2. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Knowing what habit to possess is easier than actually developing it, but Charles Duhigg helped everybody to understand how a habit can be formed and changed. The author broke down the component of habit forming so reader can strip down their own bad habit and form a completely new one.
3. The Power of Now by Eckhart Toelle
Modern world provides more information than humans can process, that people often get lost in their own mind. Instead of enjoying the moment, people are busy taking photo for future reference or worrying about the past. The power of now shows that the path to happiness and success is the ability to stay in the moment.
4. 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself by Steve Chandler
If habit is the program of your computer, then motivation is the electricity. Motivation keeps the engine running. When one has no motivation, no amount of willpower can get his or her job done. In this book, Chandler gave 100 manageable, bit-sized steps to keep motivating the reader from within.
5. Developing the Leader within You by J.C. Maxwell
A Leader is needed in every age and situation. This book is one of the leadership classic, and some even stated that this is the bible of leadership book. In this book, Maxwell showed what qualifications one must possess to be a leader, complete with persuasive anecdote and how to attain those qualifications.
The happy man
6. The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama
This book enables the reader to learn happiness from the highest spiritual guru in Tibet, Dalai Lama. He taught the readers to win over anxiety, anger, insecurity, and other negative emotion using conversations, stories, and meditation.
7. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Everybody has their own journey to search for meaning, but reading this book will complement that personal journey. One will be reminded that meaningful doesn’t mean enjoyable. Instead, meaningful means fulfilling. This simple understanding can change one’s life forever.
8. Monk Who Sold His Ferrari By Robin Sharma
Even a loaded fortune, high paying job, and prestigious career won’t guarantee happiness if one doesn’t know how to appreciate it in day to day life. Robin Sharma guide his readers to follow their life’s mission and calling through this book.
9. Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Happiness by Tal Ben-Shahar
Happiness is not only a spiritual guru’s expertise, but also researchers and scholars. Harvard University lecturer uses “positive psychology” movement, combining scientific studies and spiritual enlightenment to coin the secret recipe of joy and happiness.
10. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Don’t be fooled by its simplistic story. It may appear to be for children, but this is one of that brilliant book, where the author succeed in explaining such important life lesson in a very simple way, that even children would understand. The real lesson about giving is highlighted in subtle but punching way.
Be a better professional
11. Mastery by Robert Greene
General public are impressed by intelligence and genius, but Greene proved that what matters in an achievement is not genius but mastery. He researched the lives of various masters ever lived in the world such as Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einsten, found the secret of their mastery, and shared it in this book.
12. The 4 Hours Work Week by Tim Ferris
Long working hours doesn’t equal bigger reward. In this book, Ferris showed that a little change in one’s paradigm about traditional working hours and environment can result in better fulfillment in work-life balance.
13. Turning Pro Steven Pressfield
Pressfield highlighted the difference between amateur and pro. The difference can be as simple as their tweet. The amateurs tweet, while the pros don’t because they work. Pressfield uses simple and relatable yet true example to show his readers how to turn into pros.
14. Deep Work by Cal Newport
In this information age, deep work or ability to focus without distraction during actively demanding task is a set of skill one has to possess. Newport explained why and how to develop this skill in easy way.
15. Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg
How to compete with seven other million people in this world to get a better life? By doing everything smarter, faster, and better. Duhigg explained the importance of teams, focus, creativity, and data to gain this ability.
Mastering communication
16. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson & Co.
Everybody has their own crucial conversation – salary negotiation, damage control after a mistake, and so forth. Patterson wrote this complete guide so reader can discover the way to communicate that won’t make them suffer the consequences of bad communication.
17. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This is number one to-go book in communication. This book has sold more than 15 million copies all around the world. Carnegie shared his six ways to make people like him and influenced them to give in into his wish.
18. Influence by Robert Cialdini
Why people say yes or no? There are sciences on that, and Cialdini explored how people’s psychology has a role in that. Using this knowledge, Cialdini coined six universal principles to be a skilled persuader, as well as how to avoid them.
19. Quiet – The Power of Introverts in a world that can’t stop talking by Susan Cain
Introverts have been put in the back burner for a long time, being judged as not fun and quiet. However, Cain introduces her readers to the advantages introverts have over the others, which opened a new way of understanding introverts.
20. Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone
Cardone claimed that ability to sell is as important as food, water, and oxygen is to life. He is not wrong, because he proved through facts that people who are getting promoted are those who can sell their idea better. In this book, Cardone introduces selling as art and shows his readers the different sales approaches that would be more likely to be successful.
Books on personal finance
21. Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Debt is crippling almost everybody nowadays, with mortgage, credit card, and various debt facilities the bank offers. Ramsey guides his readers through several steps to get rid of debt completely and start a new debt-free life with total money makeover.
22. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
While total money makeover emphasized the importance of having no debt, Rich Dad Poor Dad emphasizes that one should understand the difference between asset and liability. Asset is everything that adds wealth, while liability is everything that subtracts wealth. Rich Dad Poor Dad will also guide the readers to focus in increasing their asset.
23. The Great Investors by Glen Arnold
Almost Million people try their luck in the stock market without any significant results, and some even suffer losses. Arnold summarizes the wisdom and teachings from eight greatest investors that ever lived – including Warren Buffet and Benjamin Graham – so readers can get some insight about what they should do to win in the stock markets.
24. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
This is the classic book on happiness and prosperity. Clason researched the story of Armad, the richest Babylonian at a time, studied the wisdom, and adapted into a modern day personal finance advice, including thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth.
25. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The first copy of this book was printed in 1937, but the content is still relevant and even still occupies bestseller position in various bookstores. Hill spent 20 years researching and interviewing various successful and not successful people to find out the difference between the two. Turns out, that difference is called desire. Further, Hill outlines the steps to take and steps to avoid based on those two groups of people, making this book applicable and relatable to various groups of people.
This is it, hope you like the list.
Let us know, if we have missed some classics or important books.