The Unusual Books That Shaped Billionaires, Mega-Bestselling Authors, and Other Prodigies

1.
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable 3.96 avg rating β€” 119,259 ratings
2.
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder 4.10 avg rating β€” 56,007 ratings
3.
Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching
by: Lao Tzu
4.29 avg rating β€” 176,963 ratings
4.
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
by: Ayn Rand
3.69 avg rating β€” 402,819 ratings
5.
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything 4.01 avg rating β€” 885,882 ratings
6.
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets 4.08 avg rating β€” 69,694 ratings
7.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking 3.96 avg rating β€” 614,752 ratings
8.
Outliers: The Story of Success
Outliers: The Story of Success 4.19 avg rating β€” 845,904 ratings
9.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference 4.01 avg rating β€” 844,315 ratings
10.
On the Road
On the Road 3.61 avg rating β€” 438,566 ratings
11.
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right 4.04 avg rating β€” 73,762 ratings
12.
Shogun (Asian Saga)
Shogun (Asian Saga) 4.41 avg rating β€” 206,515 ratings
13.
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World 4.25 avg rating β€” 839 ratings
14.
The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age
The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age 4.18 avg rating β€” 3,889 ratings
15.
The War of Art
The War of Art 3.98 avg rating β€” 113,880 ratings
15.
The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea 3.81 avg rating β€” 1,265,942 ratings
17.
The Hero With a Thousand Faces
The Hero With a Thousand Faces 4.13 avg rating β€” 44,169 ratings
17.
The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecyβ€”What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny
The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecyβ€”What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny 3.88 avg rating β€” 7,163 ratings
19.
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer 4.02 avg rating β€” 10,620 ratings
20.
Meditations
Meditations 4.28 avg rating β€” 320,848 ratings
21.
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work 3.65 avg rating β€” 20,654 ratings
21.
Fight Club
Fight Club 4.18 avg rating β€” 629,505 ratings
23.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success 4.10 avg rating β€” 169,840 ratings
24.
On the Shortness of Life: Life Is Long if You Know How to Use It
On the Shortness of Life: Life Is Long if You Know How to Use It
by: Seneca
4.17 avg rating β€” 43,020 ratings
25.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1)
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1) 3.78 avg rating β€” 241,478 ratings
26.
As a Man Thinketh
As a Man Thinketh 4.24 avg rating β€” 93,585 ratings
27.
Cat’s Cradle
Cat’s Cradle 4.15 avg rating β€” 428,446 ratings
28.
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love 4.07 avg rating β€” 48,923 ratings
29.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek 4.08 avg rating β€” 29,054 ratings
30.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. 4.16 avg rating β€” 35,596 ratings
31.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative 3.96 avg rating β€” 324,514 ratings
32.
The Social Animal
The Social Animal 4.30 avg rating β€” 4,323 ratings
33.
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered 4.10 avg rating β€” 58,504 ratings
34.
The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums 3.93 avg rating β€” 99,795 ratings
35.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns 4.45 avg rating β€” 1,682,038 ratings
36.
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King 4.11 avg rating β€” 7,968 ratings
37.
Generations
Generations 4.16 avg rating β€” 1,101 ratings
38.
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time 3.84 avg rating β€” 50,944 ratings
39.
Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph over Advcersity, 1822-1865
Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph over Advcersity, 1822-1865 4.10 avg rating β€” 153 ratings
39.
Edison: A Biography
Edison: A Biography 4.06 avg rating β€” 272 ratings
41.
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life 4.05 avg rating β€” 147,343 ratings
41.
The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal: A Companion Volume to the Artist's Way
The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal: A Companion Volume to the Artist's Way 4.29 avg rating β€” 319 ratings
43.
Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (Book & DVD)
Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (Book & DVD) 4.01 avg rating β€” 34,188 ratings
44.
The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon 4.14 avg rating β€” 76,325 ratings
45.
The One Minute Manager
The One Minute Manager 3.95 avg rating β€” 141,597 ratings
46.
Slow Sex: The Art and Craft of the Female Orgasm
Slow Sex: The Art and Craft of the Female Orgasm 3.78 avg rating β€” 970 ratings
47.
The Spirit of St. Louis
The Spirit of St. Louis 4.17 avg rating β€” 1,536 ratings
48.
The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need
The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need 3.77 avg rating β€” 2,969 ratings
49.
Man's Search for Meaning
Man's Search for Meaning 4.37 avg rating β€” 832,682 ratings
50.
Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big
Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big 3.85 avg rating β€” 5,417 ratings
50.
Touched by Fire, Part I
Touched by Fire, Part I it was amazing 5.00 avg rating β€” 1 rating
52.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less 4.06 avg rating β€” 126,036 ratings
53.
Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need 4.02 avg rating β€” 21,037 ratings
54.
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd Edition
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd Edition 4.10 avg rating β€” 10,249 ratings
55.
Shantaram
Shantaram 4.28 avg rating β€” 233,196 ratings
56.
The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance
The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance 3.92 avg rating β€” 5,435 ratings
57.
Dynamic Hedging: Managing Vanilla and Exotic Options
Dynamic Hedging: Managing Vanilla and Exotic Options 4.03 avg rating β€” 524 ratings
58.
A Moveable Feast
A Moveable Feast 4.02 avg rating β€” 162,883 ratings
58.
Touching the Rock: An Experience of Blindness
Touching the Rock: An Experience of Blindness 3.97 avg rating β€” 450 ratings
60.
On Writing
On Writing 4.03 avg rating β€” 4,673 ratings
60.
The Joyous Cosmology: Adventures in the Chemistry of Consciousness
The Joyous Cosmology: Adventures in the Chemistry of Consciousness 4.26 avg rating β€” 1,526 ratings
62.
For Whom the Bell Tolls
For Whom the Bell Tolls 3.99 avg rating β€” 311,436 ratings
62.
Spectacle
Spectacle 3.72 avg rating β€” 50 ratings
64.
Green Hills of Africa
Green Hills of Africa 3.54 avg rating β€” 12,907 ratings
65.
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway 4.29 avg rating β€” 37,560 ratings
66.
Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion
Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion 4.02 avg rating β€” 876 ratings
67.
Giving Good Weight
Giving Good Weight 4.26 avg rating β€” 700 ratings
68.
The Control of Nature
The Control of Nature 4.26 avg rating β€” 4,841 ratings
69.
The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work
The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work 4.30 avg rating β€” 2,629 ratings
70.
The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner 4.35 avg rating β€” 3,402,652 ratings
71.
Tough Jews: Fathers, Sons, and Gangster Dreams
Tough Jews: Fathers, Sons, and Gangster Dreams 3.86 avg rating β€” 1,043 ratings
72.
What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School: Notes from a Street-smart Executive
What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School: Notes from a Street-smart Executive 3.61 avg rating β€” 5,314 ratings
73.
Iacocca: An Autobiography
Iacocca: An Autobiography 3.99 avg rating β€” 10,659 ratings
74.
The Robert Collier Letter Book
The Robert Collier Letter Book 4.12 avg rating β€” 364 ratings
75.
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think 3.93 avg rating β€” 12,214 ratings
76.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. 4.16 avg rating β€” 35,596 ratings
77.
The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
by: Epictetus
4.25 avg rating β€” 34,684 ratings
78.
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant 4.01 avg rating β€” 84,955 ratings
79.
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk
by: Al Ries
4.06 avg rating β€” 22,076 ratings
80.
What Makes Sammy Run?
What Makes Sammy Run? 4.09 avg rating β€” 3,368 ratings
81.
Jesus' Son
Jesus' Son 4.13 avg rating β€” 39,243 ratings
82.
Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way
Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way really liked it 4.00 avg rating β€” 57,126 ratings
83.
Becoming a Category of One: How Extraordinary Companies Transcend Commodity and Defy Comparison
Becoming a Category of One: How Extraordinary Companies Transcend Commodity and Defy Comparison 3.81 avg rating β€” 269 ratings
84.
Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great
Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great 4.04 avg rating β€” 7,296 ratings
85.
Life is Elsewhere
Life is Elsewhere 3.96 avg rating β€” 20,844 ratings
86.
The Painted Bird
The Painted Bird 3.90 avg rating β€” 27,863 ratings
87.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
One Hundred Years of Solitude 4.12 avg rating β€” 1,070,210 ratings
88.
One Monster After Another
One Monster After Another 4.52 avg rating β€” 380 ratings
89.
The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology 3.93 avg rating β€” 12,333 ratings
90.
The Man Who Sold the Moon and Orphans of the Sky
The Man Who Sold the Moon and Orphans of the Sky 4.30 avg rating β€” 611 ratings
91.
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys 4.17 avg rating β€” 3,078 ratings