Reading - An Essential Skill

Some of the most successful men read a lot of books. It is said that on an average, a CEO of a big corporation reads about 4 books a month and earns up to 567 times more than an average man!

Take some time to sink that last statement in. This is really some indicator of the wealth of knowledge that reading brings in. Reading also adds multiple dimensions to your personality. Just after reading a month's worth of books, you will notice a tremendous shift in your vocabulary, your thought processes and your overall personality. I highly recommend that you compile a master list of books to read on each avenue of life.
Here is my list of books that I am reading or going to read for my business/professional skills:
The striked or red ones are already read.


Unlimited Power - Tony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within - Tony Robbins
Awakening the Entrepreneur Within - Michael Gerber
Wikinomics
The Four Hour Workweek - Tim Ferris
Tuned In (great link: http://www.tunedinblog.com/)

Theory of Capitalism

The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World--by Alan Greenspan;

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable--by Nassim Nicholas Taleb;

Wealth and Poverty--by George Gilder;

Prophet of Innovation: Joseph Schumpeter and Creative Destruction--by Thomas K. McCraw;

On the Wealth of Nations--by P. J. O'Rourke;

The Road to Serfdom-- by Friedrich Hayek;

Flat Tax Revolution: Using a Postcard to Abolish the IRS--by Steve Forbes;

The Way the World Works--by Jude Wanniski;

The Twilight of Sovereignty--by Walter Wriston.

History and Heroes

Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way--by Richard Branson;

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people )'s Cofounder--by Kenny Moore; Bill & Dave:

How Hewlett and Packard Built the World's Greatest Company--by Michael S. Malone;

Gates: How Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people )'s Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself the Richest Man in America--by Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews;

Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist--by Roger Lowenstein;

Walt Disney (nyse: DIS - news - people ): The Triumph of the American Imagination--by Neal Gabler;

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin--by Benjamin Franklin;

The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance--by Ron Chernow; The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression--by Amity Shlaes.

How Capitalism Works Today

Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes--by Mark Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne;

The New Normal: Great Opportunities in a Time of Great Risk--by Roger McNamee;

The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail--by Clayton Christensen;

The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us--by Robyn Meredith;

Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy--by Thomas Sowell.

Instructional Tips

Bull's Eye Investing: Targeting Real Returns in a Smoke and Mirrors Market--by John Mauldin;

Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in Only 15 Minutes a Week!--by Phil Town;

Boomtown USA: The 7 1 / 2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns--by John M. Schultz;

The Intelligent Investor--by Benjamin Graham;

The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't--by Kenneth L. Fisher;

The Elements of Style--by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White;

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind--by Al Ries and Jack Trout;

Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits From Your Small Business--by Jay Conrad Levinson;

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!--by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter;

How We Got Here: A Slightly Irreverent History of Technology and Markets--by Andy Kessler;

The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything--by Guy Kawasaki;

Accounting Workbook for Dummies--by John A. Tracy.

Management Secrets

In Search of Excellence: Lessons From America's Best-Run Companies--by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman;

It's Your Ship: Management Techniques From the Best Damn Ship in the Navy--by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff;

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don't--by Jim Collins.

5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Food for the Soul

They Call Me Coach--by John Wooden with Jack Tobin;

Think and Grow Rich--by Napoleon Hill;

The Fountainhead--by Ayn Rand;

The Acts of the Apostles--by Luke;

The Purpose-Driven Church--by Rick Warren;

Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking--by Robert Schuller;

The Greatest Salesman in the World--by Og Mandino;

The Richest Man in Babylon--by George Clason;

The Soul of a New Machine--by Tracy Kidder.

Useful Entertainment

Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs, a Parody--by Fake Steve Jobs;

The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between a Little Craziness and a Lot of Success in America--by John D. Gartner;

Investment Biker--by Jim Rogers;

All the Money in the World: How The Forbes 400 Make--and Spend--Their Fortunes--by Peter Bernstein and Annalyn Swan;

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game--by Michael Lewis;

The Bonfire of the Vanities--by Tom Wolfe.

[Updated July 10, 2008]

[Updated Aug 03, 2008]