The best 100 Critical Thinking & Problem Solving books

The Great Mental Models (2019) provides a crash course on how to upgrade your thinking and decision making. Drawing from a wide variety of disciplines, it will equip you with nine of the most essential tools for understanding and navigating the complicated world around you.

How to Have Impossible Conversations (2019) is a guide to having frank conversations that don’t end in tears. Philosopher Peter Boghossian and scientist James Lindsay argue that however prickly the topic, we all profit when we air our disagreements – provided we’re out to learn something, not just shout our opponents down. These blinks will explore techniques that facilitate respectful dialogue, from rules of building rapport to the art of convincing your sparring partner to reexamine her assumptions. 

Bulletproof Problem Solving (2019) delves into one of the most important yet consistently neglected skills in the modern workplace: creative problem-solving. With many conventional jobs declining around the world, more and more employees are being tasked with tackling open-ended challenges. But you don’t need an advanced degree in statistical analysis to be a great problem solver – you just need the right strategies and a dash of creativity. 

An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748) presents a succinct summary of Hume’s empirical and skeptical philosophy, and is one of the most influential texts of the early modern period. In calling for the use of reason in rejecting the “superstitions” of metaphysical philosophy and religion, this text helped to furnish the philosophical basis for the scientific method that was then coming to prominence in Enlightenment Europe. Even today, Hume’s Enquiry remains one of the best introductions to modern philosophy.

Rationality (2021) explores the faculty that sets us apart from other species: reason. The ability to think rationally drives individual and social progress. It allows us to attain our goals and create a fairer world. But rationality isn’t just something we do as individuals – it also sustains our best institutions.

How to Think More Effectively (2020) is a simple guide to improving the way you think. Drawing lessons from sources as diverse as the feeling of envy and the prose of Proust, it lays out the characteristics of effective thoughts – and shows how you can start cultivating them.

Continuous Discovery Habits (2021) explores how product managers and designers can keep making a positive impact on their customers’ lives. It explores an optimal decision-making process for product teams, so that they can continue to improve their offerings. 

The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit (2021) uses real-world examples to help you build critical thinking habits – which will enable you to recognize and resist all the false information that pervades society.

Leadership (2022) is a detailed analysis of six monumental twentieth-century leaders. By examining both the circumstances that formed these leaders and the strategies they used to shepherd their respective nations through periods of turmoil, it presents invaluable lessons for anyone working to shape the world’s future. From Charles de Gaulle’s strategy of will to Anwar Sadat’s strategy of transcendence and beyond, it serves as a historical debriefing on some of the defining leadership strategies of the last century.

The Great Mental Models Volume 3 (2021) is the third book in a series that shows how mental models from various disciplines can be applied to make positive changes to your life. This volume focuses on mental models from systems and mathematics. It demonstrates how you can use cognitive tools to improve everything from decision-making and relationships to healthy eating and personal productivity.

Being You (2021) offers a new theory of consciousness. What does it mean to be you? Why do your experiences of the world, your selfhood, and your body feel the way they do? Combining neuroscience, philosophy, and a pinch of speculation, these blinks argue that consciousness is not as mysterious as it seems – it is deeply entwined with our living, breathing bodies.

The Logic of Scientific Discovery (1935) is Karl Popper’s classic work on the purpose of science and knowledge. Scientists should test their theories not to verify them, but to falsify them, and hence become even more accurate.

The Journey Beyond Fear (2021) is a guide to overcoming fear and reaching your full potential. During his 40-year career in Silicon Valley, Hagel has identified three practical tools that anyone can benefit from. Here, he explains exactly how to use them, so you can make the most of exciting new opportunities in your professional and personal life.

Conversations Worth Having (2018) looks at the power of conversation in our lives and what we can do to communicate more productively at work, in our relationships, and in the community. Drawing on real-life stories and scientifically based theories, it illustrates how we can improve organizations and lives using the principle of Appreciative Inquiry – effective conversation through positive perspective and asking the right questions.

Win Every Argument (2023) is a guide to the art of argument by one of the world’s most combative debaters: journalist, anchor, and writer Mehdi Hasan. Drawing on ancient theories of persuasion, neuroscientific theories of cognition, and the rhetorical tricks of contemporary politicians, Hasan reveals the secrets to winning arguments in today’s post-factual world.

The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower—and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion (2012) outlines five mental exercises to immediately tackle common challenges that may be holding you back in life. The coauthors are therapists and include patient cases and sketches to elaborate on how to use each tool. 

You Coach You (2022) is a guide to being your own coach for maximum career success and happiness. With practical guides, questions that help you think about who you are at work, and fun exercises, the authors show you how you can be your own best cheerleader and guide. 

Impromptu (2023) is a speculative, in-depth conversation involving GPT-4 – a Large Language Model Artificial Intelligence. By discussing real-life stories and potential applications, it paints a future in which Artificial Intelligence is a tool that can push the limits of education, creativity, business, and more. Join the conversation, and prepare for an exciting future that will unlock the true potential of humankind.

Empowered (2020) is a written master class that guides ordinary people to create extraordinary products. Discover how to create profitable products that consumers love!

Decision Making and Problem Solving (2019) explains decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking. It provides instructions for building and improving these skills and explores the importance of these abilities enabling you to expand your practical thinking capacity.

The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board (2018) is about avoiding the dumb mistakes that can sabotage businesses. The way to avoid these mistakes, which is usually more valuable than having smart ideas, is to think more and with more focus. Cunningham shows readers how to do this with his Thinking Time practice.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens (2011) invites teenagers to begin taking charge of their lives by teaching them seven habits that help them thrive and will set them up for a successful future. 

Quantum Supremacy (2023) makes understanding the facts and theory behind quantum computers accessible and easy to understand for everyone. It traces the history of the modern computer and posits a future in which quantum computing takes on the challenges of humanity that are unsolvable with even the most powerful of modern supercomputers.

Coaching for Performance (2009) is the foundational text which launched the multimillion-dollar business coaching industry. The 25th anniversary edition brings new life to the hallmark GROW model, and revisits the methods after a quarter-century of learning in performance coaching. It’s essential for leaders and coaches globally.

Disruptive Thinking (2023) is a guide to unlocking your potential and turning adversity into opportunity. By learning to understand and leverage disruption, you can kickstart your most profound personal and professional metamorphosis yet.

The Design Thinking Workbook (2022) provides a guide and template for problem-solving in creative, innovative ways. Meadows and Parikh share foundational skills, tools, and techniques essential to effectively addressing challenges and increasing productivity in any field of work. Their advice will help practitioners of design thinking – from beginners to experts – upgrade their creativity and increase their effectiveness when pursuing goals.

Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921) is a singular and ground-breaking work of modern philosophy that attempts to illuminate the relationship between logic, language, and reality.

Discourse on the Method (1637) presents a new approach to acquiring knowledge based on reason, skepticism, and systematic doubt. It outlines a method for thinking clearly and logically, leading to the famous conclusion “I think, therefore I am.” It also explores the relationship between mind and body, the existence of God, and the foundations of science.

Cracked it! (2018) offers you a toolbox for solving complex problems with speed and precision. Uncover how to apply methods from hypothesis-driven thinking to the Pyramid Principle, ensuring you tackle challenges effectively. Elevate your decision-making skills and become the go-to problem solver in your organization.

Future Skills (2022) outlines 20 core skills that will be essential for success in an increasingly digital world. From digital literacy to social media awareness, these competencies can benefit anyone regardless of career focus or life goals.

Clear Thinking (2023) presents a strategy and tactics to improve your quality of reasoning using a concise synthesis of the insights from thought leaders in business, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. It begins with teaching how to discern when critical thought is most important and then to manage the factors that most commonly obscure real problems. It then shares tactics to optimally develop and evaluate possible solutions, choose the best one, and take action.

The Conquest of Happiness (1930) explores the pursuit of human happiness. It dissects common obstacles to happiness, such as competition and fatigue, as well as the various factors that contribute to it. Equal parts philosophical and practical, you’ll come away with a deepened understanding of, and preparedness for, a fulfilling life. 

Move Fast and Fix Things (2023) dives into the art of addressing core challenges in organizational landscapes. Emphasizing the interplay of genuine curiosity and steadfast trust, it reveals the blueprint for navigating business dynamics and turning challenges into stepping stones – paving the way for enduring success.

Visual Thinking (2022) offers an authoritative view on different ways of thinking, and how those differences have been crucial to many of our biggest creative advancements. It shows how society tends to be biased toward verbal thinkers – and how visual thinkers, albeit typically underserved in society, bring an array of crucial skills to various domains.

Spoon-Fed (2020) explores the widespread confusion and misinformation about nutrition, shedding light on the dearth of substantial scientific support for many prevailing food myths. The book delves into the influence exerted by the food industry on government dietary recommendations and urges readers to critically assess diet plans, official advice, and food labels, prompting a reevaluation of their relationship with food.

The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need (2001) is a comprehensive guide to astrology, covering everything from sun signs and planets to houses and aspects. It provides an explanation of zodiac profiles, compatibility, and birth chart interpretation, allowing you to unlock the secrets of the cosmos to better understand yourself and your relationships with others.

The Art of Clear Thinking (2023) is a practical guide to decision-making as seen through the lens of a US fighter pilot. It introduces readers to the ACE Helix framework employed by those engaged in air combat while prompting you to consider how the underlying principles could be of benefit in your own life. 

The Conscious Mind (1996) is a groundbreaking work analyzing why subjective experience has remained so resistant to conventional scientific explanations. It argues that consciousness must be considered a fundamental property woven into reality rather than an illusory emergent product of brain computations.

Fahrenheit 451 (1953) tells the tale of a near future with fireproof homes, where firemen are now tasked with the job of burning books. It’s a dystopian future, where pleasure is catered to and intellectualism has been all but extinguished. But after a chance encounter with a free spirit, one fireman starts to question the true purpose of his job.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1979) is the first book in a series of science fiction novels that follows Arthur Dent, the only human to escape the destruction of Earth. Following his rescue by an alien researcher for the eponymous guide, Arthur’s reluctant adventure across space and time leads to an array of surreal and humorous escapades across the universe.

A Treatise of Human Nature (1740) is a seminal work of philosophy that seeks to understand human nature through reason. With razor-sharp skepticism, it dissects the origins of our ideas, the nature of causality, and the concept of personal identity, arguing that humans are guided by passion over reason. Laying bare the limits of human knowledge and morality, this philosophical classic forever altered the landscape of Western thought. 

The Problems of Philosophy (1912), is an accessible introduction to fundamental philosophical questions that explore the nature of reality, the limits of human knowledge, and the value of philosophical inquiry. It challenges readers to question their assumptions about the world and how we understand it. 

What Does It All Mean? (1987) invites you to explore some of the most intriguing philosophical questions. You’ll engage with ideas about reality, the certainty of knowledge, and the nature of free will, challenging what you know and expanding your view of life’s mysteries. This thoughtful examination of philosophical ideas will refine your critical thinking and deepen your appreciation for the human experience.

A Field Guide to Lies (2016) is a survival manual for our information-saturated world. With lessons on how to spot misleading statistics, arguments, and reports, its guidance is organized into two key areas: statistical information and faulty arguments. You’ll learn to recognize when numbers are being manipulated, and to avoid falling for logical fallacies in an age where misinformation spreads rapidly.

Make Possibilities Happen (2023) is filled with practical strategies to turn your dreams into realities through hard work, vision, and perseverance. Through approachable storytelling and actionable advice, it empowers you to take control of your life and pursue your biggest goals and ambitions.

The Intelligence Trap (2019) presents a compelling argument that high intelligence does not always equate to good thinking. In fact, intelligence can lead to significant mistakes, and intelligent people can fall into the trap of simplistic reasoning. As a solution, it offers strategies to cultivate wisdom and make better decisions, stressing the importance of intellectual humility, critical thinking, and the ability to learn from mistakes. 

Critical Thinkers (2018) delves into the techniques and philosophies of some of history's most renowned thinkers. It provides practical strategies for applying their methods to enhance decision-making and problem-solving skills in daily life. As such, it bridges the gap between historical wisdom and contemporary challenges, offering insights into clearer and more effective thinking.

On Liberty (1859) is a classic text on the relationship between society, government, and individual liberty. It defends the importance of personal liberty and self-expression, claiming that social progress is dependent on the protection of individual liberties from majority rule.

Philosophical Investigations (1953) documents the iconic thinker’s radical shift in understanding the nature of language and represents the culmination of his late career. It was incomplete on the author’s death and was published posthumously.

Effective Decision-Making (2016) explores the art and science of making better decisions amidst the challenges of uncertainty and pressure. It provides you with a comprehensive toolkit for improving decision-making processes, focusing on techniques that foster critical thinking, strategic analysis, and collaborative problem-solving.

Common Sense argues for American independence from British rule, combining clear moral principles with practical economic and political insights. It played a crucial role in persuading Americans to pursue a revolutionary break from Britain.

Simulacra and Simulation (1981) explores the concepts of hyperreality and the blurring of boundaries between reality and representation in contemporary culture. Through a series of essays, it argues that in a world saturated with media and technology, reality itself has been replaced by simulations and copies without originals.

How to Listen When Markets Speak (2024) explores strategies for interpreting the complex signals of financial markets to make informed investment decisions. It offers insights into the correlation between historical market events and current market behaviors, providing readers with the tools to predict and respond to market trends effectively. The guidance within emphasizes the importance of listening to and understanding the nuances of market data and economic indicators.

The Mentally Strong Leader (2024) is a comprehensive guide to cultivating the mental fortitude essential for effective leadership. Detailing over 50 tools designed to enhance the regulation of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, it empowers leaders to thrive in challenging environments and steer their teams with greater confidence.

Implementing Six Sigma (2003) provides a comprehensive framework for transforming your organization with a smarter, integrated business strategy. You’ll learn to move beyond chasing individual defects and use high-level metrics to drive projects that deliver tangible bottom-line results. Whether you’re in manufacturing, development, or services, you’ll discover the tools and mindset to stop firefighting and build a culture of continuous improvement.

Lean Six Sigma QuickStart Guide (2016) introduces the core principles of Lean and Six Sigma, two powerful methodologies for improving business processes and reducing waste. It explains complex tools like DMAIC and DMADV in simple, accessible language, making it easier for newcomers to apply continuous improvement strategies in real-world settings.

The Right Kind of Wrong (2023) explores the counterintuitive idea that embracing failure is essential for driving innovation and long-term success in organizations. It provides a framework for understanding the spectrum of reasons for failure and offers practical strategies for fostering a culture that encourages learning from mistakes. 

Market Mind Games (2012) explores the psychological aspects of investing and trading, emphasizing the role of emotions in financial decision-making. It challenges the traditional view that successful traders must suppress their emotions, arguing instead that understanding and embracing them can lead to better performance. Combining insights from neuroscience and behavioral finance, it offers strategies for navigating uncertainty and risk.

Language, Truth, and Logic (1936) introduced the ideas of logical positivism to the UK and the English speaking world. It argues for principles of verification as a foundation for meaning, and logic for the expression of meaningful statements about the world. 

Non-Obvious Thinking (2024) introduces a practical four-step method designed to help you break free from conventional thinking and uncover hidden opportunities. The SIFT framework – Space, Insight, Focus, and Twist – teaches you how to become more observant, creative, and flexible in your approach to problem-solving. Through engaging stories and actionable lessons, it shows how shifting your perspective can unlock the potential of your best ideas.

AI Snake Oil (2024) explores the myths and misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence, particularly focusing on where AI fails to deliver on its promises. It critically examines the limitations of current technologies such as generative AI, predictive AI, and content moderation AI, emphasizing the need for a grounded understanding of what AI can and cannot achieve. 

Of Grammatology (1967) overturns basic assumptions about writing and speech, uncovering that writing isn't just a tool for recording words but a fundamental system that makes all meaning possible. This revolutionary work became one of the cornerstones of poststructuralist thought, changing how we understand language, knowledge, and meaning-making across philosophy, literature, and cultural studies. 

How to Think Like Socrates (2024) reveals how the ancient philosopher’s methods for finding truth and wisdom remain powerful tools for navigating modern challenges. Through carefully documented historical examples from Socrates’s life in war-torn Athens, the book shows how his approach to questioning assumptions, defining terms clearly, and maintaining integrity under pressure can help readers make better decisions and live more examined lives.

Questions Are the Answer (2018) explores the transformative power of asking the right questions to unlock innovative solutions across all aspects of life, from the workplace to personal challenges. Based on over 200 interviews with creative problem-solvers, it reveals how catalytic questions can dissolve barriers, spark fresh thinking, and accelerate breakthroughs, offering practical insights for anyone to cultivate this skill.

Eclipse of Reason (1947) uncovers how the very rationality that was once meant to free humanity became a tool of oppression and alienation. It charts the evolution of our ideas about what is right and wrong, and how these ideas have gotten twisted by the deep contradictions in modern society. This thought-provoking work invites a critical reevaluation of reason itself, offering a path toward true liberation and social transformation.

The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics (1841) united two earlier prize-winning essays that challenge traditional moral philosophy by placing compassion, rather than reason, at the heart of ethical behavior. They explore how genuine moral conduct emerges from the complex interplay between individual character and compassion, offering a revolutionary approach to understanding human motivation and the development of moral behavior. 

Storytelling with Data (2015) is your guide to transforming data into clear and compelling visual narratives. Through actionable tips and examples, it shows how to simplify complex information, select the right visual elements, and design with intent so you can effectively communicate your insights. 

The Seven Tensions of Negotiation (2024) explores the fundamental forces that shape every negotiation, from casual conversations to high-stakes business deals. Through examining relationship dynamics, timing choices, power balances, and team interactions, it reveals how understanding and working with tension – rather than against it – leads to more successful negotiation outcomes. 

Energy and Power Risk Management (2002) plunges into the wild world of energy trading, where normal market rules don’t exist. You’ll discover how electricity’s unique physical properties create price spikes, learn why weather patterns drive market behavior – and ultimately understand why power markets operate differently from any other financial system. 

How to Solve It (1945) revolutionized mathematical thinking by breaking down complex problem-solving into clear, manageable steps. You'll learn systematic methods for approaching any challenge, from identifying exactly what you're trying to solve to planning your steps and checking your work. These timeless strategies work just as well today for everything from daily decisions to mathematical proofs, making this enduring classic as relevant now as when it was first published.

The Reading Mind (2017) explores the complex cognitive processes that occur when we read, from the initial recognition of letters to the deep comprehension of texts. It examines fundamental processes like sight-reading and phonetic reading, while also addressing higher-level skills such as inferential comprehension, the reading-writing connection, and the role of motivation in developing reading proficiency.

Trust Yourself (2021) explores the connection between sensitivity and high achievement, offering science-backed strategies to help ambitious professionals manage stress, self-doubt, and anxiety. It provides practical tools for setting boundaries, trusting your intuition, and redefining success on your own terms.

Being and Time (1927) revolutionized philosophy by examining how time shapes human existence, arguing that we understand ourselves and our world through practical engagement with it, our orientation toward future possibilities, and our awareness of our own mortality. 

The Self Delusion (2022) asks a mind-bending question: What if the “you” from yesterday, today, and tomorrow are actually three different people? It explains how our brains create the illusion of a single, continuous self – and how we can rewrite that story to shape our future.

Geography of Time (1997) takes you on a fascinating journey across cultures, revealing how different societies perceive and experience time – whether it’s the fast-walking streets of New York or the laid-back rhythms of rural Brazil. It uncovers the hidden forces shaping our daily lives and may just change the way you think about time itself.

Smart Until It’s Dumb (2023) explores the gap between what artificial intelligence appears to achieve and what it actually understands. It challenges the hype surrounding modern AI by revealing how systems that seem intelligent often rely on shallow tricks and fail in unpredictable ways. It urges a more grounded view of AI’s capabilities and its role in society.

The Answer Is a Question (2022) reveals a practical framework that fundamentally changes how you lead and manage others. The four-step STAR model breaks your habit of jumping in with solutions – and teaches you to ask powerful questions that help your team think for themselves. By mastering this approach, you’ll reclaim hours of your week and create a more engaged, capable team that drives better results across your organization.

The Genius Myth (2025) traces how Western culture transformed genius from a collective spirit into an individual trait. From Renaissance artists to tech pioneers, it reveals the hidden forces behind iconic success stories – and urges a more nuanced view of intelligence and its limits.

The Magic of Code (2025) argues that code functions as the fundamental building block of our digital world, with the power to create virtual worlds, connect people globally, and serve as a gateway to understanding connections among diverse fields like language, mythology, and human thought patterns. 

Innovators (2025) explores why some people make their greatest contributions early in life while others peak much later. It presents a groundbreaking theory of creativity, distinguishing between conceptual innovators who revolutionize fields with bold new ideas and experimental innovators who achieve success through gradual refinement over time. Drawing on extensive research, it analyzes patterns of innovation across art, science, business, and beyond.

Data (2025) offers a practical framework to move your business from a source of constant anxiety to a predictable and manageable enterprise. You’ll learn to replace gut feelings with objective facts by identifying the few key numbers that give you a true pulse on your company's health. This shift provides the clarity and confidence to lead effectively and achieve the freedom you've been working for.

Seeing What Others Don’t (2013) explores how people generate insights that transform their understanding of problems and possibilities. It outlines three pathways to insight – connections, contradictions, and creative desperation – offering practical ways individuals and organizations can leverage each for enhanced decision-making and innovation. 

Good Leaders Ask Great Questions (2014) presents a counterintuitive approach to leadership that prioritizes curiosity over certainty. It argues that leaders can achieve better results by asking questions that unlock the potential in their teams, rather than trying to solve every problem themselves.

The Shape of Wonder (2025) presents a portrait of science as a deeply human endeavor: scientists are curious, fallible, imaginative people whose work involves creativity, perseverance, and ongoing revision. It explores how scientists start and are sustained in their fields, as well as how they think and work, arguing that such understanding is critical in this age of rapid advancement. 

Brilliant Mistakes (2011) contends that trying to eliminate every misstep can backfire, while well-chosen errors can actually accelerate learning and improve performance. It explains why mistakes can yield benefits, when to avoid them, and how to design small, safe tests that expose hidden assumptions so you can make smarter decisions. It also lays out practical steps you can apply to learn faster from deliberate missteps.

A Trick of the Mind (2025) asks a provocative question: what if the world you experience is less reality itself and more a story your brain invents? It makes a strong case for how our minds act like scientists – predicting and testing what we see and believe. It also shows how this process can sometimes lead to brilliant ideas while other times it can trap us in unhealthy distortions.

The Devil Emails at Midnight (2025) maps archetypes of bad bosses and uses real workplace stories to help people recognize those patterns in themselves and their organizations. It offers practical tactics – like building self-awareness, setting clear expectations, and addressing microaggressions – to replace harmful habits and create healthier, higher-trust teams.

Uncommon Sense Teaching (2021) explores how cognitive science can inform teaching practices to enhance student learning. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain’s learning architecture and offers practical strategies for improving instruction, classroom management, and lesson planning.

Managing the Unexpected (2015) explores why some organizations handle surprises, crises, and complexity far better than others. It shows how organizations can prevent small problems from snowballing into disasters, advocating mindfulness in day-to-day operations – through attention to weak signals, real-time awareness, and deference to expertise.

The Watchman’s Rattle (2009) asks the chilling question of what happens when the world we’ve built becomes too complex for the human brain to manage. Drawing on history, neuroscience, and real-world case studies, it reveals why brilliant civilizations stall, why obvious solutions get ignored, and why insight may be humanity’s last evolutionary advantage.

Pragmatism (1907) unpacks a practical approach to philosophy that evaluates ideas based on their real-world consequences and usefulness. It presents pragmatism as a mediating framework between rigid rationalism and pure empiricism, emphasizing truth as something that evolves through experience, human action, and plural perspectives. Ultimately, it argues that truth, meaning, and progress emerge from active human engagement with the world and the possibility of improving it through effort.

A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge (1710) introduces the radical metaphysical theory of immaterialism, which argues that the physical world possesses no existence independent of a perceiving mind. It contends that what we commonly mistake for “matter” is actually a collection of sensory perceptions coordinated by a divine spirit, thereby attempting to eliminate the gap between appearance and reality to defeat skepticism. By asserting that the very essence of sensible objects is to be perceived, it seeks to ground human knowledge in certain experience and reaffirm the immediate presence of a creator.

Root Cause Analysis (2014) explains how to investigate quality problems systematically using empirical evidence and structured methods rather than intuition or blame. It introduces the theoretical foundations of root cause analysis and then shows how to apply cycles of plan–do–check–act together with a range of quality tools to identify underlying causes of failures in manufacturing and service environments.

Assumption-Based Planning (2002) offers a different way to think about strategy. Instead of trying to predict what the future holds, it gives you a method for finding the weak points in any plan – the silent beliefs that, if they turn out to be wrong, bring everything down. You'll walk away with practical tools for stress-testing your goals and making them sturdy enough to survive surprise.

How to Do Things with Words (1962) starts from a simple insight with far-reaching consequences: speaking is a way of acting in the world. It shows us how promises, apologies, and declarations quietly shape social reality every day. This is the kind of mind-expanding work that just might change your relationship with language.

Why Plato Matters Now (2025) explores the work of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It shows that, from conversational skills to romantic relationships, there’s still a lot we can learn from the thinker, potentially improving not only our own lives, but society as a whole.

Why We Click (2026)  reveals the hidden science of interpersonal synchrony – the unconscious process where our bodies align with others through matching heart rates, movements, and neural patterns – explaining why some people energize us while others leave us exhausted. By understanding this powerful phenomenon, we can learn to foster beneficial connections that enhance our wellbeing while protecting ourselves from draining interactions that threaten our sense of self.

The Laws of Thought (2026) is a deep dive into the world of cognitive science – the quest to understand the laws that govern our minds. It gives a broad and detailed account of the history of the discipline, starting with the foundations of formal logic before moving through behaviorism, early computational theories, semantic research, artificial neural networks, and finally probability theory. By offering insights into three main approaches to understanding the mind, it offers an intricate picture of the Laws of Thought.

What to Do If…? (2026) is a hands-on playbook for the messy, human side of modern work. It shows you how to read behaviour in real time, communicate without confusion, give feedback people can actually use, and hire in a way that doesn’t come back to bite you. Through simple tools and recognisable scenarios, it equips managers, HR professionals, and team members to handle tricky moments with clarity instead of guesswork.

Beyond Belief (2026) examines the hidden psychological assumptions that shape what you see, how you feel, and whether you act – and makes the case that most of the limits you accept aren’t fixed realities but beliefs you’ve absorbed without questioning. It introduces three distinct powers of belief – attention, anticipation, and agency – and shows how you can develop them. It’s a practical framework for anyone who has quit too soon, stalled without knowing why, or suspected that the real obstacle was internal.