The best 37 Ethics & Morality books

1
What Money Can't Buy

What Money Can't Buy

Michael J. Sandel
The Moral Limits of Markets
4.3 (37 ratings)

What's What Money Can't Buy about?

The blinks to What Money Can´t Buy (2013) explain how market-driven thinking – like the introduction of incentives and making everything available for a price – has snuck into almost every sphere of our lives. This means we are often suddenly confronted by serious moral concerns when market morality manifests itself in an area where it doesn’t belong.

Who should read What Money Can't Buy?

  • Anyone interested in economics, morality and the way they intersect
  • Anyone interested in a critique of the market-driven thinking that has gone unquestioned for three decades
  • Anyone who has a view on what kind of society they want to live in
  • Anyone who believes everything should be for sale

2
Philosophy for Life

Philosophy for Life

Jules Evans
And Other Dangerous Situations
4.6 (367 ratings)

What's Philosophy for Life about?

These blinks will teach you the ancient wisdom that inspired the modern science of well-being. Your teachers are the greatest ancient philosophers, and each lesson reveals questions and techniques that can help you on your path to leading a good life. Philosophy for Life has been published in 19 countries and was selected as a Times book of the year 2013.

Who should read Philosophy for Life?

  • Anyone interested in self-development and living a good life
  • Anyone interested in learning from great thinkers like Aristotle and Plutarch
  • Anyone interested in refreshing their knowledge of philosophy
  • Anyone interested in cognitive behavioral therapy

3
A Force for Good

A Force for Good

Daniel Goleman
The Dalai Lama’s Vision for Humanity
4.4 (56 ratings)

What's A Force for Good about?

A Force For Good (2015) reveals how you can swap your negative thoughts for positive actions. By taking a closer look at the Dalai Lama’s wisdom and vision, these blinks explain how individuals acting positively can together form a global force of good, driving change in our world through mutual compassion.

Who should read A Force for Good?

  • People feeling hopeless about the state of the world today
  • Fans of the Dalai Lama
  • Anyone interested in the benefits of mindfulness practices

4
Discipline & Punish

Discipline & Punish

Michel Foucault
The Birth of the Prison
4.4 (108 ratings)

What's Discipline & Punish about?

Discipline & Punish (1975) is a celebrated work of renowned French philosopher and sociologist Michel Foucault. Foucault studies the history of forms of power, punishment, discipline and surveillance from the French Ancien Régime through to more modern times, seeing it as a reflection of a changing society.

Who should read Discipline & Punish?

  • Concerned citizens worried about the overreach of mass surveillance
  • Philosophers, historians, cultural scientists and sociologists
  • Anyone interested in modern prisons

5
A Brief History of Thought

A Brief History of Thought

Luc Ferry
A Philosophical Guide to Living
4.3 (269 ratings)

What's A Brief History of Thought about?

A Brief History of Thought (1996) chronicles the big moments in the history of Western philosophy in a lucid and accessible way – from the Stoicism of classical Greece right through to twentieth-century postmodernism. Not simply a description of abstract ideals, it shows how we can apply the wisdom of the world’s best thinkers to live happier and more meaningful lives.

Who should read A Brief History of Thought?

  • Those who find philosophy cryptic and confusing
  • History students not up to speed with the development of Western thought
  • Introspective humans searching for a meaning to life

6
Everything is F*cked

Everything is F*cked

Mark Manson
A Book About Hope
4.3 (824 ratings)

What's Everything is F*cked about?

Everything is F*cked (2019) is a no-holds-barred look at the state of the modern human condition and why so many feel like the world is a lot worse off than it really is. Author Mark Manson looks to pillars of human philosophy, including Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche, to reveal how both the trappings of modern society and concepts such as hope have people focused on the wrong things in life.

Who should read Everything is F*cked?

  • Wellness devotees obsessed with the pursuit of happiness
  • Lost souls who are confused about life
  • Students of philosophy or sociology

7
The Ethics of Ambiguity

The Ethics of Ambiguity

Simone de Beauvoir
4.5 (256 ratings)

What's The Ethics of Ambiguity about?

The Ethics of Ambiguity (1947) is one of the foundational texts of existentialist philosophy. It's both a succinct summary of existentialist thought and a thorough interrogation of its ethical ramifications in the real world. By reflecting on what it means to be human, this book is a call to recognize and act upon one fundamental truth of our existence: that we are free.

Who should read The Ethics of Ambiguity?

  • Philosophically minded people who want to understand their existence.
  • Activists who seek to make the world a better place.
  • Anyone who exists and wants to know what to do about it.

8
The Life You Can Save

The Life You Can Save

Peter Singer
How to Do Your Part to End World Poverty
4.4 (188 ratings)

What's The Life You Can Save about?

The Life You Can Save (2019) is a philosophical exploration of the moral implications of poverty. This provocative treatise asks us to consider if we’re truly doing our part to end human suffering.

Who should read The Life You Can Save?

  • Sensitive souls wanting to help the least fortunate
  • Hardened cynics skeptical of any charities
  • Anyone interested in probing the human condition

9
How to Live a Good Life

How to Live a Good Life

ed. Massimo Pigliucci, Skye C. Cleary and Daniel A. Kaufman
A Guide to Choosing Your Personal Philosophy
4.3 (456 ratings)

What's How to Live a Good Life about?

How to Live a Good Life (2020), edited by Massimo Pigliucci, Skye Cleary, and Daniel Kaufman, is an introduction to 15 philosophies for living our lives. Ranging from ancient ideologies, through the major religions, to contemporary schools of thought, 15 leading scholars enlighten us with the philosophies that guide their lives.

Who should read How to Live a Good Life?

  • Those in search of a new philosophy of life
  • People wanting to do good
  • People interested in learning about philosophy

10
Morality

Morality

Jonathan Sacks
Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times
4.3 (68 ratings)

What's Morality about?

Morality (2020) is a detailed deconstruction of our current social climate and a lucid account of how we got here. Part intellectual history and part manifesto of moral truths, this thoughtful work uncovers the roots of the rifts in contemporary society and points out a path toward a more just future.

Who should read Morality?

  • Lost souls seeking guidance in times of trouble
  • Citizens searching for justice in politics
  • Anyone concerned about the state of modern society

11
Human Hacking

Human Hacking

Christopher Hadnagy with Seth Schulman
Win Friends, Influence People, and Leave Them Better Off for Having Met You
4.5 (287 ratings)

What's Human Hacking about?

Human Hacking (2021) is a guide to the art of ethical social engineering. Using the same tools of psychology and influence deployed by security hackers, it demonstrates how to boost social interactions in daily life. It covers a range of tips on how to adjust your natural communication tendencies to steer encounters to your advantage, with practical tools on how to influence others using empathy and compassion.

Who should read Human Hacking?

  • Those interested in becoming more persuasive
  • People interested in making new friends
  • Anyone interested in social engineering

12
That One Should Disdain Hardships

That One Should Disdain Hardships

Musonius Rufus
The Teachings of a Roman Stoic
4.6 (112 ratings)

What's That One Should Disdain Hardships about?

That One Should Disdain Hardships (2020) is a collection of lectures delivered in imperial Rome in the first century CE by the Stoic Gaius Musonius Rufus. Heralded as the “Roman Socrates,” Musonius’s philosophy is anything but academic. Designed to help listeners lead the best possible lives, his lectures hone in on practical, everyday questions. The result? A doctrine that you really can live by.

Who should read That One Should Disdain Hardships?

  • Philosophers and thinkers
  • History buffs
  • Practical-minded ethicists

13
The Virtue of Selfishness

The Virtue of Selfishness

Ayn Rand
A New Concept of Egoism
4.1 (143 ratings)

What's The Virtue of Selfishness about?

The Virtue of Selfishness (1964) is an argument in favor of self-interest and capitalist economics. At the time of its publication, it was a bold and original assertion of a new moral creed. This daring work is sure to challenge many deeply held ideals.

Who should read The Virtue of Selfishness?

  • Contrarians fond of audacious moral arguments 
  • Entrepreneurs in favor of free enterprise
  • Political enthusiasts interested in challenging their convictions

14
Courage is Calling

Courage is Calling

Ryan Holiday
Fortune Favors the Brave
4.3 (266 ratings)

What's Courage is Calling about?

Courage is Calling (2021) is both a meditation on bravery and a guide to courageousness. From how to dispel your fears to the benefits of taking small steps first, it gives concrete advice for building courage, and lays out, in writing rich with anecdotes, the simple ways that each of us can become a little bit braver.

Who should read Courage is Calling?

  • Scaredy-cats in need of a strong dose of daring
  • The already-courageous who want to become even braver
  • Anyone interested in how courage has shaped history

15
Radical Honesty

Radical Honesty

Brad Blanton
How to Transform Your Life by Telling the Truth
3.2 (310 ratings)

What's Radical Honesty about?

Radical Honesty (first published 1993, this edition 2004) is a guide to help you tell the truth. We all lie, all the time, and it’s only through extreme honesty that we can escape from the moralism that surrounds us and truly be ourselves.

Who should read Radical Honesty?

  • People who want to express themselves more clearly
  • Couples struggling to communicate
  • Self-improvement fans

16
What We Owe the Future

What We Owe the Future

William MacAskill
4.3 (222 ratings)

What's What We Owe the Future about?

What We Owe the Future (2022) makes the case for longtermism –⁠ the idea that people today have an obligation to create a good future for successive generations. Using philosophical reasoning, historical anecdotes, and social science research, it argues that the current moment could decide whether future people will live happy, flourishing lives or extraordinarily miserable ones. By carefully considering our actions with respect to issues like AI safety, biotechnology, and value lock-in, we increase the chances that future people will thrive –⁠ just as many of us do, now, thanks to people from the past.

Who should read What We Owe the Future?

  • Activists and charity donors who want to maximize the good they do
  • People interested in moral philosophy and ethics 
  • Anyone concerned about the future of humanity

17
On War

On War

Carl von Clausewitz
4.3 (339 ratings)

What's On War about?

On War (1832) is widely considered to be a landmark book on the subject of war. In its serious and thoughtful consideration of why and how states engage in warfare, it continues to be an influential piece of writing centuries later.

Who should read On War?

  • History buffs
  • Those interested in the politics and morality of war
  • Anyone curious about military strategy

18
Ethics

Ethics

Simon Blackburn
A Very Short Introduction
4.3 (289 ratings)

What's Ethics about?

Ethics: A Very Short Introduction (2001) does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a clear and accessible introduction to the branch of philosophy that’s concerned with how we ought to treat each other. By exploring key challenges and theories within ethics, Simon Blackburn cuts through philosophical jargon so we can learn to think clearly about how we ought to behave.

Who should read Ethics?

  • Beginners looking to get started with philosophy
  • Cynics secretly wondering if an ethical life is even possible 
  • Altruists who want to live more ethical lives

19
To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee
4.8 (129 ratings)

What's To Kill a Mockingbird about?

To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) is one of the most influential American novels ever written. Set in a small town in Alabama in the 1930s, it follows the Finch family over three tumultuous years as a trial divides a community. Covering themes of love and hate, innocence and experience, and kindness and cruelty, Harper Lee’s book goes to the heart of human behavior.   

Who should read To Kill a Mockingbird?

  • Anyone interested in classic fiction
  • History buffs
  • Those invested in the struggle for justice

20
Don Quixote

Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes
4.4 (221 ratings)

What's Don Quixote about?

Don Quixote (1605) is widely regarded as the first modern novel. Its claim to fame extends beyond historical novelty. For many readers and critics, it remains the greatest novel of its kind. It tells the story of a man who becomes so enchanted by tales of chivalry that he decides to become a knight-errant – a wandering gallant in the style of Lancelot. The self-styled knight who calls himself Don Quixote and his trusty sidekick Sancho Panza get themselves into all kinds of absurd mischief, but their foolish quest ultimately brings them something precious: an immortal friendship.

Who should read Don Quixote?

  • Anyone who’s been put off by the length of Cervantes’s great novel
  • Lovers of classic literature, tall tales, and absurd adventures
  • Anyone looking to put a face to the famous names Don Quixote and Sancho Panza

21
The Analects

The Analects

Confucius
Aphorisms and Anecdotes from the Paragon of Chinese Sages
4.6 (430 ratings)

What's The Analects about?

The Analects is a collection of twenty “books” that contain valuable quotes and sayings from the Chinese philosopher Confucius, as well as his disciples. These words of wisdom date back thousands of years, but they have remained remarkably relevant throughout the ages. 

Who should read The Analects?

  • Anyone interested in ancient wisdom from the East
  • Leaders looking for philosophical guidance in their lives
  • History buffs and folks who enjoy ideas from the past

22
The Art of Worldly Wisdom

The Art of Worldly Wisdom

Baltasar Gracián y Morales
A Pocket Oracle
4.2 (438 ratings)

What's The Art of Worldly Wisdom about?

The Art of Worldly Wisdom (1647) is a timeless self-help classic. Comprising 300 short but brilliant maxims, it sheds light on how to live your life, achieve success, and win respect. It has remained consistently relevant throughout its nearly 400-year publication history, inspiring the likes of Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Who should read The Art of Worldly Wisdom?

  • Anyone looking for time-tested wisdom on how to live a better life;
  • Curious minds interested in the subtle art of giving and receiving favors; and
  • Self-help fans wanting to see how little the genre has changed over the centuries.
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23
Verity

Verity

Colleen Hoover
4.1 (174 ratings)

What's Verity about?

Verity (2018) is the breakout thriller leaving mystery fans breathless. Taut and tense, with a final plot twist delivered like a sucker-punch, the novel leaves readers questioning everything in the end — especially the truth.

Who should read Verity?

  • Anyone curious about the plot twists that dominate the buzz around the book
  • Thriller fans and true-crime lovers craving stories full of unreliable narrators
  • Novel lovers seeking tales that turn storytelling on its head - with chilling results

24
Macbeth

Macbeth

William Shakespeare
4.8 (82 ratings)

What's Macbeth about?

Macbeth (1606) is the Shakespearean tragedy of Scottish general Macbeth and his doomed attempt to seize his country’s throne. His ambitions ignited by a prophecy spoken to him by three witches, Macbeth’s path to power begins with anxiety and reticence and ends with callousness and cruelty. His story is a timeless exploration of guilt, paranoia, madness, prophecy, and the evils of ambition.

Who should read Macbeth?

  • Shakespeare lovers who haven’t had the chance to read Macbeth 
  • Those who find Shakespeare’s original language difficult to enjoy
  • Macbeth fans who want a refresher

25
Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment

Fyodor Dostoyevsky
4.7 (361 ratings)

What's Crime and Punishment about?

Crime and Punishment (1866) is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Russian literature. It follows a young man called Rodion Raskolnikov – first as he plots to kill an elderly pawnbroker, then as he commits the deed, and finally as he confronts the many consequences of his actions. Emotionally poignant as well as philosophically and psychologically complex, the novel has left a visible mark on generations of writers, thinkers, and artists ever since its publication.

Who should read Crime and Punishment?

  • Fans of Russian literature
  • Lovers of melodrama, mental anguish, and moral quandaries
  • Philosophy buffs

26
Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad
4.0 (27 ratings)

What's Heart of Darkness about?

Heart of Darkness (1899) is a classic novella that explores themes of imperialism, power dynamics, and morality. It tells the story of sailor Charles Marlow, who becomes captain of a river steamboat for a Belgian ivory trade company Africa and witnesses the brutal reality of European colonialism. Marlow becomes fascinated with the mysterious ivory trader Kurtz – a mad genius who commands a trading post deep in the jungle. 

Who should read Heart of Darkness?

  • Fans of classic literature 
  • Those interested in critical perspectives on imperialism and colonialism 
  • Anyone who loves a good sailor’s yarn

27
Humanly Possible

Humanly Possible

Sarah Bakewell
Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope
4.2 (200 ratings)

What's Humanly Possible about?

Humanly Possible (2023) traces the roots of humanism in literature and science back through history. While telling the stories of the great humanist thinkers, it sheds light on humanity today as well as how we can better relate to our lives and environment through humanist beliefs and pursuits. 

Who should read Humanly Possible?

  • Anyone interested in the humanities
  • People looking for non-religious alternatives to moral thinking
  • Optimists

28
The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov

Fyodor Dostoyevsky
4.9 (60 ratings)

What's The Brothers Karamazov about?

The Brothers Karamazov (1879) follows the events, machinations, and tragedies of the Karamazov family over the course of four critical days in an unnamed town in Russia. As tensions within the household simmer and seeth into a stunning climax, we are treated to one of the most penetrating explorations of religion, faith, and doubt in all of world literature. 

Who should read The Brothers Karamazov?

  • Anyone interested in deep themes like philosophy and religion
  • Agnostics looking for spiritual guidance
  • People who don’t have time to read a 900-page novel

29
The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins
4.8 (14 ratings)

What's The Hunger Games about?

The Hunger Games (2008) is the first volume of the popular YA fantasy trilogy. In the post-apocalyptic future state of Panem, teenagers participate in a brutal yearly game show where they compete against each other in a deadly obstacle arena. When her sister is drafted for the games, 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her place – not realizing she’ll end up fighting for something bigger than mere survival.

Who should read The Hunger Games?

  • Sci-fi fans and fantasy aficionados
  • Readers who love strong female characters
  • Fans of The Hunger Games movies with Jennifer Lawrence

30
A Theory of Justice

A Theory of Justice

John Rawls
4.3 (233 ratings)

What's A Theory of Justice about?

A Theory of Justice (1971) is a seminal work of political philosophy, in the social contract tradition. One of the most widely debated philosophical works of the twentieth century, it provides a framework for evaluating societies and social outcomes in terms of justice, fairness, and rights.

Who should read A Theory of Justice?

  • Political philosophy buffs
  • Those wishing to deepen their understanding of social inequality
  • Anyone who cares about creating a fairer society

31
The Metamorphosis

The Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka
4.7 (46 ratings)

What's The Metamorphosis about?

The Metamorphosis (1915) is an allegorical novella about what happens when the main character, Gregor Samsa, is transformed into a bug. It grapples with the themes of alienation, the absurdity of life, and the power of change.

Who should read The Metamorphosis?

  • Anyone interested in a compelling short story classic
  • People struggling with the absurdity of life or the feeling of alienation
  • Students of twentieth-century literature

32
The Wager

The Wager

David Grann
A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
4.5 (50 ratings)

What's The Wager about?

The Wager (2023) recounts the unbelievable-but-true story of the doomed adventure taken by those aboard the HMS Wager. This Royal Navy ship was meant to sail the world and plunder Spanish treasure, but in 1741 it was shipwrecked while trying to sail around Cape Horn. This is the story of how a crew of hundreds dwindled to just a handful of survivors.

Who should read The Wager?

  • Fans of classic seafaring tales like Moby Dick and Mutiny on the Bounty
  • People who love death-defying stories of heroic endurance
  • Those interested in historical mysteries and conspiracies

33
Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe
4.6 (170 ratings)

What's Uncle Tom's Cabin about?

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) is a compelling indictment of slavery. Describing the many trials of Uncle Tom, its long-suffering enslaved protagonist, the story reveals the horrors of America’s “peculiar institution” while showing how Christian love can triumph over evil. It played a pivotal role in the abolition of slavery and remains one of the most important American novels ever written. 

Who should read Uncle Tom's Cabin?

  • Those curious about a controversial classic
  • Christians and believers 
  • History buffs

34
The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde
4.7 (29 ratings)

What's The Picture of Dorian Gray about?

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) is an iconic late-Victorian gothic novel that centers on the young aesthete Dorian, who never seems to age or feel the ill effects of his hedonistic lifestyle, and the supernatural portrait that reveals the truth behind the face Dorian presents to the world.

Who should read The Picture of Dorian Gray?

  • Literature lovers wanting to meet one of the canon’s most iconic characters
  • Fans of gothic fiction, ready to get acquainted with a classic of the genre
  • History buffs who want the scoop on one of the Victorian era’s most scandalous books

35
Young Goodman Brown

Young Goodman Brown

Nathaniel Hawthorne
4.6 (5 ratings)

What's Young Goodman Brown about?

“Young Goodman Brown” (1835) is a short story that thrusts us into a nightmarish world of witchcraft, religion, sin, and temptation. Composed as an allegory – a story that acts as a thin wrapper for an author’s intended message or meaning – this bite-size tale has much to say on human nature, Christianity, hypocrisy, and our ideas of community. 

Who should read Young Goodman Brown?

  • Horror lovers
  • Soul-searchers interested in human nature
  • Witches, wizards, and practitioners of the occult

36
Sol Price

Sol Price

Robert E. Price
Retail Revolutionary and Social Innovator
4.3 (20 ratings)

What's Sol Price about?

Sol Price: Retail Revolutionary & Social Innovator (2012) is a deep-dive into the life and legacy of Sol Price, a pivotal figure who reshaped consumer behavior in the United States and across the world. Authored by his son, it illuminates Price's disruptive retail strategies that birthed FedMart and Price Club, and spotlights his steadfast commitment to employee welfare and customer value, a practice that became an ethical cornerstone of his expansive business empire.

Who should read Sol Price?

  • Those curious about the mechanics of the retail industry and its evolution
  • Aspiring entrepreneurs looking for inspiration and insight 
  • Philanthropists interested in understanding how successful individuals like Sol Price used their wealth for social good

37
Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Friedrich Nietzsche
4.4 (105 ratings)

What's Thus Spoke Zarathustra about?

Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883) is a philosophical novel by Friedrich Nietzsche that explores the themes of religion, morality, culture, and society. It follows the journey of Zarathustra, a prophet who leaves his cave to share his wisdom with humanity. Along the way he encounters various characters who test his vision, and grapples with his own shortcomings.

Who should read Thus Spoke Zarathustra?

  • Those who like to challenge their own assumptions and values
  • People who enjoy poetic and metaphorical language and imagery
  • Students of history, philosophy, and culture

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