The best 100 Innovation books

Innovation is a driving force behind business growth, technological advancements, and societal progress. Cultivating an innovative mindset can help you identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and create lasting impact. That's why we've curated a list of insightful books to inspire and guide you through the world of innovation. Our selection covers various aspects of the innovation process, providing you with the knowledge to unleash your creative potential and make a difference. So, let's spark your innovative spirit with these transformative reads!
1
21 Lessons for the 21st Century

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

Yuval Noah Harari
Future proof yourself against the 21st Century
4.4 (1,245 ratings)

What's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century about?

21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) is a hard-hitting investigation of civilization’s most pertinent challenges. Humankind is moving deeper into uncharted technological and social territory. These blinks explore how best to navigate our lives in this century of constant change, using fascinating examples from current affairs along the way.

Who should read 21 Lessons for the 21st Century?

  • Current affairs enthusiasts
  • History buffs looking for fresh insights
  • Big-picture thinkers wanting a new perspective on the world’s challenges

2
Abundance

Abundance

Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler
The Future Is Better Than You Think
4.3 (368 ratings)

What's Abundance about?

Abundance explains why our current predicament is not as gloomy as we believe it to be and presents a compelling case for ways in which we could have a future marked by abundance and not scarcity. It takes readers on a whistle-stop tour of transformative technologies, their key players and a glimpse of how these technologies could be employed to solve many of the resource problems we face today. Above all, this book reminds readers that it’s an interesting and exciting time to exist.

Who should read Abundance?

  • Anyone interested in the potential impact of new technologies on society 
  • Anyone looking for a more optimistic view of the future
  • Anyone interested in how we manage the world’s resources

3
The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell
How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
4.3 (396 ratings)

What's The Tipping Point about?

The Tipping Point discusses why certain ideas, products and behaviors spread like epidemics and what we can do to consciously trigger and have control over such epidemics.

Who should read The Tipping Point?

  • Anyone who is interested in the way ideas spread
  • Anyone who wants to learn how social epidemics break out
  • Anyone who works in marketing, advertising or a related field

4
The Innovator’s Dilemma

The Innovator’s Dilemma

Clayton Christensen
When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
4.4 (333 ratings)

What's The Innovator’s Dilemma about?

The Innovator’s Dilemma explains why so many well-established companies fail dismally when faced with the emerging markets they create. This Blink focuses on one of the book’s central themes: disruptive innovation.

Who should read The Innovator’s Dilemma?

  • Anyone interested in why big companies are so vulnerable to disruptive technologies
  • Business executives
  • Anyone who wants to take advantage of technological innovations

5
Superhuman Innovation

Superhuman Innovation

Chris Duffey
Transforming Business with Artificial Intelligence
4.2 (138 ratings)

What's Superhuman Innovation about?

Superhuman Innovation (2019) explores the impressive breadth of possibilities that artificial intelligence (AI) offers to all fields of business, from healthcare to fashion. Rather than cause a robotic takeover, it argues, human-machine collaboration will empower businesses and consumers alike to set and achieve greater goals than ever before. 

Who should read Superhuman Innovation?

  • Business students looking for a rundown on the impact of AI across various industries
  • Entrepreneurs who want to incorporate AI into their future company 
  • Business owners seeking to better leverage the power of AI

6
Originals

Originals

Adam Grant
How Non-Conformists Move the World
4.3 (302 ratings)

What's Originals about?

In Originals (2016), Adam Grant taps into the field of original thinking and explores where great ideas come from. By following unconventional rules, Grant gives us helpful guidelines for how we can foster originality in every facet of our lives. He also shows that anyone can enhance his or her creativity, and gives foolproof methods for identifying our truly original ideas – and following through with them.

Who should read Originals?

  • Creatives struggling to find support for their ideas
  • Employees looking to change their workplace for the better
  • Anyone interested in what it takes to make genius solutions a reality

7
Think Like a Rocket Scientist

Think Like a Rocket Scientist

Ozan Varol
Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life
4.5 (272 ratings)

What's Think Like a Rocket Scientist about?

Think Like a Rocket Scientist (2020) reveals the strategies that rocket scientists use to innovate, problem-solve, and bring the unimaginable into fruition. By learning the techniques that scientists use every day, you’ll gain powerful tools that will help you fulfill both your professional and personal dreams.

Who should read Think Like a Rocket Scientist?

  • Seekers of original thought
  • Business managers looking for cutting-edge solutions
  • Victims of fear who hold themselves back

8
Super Founders

Super Founders

Ali Tamaseb
What Data Reveals About Billion-Dollar Startups
4.5 (227 ratings)

What's Super Founders about?

Super Founders (2021) offers an in-depth analysis behind the success of billion-dollar startups. After crunching over 30,000 data points, it unravels the multitude of false notions surrounding tech unicorns and reveals what it really takes to make it in Silicon Valley. 

Who should read Super Founders?

  • Investors seeking to sharpen their eye for opportunities
  • Entrepreneurs looking for actionable advice
  • Startup veterans hoping to learn from their mistakes

9
Adaptability

Adaptability

Max McKeown
The Art of Winning in an Age of Uncertainty
4.3 (65 ratings)

What's Adaptability about?

Adaptability (2012) examines a skill that’s becoming ever more important in today’s fast-paced and highly fickle business environment: the ability to adapt. It’s what makes the difference between successful innovators who go on to thrive and stick-in-the-muds who struggle to survive – or simply go under. Packed with illuminating portraits of both, these blinks analyze adaptability in action everywhere from the golf course to the battlefield and the boardroom.

Who should read Adaptability?

  • Entrepreneurs and self-starters
  • Managers and strategists
  • Marketplace Machiavellis

10
Unlocking Creativity

Unlocking Creativity

Michael Roberto
How to Solve Any Problem and Make the Best Decisions by Shifting Creative Mindsets
4.3 (237 ratings)

What's Unlocking Creativity about?

Unlocking Creativity (2019) is a guide to unleashing creativity in the workplace. Starting with the premise that all people are innately creative, it argues that the best way to unlock employee creativity isn’t to hire all-star creatives or restructure your businesses. Instead, the key is to dismantle the workplace mind-sets that are stifling the creativity of the people already in your midst.  

Who should read Unlocking Creativity?

  • Leaders striving to boost employee creativity 
  • Workers wondering how to become more creative
  • Creatives who want to empower their coworkers

11
Make No Small Plans

Make No Small Plans

Elliott Bisnow
Lessons on Thinking Big, Chasing Dreams, and Building Community
4.1 (289 ratings)

What's Make No Small Plans about?

Make No Small Plans (2022) is the inside story of how a group of young entrepreneurs created one of the world’s most exciting platforms for global events and conferences – the Summit Series. This isn’t just a chance for them to recount their company’s history, though. Packed with actionable takeaways and business wisdom, this is a book designed to inspire readers on their own entrepreneurial journeys.

Who should read Make No Small Plans?

  • Recent graduates unsure which path they should follow
  • Entrepreneurs and self-starters looking for inspiration
  • Anyone interested in building better business relationships

12
The Myths of Creativity

The Myths of Creativity

David Burkus
The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas
4.4 (69 ratings)

What's The Myths of Creativity about?

The Myths of Creativity debunks our common misconceptions of how creativity works. It provides practical insight and valuable advice on how to generate new ideas and let them flourish, and it gives real-world examples from history and recent well-known creatives.

Who should read The Myths of Creativity?

  • Anyone who would like to increase his or her creativity
  • Anyone running a business or organization

13
The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety

The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety

Timothy R. Clark
Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation
4.3 (248 ratings)

What's The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety about?

The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety (2020) is a practical handbook for creating and maintaining psychological safety in the workplace. In order for employees to take risks, ask questions, challenge the status quo, and make mistakes – all while learning and growing – they have to feel included and safe. This book shows how leaders can reduce social friction while encouraging collaboration and innovation.

Who should read The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety?

  • Managers and CEOs trying to boost employee well-being and productivity
  • Leaders tired of dusty corporate hierarchies
  • Anyone interested in practical approaches to workplace inclusion

14
The Customer Service Revolution

The Customer Service Revolution

John R. DiJulius III
Overthrow Conventional Business, Inspire Employees, and Change the World
4.3 (44 ratings)

What's The Customer Service Revolution about?

The Customer Service Revolution (2015) reveals the real secrets of brilliant customer service. These blinks provide a practical guide for taking your customer service to the next level, helping to create an extraordinary experience for your customers and forge an enthusiastic vision-driven workforce.

Who should read The Customer Service Revolution?

  • Managers who want to boost their team’s customer service
  • Employees looking to improve their people skills
  • Leaders curious about why customer service is so important

15
Where Good Ideas Come From

Where Good Ideas Come From

Steven Johnson
The Natural History of Innovation
4.2 (154 ratings)

What's Where Good Ideas Come From about?

Where Good Ideas Come From (2011) examines the evolution of life on Earth and the history of science. This New York Times bestseller highlights many parallels between the two, ranging from carbon atoms forming the very first building blocks of life to cities and the World Wide Web fostering great innovations and discoveries.

In addition to presenting this extensive analysis, replete with anecdotes and scientific evidence, Johnson also considers how individual and organizational creativity can be cultivated.

Who should read Where Good Ideas Come From?

  • Anyone interested in the history of science and innovation, especially tantalizing anecdotes of great discoveries.
  • Anyone who wishes to be more creative and innovative, or hopes to foster such traits on an organizational level.
  • Anyone interested in the evolution of life on Earth.

16
Change by Design

Change by Design

Tim Brown
How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation
4.2 (132 ratings)

What's Change by Design about?

Change by Design (2009) presents a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to designing solutions to address any sort of innovation challenge. In following this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to more creatively develop the stories and inspirations that will lead to tomorrow’s innovations.

Who should read Change by Design?

  • Anyone whose job requires creativity and innovative thinking
  • Anyone interested in finding a better way to address problems in society
  • Business leaders who want to inspire creativity and innovative thinking

17
Conscious Leadership

Conscious Leadership

John Mackey
Elevating Humanity Through Business
4.4 (119 ratings)

What's Conscious Leadership about?

Conscious Leadership (2020) reveals what it takes to lead a purpose-driven business that sees beyond the bottom line. Drawing on his experience as CEO of one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States, John Mackey shows how leaders can shape their businesses to become more innovative, competitive, and socially responsible.

Who should read Conscious Leadership?

  • Organizations seeking their purpose
  • Business coaches who want to help strengthen leaders, teams, and enterprises
  • HR departments looking to improve their hiring practices

18
Mavericks

Mavericks

David Giles Lewis
How Bold Leadership Changes the World
4.4 (241 ratings)

What's Mavericks about?

Mavericks (2022) makes a case for maverick leadership. It shows that independent thinkers motivated by meaningful goals can transform their careers and communities – and that anyone can develop their inner maverick by focusing on five key characteristics.

Who should read Mavericks?

  • Leaders interested in shaking things up
  • Anyone who wants to become more resourceful or resilient
  • People who want to change their organizations or communities for the better

19
The Innovators

The Innovators

Walter Isaacson
How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
4.3 (109 ratings)

What's The Innovators about?

The Innovators explores the social and cultural forces that inspired technological innovation through the history of computers and the internet. By weaving together the personal stories of technology’s greatest minds, The Innovators gives you an inside look at how the best and the brightest innovate and collaborate.

Who should read The Innovators?

  • Anyone who wants learn about the people behind the Digital Revolution
  • Anyone interested in discovering how technological innovations came to be
  • Anyone who thinks that singular geniuses are responsible for society’s greatest achievements

20
Practically Radical

Practically Radical

William C. Taylor
Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry and Challenge Yourself
4.4 (49 ratings)

What's Practically Radical about?

Practically Radical (2011) is a strategic guide to navigating today’s fast-moving world of business for leaders keen to set themselves apart from the crowd. Full of clever tips and insights from today’s most innovative companies, it argues for the need to rethink tried and tested methods and learn to think outside the box.

Who should read Practically Radical?

  • CEOs and leaders
  • Entrepreneurs and innovators
  • Anyone looking to boost their business

21
Unlearn

Unlearn

Barry O’Reilly
Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results
4.4 (110 ratings)

What's Unlearn about?

Unlearn (2019) proposes a radical concept. To achieve ongoing results in the workplace, you need to abandon the methods that brought you success in the past. These methods often don’t account for changes in the environment, making them ineffective and redundant. Instead, by following the Cycle of Unlearning, you can adopt a system that will consistently deliver innovative outcomes.

Who should read Unlearn?

  • Leaders whose success has stagnated
  • Managers needing to inspire innovative thinking
  • CEOs of companies on the brink of failure

22
The Creator Mindset

The Creator Mindset

Nir Bashan
92 Tools to Unlock the Secrets to Innovation, Growth, and Sustainability
4.2 (125 ratings)

What's The Creator Mindset about?

The Creator Mindset (2020) is a comprehensive guide to incorporating creativity into everything you do. Far from being something that only artists possess, creativity is in fact an essential ingredient in any successful career or business. Unfortunately, most of us squander our full creative potential by not realizing we have it to begin with. Get ready to unlock the latent creative talent that’ll give you and your business an edge over the competition.

Who should read The Creator Mindset?

  • Professionals who want to improve their careers and businesses
  • Leaders who want to inspire their employees to be more creative
  • Anyone who wants to think and act more creatively

23
The Future of Humanity

The Future of Humanity

Michio Kaku
Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth
4.4 (86 ratings)

What's The Future of Humanity about?

The Future of Humanity (2018) explores the challenges we face finding new homes on other, potentially hostile, planets. As physicist Michio Kaku shows us, this scenario is no longer science fiction, but rather a very pressing concern for scientists and future-minded entrepreneurs. Kaku presents the options currently being explored as well as the many problems that are on the verge of being solved.

Who should read The Future of Humanity?

  • Fans of speculative science
  • Students of physics and planetary science
  • Astronomy enthusiasts

24
The Runaway Species

The Runaway Species

Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman
How Human Creativity Remakes the World
4.3 (49 ratings)

What's The Runaway Species about?

The Runaway Species (2017) is a gripping account of human creativity. Examining the principles that underlie our inventiveness, as well as real-world examples of creative breakthroughs, it offers a novel account of the abilities that make our species unique.

Who should read The Runaway Species?

  • Artistic types wondering how creativity works
  • Entrepreneurs trying to develop the next big thing
  • Anyone who wants to become a bit more inventive

25
The Scrum Fieldbook

The Scrum Fieldbook

J.J. Sutherland
A Master Class on Accelerating Performance, Getting Results, and Defining the Future
4.5 (118 ratings)

What's The Scrum Fieldbook about?

The Scrum Fieldbook (2019) is a practical, hands-on guide to the scrum organizational framework within the Agile mindset. This concise manual recaps how scrum works to increase work velocity and to ensure any team delivers the right impact for the business. It also explains how to implement Scrum in any organization across all industries from software to home renovation and even to the military.

Who should read The Scrum Fieldbook?

  • Small companies looking for big results
  • Managers aiming to streamline their team
  • Anyone interested in cutting-edge organizational techniques

26
Strategy Rules

Strategy Rules

David B. Yoffie and Michael A. Cusumano
Five Timeless Lessons From Bill Gates, Andy Grove and Steve Jobs
4.1 (88 ratings)

What's Strategy Rules about?

Strategy Rules (2015) explores the business strategies and leadership styles of three hyper-successful tech CEOs: Bill Gates of Microsoft, Andy Grove of Intel and Steve Jobs of Apple. These blinks break down the strategic expertise necessary to build a competitive business and ensure long-term success.

Who should read Strategy Rules?

  • Businesspeople who want to learn from the success of Microsoft, Intel and Apple
  • CEOs looking for a strategic boost
  • New entrepreneurs looking to develop a vision for their ideas

27
They Ask You Answer

They Ask You Answer

Marcus Sheridan
A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer
4.4 (115 ratings)

What's They Ask You Answer about?

They Ask You Answer (2017) describes a transformative new marketing philosophy. Rather than relying on flashy ads and keyword-stuffed articles, author Marcus Sheridan encourages companies to embrace quality online content that truly seeks to educate customers and win their trust.

Who should read They Ask You Answer?

  • Online content creators
  • Company owners who need to improve their sales
  • People interested in the world of advertising

28
Big Bang Disruption

Big Bang Disruption

Larry Downes and Paul Nunes
Business Survival in the Age of Constant Innovation
4.1 (35 ratings)

What's Big Bang Disruption about?

Big Bang Disruption (2014) explains how disruptive innovations are endangering many of today’s businesses, and how to keep your business alive despite these disruptions. It describes the four stages of market disruption and provides 12 rules that’ll help you get through them.

Who should read Big Bang Disruption?

  • Executives and managers
  • Investors and entrepreneurs
  • Economists and strategists

29
The Elements of Scrum

The Elements of Scrum

Chris Sims and Hillary Louise Johnson
A guide to every aspect of Scrum
4.0 (100 ratings)

What's The Elements of Scrum about?

The Elements of Scrum (2011) explains how outmoded software development processes are holding companies back in an ever-changing market. Today’s successful teams need to be agile and flexible; and the best companies do this by adopting a methodology called scrum. This book gives you everything you need to know to start a scrum-based process in your own organization.

Who should read The Elements of Scrum?

  • Project managers
  • Software developers and designers
  • Anyone interested in agile organizational processes

30
The Loop Approach

The Loop Approach

Sebastian Klein
How to Transform Your Organization from the Inside Out
3.9 (72 ratings)

What's The Loop Approach about?

The Loop Approach (2019) presents a systematic approach to the transformation of organizations. Its toolkit of ideas and methods is designed to help even the largest organization change its bad habits, thus enabling it to adapt to the challenges of the future. 

Who should read The Loop Approach?

  • Business leaders looking for ways to update their company structures
  • Teams aiming to work more effectively as a group
  • Entrepreneurs wishing to establish organizations that are forward-looking

31
The Common Path to Uncommon Success

The Common Path to Uncommon Success

John Lee Dumas
A Roadmap to Financial Freedom and Fulfillment
4.2 (163 ratings)

What's The Common Path to Uncommon Success about?

The Common Path to Uncommon Success (2021) arms you with the tools to create valuable content and turn it into financial independence. Drawing on more than 3,000 interviews with successful entrepreneurs, it lays bare the path to transforming your big idea into a profitable business.

Who should read The Common Path to Uncommon Success?

  • Entrepreneurs looking to make their big idea a reality
  • Career professionals seeking an escape from the daily grind
  • Content creators eager to up their game

32
The Industries of the Future

The Industries of the Future

Alec Ross
The next wave of innovation and globalization
3.7 (85 ratings)

What's The Industries of the Future about?

The Industries of the Future (2016) gives a sneak peak at the effects information technology and the next wave of innovation will have on globalization. These blinks explain how people, governments and companies will need to adapt to a changing world driven by big data.

Who should read The Industries of the Future?

  • Any business owner or entrepreneur who accepts payments by credit card
  • Those aspiring to own a business
  • Parents who want to prepare their child for a successful future

33
Self-Made Boss

Self-Made Boss

Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg
Advice, Hacks, and Lessons from Small Business Owners
4.4 (156 ratings)

What's Self-Made Boss about?

Self-Made Boss (2022) is a practical starter kit for anyone looking to start a small business. It’s packed with advice and case studies looking at small businesses from across the United States, with step-by-step instructions for turning your great idea into a successful business. 

Who should read Self-Made Boss?

  • Small business owners
  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Anyone curious about how brands are built from the ground up

34
What Matters Now

What Matters Now

Gary Hamel
How to Win in a World of Relentless Change, Ferocious Competition and Unstoppable Innovation
3.8 (34 ratings)

What's What Matters Now about?

What Matters Now (2012) reveals the many challenges for companies looking to navigate an increasingly globalized and technology-driven world. With practical advice, these blinks show how  company can not only survive such an environment but also adapt, innovate and thrive.

Who should read What Matters Now?

  • CEOs wanting to learn how to easily adapt to global challenges
  • Managers looking to challenge their company’s status quo
  • Entrepreneurs involved in businesses with a global outlook

35
Smartcuts

Smartcuts

Shane Snow
How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success
4.0 (33 ratings)

What's Smartcuts about?

Smartcuts (2014) is about the secrets used by innovative companies and bright minds to achieve big successes in the shortest possible time. It outlines the reasons why unconventional methods are much more powerful than traditional ones in today's business world, and what you can do to take advantage of them.

Who should read Smartcuts?

  • Entrepreneurs
  • Anyone interested in productivity or innovation

36
Radical Product Thinking

Radical Product Thinking

R. Dutt
The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter
4.1 (310 ratings)

What's Radical Product Thinking about?

Radical Product Thinking (2021) lays out a step-by-step approach to developing game-changing products. Taking aim at the iteration-led approaches to product development that have become popular in recent years, it provides an inspiring, vision-driven alternative. 

Who should read Radical Product Thinking?

  • Product developers 
  • Entrepreneurs 
  • Change-makers

37
Loonshots

Loonshots

Safi Bahcall
How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries
4.5 (190 ratings)

What's Loonshots about?

Loonshots (2019) explores a subject that’s as important to the success of the US military as it is to companies duking it out on the metaphorical battlefield: innovation. Drawing on a host of illuminating historical examples, Safi Bahcall shows that path-breaking discoveries and inventions aren’t the product of isolated geniuses plowing their lonely furrows but rather a result of organizational structures which foster out-of-the-box thinking.

Who should read Loonshots?

  • Tinkerers with an idea so crazy it might just work
  • Managers struggling to keep their companies ahead of the curve
  • Anyone who’s ever wondered how the Allies won World War Two

38
A Whole New Mind

A Whole New Mind

Daniel H. Pink
Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
4.5 (148 ratings)

What's A Whole New Mind about?

In an age where computers and well-trained workers from low-paid countries are taking over even white-collar jobs, what can you do to stand out? As we move out of the Information Age and into a new Conceptual Age, the answer is to start embracing the aptitudes associated with the right side of your brain, which were previously thought of as less valuable than analytical left-brain skills.

Who should read A Whole New Mind?

  • Anyone who wants to discover the difference between 20th-century work and 21st-century work
  • Anyone interested in the concept of “right-brain” thinking
  • Anyone who wants to develop the right skills to succeed at work in the modern age

39
Making Ideas Happen

Making Ideas Happen

Scott Belsky
Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality
4.3 (84 ratings)

What's Making Ideas Happen about?

Making Ideas Happen deals with the obstacles that lie between your ideas and their implementation. It offers insight into the ways in which successful individuals and creative departments overcome these obstacles, by offering real-life examples from some of the world’s leading brands and creative minds.

Who should read Making Ideas Happen?

  • Anyone working in the creative industry
  • Anyone who runs a start-up
  • Anyone who has had awesome ideas that never became a reality

40
Disrupt Yourself

Disrupt Yourself

Whitney Johnson
Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work
4.3 (98 ratings)

What's Disrupt Yourself about?

Disrupt Yourself (2015) is about embarking on the journey of constant discovery that is your career. By following your interests, discovering your unique talents, taking the right risks and being prepared to learn, you will find yourself constantly stimulated and satisfied by your work.

Who should read Disrupt Yourself?

  • Employees and CEOs of small companies or start-ups
  • Entrepreneurs considering their next business venture
  • Anyone seeking inspiration for their professional calling

41
Tesla

Tesla

Margaret Cheney
Man Out of Time
4.7 (96 ratings)

What's Tesla about?

Tesla (1981) offers an enlightening and intimate account of the life and accomplishments of one of history’s most thought-provoking and innovative inventors. These blinks chart the career of Nikola Tesla from his early battles with Thomas Edison to the controversial debate over the invention of radio communication.

Who should read Tesla?

  • Anyone interested in physics or engineering
  • People interested in the history of electricity and popular science
  • Curious inventors

42
Move Fast and Break Things

Move Fast and Break Things

Jonathan Taplin
How Facebook, Google and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy
3.6 (65 ratings)

What's Move Fast and Break Things about?

Move Fast and Break Things (2017) takes a look at the grim reality of how giant tech companies are harming society in ways both big and small. By dodging taxes, they’re keeping money from government programs that have been behind some of our greatest innovations, and in their desperate hunt for data and profits, they’re invading our privacy while fleecing the creators of art and high-quality entertainment. Author Jonathan Taplin offers some light at the end of this dark tunnel, suggesting there may be better ways of negotiating with this technology.

Who should read Move Fast and Break Things?

  • Anyone concerned about the ethics of modern technology
  • Creative types interested in the economics of art
  • Socially conscious artists interested in alternative distribution methods

43
Whiplash

Whiplash

Joi Ito and Jeff Howe
How to Survive Our Faster Future
4.0 (47 ratings)

What's Whiplash about?

Whiplash (2016) explains the new rules of our fast-changing world. The current moment is defined by emergent technologies and innovative ideas, and the only way to stay afloat is to adapt. Forget the principles of yesterday and start developing strategies that work today.

Who should read Whiplash?

  • People with an interest in technology and digital developments
  • Entrepreneurs and start-up owners
  • Anyone who wants to learn about business strategies

44
The Metaverse Handbook

The Metaverse Handbook

QuHarrison Terry & Scott “DJ Skee” Keeney
Innovating for the Internet’s Next Tectonic Shift
4.2 (473 ratings)

What's The Metaverse Handbook about?

The Metaverse Handbook (2022) provides insight into a new technology platform that offers huge commercial potential to digital professionals, creatives, and business leaders. It explains what the Metaverse is, how it works, and ways to integrate it into business strategies to capitalize on its offerings.

Who should read The Metaverse Handbook?

  • Forward-thinking business leaders who want to capitalize on tech developments
  • Entertainers, artists, and designers looking to expand their audiences
  • Tech geeks ready to be pioneers in the latest frontier

45
Business Model Generation

Business Model Generation

Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur
A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers
4.3 (83 ratings)

What's Business Model Generation about?

Business Model Generation (2010) is a comprehensive guide to building innovative business models. From empathizing and connecting with customers to finding inspiration for products and learning from some of today’s most game-changing platforms, these blinks will help you kick-start your business thinking.

Who should read Business Model Generation?

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Business people seeking an introduction to business models
  • Readers curious about the core elements of businesses

46
21 Days to a Big Idea

21 Days to a Big Idea

Bryan Mattimore
Creating Breakthrough Business Concepts
4.2 (155 ratings)

What's 21 Days to a Big Idea about?

21 Days to a Big Idea (2015) is your guide to rekindling playful creativity and discovering the countless bright ideas your brain is capable of producing. These blinks share the secrets behind simple yet effective techniques to get your creative juices flowing, and provide helpful tips for turning your wild ideas into a viable business.

Who should read 21 Days to a Big Idea?

  • Entrepreneurs who feel stuck in a creative block
  • Product developers seeking simple creative techniques to incorporate into their routines
  • Business-savvy readers looking for inspiration for a new project

47
The Myths of Innovation

The Myths of Innovation

Scott Berkun
The bestseller on the history of ideas
4.3 (82 ratings)

What's The Myths of Innovation about?

The Myths of Innovation (2007) addresses common misconceptions about what it takes to become a successful innovator. Borrowing real-life examples from both recent business history and the arts, Berkun reveals where good ideas really come from.

Who should read The Myths of Innovation?

  • Managers who want to support innovation in the workplace
  • Those looking to increase the success of their innovative ideas
  • Creative people struggling with inspiration

48
The Ride of a Lifetime

The Ride of a Lifetime

Robert Iger
Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
4.5 (151 ratings)

What's The Ride of a Lifetime about?

In The Ride of a Lifetime (2019), Robert Iger charts his career from the backrooms of an American TV network to CEO of Disney. As Iger himself emphasizes, reaching the top wasn’t always smooth sailing – in fact, Disney’s future was anything but secure when he landed his dream job back in 2005. So how did he turn things around? Well, that’s what we’ll be exploring in these blinks as we look at the strategy, vision, and leadership style of one of the world’s most innovative CEOs. 

Who should read The Ride of a Lifetime?

  • Insight-hungry leaders
  • Tech-heads fascinated by innovation 
  • Movie-goers interested in what happens behind the scenes

49
Orwell's Revenge

Orwell's Revenge

Peter Huber
The 1984 Palimpsest
2.7 (61 ratings)

What's Orwell's Revenge about?

In Orwell’s Revenge (1994), author Peter Huber used a computer program to write a response to George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece, 1984, using Orwell’s own writings and ideas. In doing so, Huber has constructed a completely different narrative, showing that despite fears of a totalitarian future, technology and the free market have instead become a force for good.

Who should read Orwell's Revenge?

  • People who fear modern technology and its influence
  • Fans of author George Orwell and his book, 1984
  • Readers taking part in Mark Zuckerberg’s book club, “A Year of Books”

50
Human/Machine

Human/Machine

Daniel Newman and Olivier Blanchard
The Future of Our Partnership With Machines
4.1 (79 ratings)

What's Human/Machine about?

Human/Machine (2019) argues that machines will continue to empower us, instead of stealing our jobs. At the workplace and at home, automation will free up time that we can use to do the things that fulfill us as human beings. However, tech giants will need to ensure that their technology benefits society – otherwise, the delicate balance between humans and machines might tip.

Who should read Human/Machine?

  • Employees who fear that a robot might take their jobs
  • Managers steering big and small companies through innovation processes
  • Parents who wonder whether AI will soon teach their children

51
F.I.R.E.

F.I.R.E.

Dan Ward
How Fast, Inexpensive, Restrained, and Elegant Methods Ignite Innovation
3.9 (45 ratings)

What's F.I.R.E. about?

This book (2014) outlines the F.I.R.E. method to jumpstart innovation, a guaranteed process that will stimulate you and your team by streamlining resources and creativity. At its core, F.I.R.E. is about setting restrictions so you can produce much greater results.

Who should read F.I.R.E.?

  • Project managers or team leaders
  • Start-ups looking to jumpstart innovation
  • Entrepreneurs seeking the latest in team management

52
The Entrepreneur's Weekly Nietzsche

The Entrepreneur's Weekly Nietzsche

Dave Jilk and Brad Feld
A Book for Disruptors
4.0 (88 ratings)

What's The Entrepreneur's Weekly Nietzsche about?

The Entrepreneur's Weekly Nietzsche (2021) is a how-to guide for disruptors, examining the surprising ways in which this nineteenth-century philosopher can instruct and inspire twenty-first-century entrepreneurs. From business pitches to pride, and from victory to progress, it offers food for thought from an unfamiliar but stimulating perspective.

Who should read The Entrepreneur's Weekly Nietzsche?

  • Entrepreneurs hoping to expand their conceptual toolkits
  • Businesspeople looking for a fresh perspective on innovation
  • All those interested in making practical use of philosophy

53
Disrupt You!

Disrupt You!

Jay Samit
Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation
4.5 (251 ratings)

What's Disrupt You! about?

Disrupt You! (2015) is an entrepreneur’s guide to driving innovation and impact. It draws on some of the biggest success stories in business and offers actionable tips for solving real-world problems and finding opportunity in failure. 

Who should read Disrupt You!?

  • Entrepreneurs seeking to drive disruption
  • Optimists who want to find opportunity in failure
  • Anyone who looks at successful start-ups and asks, “What’s their secret?”

54
The One Hour Content Plan

The One Hour Content Plan

Meera Kothand
The Solopreneur’s Guide to a Year’s Worth of Blog Post Ideas in 60 Minutes and Creating Content that Sells and Hooks
4.1 (132 ratings)

What's The One Hour Content Plan about?

The One Hour Content Plan (2017) is a strategic guide to creating engaging, attention-grabbing and profitable blog content. The fruit of years of hands-on experience in online marketing, Meera Kothand’s actionable advice for would-be content creators is focused squarely on the how. Full of useful tips and strategies, these blinks will help you get your brilliant ideas off the ground.

Who should read The One Hour Content Plan?

  • Bloggers
  • Marketers
  • Content jugglers

55
The Journey Beyond Fear

The Journey Beyond Fear

John Hagel III
Leverage the Three Pillars of Positivity to Build Your Success
4.1 (289 ratings)

What's The Journey Beyond Fear about?

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.

Who should read The Journey Beyond Fear?

  • Business people looking for motivation, inspiration or direction
  • People who want to overcome fear to achieve their full potential
  • Anyone interested in the opportunities offered by learning platforms

56
Poke the Box

Poke the Box

Seth Godin
When Was the Last Time You Did Something for the First Time?
4.3 (64 ratings)

What's Poke the Box about?

Poke the Box (2015) dives deep into today’s connected economy, where initiative and innovation are more important than financial capital or prestige. If you want to embrace innovation and be the first to stick your neck out with a new idea, you must overcome your fear of failure and keep bouncing back when you get knocked down. This is a handbook for those who need a push to take their ideas off the drawing board and into the real world.

Who should read Poke the Box?

  • Creative types and marketing executives
  • Entrepreneurs and advertisers
  • Anyone with a great idea or dream project that they wish to pursue

57
Will It Fly?

Will It Fly?

Pat Flynn
How to Test Your Next Business Idea so You Don't Waste Your Time and Money
4.2 (34 ratings)

What's Will It Fly? about?

Will It Fly (2016) is a guide to testing your business ideas and achieving the smoothest possible flight to success. These blinks will help you critically examine the validity of your ideas, research your market and get to know your future customers.

Who should read Will It Fly??

  • Entrepreneurs who feel unsure about a business idea
  • Business owners who want to expand their companies and attract new customers

58
Amazon

Amazon

Natalie Berg & Miya Knights
How the World’s Most Relentless Retailer will Continue to Revolutionize Commerce
4.4 (152 ratings)

What's Amazon about?

Amazon (2019) investigates the rise of the most disruptive online retailer of the twenty-first century, from humble online bookstore to global business empire. Drawing on industry data and insider knowledge, retail experts Natalie Berg and Miya Knights explain why Amazon dominates today’s e-commerce market, how it will continue to revolutionize retail, and what other businesses can do to keep up.

Who should read Amazon?

  • Aspiring business strategists and marketing experts
  • Anyone wondering how their business can thrive in an Amazon world
  • Online shoppers interested in the future of retail

59
New to Big

New to Big

David Kidder
How Companies Can Create Like Entrepreneurs, Invest Like VCs, and Install a Permanent Operating System for Growth
4.5 (68 ratings)

What's New to Big about?

New to Big (2019) maps out how established companies can install a supercharged growth model at the heart of their enterprise. By adopting the structure of new start-ups or first-time entrepreneurs, they can fend off stagnation, reignite their creative flair and innovate to solve the problems of the future.

Who should read New to Big?

  • CEOs of big organizations facing stagnation
  • Budding innovators looking to save their companies
  • Business journalists seeking to understand the corporate world

60
Novacene

Novacene

James Lovelock
The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence
4.3 (105 ratings)

What's Novacene about?

Novacene (2019) presents a startling vision of a near-future Earth in which climate change is threatening our existence and artificial intelligence technology has acquired life. The emergence of this new life-form, which will vastly surpass humanity in its intelligence, will mark the beginning of a new age in the history of Earth – an epoch the author calls the Novacene. Extremely ambitious in scope, Novacene shines a spotlight on our particular moment in history and articulates an extraordinary theory about the purpose of the Cosmos and our place in it.

Who should read Novacene?

  • Environmentalists who fear for the future of the planet
  • Luddites who want to put the brakes on technological innovation
  • Curious minds ready for a theory about humanity’s purpose in the cosmos

61
The Serendipity Mindset

The Serendipity Mindset

Christian Busch
The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck
4.3 (206 ratings)

What's The Serendipity Mindset about?

The Serendipity Mindset (2020) offers a practical guide to welcoming more positive and fortuitous outcomes in your life. It explains how subtle shifts in your attitude and perception can lead to dramatic differences in your ability to persevere and get positive results.

Who should read The Serendipity Mindset?

  • People eager for more “luck” in their lives
  • Managers and executives who want to create a better company culture
  • Anyone who’d like to get the most out of life

62
Why Design Matters

Why Design Matters

Debbie Millman
Conversations with the World’s Most Creative People
3.6 (128 ratings)

What's Why Design Matters about?

Why Design Matters (2022) is a collection of some of the best interviews from Debbie Millman’s long-running podcast of the same name. It collects over 50 interviews from over 15 years’ worth of conversations. These talks not only explain why design matters, they also show how the principles of design extend to creativity in general and the ways in which we communicate and express ourselves.

Who should read Why Design Matters?

  • Anyone interested in the creative process
  • People fascinated by design and marketing
  • Artists looking for inspiration

63
Happy Accidents

Happy Accidents

Morton A. Meyers
Serendipity in Major Medical Breakthroughs in the Twentieth Century
4.5 (85 ratings)

What's Happy Accidents about?

Happy Accidents (2011) explores the invaluable role that false assumptions, unlikely circumstances, and sheer dumb luck have played in some of medicine’s biggest discoveries. From antibiotics to antidepressants, heart surgery to chemotherapy, some of today’s most important drugs and treatments are the result of serendipity — stumbling across one thing while looking for another. Radiologist Morton A. Meyers reveals some of the incredible true stories of medicine’s luckiest findings.

Who should read Happy Accidents?

  • Science nerds interested in medicine and pharmacology
  • History buffs interested in how great minds make big discoveries 
  • Readers who enjoy stories with a good plot twist

64
How Innovation Works

How Innovation Works

Matt Ridley
And Why It Flourishes in Freedom
4.3 (98 ratings)

What's How Innovation Works about?

How Innovation Works (2020) presents a provocative view of history in which innovation takes center stage. This detailed account of human ingenuity explains how innovation happens and why it is important.

Who should read How Innovation Works?

  • History buffs interested in the roots of today’s technology
  • Futurists eagerly anticipating the next big invention
  • Anyone curious about how and why the world changes

65
Walmart

Walmart

Natalie Berg and Bryan Roberts
Key Insights and Practical Lessons from the World's Largest Retailer
4.5 (25 ratings)

What's Walmart about?

In Walmart (2012), authors Natalie Berg and Bryan Roberts share key insights and business principles from the company that reveal how it became the biggest retailer in the world. Examining the retailer’s unprecedented success, the authors also discuss Walmart’s future challenges.

Who should read Walmart?

  • Anyone interested in business innovation
  • Anyone who wants to learn about how to run a successful retailer
  • Anyone wondering how Walmart carved its path to success

66
Rogue Waves

Rogue Waves

Jonathan Brill
Future-Proof Your Business to Survive and Profit from Radical Change
4.1 (37 ratings)

What's Rogue Waves about?

Rogue Waves (2021) is a playbook for steering your company through stormy seas. Drawing from real-world business cases, it shares actionable tips for staying afloat amid drastic change.

Who should read Rogue Waves?

  • Business leaders who don’t want to leave their future up to chance
  • Executives looking to instill a culture of innovation
  • Anyone seeking to understand the undercurrents of modern civilization

67
Out of Our Minds

Out of Our Minds

Ken Robinson
Learning to be Creative
4.4 (52 ratings)

What's Out of Our Minds about?

Out of Our Minds (2001) shines a light on a fast-paced and constantly changing business world. In particular, it examines how technology has advanced and changed the way we do business, while our public education system has remained stuck in the days of the industrial revolution. It takes a look at what changes need to be made so that schools can prepare the next generation for the creative challenges that lie ahead.

Who should read Out of Our Minds?

  • Individuals facing creative blocks
  • Business leaders and innovators who want to build creative teams
  • Parents worried about the current education system

68
ALIEN Thinking

ALIEN Thinking

Cyril Bouquet
The Unconventional Path to Breakthrough Ideas
4.1 (163 ratings)

What's ALIEN Thinking about?

Alien Thinking (2021) is a simple guide to having great ideas. Rather than simply waiting for inspiration to strike, it lays out five key skills that enable anyone to innovate on demand.

Who should read ALIEN Thinking?

  • Disruptors hungry for new ideas
  • Business leaders eager to cultivate innovation
  • Anyone who wants more eureka moments in their lives

69
The Third Wave

The Third Wave

Steve Case
An Entrepreneur’s Vision of the Future
4.0 (43 ratings)

What's The Third Wave about?

The Third Wave (2016) explains that, at this point in the information age, entrepreneurial relevance and success depend on awareness about the current environment. Find out how the next revolutionary innovators will be disrupting the status quo by using the internet to change mainstay industries like healthcare, food and education.

Who should read The Third Wave?

  • Innovators hoping to be relevant in the next phase of the internet’s evolution
  • Entrepreneurs who still think they can make it big by making the next viral app
  • CEOs who want to combine business with positive social impact

70
Wonderland

Wonderland

Steven Johnson
How Play Made the Modern World
4.5 (26 ratings)

What's Wonderland about?

Wonderland (2016) argues that the role of play and fun in human history is undervalued. We have been told by history books that wars, revolutions and monarchs are the drivers of history, and we thus tend to overlook more mundane factors in favor of powerful figures and famous movements. However, the pleasure we derive from bone flutes, board games, the color purple or alcohol have likewise contributed greatly to invention and progress.

Who should read Wonderland?

  • People who like having their usual perspectives challenged
  • Inventors and creatives looking for inspiration
  • Anyone who wants to know how small ideas become big innovations

71
Gamification for Business

Gamification for Business

Sune Gudiksen
Why Innovators and Changemakers Use Games to Break Down Silos, Drive Engagement and Build Trust
3.9 (77 ratings)

What's Gamification for Business about?

Gamification for Business (2018) explores how businesses can use games to overcome organizational challenges and optimize performance. Drawing on their extensive experience in game design and innovation, Sune Gudiksen and Jake Inlove show how games can be leveraged to encourage teamwork, boost employee motivation, and map out new pathways for progress and change. 

Who should read Gamification for Business?

  • Businesses seeking to iron out organizational problems and spur innovation
  • Educational institutions looking for new ways to inspire and engage students
  • Anyone needing a creative boost to hatch new ideas

72
How We Got to Now

How We Got to Now

Steven Johnson
Six Innovations that Made the Modern World
3.8 (21 ratings)

What's How We Got to Now about?

How We Got to Now reveals many of the hidden connections between innovations we take for granted in our modern world. It shows how innovations can have unexpected applications, and that the consequences of an innovation are almost impossible to predict. Ultimately, it illustrates how interconnected we are, as a single invention can have enormous repercussions worldwide.

Who should read How We Got to Now?

  • Anyone curious about how technological innovation inspires social change
  • Anyone interested in the history of invention
  • Anyone wondering how one idea is transformed into many applications

73
Bad Blood

Bad Blood

John Carreyrou
Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
4.2 (111 ratings)

What's Bad Blood about?

Bad Blood (2018) is the harrowing inside story of a how a tech start-up rooted in Silicon Valley’s fake-it-till-you-make-it culture risked the lives of millions with a blood-testing device that proved too good to be true. Written by Pulitzer-winning journalist John Carreyrou, who broke the story and pursued it to its end, this is the account of Theranos and its wunderkind CEO Elizabeth Holmes’ meteoric rise and epic fall from grace.

Who should read Bad Blood?

  • Anyone working in a start-up
  • Fans of true stories that you just can’t make up
  • Professionals in the medical industry

74
Meaningful

Meaningful

Bernadette Jiwa
The Story of Ideas That Fly
4.2 (21 ratings)

What's Meaningful about?

Meaningful (2015) is a guide to making customers central to your business. These blinks, by teaching you how to produce a product that truly matters to and empowers your customers, will perfectly align your brand with the demands of the twenty-first century.

Who should read Meaningful?

  • Entrepreneurs looking to boost business
  • Innovators
  • Marketing managers who want a broader perspective

75
WTF?

WTF?

Tim O’Reilly
What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us
3.9 (46 ratings)

What's WTF? about?

WTF? (2017) documents the recent history and developments of modern digital technologies, and explains why, far from being harmful in and of themselves, these technologies only do damage to business and society when misunderstood by humans. Instead of fearing for the future, we should embrace it and use the attendant technological developments in ways that bring society up rather than push costs down.

Who should read WTF??

  • Business leaders seeking to understand and implement digital technologies
  • Technophobes who want their fears pacified
  • People interested in the recent history of technology

76
The Machine That Changed the World

The Machine That Changed the World

James P. Womack
The Story of Lean Production: Toyota’s Secret Weapon in the Global Car Wars That Is Now Revolutionizing World Industry
4.5 (55 ratings)

What's The Machine That Changed the World about?

The Machine That Changed the World (1990) reveals the secret that propelled Japanese car manufacturer Toyota to the forefront of the global automobile industry, a process called lean production. These blinks give you an inside look at the industry’s early history and show how Toyota’s innovative process allowed the company to dominate the market.

Who should read The Machine That Changed the World?

  • Anyone interested in manufacturing, engineering or management
  • Managers and employees in the automobile industry

77
Inventology

Inventology

Pagan Kennedy
How We Dream Up Things That Change the World
4.0 (23 ratings)

What's Inventology about?

Inventology (2016) shows us how the world’s brightest minds identify problems and come up with brilliant solutions. Find out how you need to think in order to discern future trends and create the next great invention!

Who should read Inventology?

  • Anyone interested in coming up with new ideas
  • Business owners looking for great solutions
  • Entrepreneurs looking for inspiration to start a new business

78
The Idea Factory

The Idea Factory

Jon Gertner
Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation
4.5 (26 ratings)

What's The Idea Factory about?

The Idea Factory (2012) charts the influence of Bell Labs, the research arm of telephony monopolist AT&T. This innovative laboratory, established in the 1920s, was the source of dozens, if not hundreds, of technological innovations, effectively ushering in our modern digital age.

Who should read The Idea Factory?

  • People curious about the history of modern technology
  • Entrepreneurs or business leaders wanting to encourage innovation
  • Employees of tech giants such as Google, Apple or Microsoft

79
Innovation for the Fatigued

Innovation for the Fatigued

Alf Rehn
How to Build a Culture of Deep Creativity
4.3 (100 ratings)

What's Innovation for the Fatigued about?

Innovation for the Fatigued (2019) grapples with a curse of the corporate world: innovation fatigue. Rather than inventing anything useful or new, many organizations are mired in fashionable soundbites about “disruption” and “blue sky thinking.” It peels back the layers of nonsense to look at how companies can establish a deep and purposeful innovation culture.

Who should read Innovation for the Fatigued?

  • Tech company leaders who’d like to try something different
  • Anyone interested in the business world
  • Changemakers looking to innovate in other fields

80
Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Peter Drucker
Discover how anybody in any job can be an entrepreneur
4.3 (55 ratings)

What's Innovation and Entrepreneurship about?

Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2006) demonstrates how to be innovative and reveals strategies that create customers for your innovation. It shows how entrepreneurship can be learned and implemented by anyone and how entrepreneurial skills can be used not just in new ventures but in established corporations.

Who should read Innovation and Entrepreneurship?

  • Entrepreneurs and anyone interested in entrepreneurship
  • Senior managers in large companies
  • Anyone with a great idea for a new product or service

81
The Wise Company

The Wise Company

Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi
How Companies Create Continuous Innovation
4.3 (66 ratings)

What's The Wise Company about?

The Wise Company (2019) is a follow-up to the authors’ influential book The Knowledge-Creating Company. It brings the techniques and practices of running a successful business into the twenty-first century, where a fast-changing and chaotic marketplace is the new normal.

Who should read The Wise Company?

  • CEOs and business owners
  • Executives looking for reliable management tips
  • Anyone interested in the secrets behind Japanese business practices

82
Thank You for Being Late

Thank You for Being Late

Thomas L. Friedman
An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations
4.0 (39 ratings)

What's Thank You for Being Late about?

Thank You for Being Late (2016) is all about acceleration – of the economy, of technology and of our environment. These blinks explain why the world is moving at an increasingly rapid pace, outlining the dangers this trend can bring as well as what we stand to gain from it.

Who should read Thank You for Being Late?

  • Global citizens and leaders
  • Students of political science, economics and media
  • Anyone concerned about the where the world is heading

83
The Gen Z Effect

The Gen Z Effect

Thomas Koulopoulus and Dan Keldsen
The Six Forces Shaping the Future of Business
4.2 (37 ratings)

What's The Gen Z Effect about?

The Gen Z Effect (2014) shines a light on the changes that we face in a hyperconnected world, both as individuals and in business. By embracing the mind-set and innovations of Generation Z, we can manage these changes and unite to create a brighter future for a world that no longer divides itself into generations.

Who should read The Gen Z Effect?

  • Companies looking to lead their market in a hyperconnected world
  • Managers who want to learn more about which future technologies will boost their teams‘ productivity
  • Those interested in the employment and education opportunities that Generation Z will bring

84
Platform Scale

Platform Scale

Sangeet Paul Choudary
How an emerging business model helps startups build large empires with minimum investment
4.5 (45 ratings)

What's Platform Scale about?

A new kind of business has emerged during the last decade. Facebook, Airbnb, YouTube, Twitter have exploded in popularity – but what do these companies have in common? They’re all platforms: they gather millions of users and achieve billion-dollar valuations, but instead of products, they offer something very different. Platform Scale (2015) offers an insightful analysis of the mechanisms that drive this new platform business model, and how it achieves skyrocketing growth.

Who should read Platform Scale?

  • Business students eager to learn about the new economy
  • Aspiring entrepreneurs, interested in the do’s and don’ts of a platform strategy
  • Social media users curious about the secrets of their favorite platforms

85
Creative Acts for Curious People

Creative Acts for Curious People

Sarah Stein Greenberg
How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways
4.4 (231 ratings)

What's Creative Acts for Curious People about?

Creative Acts for Curious People (2021) collects insights about creativity and design taught in the classrooms of Stanford’s renowned Hasso Plattner School of Design, also known as the d.school. In addition to essays about the mindset and skills required for creative action, it offers over 80 practical exercises used by instructors from dozens of fields including medicine, education, and nonprofit to help improve your ability to solve problems, whether personal or on a global scale.

Who should read Creative Acts for Curious People?

  • Anyone who wants to boost problem-solving skills
  • Leaders seeking to improve teamwork
  • Creative practitioners from any field

86
Gutenberg the Geek

Gutenberg the Geek

Jeff Jarvis
The World’s First Tech Entrepreneur
4.1 (52 ratings)

What's Gutenberg the Geek about?

Gutenberg the Geek (2012) examines the life and business of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, and, by drawing numerous parallels between him and modern Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, explains how he was a pioneer of tech entrepreneurship.

Who should read Gutenberg the Geek?

  • Entrepreneurs, innovators and venture capitalists
  • Anyone interested in history

87
The Art of Rivalry

The Art of Rivalry

Sebastian Smee
Four Friendships, Betrayals, and Breakthroughs in Modern Art
4.2 (90 ratings)

What's The Art of Rivalry about?

The Art of Rivalry (2016) details the remarkable accomplishments of some of history’s greatest artists and the personal relationships with their peers that propelled them to creative success. These blinks explain how rivalry between artists drives innovation and how relationships have been central to the growth of the arts in general.

Who should read The Art of Rivalry?

  • Students of art and art history
  • Artists of all types
  • Entrepreneurs hoping to understand how competition can drive innovation

88
The Rule of Logistics

The Rule of Logistics

Jesse LeCavalier
Walmart and the Architecture of Fulfillment
4.4 (42 ratings)

What's The Rule of Logistics about?

The Rule of Logistics (2016) delves into the intricate and extensive network of the infrastructure that makes your local Walmart come to life. Pulling in elements of history, economics, and architectural theory, this intriguing account traces how a retailer from Arkansas became one of the largest corporations in the world and transformed the American landscape in the process.

Who should read The Rule of Logistics?

  • Big-picture thinkers interested in global systems
  • Entrepreneurs curious to super-size their businesses
  • Anyone who has ever shopped at a big-box store

89
Better and Faster

Better and Faster

Jeremy Gutsche
The Proven Path to Unstoppable Ideas
4.5 (51 ratings)

What's Better and Faster about?

Better and Faster (2015) outlines a specific set of tools and guidelines readers can use to outmaneuver their competition and attain success in the chaotic and unpredictable modern marketplace. Using countless real-life examples – both cautionary tales and inspiring success stories – Jeremy Gutsche lays out a path for finding opportunities and developing successful business ideas.

Who should read Better and Faster?

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Business leaders
  • People trying to successfully navigate the modern business world

90
Solving the Productivity Puzzle

Solving the Productivity Puzzle

Tim Ringo
How to Engage, Motivate and Develop Employees to Improve Individual and Business Performance
3.9 (140 ratings)

What's Solving the Productivity Puzzle about?

Solving the Productivity Puzzle (2020) is a guide for people management professionals. It covers topics such as learning and development, motivation of the workforce, and planning strategies. It’s essential reading for HR professionals who want to build a culture in which people can thrive.

Who should read Solving the Productivity Puzzle?

  • HR managers interested in change programs
  • Those looking for the perfect job
  • Managers who want to improve their employee productivity

91
The Box

The Box

Marc Levinson
How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
4.4 (36 ratings)

What's The Box about?

The Box (2006) tells the tale of modern transportation’s poster child, the container, and how it revolutionized the shipping industry and enabled globalization. These blinks will take you on a detailed journey through this seemingly simple but revolutionary change in global systems of trade.

Who should read The Box?

  • Professionals in logistics, transportation or trading
  • People interested in globalization
  • Every economics and business student

92
Getting Real

Getting Real

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
The Smarter, Faster, Easier Way to Build a Successful Web Application
4.5 (37 ratings)

What's Getting Real about?

Getting Real (2011) offers a comprehensive breakdown of the challenges facing entrepreneurs in the market for web applications. These blinks are full of hard facts and solid advice about what to do and not to do when starting your new app business.  

Who should read Getting Real?

  • Developers, programmers and marketers
  • Entrepreneurs eager to develop a “big idea” app
  • Managers looking for optimal ways to organize teams

93
Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper

Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper

Robert Bryce
How Innovation Keeps Proving the Catastrophists Wrong
2.1 (44 ratings)

What's Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper about?

Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper (2014) explains the psychology behind our anxiety and pessimism regarding climate change. Rather than giving up and reverting to a medieval way of life, these blinks explain how innovation and new technologies will help humankind survive and continue moving forward.

Who should read Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper?

  • People curious about the role innovation plays in our future
  • Readers interested in alternative approaches to the issue of climate change
  • Anyone determined not to surrender to the problems we face today

94
Jugaad Innovation

Jugaad Innovation

Navi Radjou
Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth
3.2 (21 ratings)

What's Jugaad Innovation about?

Jugaad Innovation (2012) provides some much-needed guidance for business leaders who want to drive innovation in today’s increasingly unpredictable global marketplace. These blinks look to innovators in India, China and throughout Africa for fresh, bottom-up approaches, frugal techniques and flexible management strategies to give the reader a strong understanding of jugaad principles.

Who should read Jugaad Innovation?

  • CEOs seeking to improve innovation in their companies
  • Start-up founders interested in alternative management approaches

95
It’s Not the Size of the Data

It’s Not the Size of the Data

Koen Pauwels
It’s How You Use It
3.7 (12 ratings)

What's It’s Not the Size of the Data about?

It’s Not the Size of the Data (2014) is a beginner's guide to designing, creating and adopting your own marketing dashboard, helping you uncover the links between campaigns and performance, and monitor progress with long-term goals in mind.

Who should read It’s Not the Size of the Data?

  • People who believe in the power of numbers and how they can inform logical decision making
  • Marketing innovators confident that they can benefit from data-driven marketing

96
The Contrarian

The Contrarian

Max Chafkin
Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power
3.3 (136 ratings)

What's The Contrarian about?

The Contrarian (2021) is a biography of controversial venture capitalist, tech investor, and PayPal founder Peter Thiel. It explains how Thiel’s politics have informed his career – and how he became one of the most powerful people in the US.

Who should read The Contrarian?

  • People looking for gossip on Silicon Valley
  • US politics junkies
  • Those interested in the intersection of tech and power

97
How to Kill a Unicorn

How to Kill a Unicorn

Mark Payne
How the World's Hottest Innovation Factory Builds Bold Ideas That Make It to Market
4.1 (18 ratings)

What's How to Kill a Unicorn about?

How to Kill a Unicorn (2014) is about how to approach innovative projects in a way that will make the outcome truly great – a sort of road map for innovation, filled with practical examples encountered by the consulting company Fahrenheit 212.

Who should read How to Kill a Unicorn?

  • Big and mid-sized companies that want to boost innovation
  • Entrepreneurs curious about innovative projects

98
The Innovator's Prescription

The Innovator's Prescription

Clayton Christensen
A Disruptive Solution for Health Care
3.5 (19 ratings)

What's The Innovator's Prescription about?

The Innovator’s Prescription (2008) is a guide to applying business concepts to the field of health care and, in the process, revolutionizing the industry and making it more affordable and accessible. These blinks explain how health care has become mired in its old ways and how disrupting stagnant business models can make the field run like new.

Who should read The Innovator's Prescription?

  • Anyone interested in health care systems
  • Medical practitioners and business owners
  • People interested in creative business models

99
Autonomy

Autonomy

Lawrence D. Burns
The Quest to Build the Driverless Car – And How It Will Reshape Our World
4.1 (56 ratings)

What's Autonomy about?

Autonomy (2018) chronicles the long story of driverless vehicles and imagines a future that’s almost upon us. From the perspective of an auto-industry insider, the book goes deep into the history of automation, from the US Defense Department’s sponsored races in the Mojave Desert to the innovations of traditional car manufacturers. Lawrence D. Burns describes a world of Silicon Valley geeks and rugged inventors in a narrative that should interest anyone pondering the world to come.

Who should read Autonomy?

  • Technology buffs interested in the story of automation
  • Car aficionados worried about a future full of driverless vehicles
  • Budding roboticists

100
Resilient

Resilient

Sevetri Wilson
How to Overcome Anything and Build a Million Dollar Business With or Without Capital
4.2 (75 ratings)

What's Resilient about?

Resilient (2021) is an intimate account of entrepreneur Sevetri Wilson’s journey from self-funding her first company to securing ongoing capital for her second. It provides early-stage founders insight into every step of building a business – from initial concept to securing the finances needed to scale.

Who should read Resilient?

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Innovators looking to turn their ideas into marketable solutions
  • Startup founders who need to raise capital

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