August Bestsellers: Have You Read All the Books Topping the Amazon Charts?
Curious about what the rest of the world is reading? Works offering insights into humanity’s past and the possible future, along with ways to live a full life in the present have captured people’s imaginations this month. According to Amazon’s bestsellers list, here are the nonfiction books today’s readers can’t get enough of.
1. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
by Yuval Noah Harari
Sapiens
- 26 min reading time
- audio version available
Exploring Homo sapiens’ ascendancy to the top of the food chain, this book shines a light on how thinking, communication, and the capacity for complex language empowered us to conquer the globe, and how we’ll soon transcend our biology by replacing ourselves with an entirely new species.
2. How to Win Friends & Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends & Influence People
- 18 min reading time
- audio version available
Instantly become more likable and influential by following the simple strategies outlined in this self-help classic that promises to increase your popularity and persuasiveness and help you master the art of the first impression by smiling, listening, and appreciating others.
3. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
by Ashlee Vance
Elon Musk
- 23 min reading time
- audio version available
Gain insight into the brilliant mind and challenging personality of the trailblazing entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity. Learn about how an unhappy childhood fuels Musk’s mission to save humanity and how you can adapt a similar attitude to make your own crazy dreams come true.
4. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
by Yuval Noah Harari
Homo Deus
- 20 min reading time
- audio version available
Penned by the same author as Sapiens, this book further reveals how the accelerated advancement of science and technology will soon render humans subservient to algorithms and artificial intelligence, leaving us to decide whether to embrace—or resist—our robot overlords.
5. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
by Mark Manson
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
- 22 min reading time
- audio version available
Life is an endless series of decisions, yet few of us act on our own desires, opting instead to do what we believe is expected of us. By following blogger Mark Manson’s unconventional advice about how to focus on what you love and give fewer f*cks about everything else, you can avoid unnecessary obligations and finally fulfill your true potential.
6. Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Offering valuable insights into the practices of the world’s most successful people, this perennial bestseller shows why an unwavering belief in ourselves is the shortest route to prosperity and how we can only accomplish our goals when propelled by a burning passion. Hill further explains how examining our attitudes toward goals allows us to acquire greater influence over our behavior and achieve the impossible.
7. Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
Option B
- 14 min reading time
- audio version available
After Facebook’s chief operating officer suddenly lost her husband at age 45, the mother of two fell into a devastating depression. By discovering her resilience, she emerged from mourning more hopeful than ever and with several lessons to share about surviving a tragic situation then thriving in its aftermath.
8. You Are a Badass: How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
by Jen Sincero
You Are a Badass
- 12 min reading time
- audio version available
If you feel like you spend all of your time doing what others tell you to do, the advice in this book can help you escape the forces holding you back and finally start living for yourself. By identifying what it is you truly want, as well as the obstacles standing in your way, you’ll be better equipped to break bad habits and become the badass you were born to be.
9. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
By Charles Duhigg
The Power of Habit
- 27 min reading time
- audio version available
In this examination of the role habits play in our lives, the Pulitzer Prize-nominated author demonstrates how many of our actions are rooted in simple loops that are easy to get stuck in. By and large, we operate based on patterns, not decisions, yet by developing greater willpower and focusing on modest wins, we can replace harmful habits with helpful ones and have more control over our lives.
10. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
by J.D. Vance
Hillbilly Elegy
- 13 min reading time
- audio version available
In part an inspiring autobiographical account, Vance describes his poor upbringing in a broken Ohio home and how he managed to overcome overwhelming adversity and attain incredible success in Silicon Valley thanks to his supportive grandmother and a structured military career. Beyond his own story, Vance also writes about the challenges Rust Belt residents face today in trying to realize the same ambitions.
11. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen R. Covey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
Transform your dreams into reality with this roadmap to success centered around the habits that separate highly effective people from everyone else. Covey argues that by assuming responsibility for your life and addressing flaws in your character, you can more closely align your actions with your vision, increasing your odds of achieving the outstanding.
See a few titles that pique your interest? Take a deep dive into any of these bestselling books by launching the Blinkist app today!
