Books Recommended by Derek Sivers
Books by Derek Sivers
12 books recommended by Derek Sivers
How to Win Friends and Influence People
It's got one of the worst, slimiest titles ever, the title is really a shame, don't let the title of the book turn you off. I think it really should have been called "How to be considerate" because it's really the best book I've ever… Read the full quote
It's got one of the worst, slimiest titles ever, the title is really a shame, don't let the title of the book turn you off. I think it really should have been called "How to be considerate" because it's really the best book I've ever seen about how to think of things from the other person's point of view. That's what the whole book is about. It was written back in the 1930s, it's a classic. And I think that that's really the underlying thing behind all of the best marketing, it's thinking things from other person's point of view, it's thinking how to be considerate, it's... you know, when somebody wants to find some new music, what are they thinking when they're looking for new music? Are they thinking about your introspective lyrics or your great drum fills? Or are they thinking about having some shockingly unique sound that doesn't sound like what they've heard before? Learning to think things from the other person's point of view, I think "How to Win Friends and Influence People" - that book is my top recommendation.
Principles: Life and Work
by Ray Dalio
Wow. So dense with wisdom that I wanted to highlight almost every paragraph.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
by Cal Newport
Just when you think you already know this stuff, DEEP WORK hits you with surprisingly unique and useful insights. Rule #3 alone, with its discussion of the 'Any-Benefit' mind-set, is worth the price of this book.
Ego Is the Enemy
by Ryan Holiday
It's rare that I finish a book then immediately reread it, this time with a yellow marker in hand…I can't recommend this book highly enough.
So Good They Can’t Ignore You
by Cal Newport
First book in years I read twice, to make sure I got it. Brilliant counter-intuitive career insights. Powerful new ideas that have already changed the way I think of my own career, and the advice I give others
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
by Mark Manson
The opposite of every other book. Don’t try. Give up. Be wrong. Lower your standards. Stop believing in yourself. Follow the pain. Each point is profoundly true, useful, and more powerful than the usual positivity. Succinct but surprisingly deep, I read it in one night.
A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
Almost too personal for me to give an objective review, because I found when reading it that the quirky philosophy I've been living my life by since 17 matches up exactly with a 2000-year-old philosophy called Stoicism. Mine was self-developed haphazardly, so it was fascinating to read the refined developed original. Really resonated.
Show Your Work!
by Austin Kleon
Both Chase and Derek Sivers are big fans of the book Show Your Work by Austin Kleon.
Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career
A truly great book about learning. Riveting, useful, practical, and applicable to anyone ready to learn something at their own pace. Ultralearning shows you exactly how to learn better than you thought possible.
Stumbling on Happiness
My recommendation is to do little tests. Try a few months of living the life you think you want, but leave yourself an exit plan, being open to the big chance that you might not like it after actually trying it... The best book about… Read the full quote
My recommendation is to do little tests. Try a few months of living the life you think you want, but leave yourself an exit plan, being open to the big chance that you might not like it after actually trying it... The best book about this subject is Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. His recommendation is to talk to a few people wo are currently where you think you want to be and ask them for the pros and cons. Then trust their opinion since they're right in it, not just remembering or imagining.
Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity
by Hugh MacLeod
Brilliant succinct wisdom on creativity from an artist. Seth Godin says,
The Algebra of Happiness: Notes on the Pursuit of Success, Love, and Meaning
The Algebra of Happiness offers raw and vulnerable wisdom, delivered with heart. We all can learn from Galloway's mistakes and insights.
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