Katie Keith's Reading List: 6 Books Recommended by Katie Keith

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

My favourite business book is The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. I don't agree with everything in this book, but am inspired by his approach to working smart rather than working hard. I love how he has raised awareness of the fact that… Read the full quote

My favourite business book is The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. I don't agree with everything in this book, but am inspired by his approach to working smart rather than working hard. I love how he has raised awareness of the fact that by working in a clever, strategic way, you can escape the 9-5 and build a business around your lifestyle.

Source: Katie Keith, Operations Director of Barn2 Media: ‘Non-literary books helped restore my love of reading’ · Also recommended by 40 others

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

by Yuval Noah Harari

This is a fascinating account of human history, told from a brand new perspective. It has made me think about what it makes to be human and what makes us different from all other species. It has also helped me to understand our place in history.

Source: Katie Keith, Operations Director of Barn2 Media: ‘Non-literary books helped restore my love of reading’ · Also recommended by 29 others

Rework

by Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson

An insider's view of building and running a software company. This book touches on lots of important points such as how to design your product in a way that meets users' needs while staying small and manageable, and running a modern distributed team.

Source: Katie Keith, Operations Director of Barn2 Media: ‘Non-literary books helped restore my love of reading’ · Also recommended by 19 others

The $100 Startup: Fire Your Boss, Do What You Love and Work Better To Live More

by Chris Guillebeau

This book consists of case studies from people who have built successful businesses with little or no initial outlay. Personally, I believe that startups put far too much emphasis on seeking outside investment, and often create unsustainable businesses as a result. I built my own… Read the full quote

This book consists of case studies from people who have built successful businesses with little or no initial outlay. Personally, I believe that startups put far too much emphasis on seeking outside investment, and often create unsustainable businesses as a result. I built my own business gradually with no external investment, and appreciate the fact that books such as 'The $100 Startup' show that this is a viable alternative.

Source: Katie Keith, Operations Director of Barn2 Media: ‘Non-literary books helped restore my love of reading’ · Also recommended by 4 others

A Song of Ice and Fire

by George R. R. Martin

My favorite non-business book is the Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. I first got into this fantasy series when my daughter was very young. Escaping into such a complex, multi-faceted world was the perfect antidote to sleepless nights and other frustrations of having a young child!

Source: Katie Keith, Operations Director of Barn2 Media: ‘Non-literary books helped restore my love of reading’

The Idea in You: How to Find It, Build It, and Change Your Life

by Martin Amor, Alex Pellew

Lots of aspiring business owners spend their lives waiting for that one big idea. I did the same for most of my 20's. Eventually, I learned that if you get experience in an industry, then ideas will come to you. In many ways, it doesn't… Read the full quote

Lots of aspiring business owners spend their lives waiting for that one big idea. I did the same for most of my 20's. Eventually, I learned that if you get experience in an industry, then ideas will come to you. In many ways, it doesn't matter what the ideas is - it's the execution that matters. This book highlights the range of ways you can find a suitable business idea, and cuts through the idealism.