Top 10 Business Books for Summer

Summer is finally here and hopefully, your long-awaited vacation is also just around the corner. And as no summer vacation is complete without a good book to read, I would like to share my top 10 books on business, which should provide you with plenty of material to relax and learn over the next couple of weeks. Hope you enjoy it!

• Just Money: Mission-Driven Banks and the Future of Finance
  (by Katrin Kaufer, Lillian Steponaitis)
  As we see ESG becoming an increasingly important topic for investors, the number of books on this topic is also skyrocketing. This short read gives some insights into how a few financial companies already use their capital as an instrument to drive change and facilitate sustainable practices, effectively providing a blueprint for how to create more sustainable and equitable business practices.

• Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life
  (by Ozan Varol)
  The key message of the book is that adopting some aspects of rocket science to your personal and professional life will leave you more successful, even if you are not planning on building a spacecraft. Nine useful strategies that will help you achieve your goals by implementing the principles of those people, who have been solving seemingly unsolvable problems for decades

• How To Avoid A Climate Disaster: Best for sustainable business and technology
  (by Bill Gates)
  Most likely the most famous author on the list, although he is usually not known for writing books. Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is now tackling the issue of climate change, laying out a series of calculations of what needs to be done to save the planet.

• Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life
  (by Luke Burgis)
  Right on the line between psychology and business, “Wanting” offers a quick dive into the theory of mimesis, a theory explaining that what we desire is not determined by our independent thinking, but by the desires of people around us. Given the founder’s startup background, the book draws on lots of examples from the VC & tech scene and showcases how conflicts are not caused by differences, but by the competition created by people wanting the same things.

• Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know
  (by Adam Grant)
  A refreshing writing on the importance of rethinking personal stances and accepting the fact that we might not know as much as we believe we do. The book provides the reader with instructions on how to question one’s own beliefs, and consequently use this ability to foster creativity and support companies and institutions to be more successful in adapting to change and getting ahead of the competition.

• Running Your Finances: Applying the disciplines of long-distance running to your finances
  (by Jeffrey Sartori)
  A very welcomed change from your usual finance book, that will be especially appreciated by the athletes among you. An enjoyable read with a few great takeaways both from a financial, as well as a sportive perspective, embellished with an abundance of relatable illustrations.

• The Power of Creative Destruction: Economic Upheaval and the Wealth of Nations
  (by Philippe Aghion, Céline Antonin, Simon Bunel)
  In this insightful book, the authors aim to provide a solution to fix capitalism in a time where many are urging to part with the system. Philippe Aghion and his colleagues rely on decades of research to illustrate that what is needed is not a complete make-over, but rather a better balance between enabling free markets and supporting those adversely affected by the disruption caused by innovation.

• Better, Simpler Strategy: A Value-Based Guide to Exceptional Performance
  (by Felix Oberholzer-Gee)
  Harvard Business School professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee explains how companies are able to increase financial performance by doing less, specifically, by focusing on the right projects, as opposed to tackling every idea that has just a tiny chance of success. Excellent advice backed by multiple examples of companies who succeeded using the strategy presented, make the read extremely useful while also underpinning it with credibility.

• Value(s): Building a Better World For All
  (by Mark Carey)
  Another tale of markets’ unwillingness to make investments with the greater good in mind. Carey focuses specifically on past prevailing crises and offers practical solutions on how to avoid them in the future, always following the philosophy of creating value for all, not just a few.

• The Caesars Palace Coup: How a Billionaire Brawl Over the Famous Casino Exposed the Power and Greed of Wall Street
  (by Max Frumes & Sujeet Indap)
  A shocking story of how far private equity, hedge funds and other financiers go in their quest to squeeze every last dollar from their targets, starring the world’s most famous casino chain. The financial battle portrayed in this captivating narrative reveals how investor’s greed almost took down a global giant within the entertainment industry.