Want to start your new year off right, or pick up the pace in your workplace? I've got 34 career woman-recommended books you must #ReadToLead. Hand-picked by a group of seven women at the tops of their fields, these titles will help you build your business from the ground up.
From Dec. 5 through Dec. 9, Facebook tasked innovators and tastemakers with publishing their most-recommended business reads on the platform, using the hashtag #ReadToLead. The campaign took off, with no less than Richard Branson and Bill Gates responding. Bustle's writers and editors wanted to know what career women were reading this year, so we waited until our results were in, and it was totally worth it.
Below, you will find recommendations from the following seven women:
- Beth Comstock: Vice Chair of General Electric
- Adena Friedman: President and COO of Nasdaq
- Jenna Goudreau: Managing Editor at CNBC
- Arianna Huffington: founder and CEO of Thrive Global and co-founder of The Huffington Post
- Betty Liu: Bloomberg Television anchor and founder of Radiate, Inc.
- Dana Perino: co-host of The Five and former White House Press Secretary
- Gretchen Rubin: founder of The Happiness Project
Check out their recommendations below, and be sure to share your favorite business books with me on Twitter!
1. Atlas Obscura by Dylan Thuras, Ella Morton, and Joshua Foer, Recommended by Beth Comstock
This collection of the globe's weirdest and most wonderful places belongs on any curious adventure-seeker's bookshelf.
2. Originals by Adam M. Grant, Recommended by Arianna Huffington and Jenna Goudreau
Today, being successful means disrupting convention in order to stand out. If you want to know how to rock the boat without capsizing it, you need to read Originals.
Check out Arianna Huffington's #ReadToLead post here.
3. Emotional Agility by Susan David, Recommended by Gretchen Rubin
Everyone knows the path to success is riddled with potholes, but that doesn't mean we can each get back on the proverbial horse after a setback unseats us. In Emotional Agility, Susan David lays out a four-step plan to maximize progress through self-forgiveness and a lot of wiggle room.
4. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, Recommended by Dana Perino
Based on the Russian fairy tale, Snegurochka, this 2012 novel centers on an aging, childless couple living out their years in the Alaskan wilderness. If you find yourself frozen in place with doubt, Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child may be your refuge.
5. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, Recommended by Betty Liu
Who doesn't want a four-hour workweek? Timothy Ferriss' bestselling book on working smart, not hard, is a must-read for any would-be entrepreneur.
6. How to Have a Good Day by Caroline Webb, Recommended by Beth Comstock
If you hate your job, workplace, co-workers, or boss, you've got to read Caroline Webb's How to Have a Good Day. You might wind up quitting anyway, but it won't be for lack of trying to make the best of a bad situation.
Check out Beth Comstock's #ReadToLead post here.
7. Presence by Amy Cuddy, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
Can body language hack your brain to make you a better businessperson? Amy Cuddy thinks you can fake it 'til you make it, and so do I. Put her book about self-confidence on your TBR, ASAP.
8. Born for This by Chris Guillebeau, Recommended by Gretchen Rubin
The author of The $100 Startup has a method for finding the work you were meant to do in the world. If you're feeling aimless and adrift, check out Born for This.
9. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, Recommended by Dana Perino
Living in war-torn France, two sisters find their bond tested when they move in together after the older's husband goes to the frontlines in defense of their homeland. When you think you've made all the wrong moves, pick up this novel and try again.
10. Forty Chances by Howard G. Buffett, Recommended by Betty Liu
In 40 stories from around the world, Howard G. Buffett tells the tale of his real-life experiences fighting for global food security. Forty Chances is a must-read for anyone looking to make large-scale, positive changes in the world.
11. Gratitude by Oliver Sacks, Recommended by Beth Comstock
After his cancer resurged early in 2015, neurologist Oliver Sacks penned four New York Times essays on the subject of gratitude. His poignant words are collected here, with forewords by his partner, Billy Hayes, and collaborator, Kate Edgar.
12. Superbosses by Sydney Finkelstein, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
Great leaders don't exist in a vacuum. You have to know how to tap your talent pool properly if you want to make it to the top. Check out Superbosses for some real-life examples of good talent-flow management.
13. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, Recommended by Adena Friedman
The biography that inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical was the only book on Nasdaq COO Adena Friedman's #ReadToLead list. Read Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton and be amazed by the $10 Founding Father's big-picture plans.
Check out Adena Friedman's #ReadToLead post here.
14. How to Live a Good Life by Jonathan Fields, Recommended by Gretchen Rubin
In our increasingly paranoid and cynical world, guides that promise to hold the secret formula for happiness abound. What sets Jonathan Fields' How to Live a Happy Life apart is its practicality. Pick up this actionable guide to an enjoyable life today.
15. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Recommended by Dana Perino
Werner builds radios and is an asset to the Hitler Youth. Marie-Laure is blind, but knows everything about her Parisian neighborhood. As the Nazis take Paris, the two hurtle toward collision. Whenever you're tempted to believe that things happen by random chance, pick up Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
16. It Worked for Me by Colin Powell, Recommended by Betty Liu
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell's "13 Rules" for living and leading form the basis for this autobiography. Whether you love him or hate him, if you separate the man from the advice, you end up with a tome of homespun wisdom that refreshes our bustling world.
17. Tribe by Sebastian Junger, Recommended by Beth Comstock
The U.S. has spent more than 90 percent of its lifespan at war, but we have yet to solve the problems veterans face when they return home from the conflict. In Tribe, Sebastian Junger looks at the innate behaviors that help soldiers cope while in action, but are staggeringly absent in civilian society.
18. Grit by Angela Duckworth, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
Talent might take you the extra mile, but you've gotta have grit if you want to get off the ground. Harness your tenacity with Angela Duckworth's treatise on success, Grit.
19. First Impressions by Ann Demarais and Valerie White, Recommended by Gretchen Rubin
Knowing how to make a good first impression is essential for any working person, but few among us have mastered this skill. Get ahead of the game with Ann Demarais and Valerie White's book.
20. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, Recommended by Dana Perino and Beth Comstock
In his touching memoir, J.D. Vance examines the socioeconomic conditions that affected his and other Appalachian families in the 20th century. The echoes of those conditions, and the decisions made on their account, ripple through the eastern and middle U.S. today.
21. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, Recommended by Betty Liu
Freakonomics changed the game in 2005, revealing "the hidden side of everything" important in life. It's just as valuable today, so give it a good read-through.
Check out Betty Liu's #ReadToLead post here.
22. TED Talks by Chris J. Anderson, Recommended by Beth Comstock
TED is a one-stop shop for up-and-coming scholars, inventors, investigators, and educators looking to hone themselves into influencers. You've got to know how to communicate big ideas in tiny packages in order to make it all work, and that's where this guide to public speaking comes in handy.
23. Pivot by Jenny Blake, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
Approaching a career plateau and wondering what to do next? For a how-to guide to deciding your next move, check out Jenny Blake's Pivot.
24. Between Breaths by Elizabeth Vargas, Recommended by Gretchen Rubin
In Between Breaths, 20/20 anchor Elizabeth Vargas details the history, duration, and aftermath of her alcoholism. If you've been affected by addiction and worry about its impact on your success, this should be the next book to grace your nightstand.
Check out Gretchen Rubin's #ReadToLead post here.
25. The Industries of the Future by Alec J. Ross, Recommended by Dana Perino
Written by the former Senior Advisor for Innovation to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, The Industries of the Future is a roadmap to the next decade of technological advancement. Read it to get a leg-up on your competition.
26. How to Live by Sarah Bakewell, Recommended by Beth Comstock
Sarah Bakewell's biography of Renaissance philosopher Michel Eyquem de Montaigne links his sprawling essays to his unconventional upbringing and adult life, resulting in a fun read that's almost equal parts history and self-help.
27. Contagious by Jonah Berger, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
If your business depends on creating shareable content — and, trust me, it does — you absolutely need to put Jonah Berger's Contagious on your TBR now. Berger has dedicated a decade to learning what makes us like, upvote, and click share on certain content, and he shares the secret to going viral here.
28. Settle for More by Megyn Kelly, Recommended by Dana Perino
After a year spent feuding with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, Megyn Kelly published her memoir, Settle for More, which relates not only the nitty-gritty details behind her fight against Trump's misogyny, but also tells the sweeping story of her life and journey.
29. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz, Recommended by Beth Comstock
Like many of the other skills on this list, the art of negotiation is essential, but overlooked, in mainstream curricula. Chris Voss and Tahl Raz are here to save your salary, homelife, and hostages in the new edition of their 1989 book, Never Split the Difference.
30. Story Genius by Lisa Cron, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
Can you use science to write your breakout novel? Wired for Story author Lisa Cron believes that you can. In Story Genius, Cron gives you an engine to generate your plot, scene by scene.
31. Decision Points by George W. Bush, Recommended by Dana Perino
George W. Bush's autobiography lays out the major decisions he faced over the course of his life, how he arrived at his conclusions, and what he would change if given the chance.
Check out Dana Perino's #ReadToLead post here.
32. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, Recommended by Beth Comstock
This ode to a life of science, wonder, and spirit has made many best-of lists for 2016. Author Hope Jahren's love for what she does is infectious, and her journey will resonate with individuals in any field. Read Lab Girl to remember why you do what you do.
33. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, translated by Stephen Mitchell, Recommended by Jenna Goudreau
You probably studied this essential text of Chinese philosophy in college, but you definitely don't remember it as you should. In many ways, the Tao Te Ching is the ultimate guide to mind-over-matter.
Check out Jenna Goudreau's #ReadToLead post here.
34. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, Recommended by Beth Comstock
Nike started with a $50 loan and a simple goal. More than 50 years later, the swoosh generates more than $30 billion in annual profits. Read about Nike CEO Phil Knight's journey for the inspiration you need to turn that little idea in your head into a business empire.
Check out Beth Comstock's #ReadToLead post here.
Image: marcopiffero/Pixabay
