Are you in search of books that’ll make you more knowledgable and smarter? Here are the 10 books you need to read before the end of 2020.
Since the global lockdowns and social distancing began, people started reading more. It’s not hard to see why. Most successful people, whether in acting or business, swear by reading and it’s positive effects. To be well-read, you need to know what to read.
The best part?
These books have been read by some of your idols; from Bill Gates to Barack Obama.
In short: if it’s good enough for them, it’ll be good enough for you. Ready? Let’s get started.
The Undercover Economist, Tim Harford
Whether you’re looking to save money for a house, buy a car, or understand why the gap between rich and poor is widening, this is the book for you. It’s an economists version of The Way Things Work. From simple money-saving tricks to uncomplicated explanations of money and the world, this book is guaranteed to make you smarter – so what are you waiting for?
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2. The Non-Obvious Guide to Emotional Intelligence, by Kerry Goyette
Whatever you do and however you do it, you’re not likely to it well if you don’t have emotional intelligence. Goyette’s book does well to give readers practical guides and steps to start building emotional intelligence – it really is one of the best self-help books out there at the moment.
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3. The Great Influenza, by John M. Barry
With everything that’s going on, this is a book you can hardly escape. After reading this detailed account of everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in history, you’ll come away questioning one thing: how are we still facing the same challenges 100 years later? To get a perspective on what’s going on, and make sense of all the competing factors, you need to read this book.
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4. How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy , by Jenny Odell
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What do you think productivity is? That’s exactly the question Jenny Odell wants you to ask yourself as you flick through the pages of this New York Times bestseller, and one of Barack Obama’s favourite books. It’s a self-help book that’ll teach you the need for balance and the importance of seeing yourself in a constantly changing world.
5. The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon, by Steve Anderson
This book isn’t just a must-read for business enthusiasts, but a must-read for anyone who has ambitions in any field. A comprehensive guide on how to shape your ambitions and grow your business using tried and tested principles – what more could you want?
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6. The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness, by Andy Puddicombe.
A must-read for all ambitious people. The creator of the popular Headspace app, Andy Puddicombe, has convinced many people, including Bill Gates to meditate. Now we know what you’re thinking – am I going to have to get some yoga mats? No; this book’s all about emphasising and explaining the importance of de-stressing and re-focusing. More importantly, it teaches you how to do it effectively.
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7. Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries, by Safi Bahcall
Everyone should read this book. If you have creative ideas, but you’re not sure how to build upon them, then you must read this book. With stories about how people nurtured their creative ideas to greatness, Bahcall will teach about the key fundamentals involved in building upon your idea. Who knows, after reading this, you could become the next Elon Musk – just don’t forget to give us some credit.
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8. American Poison, by Eduardo Porter
“Learned, well-written…a bracing wake-up call”; that’s how the New York Times summarises this book, and they’re right. Porter explores and discusses how racism has stalled American growth and development. His analysis on the effect of racism and racial tensions on key institutions such as education, labour and health is an important read for anyone who wants to make sense of events not only in the US but in other Western countries.
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9. The Ride of a Lifetime, by Bob Iger
“This is one of the best business books I’ve read in several years” – those are not our words, but the words of Bill Gates. And it’s easy to see why; as the CEO of Walt Disney for 15 years, Robert Iger has learned a thing or two about running a successful company. If you want some inspiration and some detailed knowledge on how large successful companies work, and the skills involved in managing them, you need to read this book.
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10. An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, by Chris Hadfield
Wondering what you can learn from an astronaut? How about discipline, empathy, motivation and determination. This book is an international bestseller for a very good reason; it’s brilliant. Hadfield explains the skills and mindset to succeed as an astronaut and the reasons you need to adopt them in your everyday life.
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These ten books should open your mind, and give a good basis to explore more topics and issues in other books. We hope you enjoyed our suggestions for the best books to read in 2020; for more suggestions, why not subscribe to our mailing list or follow our Instagram (@theurbjournal).