Business bestsellers of all times and peoples as one of the tools for the success of a novice entrepreneur. Best Business Books: Ranking Best Business Literature

You can learn from your own mistakes for a long time, stuffing bumps, losing considerable amounts and completely disappointed in the path you have chosen. We have another proposal: borrowing experience from those who have been able to achieve success in developing their own business. It can be small, medium or big business, but the main thing is a result worthy of emulation.

Books about business that you need to read, we have formed in the TOP-10 and share with you. Best Books about business are not only informative, but also provide enough motivation for your own steps. Take note, read, make a "squeeze" and practice on your own experience.

Best Business Books: The Experience of the Successful

1. Henry Ford "My Life, My Achievements"

In his 83 years of life, the American Henry Ford was able to achieve heights that one can only dream of: the owner of 161 patents in the United States, the owner of car factories around the world, the author of a real bestseller. Yes, My Life, My Achievements, by the owner of the Ford Motor Company, sold like hot cakes in 1932. As the years passed, business books appeared in increasing numbers, and Henry Ford kept at the top of his popularity.

What's the secret? It would be better if you pick up the book yourself or find an online version. And don't let the bestseller's writing date bother you. Its relevance has not been lost to this day.

1. Guy Kawasaki Startup.

Many people have one question in their heads: how to start a business? If you have a place in your head for a similar question, then the book of startup gurus is for you. Just an interesting piece of information: Guy Kawasaki was one of Apple's original employees, and today he's a managing director. venture company Garage Technology Ventures.

His book on business and self-development, Startup, is a desktop guide for anyone who wants to turn an idea into a successful startup. Want to? Take action! Oh, and don't forget to read Guy's book.

1. Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich.

Just imagine for a second: 20 million copies of a book. What does it say? Of course, this is an indicator of crazy success and 100% benefit from reading. Such are the sales statistics for Napoleon Hill's book Think and Grow Rich, which was published in 1928. This masterpiece could not miss our top business books.

This is a prime example of how the rules of success are timeless. Read it - see for yourself. This is one of the best books in the segment of business literature without time references.

The best business books with motivation

Building own business starts with motivation. Finding it hard to find motivation on your own? Take it from books. From what? We will tell, continuing our TOP 10 business books:

1. Donald Trump "Never give up!".

The book is nothing at all - 6 years old, but today Donald Trump is a contender for the presidency, and his business experience is really worthy of attention. Trump also had a collaborator: Meredith McIver, who is sometimes forgotten. We very often perceive failures and defeats as a sentence.

In his book, Trump provides illustrative examples in the form of disasters, crises and personal failures, which ultimately become a springboard for the jump and achievement of all set goals. Thinking plays an important role, and you will also understand this by reading the book "Never Give Up".

Business planning books like Trump's should be desktop books. We recommend reading it for both beginner businessmen and those who have an already operating and successful business at their disposal.

1. Bill Gates Business at the Speed ​​of Thought.

The creator of a real empire of the 21st century, Microsoft, Bill Gates could dispose of his honestly earned billions at his pleasure without revealing the secret of success. But he decided to demonstrate business process modeling using modern information technologies in his book Business at the Speed ​​of Thought.

It’s very cool if you are the favorite of fortune and you have an inexhaustible amount of bright ideas. But…

• Modern business is a multi-level structure
• In each successful company should have its own "electronic nervous system"

Such theses are demonstrated in the book by Bill Gates. Who, if not him, knows about the creation successful business in the 21st century with the use of modern information technologies. Do you want the whole world to talk about you? Start with books about business and the experience of successful ones. Further it will be difficult, but at your disposal the main weapon is knowledge.

1. Dale Carnegie How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

He was not a businessman, but he was an inimitable orator and teacher. Dale Carnegie developed the concept of conflict-free communication. Is it necessary in business? Certainly!

His work “How to stop worrying and start living” gets into the TOP of business books, after reading which you will receive answers to many questions: How to find yourself? How to help loved ones to understand themselves? other.

1. Azimov Sergey "How to make money without start-up capital».

This is one of the new works from business coach and businessman Sergei Azimov. The issue of earning without starting capital is relevant today for many. For you too? If so, we recommend that you read the book. It will be useful for novice businessmen in the first place.

The best business literature: who made it to the TOP-3?

1. Alexander Vysotsky “Small business. Big game".

In 2014, an entrepreneur, management consultant, business lecturer Alexander Vysotsky published a book that will primarily be useful to small and medium-sized businesses.

One of the main problems of small businesses is manual control. How to “get out” of this and scale up? Alexander Vysotsky in the book demonstrates strategies and effective tools controls that allow you to expand your business and abandon manual control.

1. Robert Sutton Don't work with assholes. And what to do if they are around you.

A Russian translation of this book appeared only last year. Have you ever met destructive elements in the team? But what if this team is under your leadership and you do not know how to act? Building an effective and well-coordinated team is not an easy job.

True, the company will become a well-functioning mechanism as soon as destructive elements disappear from the team. What to do with them? Pick up a book or download it on the Internet, and there is enough information for reflection and action.

1. Walter Isaacson "Steve Jobs"

In the first place is a biography book about the manager of the legendary Apple, with a history and results that are impressive in their scale. Why is a book about the life of Steve Jobs in the first place?

We sure don't need to say much about Steve. Better than any words - Apple, the development of which he devoted most of his life. Only the example of successful managers can become the basis of their own success. He motivates, gives answers to many questions, is admirable. Behind the bright famous brands- the hard way of their creators and those who were able to prove to the whole world: "This product is worth your attention, period." That was Steve Jobs. You will learn his life path and approach to doing business from the book by Walter Isaacson.

These are the books about business for beginner startups and those who already have their own business, we recommend reading. Even a small idea has every chance of becoming a legend about which hundreds of books and articles will be written. To create a legend is the right and opportunity for everyone. The main thing is not to stop.

If you're looking to improve your communication skills, improve your leadership skills, and learn how to manage your time wisely, these books will help you score a few points on your road to success.

The most common advice that can be seen in almost any book in this genre is to be purposeful and pursue your passion, and success will come. Professor Cal Newport makes an important addition to this recommendation: Succeeding in any endeavor can open new doors, set the stage for progress, and, as a result, give new passion. The author suggests not to give up on dreams, but to be a realist and become a professional in what you can do.

People love the illusion of confidence tomorrow, supported by forecasts of authoritative personalities and experts. In The Black Swan, investor and philosopher Nassim Taleb talks about the vulnerability of such a position and the example of a collapse financial system in 2007 proves that even the most secure systems are subject to potential hazards.

Don't Be Afraid to Take Action is worth a read if you want to debate competently about women's right to leadership positions. Sheryl Sandberg combines research data and personal stories, telling how women inadvertently deprive themselves of the chance to advance in career ladder.

The Power of Habit is one of the most useful and engaging books for young people seeking happiness and success. Journalist New York Times Charles Duhigg shares tips on how to break a bad habit, be it smoking, with small steps you can take now.

Something in our culture tells us that we must seek our own advantage in everything, be prudent and selfish in order to achieve something. Psychologist Adam Grant explains why this view is wrong. Research confirms that the most successful people are those who are interested in creating value for others. Adam Grant shares tips on how to add value and still succeed.

The founder of the Nasty Gal online store Sofia Amoruza in the book #Girlboss does not hesitate to share her personal experience with the reader. She talks about her rebellious youth and talks about how her bullying behavior helped her succeed. The book is filled with practical advice to inspire you to follow your passion and find your own path to the top.

Interpersonal skills are just as important as the skills we tend to list on resumes. Napoleon Hill was a journalist who befriended industrial magnate Andrew Carnegie. During friendly conversations, Carnegie, who at that time was the richest man in the world, shared with Hill the lessons he had learned from his journey from poverty to wealth.

Although Think and Grow Rich was first published in 1937, it contains up-to-date practical advice on building interpersonal and leadership abilities.

Investor and multibillionaire Warren Buffett's favorite book explores the psychology of everyday interpersonal interactions and helps you understand how to become a leader and influencer. The book was first published in 1936, but the basic advice on how to overcome and inspire people is as valuable today as it was decades ago.

the main idea this book is that we should spend less time thinking about our shortcomings and focus on what we do well. This book will help you find your professional niche based on your personality and existing skills, and perhaps tell you where you will contribute more to society and succeed.

We live in a time when young entrepreneurs and startup founders are rapidly becoming billionaires, taking the title of the most powerful people in the world from Wall Street financiers. Investor and billionaire Peter Thiel lifts the veil on the current state of business with a compelling and concise guide to building and running a company.

This book is recommended reading for those who want to be effective at work and at home. The author gives practical advice on organizing and distributing daily tasks. One such recommendation is to follow the two-minute rule. It says: if something can be done in less than 120 seconds, then it should be done immediately, and more time-consuming tasks can be postponed until later.

Renowned networker Keith Ferrazzi credits his ability to build relationships and connect with people to his success. The author was born in a small town to a steelworker and a cleaning lady, but his tenacity, talent and communication skills have earned him the title of No. 1 networker and maintain a telephone directory of thousands of contacts, including the numbers of presidents, rock stars and famous entrepreneurs. In his book, Ferrazzi talks about the communication strategies that he resorted to on the way to success.

If you are not inspired by the stunning success stories of successful businessmen, you may like this book. In It Won't Be Easy, entrepreneur Ben Horowitz argues that there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for success. The only way to succeed is to be decisive and pay attention to what is positive for the dynamics of business development and what is not.

In the book, whose title should not be taken literally, Timothy Ferris shares practical advice on how to be as effective as possible and succeed in your professional and personal life. For example, the author advises using the “fear management” method, a technique that allows you to examine in detail what you are afraid of, to calmly analyze the risks and ways to overcome them.

According to Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, the key to success is our belief that we can achieve it. The author cites studies that prove that the ability to learn and improve can mean much more than innate talent. The book states that if you are in your early 20s, with enough perseverance, you can become anything.

If you are an introvert, this does not mean that the path to the top of the career ladder is closed to you. The injustice of the widespread stereotype that the owners of this type of personality are second-class people prompted the author to write this book. Negotiation consultant Susan Cain's research debunks the idea that being "loud" and extremely outgoing is required to be successful.

If you want to be successful in business, you have to understand the complexities of human behavior. The book of psychology and behavioral economics professor Dan Ariely is one of better ways do it. The author cites scientific studies that explain the nuances of our behavior: for example, why we put things off until later or how we make a decision to buy a product.

This book, published in 1989, has already become a classic. Whether you are a politician or an entrepreneur, it will inspire you and empower you to achieve your professional goals. Each chapter looks at a key skill, such as proactivity or synergy. Each of these qualities helps to become an effective leader and a real team member.

Michael Lewis in "Liar's Poker" gives a candid account of the financial district of Wall Street in the 1980s. Lewis himself, after college, got a job in a prestigious investment company Salomon Brothers, where he worked his way up from trainee to bond salesman. The book is written in the genre of documentary, but reads like a novel: the author paints a vivid picture of the trading room and the characters in it.

The reason for writing "Strategy of Life" was the author's meeting with former classmates at the Harvard Business School. Then, upon graduation in 1979, the future of each of them was full of prospects, peers had equal and excellent conditions for employment or starting their own business.

After 25 years, it turned out that many of the former students of Harvard were in crisis. Someone - in a personal, someone - in a professional way, for example, the former head of Enron, Jeffrey Skilling, who was sentenced in 2006 to 292 months in prison. The book explores why some of those with ample opportunity thrive while others lose everything.

Investor and billionaire Bill Ekman is one of many Wall Street financiers who cite The Intelligent Investor as the book that changed their lives. This in-depth guide to valuable investments will help not only those in the financial industry, but anyone who wants to make the most of it in the long run.

This book does not focus on the place of work in our lives. This distinguishes Crossing the Unknown Sea from other business literature publications. The author considers a career not as a quest that needs to be completed by scoring maximum points, but as an ongoing contact of a person with the world and himself.

The late co-founder and CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, has become a legendary figure haunting Silicon Valley. Isaacson's biography helps to understand the Jobs phenomenon and offers a glimpse into the two sides of his personality: a strong inspiring visionary and a difficult businessman.

This is a story about how a great man was fired from his own company, and after some time returned and conquered the whole world. She shows how important it is to recover from failures and go to your goal.

James Altucher is a hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, podcaster and bestselling author. Choose Yourself teaches you how to express yourself in your profession and at the same time not give up on your wildest dreams. Altucher is trying to convey the message that someone who works for someone else is as valuable as any businessman.

As professional growth and immersion in the routine, many lose their craving for creativity. The Pixar co-founder tells the story of the creation of one of the largest animation studios and talks about how everyone is capable of creating, but many simply do not dare because of various social norms and personal taboos. The author claims that love and skill are no less important for bankers or programmers than for writers and musicians.

The beginning of a career is the best time to define your leadership role. Business professor and leadership expert Erminia Ibarra shares advice on topics ranging from expanding professional networks to generating new ideas. The author's philosophy is based on the assertion that there is no universal recipe for successful leadership, the best tactic is the one that works in your case.

Journalist and pop sociologist Malcolm Gladwell gives the results sociological research and explains the mechanics of information dissemination. The Tipping Point was published in 2002, but the material presented in the book continues to help us understand why people share news, facts, and ideas, and why some of them spread to epidemiological proportions.

Not understanding how powerful people think and act makes us vulnerable to their will. The biography of New York city planner Robert Moses is called upon to shed light. If you want to see how Machiavellian intelligence works, The Power Broker will help you with this.

"Light the fire!" - a collection of essays that will make you take a fresh look at your "I", will help overcome the fear of resisting habits and beliefs imposed from outside. Business strategist and PR professional Daniella Laporte says that you alone are responsible for who you are, and that you don't have to conform to other people's ideas to be successful.

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First of all, you can pay attention to the best publications that business literature offers. They will help you change the way you think about money, business and people, but most importantly they contain a huge motivation that anyone who wants to become independent needs.

Robert Kiyosaki "Rich Dad Poor Dad"

This book first saw the world in 1997, but today it is considered the best financial guide in the world for people of all income levels. The book talks about how to shape and manage cash flows, invest and profit from it, and how to change your attitude towards money.

The businessman shares with readers his own secrets on how to get out of the closed loop inherent in the life of an employee, become independent and rich, and also raises the problem of shortage financial education in schools using examples from their own lives.

Nir Eyal "Hooked Buyer"

In 2017, this book was ranked among the best by Forbes. It will be useful to private entrepreneurs, including beginners, designers and marketers. The bestseller tells how to create products that form certain habits in buyers and how this will help build a business without using aggressive marketing in your practice.

The author considers the principles of using various social networks, and also answers the question why some products cause consumer attachment, while others do not. It also provides a practical guide to interacting with clients and influencing their psychology.

Donald Trump "The Art of the Deal"

Wonderful book from 1987 reveals to readers the secrets of imprisonment biggest deals New York developers. Despite the autobiographical content and scale of the described business, many negotiating situations are comparable to typical problems for medium and small enterprises.

Useful material is presented with humor and actively motivates the reader to search for new ideas for their business. The bestseller will be of interest not only to entrepreneurs, who will find in it many living examples of successful transactions, but also to people who are interested in outstanding personalities of our time.

D. Knapp, B. Kovitz, D. Zeratsky "Sprint: how to develop and test a new product in just five days"

D. Knapp, B. Kovitz, D. Zeratsky

This unique book was released in 2017 and became a bestseller almost immediately. It focuses on the progressive method that Google developers use to quickly create and test products. It provides practical advice on how to make a project of high quality and at the same time spend no more than a week on the whole process.

The material will be of interest to both large companies and beginners. The methodology proposed by the authors has been used by many young companies, helping them to survive and get back on their feet in real business conditions.

Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich!

If you are looking for the very best business books, this is one of the oldest and greatest in this category of literature. It was released for the first time in 1937. The content of the book has absorbed the results of twenty years of research and analysis of the lives and careers of many successful businessmen and simply outstanding personalities. It reveals important secrets of developing your business, attracting and increasing capital.

The author of the famous book is a well-known American journalist, writer and psychologist. In his comments, he explains that the proposed methodology for achieving success can be applied not only in business, but also in any other type of activity.

Carl Sewell "Customers for Life"

Released in 1990, this bestseller is considered one of the the best guides on interaction with clients. According to the author, who built his own business and achieved success, the main condition for stability is the creation client base and keeping it, thanks to the revision of the attitude towards employees and after-sales service generally.

The book will be of interest to aspiring entrepreneurs and developing small businesses. It contains practical advice Marketing, Human Resources and Merchandising.

Mike Mikalowitz "Startup without a budget"

This book was published in 2011. It is dedicated to how to start your own business without financial support and your own start-up capital. The author shares his experience on how to find ways out of seemingly insoluble situations and develop your business in any circumstances.

The Startup Without a Budget, as well as another book by Mike Mikalowitz, The Pumpkin Method, are the best business books for beginners. On the other hand, they will be of interest not only to those who are just thinking about creating it, but also to businesses that have outgrown a startup, but who want to retain the energy and inspiration inherent in the first stages of development. The content of the book is filled with inspiring motivation and many phrases that will easily become your motto in entrepreneurial activity.

Douglas McGregor "The Human Side of the Enterprise"

First published in 1960, this book revolutionized the understanding of principles in personnel management. The author of an outstanding bestseller is a social psychologist and management guru who based his theory on the fact that the participation of subordinates in decision making is one of the main motivators to perform their duties better. In his book, he shares with the reader the secrets of how to encourage staff to be the best in their field.

The ideas and guidance provided by McGregor are still being successfully applied in practice in both large companies and small businesses. This book is a must read for all leaders, as well as those who plan to build a career in management and management.

Henry Ford "My Life, My Achievements"

The autobiographical book of a cult personality in the automotive industry is at the same time one of the best manuals for organizing work and motivating staff. The system of organization of production proposed by Ford, by using the assembly line, was named after him (Fordism) and is today used by most industrial enterprises peace.

In his book, the author tells what difficulties he had to overcome on the way to becoming, about his negative attitude towards the influence of capital and the banking system, and about the desire to do quality work, in spite of getting higher profits, which in turn brings him world fame and a huge fortune.

Published in 2017, this book raises one of the main issues modern business- the right selection of staff. The authors suggest that entrepreneurs and managers reconsider their attitude towards applicants and pay attention not to the track record, but to real qualities, which will allow companies not to waste time and money.

Unlike most business books, Who? has many practical tips and techniques that you can apply in your practice. All of them are based on the analysis of information received as a result of interviews with the most successful businessmen, executives and top managers.

A selection of books for personal growth

If you are interested in psychology and personal growth, the selection below will be the best books to help you on your path to self-improvement. It will teach you how to change yourself and your attitude to the world, reveal the secrets of the behavior and thinking of others and allow you to discover your own potential.

Brian Tracy "Get out of your comfort zone"

The first publication of this book took place in 2014. It brought lightning fame to the author and was translated into several dozen languages. It tells how a person can change his life, leaving his comfort zone. Today it is recognized as the number one book on personal growth and self-development.

The author gives 21 methods on how to increase one's own efficiency in any kind of activity. This book will be of interest not only to entrepreneurs, but also to people who have a desire to achieve more in life.

David Allen "Getting Things Done"

This book was first published in 2001, but today you can find a revised and expanded edition in bookstores that fits modern realities of life. The author tells about a unique method of self-organization according to the GTD system or “bringing things to completion”.

This book will primarily be useful to those who suffer from constant lack of time and continuous stress. It teaches planning and a positive outlook on life in general.

Eric Byrne Games people play. People who play games"

This is one of the most famous books on personal growth. The author of this sensational bestseller is a well-known psychologist whose work is devoted to human relationships. The material presented in the book will allow you to independently identify your own mistakes in communicating with other people, as well as get rid of stereotypes in behavior.

Despite the fact that the book is devoted to psychoanalysis, it is written lightly and with humor. You will also find in it many vivid examples of situations that you have repeatedly met in your life. This book can be read at any age.

Jacob Teitelbaum - Always Tired

If you are interested in real practical advice from a doctor on how to overcome chronic fatigue, you should read this book. It is based on 37 years of research and recommendations for increasing vitality, verified by the author on his own experience.

"Forever Tired" is one of a series of books by the author dedicated to health and getting rid of negative habits in life. It will be useful to people of different ages and occupations.

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

The cult book, published in 1936, simply and concisely tells how to communicate with others and make a positive impression on the interlocutor in any situation. It will help you not only comprehend the elementary rules of politeness and mutual respect, but also master the art of oratory.

The principles cited by the author can be applied both in business area, as well as in everyday family life Therefore, this book is recommended for study by everyone without exception. It is full of practical advice and effective recommendations, and most importantly, all of them are relevant even today.

Brett Blumenthal "One Habit a Week"

A practical guide to changing yourself and your habits in just one year. The author of the book suggests using the program he developed for “small changes” that can have a significant impact on your life and worldview in general. The material is very easy to read and filled with positive motivation.

The main goal of the book is to teach the reader to better cope with life's difficulties, to establish relationships with others, and to reveal their own intellectual and creative potential. It will be most useful to those who are taking their first steps in self-improvement.

Peter Kamp "Speed ​​Reading"

This is one of the newest books on speed reading, first published in 2015. It represents a new approach to learning and allows you to work at your own pace, comfortable for the reader. The book contains theories that are taught in the most progressive lectures and speed reading courses.

The material will be useful to those who want to learn how to quickly perceive and memorize large amounts of textual information. Suitable for daily and non-systematic exercises.

Greg McKeon "Essentialism"

This book is about the problems of setting priorities in our lives. The author tells the reader how to refuse unnecessary obligations and burdens in order to perform only the things that are important to you, while receiving more quality result. The book teaches you to take care of your own time and fills you with self-confidence.

The proposed methodology is based on essentialism, which the author presents as a fundamentally new approach. It can be used in any area of ​​your life. By putting these recommendations into practice, you will be able to put things in order and concentrate on your main goals.

Daniel Kahneman "Think slow, decide fast"

This bestseller was written by a Nobel Prize winner and is devoted to the problem of the relationship between human actions and thoughts. In his work, the author distinguishes two types of thinking - slow and fast, which a person subconsciously uses when solving various types of problems.

The material will be of interest to both managers and people interested in psychology. Having studied it, you will not learn how to make decisions, but you will be able to understand how the thinking process occurs when making them, as well as how you can influence them from the outside, which will allow you to draw very interesting conclusions and conclusions for yourself.

Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Another popular psychology bestseller, one of the top 10 books on personal development. After reading it, you will understand how to define and formulate a life goal for yourself, and most importantly, how to achieve the desired result. The author does not offer a magical method of transformation in a short period, on the contrary, he emphasizes that it is not enough just to want to achieve the goal, you need to work hard on yourself. This book will be of interest to both management professionals and people who seek to maximize the potential inherent in nature.

Unfortunately, good literature from the category of business and personal growth rarely appears on store shelves. Most of the material is a repetition of common truths, and sometimes just empty demagogy that is not worth your attention. And therefore, choosing the best books on business and self-development for yourself, you can also pay attention to other works of the authors listed in the TOP, whose reputation has been tested by time and their own success.

We bring to your attention a selection of the coolest novels about strong personalities who can turn their ideas into money. These books are for people striving for continuous development and appreciating quality fiction. These books are for you. Reading them will give you incomparable intellectual pleasure, give you inspiration and many new ideas for your business.

1. "Oil", Upton Sinclair, famous American writer whose books were read by Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, Einstein, Gorky, Shaw
This is history strong man who stops at nothing to achieve their dreams. Arnold Ross, an American oilman, thanks to his acumen and charisma, made a fortune in the millions. Ross impresses with his determination and perseverance. He is a workaholic, not sentimental, cynical. At the same time, the "oil king" is not devoid of justice, and as a result, he evokes sympathy. He takes his only son Benny with him everywhere - to build towers, to business meetings- so that he would become the heir to his business in the future. Based on this book, an amazing film by Paul Thomas Anderson "Oil" was shot, which was nominated for an Oscar in 8 categories and won two gold statuettes.

2. The Banker, Leslie Waller classic of modern American literature, former spy
The protagonist is Chicago banker Woods Palmer, who, as a result of difficult negotiations, receives an offer to become the first vice president of the number one bank in America. When we read a book, we dive into business world New York, we see all the details and secrets of the world's largest bank. The protagonist finds himself at the center of financial intrigues. Woods Palmer will have to decide whether to go with the flow, obeying someone else's will, or change the rules of the game, so as not to lose all the most precious things in life.

3. "Ladies' happiness", Emile Zola, famous French writer of the second half of the 19th century.
Having studied the experience of such stores as Bon Marchais, Louvre, Printham, Zola describes the story of the entrepreneur Octave Mouret, who created a thriving women's department store in the center of Paris, in a fascinating, vivid and accurate way. Sophisticated organization, the latest trading technologies and psychological calculation allow him to attract crowds of customers. Thanks to interesting marketing techniques, customers are unable to tear themselves away from the goods: they are eager to buy more and more! An interesting scheme for lending to customers, a breakdown into departments, a description of goods. inner life The store is full of intrigues: endless rivalry between sellers, their desire to move up the career ladder by eliminating rivals, dislike for newcomers, serving the owner ... And against this background, love blossoms between a modest saleswoman and a wealthy entrepreneur. The book was made into a movie set from Paris to 1890s England.

4. "Boss", Ray Immelman, writer, renowned expert on control and the theory of constraints
The best business novel about the formation of corporate culture. A large plant, equipped with the latest technology, but not fulfilling the plan, is assigned a new director, Greg Wright. With the help of an original approach to motivation, Wright eventually achieves amazing results. He takes as a basis the most vital, according to the author, model of people's behavior - tribal (employees are a tribe, a leader is a leader). The plant manager, learning more and more about the peculiarities of this behavior, successfully uses very unusual methods of management. The story is gripping from the first to the last page. There is a feeling of presence: as if together with the main character you are solving the same problems as in your company, together with him you find saving steps in difficult situations.

5. "Night flight", Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French writer, poet and professional aviator
How to make unpopular but necessary decisions? How to respond quickly in conditions of increased danger and uncertainty? The hero of the novel "Night Flight" Riviera, the director of the air communications network, has to answer these questions every day. In order for the mail received from Patagonia, from Chile, from Paraguay, to arrive in Buenos Aires on time, pilots need to fly at night over endless mountain ranges. If a storm overtakes them there, or if they go astray, they are doomed. But their boss, Riviere, knows it's a risk to take. In order to deliver the mail without interruption and save the lives of the pilots, he is forced to make decisions that cause hatred in the majority. Despite this reaction of employees, Rivier strictly follows his decisions. An exception is not made for anyone or anything.

6. "Chocolate", Joanne Harris, English writer
A wonderful story of a young woman, Vianne Rocher, who came with her daughter Anouk to a small town and opened her own chocolate shop there. The locals did not take it too kindly. Her appearance was a challenge to the local curate, who sees the meaning of life in self-restraint and service to God. But she did not lose heart, because she wanted not only to sell people as many candies as possible, she wanted to give them happiness. As a result, Vianne easily manages to give joy to others, fill someone else's life with bright colors. When you read a book, you actually feel the taste of chocolate, icing, almonds, tart truffles... The book was made into a movie of the same name starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche.

7. "The Financier", Theodore Dreiser, American writer and social activist
Events unfold around a successful businessman and talented manipulator Frank Cowperwood. He stubbornly goes to his goal, in spite of everything, skillfully bypassing the competitors united against him. As a young man, Frank Cowperwood becomes an outstanding financier. He manages to enter the circle of the largest financial magnates in Pennsylvania. Dreiser skillfully shows their life and customs, recreates the details of financial transactions. The novel is based on the life story of a real person - millionaire Charles Yerkes, an American financier who played a significant role in the development of the system. public transport in Chicago and London.

8. "Hotel", Arthur Hailey, Canadian writer best known for a number of excellent production novels The book is set in the St. Gregory independent hotel in New Orleans. One of the few it has not yet been captured by large corporations that have divided the rest of the industry among themselves hotel business in the USA. But things are not going well. The owner of St. Gregory has lost his business acumen and the company is threatened with a takeover by one of the monopolists. Young managers Peter McDermott and Christina Francis save the St. Gregory's independence while unraveling the hotel's tangle of crimes and shenanigans.

9. "Wings", Michael Crichton, American writer, screenwriter and film director, author of the idea and script for the series " Ambulance”, the scriptwriter of the film “Jurassic Park”
Norton Aircraft, the largest American aircraft manufacturer, is on the verge of bankruptcy. The only thing that can save him is the upcoming billion-dollar contract for the supply of aircraft to China. But, as luck would have it, shortly before the signing, several airliners produced at the concern's factories perish in a plane crash. The contract is in jeopardy. Casey Singleton, head of the investigation team, is trying to find the true causes of fatal accidents. She has only been given a week.

10. , founder of the Goldratt Group, professor of physics, owner of several dozen patents
In the center of the plot of the novel is a "crisis of local significance." Things are not going well for a chain store with a centralized supply that sells home furnishings from textiles. And they get really bad when, due to the flood, he loses part of his outbuildings, where a fair supply of goods is stored. The main character - the manager of the store - faces an almost impossible task: to get rid of excess stocks when all nearby warehouses are occupied with goods from other stores, at the same time to ensure uninterrupted supply of his outlet the right product and ensure that sales volume not only stops declining, but also grows. Additional difficulties are created by the struggle with the resistance of store employees who are used to working in a stable and predictable situation and do not want any changes.

11. "Supermarket", Satoshi Azuchi, Japanese writer
Satoshi Azuchi wrote this novel based on his personal experiences. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo, he joined the Sumitomo Trading Corporation. And then he was sent to work in the Summit supermarket chain in order to bring this average network to the leaders of Japanese retail. Based on his experience, he wrote the book "Supermarket". The novel shows in detail all the specifics of discount trade, using the example of the development of this branch of business in Japan. In addition to the detective story and the ups and downs of the protagonist in a new field, the book also reveals the features of Japanese business: the attachment of the Japanese to their employer, a sense of duty, relationships within the company and family.

12. "The Godfather", Mario Puzo, Italian-American novelist, screenwriter
The novel is a saga dedicated to the history of the Corleone family, one of the five largest mafia clans in the New York area. The head of the Vito Corleone family, thanks to his outstanding abilities, which primarily relate to the ability to "treat" people, from a poor immigrant becomes the head of an influential clan. The book is also about the nature of power as such. About how to become a center of attraction for people. Vito Corleone ( the protagonist) says that “You can’t say no to the people you love. The answer should sound like “Yes”, or for the person to answer “No” himself.
In 1972, based on the work of Mario Puzo, film director Francis F. Coppola staged a film of the same name, the script for which was written by Puzo himself. Starring Marlon Brando. The film won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor. It also ranks third on the list of the best films in the history of American cinema, published annually by the American Film Institute.

Friends! We need to know your opinion.
As an experiment, the Main Thought Library prepared a summary of one novel from this list. It's about the book. It is very important for us to know your opinion: would you like to read in our Library summaries art books? If not, why not? And if so, what should be reflected there? Eliyahu Goldratt's novel "I knew it!" in our presentation lived up to your expectations? What did you like (or dislike) about it? Write your thoughts in the comments to this article. Based on your responses, we will decide whether or not to include short versions of fiction books in our Library, and if so, in what form.

When Elon Musk - the creator of PayPal, the Tesla electric car and space company SpaceX - is asked how he learned to build rockets, he replies: "I read books." Commissioned by The Village, The League of Reading Companies learned from Russian businessmen which books can help build a business in Russia.

Once I had difficulties with working with minimal stock balances: we could not find the optimal purchasing strategy in the conditions of jumping currencies. Ford's book "My Life, My Achievements" just describes something similar, plus many other useful things. The book made me look at the problem more systematically. At least one answer - about "buy when you need it, and not when you intuitively want it" - we found it there.

Another time, the task was to make a display in the store. We spoke with a specialist from " children's world”, plus bought Paco Underhill’s books “Why We Buy” and “Settings - Mall”. Then they did with enthusiasm, as it is written there. Focusing on the behavior of customers (we had a screen with cameras from stores right in the office), we noted how different blocks. Six months later, a good calculation methodology appeared.

"To hell with all of it! Take it and do it! "Richard Branson and" Chichvarkin E ... genius. If out of 100 times they send you 99 ... ”Maxim Kotin - two books that we sent out to our franchises in the first year. Both are very motivating, both make you move. Worth reading - and already want to do something.

Everyone sooner or later faces the issue of delegation and time allocation. One simple piece of advice from Get Out of Your Comfort Zone by Brian Tracy - "do the hardest and most unpleasant first" - is already very cool. Masha, the head of our retail, said that at one time, thanks to this book, she was able to optimize her time.

"Catch the Hare" by Steven Speer helped build business processes for production and helped minimize scrap. "The appearance of the book. Selected articles on book design and typography by Jan Chikholdama are given to read by every new layout designer.

Maxim Spiridonov
CEO, Netology Group

I believe that classical literature provides excellent ground for broadening one's horizons, the skills of a psychologist, and the development of empathy in an entrepreneur. It sounds trite, but I am sure that in order to succeed in business, it is worth reading Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Dreiser, Camus and so on.

Business books are divided into two types - applied and motivational. Classics of motivational literature - memoirs or biographies of famous entrepreneurs: "Naked Business" by Richard Branson, "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson, "Chichvarkin E ... Genius" by Maxim Kotin - they are worth reading for a budding entrepreneur.

Of the good and relatively recently read applied ones, I can advise “Everything Can Be Negotiated” by Kennedy Gavin and “Clients for Life” by Carl Sewell and Paul Brown.

Andrey Terekhov
founder of Tagline agency

Funky Business by Nordström and Marketing Wars by Trout and Rice are the most iconic books, which had the maximum impact on me during the formation of a career in 2004-2007. This is the basis that significantly influenced the formation of my business thinking.

Everything that was read from the business literature after that had a purely applied character. Yes, somewhere there were interesting concepts and approaches, somewhere - interesting local ideas. And often reading trendy business books turned out to be a waste of time.

Fedor Ovchinnikov founder of the network of pizzerias "Dodo Pizza"

I was helped by the stories of great entrepreneurs and companies. "Made in America: How I Built Wal-Mart" by Sam Walton, "McDonald's: How an Empire Was Built" by Ray Kroc, "Pour Your Heart Into It" by Howard Schultz (about building Starbucks).

These books have been a source of inspiration, strength and motivation. I read them and energized during the most difficult moments of my entrepreneurial career.

Viktor Provotorov
General Director of the network "Your Doors"

I made the final choice between a stable present and a very unstable future in favor of the latter after reading Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. He believed in himself, his abilities and stepped into what only later became known as business.

“Funky Business” by Nordström is a sensible incorruptible in a cold Scandinavian guise. A delightful read and extremely inspiring. There is no need to be afraid of the new and live by stereotypes if you want to achieve your goal. Only at the edge of the unknown are the brightest discoveries born.

"Parkinson's Laws" by Cyril Northcote is not a book about business in the usual sense. It's about statistics turned into a farce. Divided into hundreds of quotes, it tells in a satirical way how, with an increase in the number of employees, their efficiency inevitably falls. How the responsibility of an individual person is replaced by collective irresponsibility and much, much more.

Dmitry Shakhov
director of the group of companies "Remarka"

I entered the business without studying any business literature. It was 2004 outside, I just wanted to do something of my own.

The hunger for knowledge came only in the third year, when I was able to breathe a little more freely and look around. It was then that I discovered Kotler, Trout, Ogilvie. The hunger was so strong that I swallowed stacks of books. Later, the need to constantly update knowledge in their niche forced them to switch to periodicals, blogs, forums and groups in social networks. From there I draw knowledge even now, recommending great business literature mainly to neophytes, who often lack basic training.

It is a pity that there are few truly serious books today, and mostly these are reprints. Most modern business books can be reduced to one thesis and a couple of cases.

Artyom Stepanov
General Director of the publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber"

We have been publishing books for a long time. But before I didn't look at it as producing. The book “The Producer Comes Out” by Alexander Rodnyansky put a lot in my head on the shelves. Now we structure our work differently and instead of project managers we have book producers.

Although the Rework book is over five years old, it never gets old. This is a manifesto about reasonable simplification from smart and successful people. We intuitively built the work of "MYTH", without bothering with complex formal procedures, and were glad to find similarities.

In 2006, I realized that I would be overwhelmed with cases if nothing was done. Through the forums and blogs, I found the GTD system and then David Allen's How to Get Things Done, which made my life so much easier. At the same time, at first I didn’t even have a laptop. I went on business with a folder in which there were cardboard sheets, glued colorful stickers on them and wrote problems. I still use the approach to organizing time described in the book, with some variations.

Good to Great by Jim Collins is one of my favorite books. Collins is close to me in spirit and the ideas that he promotes. His main task is to show businesses and entrepreneurs around the world that just making money is not cool. It's cool to do great things. Collins carefully looks at the facts, collects a huge amount of data, does a lot of work to draw some general conclusions. In my opinion, this is what an entrepreneur or a serious leader should read.