What are some great business books you would recommend?

The BLACK SWAN/Taleb (economics), The psychology of Influence/Cialdini (human behavior), Snowball (Buffets Bio)

wow, there are a ton but I would say that
anything by Brian Tracy or John Maxwell to start with.
Also the Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz.

It depends on what you mean by "business." What aspect of business? Investing? Entrepreneurship? Focus? Motivation? Grant Writing? Business Proposal? Etc.

If you're looking for a solid foundation in character, motivation, purpose, attitude, etc. Think and Grow Rich and The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill are essential. I think too many people avoid the foundation of any business: one's self and his / her character, weaknesses, shortcomings, and strengths. If you're looking for books on marketing, anything Dan Kennedy (A good one is How to Succeed in Business by Breaking All the Rules). Investing and Wealth? Robert Kiyosaki. Wealth alone, Stephen Pierce's Secrets to Creating Wealth. Investing? Anything by The Motley Fools. Sales? Og Mandino. Mental attitude? Think Big and Kick Ass, Donald Trump. I'm currently reading When Markets Collide by Mohamed El-Erian which talks about what's going on behind all the current disruption. That's about it for now, unless you can think of another category.

I would suggest reading books on investing on/by successful men, such as: Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffet, George Soros,Bill Gates, etc. To get a basic understanding on how to start a business and get through the downfalls you would have to read about successful companies that have stood the test of time. I would also suggest books on UPS, Microsoft and McDonalds. Another really good book is Managing The Dragon by Jack Perkowski. He broke through the China barrier and gives tips along the way.

The Breakthrough Company by Keith McFarland is also a great book that details the quasi-"missing link" in business literature between start-up and industry giant.

I loke book that help me better understand how people think, so that I can be a more effective salesperson. I read Sway this week. It's a short read with some interesting takeaways about how people make decisions. The takeaways weren't totally new, but it was good to remind myself of them.

Hi Michael –

If you are looking for basic introductions to a variety of business topics, I would recommend the Harvard Business Essential series. The editors pull together information from different sources and then publish these neat, little, hands-on books with the most relevant information on a subject (for example, time management, decision-making, negotiation, etc.)

The Black Swan is definitely worth reading as well, as is Nassim Taleb’s first book, Fooled by Randomness. If you are even a little bit interested in finance, I’d also recommend books by the late Peter L. Bernstein. He is a wonderful writer and his books are a pleasure to read.

Let us know if you want more specific recommendations. There are tons of good business books out there. (Tons of bad ones as well unfortunately.)

Haike

The Black Swan The Impact of the Highly ImprobableFooled by Randomness The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the MarketsCapital Ideas EvolvingAgainst the Gods The Remarkable Story of RiskNegotiationHarvard Business Essentials, Decision Making 5 Steps to Better Results

If you're looking for management advice, I'd recommend Peter Drucker's The Effective Executive (a classic). Also excellent is Ricardo Semler's The Seven Day Weekend. And if you like Semler's writing, you might also enjoy his earlier (largely autobiographical) book, Maverick.

On international business, of course, I have to recommend my own Carry a Chicken In Your Lap, Or Whatever It Takes to Globalize Your Business!

The Effective Executive The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done
The Seven-Day Weekend Changing the Way Work Works
Maverick!
Carry a Chicken in Your Lap Or Whatever It Takes to Globalize Your Business