David Heinemeier Hansson's most recommended books

David Heinemeier Hansson's favorite books

The Age of Absurdity
Michael Foley
Why Modern Life makes it Hard to be Happy
Philosophy
The good news is that the great thinkers from history have proposed the same strategies for happiness and fulfilment. The bad news is that these turn out to be the very things most discouraged by contemporary culture. This knotty dilemma is the subject of TheAge ofAbsurdity- a wry and accessible investigation into how the desirable states of wellbeing and satisfaction are constantly undermined by modern life. Michael Foley examines the elusive condition of happiness common to philosophy, spiritual teachings and contemporary psychology, then shows how these are becoming increasingly difficult to apply in a world of high expectations. The common challenges of earning a living, maintaining a relationship and ageing are becoming battlegrounds of existential angst and self-loathing in a culture that demands conspicuous consumption, high-octane partnerships and perpetual youth. In conclusion, rather than denouncing and rejecting the age, Foley presents an entertaining strategy of not just accepting but embracing today's world - finding happiness in its absurdity.
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“great book on philosophy in the current age”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
Maverick
Ricardo Semler
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“A fantastic book...was great inspiration to me”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
The Myth of the Spoiled Child
Alfie Kohn
Coddled Kids, Helicopter Parents, and Other Phony Crises
Education
Originally published in hardcover in 2014.
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“very inspirational”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
The Road to Wigan Pier
George Orwell
Literary Criticism
In the 1930s Orwell was sent by a socialist book club to investigate the appalling mass unemployment in the industrial north of England. He went beyond his assignment to investigate the employed as well--“to see the most typical section of the English working class.” Foreword by Victor Gollancz.
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“Been reading Orwells Road to Wigan Pier, and its amazing”
— Source
Understanding Exposure
Bryan Peterson
How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera
Photography
Veteran photographer Bryan Peterson demystifies complex concepts of exposure in photography by explaining the fundamentals of light, aperture, shutter speed, and how they interact with and influence one another. This book explains how to get or lose sharpness and contrast in images, freeze in action, and take the best meter readings while also exploring filters, flash, and light. This fourth edition includes all new images as well as an expanded section on flash, tips for using colored gels, and advice on shooting star trails.
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“the first primers I read on this”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
The 4-Hour Workweek
Tim Ferriss
The 4-Hour Workweek Summary
The 4-Hour Workweek In 20 Minutes Summary Tim Ferriss The 4-Hour Work Week teaches techniques to increase your time and financial freedom giving you more lifestyle options. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (2007) is a self-help book by Timothy Ferriss, an American writer, educational activist, and entrepreneur. The book has spent more than four years on The New York Times Best Seller List, has been translated into 35 languages and has sold more than 1,350,000 copies worldwide. It deals with what Ferriss refers to as "lifestyle design" and repudiates the traditional "deferred" life plan in which people work grueling hours and take few vacations for decades and save money in order to relax after retirement.
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“the concept of lifestyle design.”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
A Guide to the Good Life
William B. Irvine
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“an introductory text that summarizes a lot”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
Political Order and Political Decay
Francis Fukuyama
From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy
History
A second volume in a landmark chronicle of the modern state examines how societies develop strong, impersonal and accountable political institutions, examining such subjects as the French Revolution, the Arab Spring and contemporary American politics. By the author of The Origins of Political Order.
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“a fantastic two-part book”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
The Big Short
Michael Lewis
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“That was a good one”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
The Origins of Political Order
Francis Fukuyama
From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution
Political Science
Nations are not trapped by their pasts, but events that happened hundreds or even thousands of years ago continue to exert huge influence on present-day politics. If we are to understand the politics that we now take for granted, we need to understand its origins. Francis Fukuyama examines the paths that different societies have taken to reach their current forms of political order. This book starts with the very beginning of mankind and comes right up to the eve of the French and American revolutions, spanning such diverse disciplines as economics, anthropology and geography. The Origins of Political Order is a magisterial study on the emergence of mankind as a political animal, by one of the most eminent political thinkers writing today.
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“a fantastic two-part book”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
Hell Yeah or No
Derek Sivers
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“For that gift alone, Sivers deserve applauds. Rean and listen”
— Source
Turn the Ship Around!
L. David Marquet
A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders
Business & Economics
“One of the 12 best business books of all time…. Timeless principles of empowering leadership.” – USA Today "The best how-to manual anywhere for managers on delegating, training, and driving flawless execution.” —FORTUNE Since Turn the Ship Around! was published in 2013, hundreds of thousands of readers have been inspired by former Navy captain David Marquet’s true story. Many have applied his insights to their own organizations, creating workplaces where everyone takes responsibility for his or her actions, where followers grow to become leaders, and where happier teams drive dramatically better results. Marquet was a Naval Academy graduate and an experienced officer when selected for submarine command. Trained to give orders in the traditional model of “know all–tell all” leadership, he faced a new wrinkle when he was shifted to the Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered submarine. Facing the high-stress environment of a sub where there’s little margin for error, he was determined to reverse the trends he found on the Santa Fe: poor morale, poor performance, and the worst retention rate in the fleet. Almost immediately, Marquet ran into trouble when he unknowingly gave an impossible order, and his crew tried to follow it anyway. When he asked why, the answer was: “Because you told me to.” Marquet realized that while he had been trained for a different submarine, his crew had been trained to do what they were told—a deadly combination. That’s when Marquet flipped the leadership model on its head and pushed for leadership at every level. Turn the Ship Around! reveals how the Santa Fe skyrocketed from worst to first in the fleet by challenging the U.S. Navy’s traditional leader-follower approach. Struggling against his own instincts to take control, he instead achieved the vastly more powerful model of giving control to his subordinates, and creating leaders. Before long, each member of Marquet’s crew became a leader and assumed responsibility for everything he did, from clerical tasks to crucial combat decisions. The crew became completely engaged, contributing their full intellectual capacity every day. The Santa Fe set records for performance, morale, and retention. And over the next decade, a highly disproportionate number of the officers of the Santa Fe were selected to become submarine commanders. Whether you need a major change of course or just a tweak of the rudder, you can apply Marquet’s methods to turn your own ship around.
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“a wonderful book”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source
Drive
Daniel Pink
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“I like the book – but kind of obnoxious language of business.”
Oct 27, 2016 — Source