Your Top 3 Books

[TheProspect]

I want to know what are the top 3 books you guys have read and why. (in regards to wealth, success, finance, business, personal growth)

How have they changed your life, how did they inspire you, what valuable insight did you find... etc etc.

I recently, in the last year, have become an avid reader of the aforementioned topics, and I'm looking to expand my personal library. I'm interested in hearing about the books you guys have read that have made an impact in your life and you would recommend to others to read.

 

[TheProspect]

Here are mine:

"The Power of Now" Eckhart Tolle
This book is the one that hands down changed my life the most. While I don't agree with every aspect of the book, I do understand the points Tolle tries to make despite his personal use of lingo. I first read it 5 years ago when I was 17 or 18, it was referred to me by a youth counsellor. I remember telling him I occasionally felt like I had an "awareness" that other people I observed lacked, like they were lost in their mind. He squinted his eyes for a few seconds and than suggested I pick up Tolle's "A New Earth" (which was Tolle's follow up book that expanded on the core points of "The Power of Now"). My life has progressively improved ever since. I removed myself from a toxic relationship and I overcame a drug addiction.

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" Stephen Covey
Seeing as I was enrolled in business school (still am, start this September), as well as wanting to be more productive in my daily life, I thought I'd give this book a read after seeing it on many top 10 business/personal growth book lists. As the title implies, the book taught me how to practically apply the habits to my daily life. I felt like the book was fluffed up a bit as I felt it didn't have to be as long as it did, but nonetheless the book still has an affect on how I approach my life every day. I actually plan on reading this one again before I start University.


and I don't really have a solid third but it's probably a toss up between:

"The Personal MBA" Josh Kaufman

and

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" Dale Carnegie



I have a "to read" book list that I plan on adding to based on the responses I get here, and maybe this thread can help others add to their list as well. Cheers.

 

[yuppee]

This is Karate, by Masutatzu Oyama. Objectivism:The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, by Leonard Piekoff, and the Psychology of Self Esteem, by Nathaniel Branden.

 

[yuppee]

Oyama said that if any 6ft, 200 lb man would train under him for 1000 days, he would have the ability to kill bulls with his bare hands. However, Oyama is the only man ever proven to be able to do so. Probably the only one with the balls to even TRY it.

 

[Asmodeus]

The Art of War by Sun Tzu... It is useful for more than just war, you can apply the ideas to many other things.
The Social Animal by Elliott Aronson- Perhaps the best book on social psychology I have ever read. I think understanding social psychology is important in understanding social dynamics.
the 48 laws of Power by Robert Greene- If you have not read this book, you should read this book. It is reads like a modern Machiavelli text but far more contemporary than "the Prince" and backed up by a good bit of psychological research.

 

[Asmodeus]

This is Karate, by Masutatzu Oyama. Objectivism:The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, by Leonard Piekoff, and the Psychology of Self Esteem, by Nathaniel Branden.

I have read both Objectivism and the Psychology of Self Esteem. Good choices.

 

[TheProspect]

The Art of War by Sun Tzu... It is useful for more than just war, you can apply the ideas to many other things.
The Social Animal by Elliott Aronson- Perhaps the best book on social psychology I have ever read. I think understanding social psychology is important in understanding social dynamics.
the 48 laws of Power by Robert Greene- If you have not read this book, you should read this book. It is reads like a modern Machiavelli text but far more contemporary than "the Prince" and backed up by a good bit of psychological research.

48 Laws of Power is on my to-read list.

I heard Art of War could be taken as one big metaphor which enables it to be applied to other areas of your life other than just "war" top.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Two of my favorites are old enough for the copyright to have expired.

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
http://www.trading-naked.com/library/jesse_livermore.pdf

John Ransom's Andersonville Diary:
https://archive.org/details/andersonvilledia01rans