The Psychology of Money
Morgan Housel
"The Psychology of Money" is a collection of nineteen short stories exploring the strange ways people think about money. Written by Morgan Housel, a partner at The Collaborative Fund, the book departs from the standard investment advice that treats finance as a math-based field. Housel argues that financial success is not a hard science. It is a soft skill, where how you behave is more important than what you know. The central premise is that we do not make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. We make them at the dinner table, where personal history, unique worldviews, ego, pride, marketing, and odd incentives are scrambled together. Housel illustrates that two people can see the exact same world yet draw completely different conclusions based on when and where they were born. A key theme in the book is the distinction between getting rich and staying rich. Getting rich requires taking risks, being optimistic, and putting yourself out there. Staying rich requires the exact opposite. It requires fear that what you have made can be taken away from you. It requires frugality and an acceptance that at least some of your success is attributable to luck rather than skill. Housel ultimately posits that the highest dividend money pays is not luxury goods, but control over your time.
The Power of Habit
Charles Duhigg
An exploration of the science of habit formation, how habits influence our daily lives, and how they can be changed. Through compelling stories and scientific research, the book reveals the power of habits in individuals, organizations, and societies, offering insights into how we can transform our lives by understanding and reshaping our habits.
Dangerous Personalities
Joe Navarro
A former FBI profiler shares his insights on how to identify and protect yourself from dangerous personalities. Learn to recognize the traits and behaviors of narcissists, emotionally unstable individuals, paranoids, and predators, and develop strategies to safeguard your emotional, psychological, financial, and physical well-being.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Robert B. Cialdini
"Influence" is the foundational text of modern marketing and arguably the most important book ever written on the science of compliance. Authored by Dr. Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology and marketing, the book examines the psychological factors that drive people to say yes to requests. Cialdini famously went undercover for three years, taking jobs as a car salesman, fund-raiser, and telemarketer to observe these principles in the real world. The central thesis is that in a complex world, our brains rely on mental shortcuts to make decisions. Cialdini calls these Fixed-Action Patterns. While these shortcuts are usually efficient, they make us vulnerable to exploitation by "compliance professionals" who know how to trigger them. He identifies exactly six universal principles of persuasion that govern human behavior. The principles are Reciprocity, the obligation to repay what we have received; Commitment and Consistency, the desire to align our actions with our past statements; Social Proof, the tendency to look to others to determine correct behavior; Liking, the bias toward complying with people we know or admire; Authority, the deference we show to titles and uniforms; and Scarcity, the rule that we value things more when they are rare. The book serves as both a manual for ethical persuasion and a defense guide against manipulation.
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor E. Frankl
Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate cannot be fully controlled. Yet, how do we find purpose in the face of profound tragedy? Man's Search for Meaning captures the profound insights of Viktor Frankl—a prominent psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor—demonstrating that the primary human drive is not pleasure, but the pursuit of what we find meaningful. This is not merely a grim memoir of survival in Nazi concentration camps. Instead, it is a dual-layered masterpiece blending harrowing personal narrative with clinical analysis. Frankl distills his experiences into the principles of Logotherapy, creating a timeless psychological toolkit on how to cope with suffering, transcend circumstances, and find a reason to continue living. Viktor E. Frankl was a neurologist, psychiatrist, and philosopher who has influenced generations with his theory that man's deepest desire is to find meaning. He was a survivor of four concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and the founder of the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy.
Good Energy
Casey Means
"Good Energy" is a groundbreaking guide to reclaiming your health, written by Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician and co-founder of the metabolic health company Levels. In a medical landscape that typically treats symptoms in isolation, Means presents a unified theory: nearly every modern health struggle—from fatigue and depression to diabetes and infertility—stems from the same root cause: metabolic dysfunction. Means explains that our cells are struggling to generate energy efficiently, leading to a state of biological "brownout." She argues that we don't need more medication; we need better metabolic habits. The book demystifies complex biology, showing how our daily choices regarding food, sleep, and stress directly impact our mitochondria, the power plants of our cells. Practical and empowering, Good Energy advocates for using technology, such as Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), to see inside our own bodies. By teaching readers how to interpret their own biomarkers and stabilize their blood sugar, Means offers a roadmap to exit the "sick care" system. It is a manual for generating the limitless vitality needed to live a long, active, and joyful life.
Why We Sleep
Matthew Walker
"Why We Sleep" is a revolutionary dive into the most vital yet undervalued aspect of our lives. Written by renowned neuroscientist Matthew Walker, this New York Times bestseller argues that sleep is the single most effective way to reset our brain and body health each day—more critical than even diet or exercise. Walker guides readers through the complex mechanics of sleep, distinguishing between the emotional healing of REM dream states and the restorative power of deep NREM sleep. He presents startling scientific evidence linking the modern "epidemic of sleep loss" to fatal diseases, including Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Beyond the warnings, the book is a hopeful manifesto. It offers actionable steps to improve sleep hygiene and advocates for a societal shift in how we view rest. "Why We Sleep" compels us to treat bedtime not as an obstacle to productivity, but as a non-negotiable biological necessity for a longer, smarter, and healthier life.
Being Mortal
Atul Gawande
"Being Mortal" is a deeply moving and courageous exploration of aging and death, written by surgeon and New Yorker writer Atul Gawande. Gawande turns his sharp intellect toward a professional failure: modern medicine’s obsession with prolonging life at the cost of the quality of life. The book argues that the medical system treats aging and dying as clinical problems to be fixed, rather than natural processes to be supported. Gawande critiques the design of nursing homes, which he views as institutions that prioritize safety and schedules over the autonomy and dignity of the residents. He vividly contrasts this with alternative models, such as assisted living, that strive to keep "the author of the life story" in charge until the very end. At its core, Being Mortal champions the power of palliative care and the necessity of having "hard conversations." Gawande provides a framework for discussing what matters most to a person when time is short—whether it’s eating ice cream or watching football—proving that the goal is not a good death, but a good life to the very end.