--- title: Books: 4 Reading Recommendations Top Career and Academic Experts description: Ideas for your summer reading list canonical: https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-10T04:01:03.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:33.897Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Top Experts Always Recommend These 4 Books og:description: Ideas for your summer reading list og:url: https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt04d94910c91b9a25/698853a235ba6f8006c0da52/200549647-001-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=458&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 458 og:image:height: 258 og:image:alt: man-reading-book og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Top Experts Always Recommend These 4 Books twitter:description: Ideas for your summer reading list twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt04d94910c91b9a25/698853a235ba6f8006c0da52/200549647-001-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=458&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Top Experts Always Recommend These 4 Books > Sponsored content. 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Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: Best Free and Cheap Ebooks Sites [Watch (HLS stream): Best Free and Cheap Ebooks Sites](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/35n2mZWt.m3u8) (1:42)  _Published 2014-06-25. Some of our favorite places to go for summer reading on the cheap._ by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jun 10, 2015 4:01 AM UTC  Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jun 10, 2015 4:01 AM UTC So far I’ve done interviews with 22 experts on various fields from [happiness](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/happiness-gretchen-rubin-interview/), to [expertise](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-author-cal-newport-on-how-you-can-become-an-expert-and-why-you-should-not-follow-your-passion/), to [influence](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/06/robert-cialdini-influence/) and [irrationality](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/interview-nyt-bestselling-author-dan-ariely-talks/). I’ve asked most of them which books they highly recommend. Which ones got mentioned most often? ## The Top Books Experts Recommend: * Robert Cialdini’s [Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006124189X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006124189X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) (3 times) * Dan Pink’s [To Sell is Human](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594487154/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594487154&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) (2 times) * Adam Grant’s [Give and Take](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670026557/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670026557&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) (2 times) * Daniel Kahneman’s [Thinking, Fast and Slow](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374275637/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0374275637&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) (2 times) ## Books Experts Recommend – By Topic ## Leadership [Gautam Mukunda](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/interview-harvard-business-school-professor-gautam-mukunda-teaches-secrets-leader/), professor at Harvard Business School and author of [Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1422186709/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1422186709&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Daniel Kahneman, [Thinking, Fast and Slow](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374275637/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0374275637&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Victor Frankl, [Man’s Search for Meaning](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807014273/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0807014273&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Clayton Christensen, [How Will You Measure Your Life?](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062102419/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062102419&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Nassim Taleb, [Fooled by Randomness](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400067936/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400067936&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Marcus Aurelius, [Meditations](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1613823037/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1613823037&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Doris Kearns Goodwin, [Team of Rivals](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743270754/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0743270754&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney, [Willpower](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143122231/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0143122231&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Power [Jeffrey Pfeffer](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-stanford-mba-school-professor-teaches-secret-promotions-raises-power/), professor at Stanford MBA school and author of [Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061789089/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061789089&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Robert Cialdini’s [Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006124189X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006124189X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Networking [Adam Grant](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-wharton-business-school-professor-teaches-approach-give/), professor at Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania and author of [Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670026557/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670026557&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Liz Wiseman’s [Multipliers](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061964395/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061964395&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Dan Pink’s [To Sell is Human](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594487154/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594487154&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Susan Cain’s [Quiet](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307352153/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307352153&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Robert Cross’ [The Hidden Power of Social Networks](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591392705/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1591392705&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Wayne Baker’s [Achieving Success Through Social Capital](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787953091/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0787953091&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Marketing and Advertising [Ramit Sethi](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/02/nyt-bestselling-author-ramit-sethis-explains-manage-money-negotiate-improve/), author of [I Will Teach You To Be Rich](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761147489/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761147489&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20), recommends: * Pratkanis and Aronson’s [Age of Propaganda](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805074031/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805074031&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Robert Cialdini’s [Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006124189X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006124189X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Schwartz and Edelston’s [Breakthrough Advertising](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887232981/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887232981&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Claude Hopkins’ [My Life in Advertising](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009IF9ZFE/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009IF9ZFE&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) and [Scientific Advertising](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453821082/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1453821082&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Expertise [Cal Newport](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-author-cal-newport-on-how-you-can-become-an-expert-and-why-you-should-not-follow-your-passion/), professor at Georgetown and author of [So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1455509124/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1455509124&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20), recommends: * Daniel Coyle’s [The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/055380684X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=055380684X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Geoff Colvin’s [Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591842948/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1591842948&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * David Shenk’s [The Genius in All of Us: New Insights into Genetics, Talent, and IQ](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307387305/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307387305&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Malcolm Gladwell’s [Outliers: The Story of Success](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316017930/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316017930&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Stephen Johnson’s [Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594485380/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594485380&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Frans Johansson’s [The Click Moment: Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591844932/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1591844932&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Happiness [Gretchen Rubin](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/happiness-gretchen-rubin-interview/), author of [The Happiness Project](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006158326X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006158326X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Barry Schwartz’s [The Paradox of Choice](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060005696/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060005696&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Sonja Lyubomirsky’s [The How of Happiness](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143114956/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0143114956&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Jonathan Haidt’s [Happiness Hypothesis](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465028020/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0465028020&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * John Boswell’s [The Life of Samuel Johnson](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140436626/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0140436626&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Human Behavior [Michael Norton](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/05/harvard-michael-norton-happier/), professor at Harvard Business School and author of [Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451665067/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1451665067&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Dan Ariely’s [Predictably Irrational](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061353248/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061353248&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Danny Kahneman’s [Thinking Fast and Slow](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374533555/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0374533555&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Adam Grant’s [Give and Take](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670026557/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670026557&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * The books of [Malcolm Gladwell](http://www.amazon.com/Malcolm-Gladwell/e/B000APOE98/?%5Fencoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1368879042&sr=1-2-ent&tag=spacforrent-20) * Don Campbell’s [Unobtrusive Measures](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761920129/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761920129&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Influence and Persuasion [Robert Cialdini](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/06/robert-cialdini-influence/), author of [Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006124189X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006124189X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20), recommends: * Packard and Miller’s [Hidden Persuaders](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097884310X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=097884310X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Daniel Pink’s [To Sell is Human](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/06/robert-cialdini-influence/%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594487154/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594487154&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Guy Kawasaki’s [Enchantment](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591845831/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1591845831&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Adam Grant’s [Give and Take](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670026557/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670026557&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Charisma [Olivia Fox Cabane](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/interview-olivia-teaches-charismatic/), author of [The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591844568/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1591844568&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Robert Cialdini’s [Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006124189X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006124189X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) ## Irrationality [Dan Ariely](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/interview-nyt-bestselling-author-dan-ariely-talks/), professor at Duke University and author of [Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061353248/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061353248&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) recommends: * Chabris and Simon’s [The Invisible Gorilla](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307459667/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307459667&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Belsky and Gilovich’s [Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439163367/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439163367&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Jonah Berger’s [Contagious](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451686579/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1451686579&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * Thaler and Sunstein’s [Nudge](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014311526X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=014311526X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) **Join over 190,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/06/books-experts-recommend/)**_._** Related posts: [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/) [How To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior Expert](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/10/how-to-get-people-to-like-you/) [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/"},"headline":"Top Experts Always Recommend These 4 Books","datePublished":"2015-06-10T04:01:03.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:49:33.897Z","description":"Ideas for your summer reading list","url":"https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/","keywords":["Books","Psychology","reading"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt04d94910c91b9a25/698853a235ba6f8006c0da52/200549647-001-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt04d94910c91b9a25/698853a235ba6f8006c0da52/200549647-001-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"man-reading-book","caption":"man-reading-book","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/books/","name":"Books"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/","name":"Top Experts Always Recommend These 4 Books"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Best Free and Cheap Ebooks Sites","description":"Some of our favorite places to go for summer reading on the cheap.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/35n2mZWt/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-06-25T15:53:11.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/35n2mZWt.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/","duration":"PT1M42S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3914388/4-books-expert-recommend/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```