--- title: What Are the Top Five Books You Must Read? description: Don’t be upset there’s no James Joyce on here canonical: https://time.com/3462179/what-are-the-top-5-books-you-must-read/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-10-06T04:01:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T07:57:00.256Z article:section: Ideas og:title: What Are the Top Five Books You Must Read? og:description: Don’t be upset there’s no James Joyce on here og:url: https://time.com/3462179/what-are-the-top-5-books-you-must-read/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte590981bd66dd366/6986a70acd804d6d76ccd274/stack-of-books.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5616 og:image:height: 3159 og:image:alt: Stack of books og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Are the Top Five Books You Must Read? twitter:description: Don’t be upset there’s no James Joyce on here twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte590981bd66dd366/6986a70acd804d6d76ccd274/stack-of-books.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What Are the Top 5 Books You Must Read? > Sponsored content. 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Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Oct 6, 2014 4:01 AM UTC  Education Education blackred—Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Oct 6, 2014 4:01 AM UTC I post about a \*lot\* of books. Most people don’t have the time to read them all but a number of readers have requested a post where I break down my must-reads. I have a number I want to cover so I’ll do it over a few posts. Obviously I’m posting only books related to the blog’s usual subject matter — don’t be upset there’s no James Joyce on here. **1)** [**Influence**](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) **What is it?** Most consider it the single best book on the psychology of persuasion. **What did I learn from it?** There are universal principles that make something influential: _scarcity, authority, social proof, liking, reciprocity, and consistency._ This video is a great introduction to Cialdini’s research: **Check out the book** [**here**](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)**.** **2)** [**Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594484805/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) **What is it?** The best, most accessible research-based book on what motivates us. **What did I learn from it?** For jobs that require creativity and problem solving, research shows we’re motivated by a desire for autonomy, mastery and purpose. Money is really only a motivator for work that does not inspire passion or deep thought. The single best motivator is progress, and the best predictor of success is “grit.” My notes from the book are [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/05/what-really-motivates-us/). Watch Dan Pink’s TED talk [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/07/what-really-motivates-us-part-2/). Here’s a great animated video about the book, narrated by author Dan Pink: **Check out the book** [**here**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594484805/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20)**.** **3)** [**The Power of Habit**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400069289/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400069289&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) **What is it?** An engaging read that explains the science of how habits work — and how we can change them. **What did I learn from it?** About [40% of the actions we perform in a day](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-much-of-the-day-do-we-spend-on-autopilot) are habits — so we’re on autopilot almost half our life. [Identifying what triggers](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-we-resist-our-bad-habits) your habits is key. [Assigning new habits to established triggers](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-forev) is how you change a bad habit into a good one. Friends can be a major part of [whether you’re able to change for the better](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/are-your-friends-the-easiest-route-to-self-im/). Here’s a great interview with author Charles Duhigg about the book: Don’t have time to watch the full 40 minute interview? Here’s a [4 minute version](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/09/how-do-you-break-bad-habits-video/). **Check out the book** [**here**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400069289/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400069289&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20)**.** **4)** [**The Longevity Project: Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade Study**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452297702/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) **What is it?** They studied over 1000 people for the duration of their _lives –_ from childhood until old age — giving them regular physical and psychological tests and tracking the results. What they discovered [confirmed some things we all believe about what it takes to live a good, long life — and more interestingly they found out where our common beliefs are wrong](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/studying-people-birth-death-teach-living-good-life/). **What did I learn from it?** There’s a lot of overlap between [what makes us happy and what promotes a long life](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/are-the-recommendations-for-being-happier-and/). Stress [isn’t all bad](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/07/what-myths-do-many-of-us-believe-about-health/). The good [do not die young](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/do-the-good-really-die-young/). Women don’t live longer than men [because of biology](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/why-do-women-live-longer-than-men/). Relationships [are more important than exercise](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/have-we-got-it-all-wrong-about-what-it-takes/) if you want to live a long life. The authors discuss the study, the book and the counterintuitive things they learned in this video: **Check out the book** [**here**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452297702/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20)**.** **5)** [**The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) **What is it?** A Harvard researcher’s very practical book on how to be happier and how happiness can improve your life. **What did I learn from it?** Happiness [increases productivity](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-happiness-boost-productivity) and [makes you more successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-success-make-us-happy-or-does-happiness). The [20 second rule](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/is-the-20-second-rule-the-key-to-being-your-b/) can make you a much better person. There are a lot of [simple little things](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/04/what-are-quick-little-things-you-can-do-to-in/) that can [make you much happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/what-7-activities-does-harvard-happiness-expe/). Here’s author Shawn Achor’s . **Check out the book** [**here**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20)**.** Again, they are: * [Influence](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) * [The Power of Habit](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400069289/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400069289&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * [The Happiness Advantage](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) * [Drive](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594484805/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) * [The Longevity Project1](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452297702/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) **Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD). Related posts: [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/) [What do people regret the most before they die?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/what-do-people-regret-the-most-before-they-di/) [What five things can make sure you never stop growing and learning?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/never-stop-growing-learning/) _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3462179/what-are-the-top-5-books-you-must-read/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3462179/what-are-the-top-5-books-you-must-read/"},"headline":"What Are the Top 5 Books You Must Read?","datePublished":"2014-10-06T04:01:25.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T07:57:00.256Z","description":"Don’t be upset there’s no James Joyce on here","url":"https://time.com/3462179/what-are-the-top-5-books-you-must-read/","keywords":["Books","reading"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte590981bd66dd366/6986a70acd804d6d76ccd274/stack-of-books.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/blte590981bd66dd366/6986a70acd804d6d76ccd274/stack-of-books.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Stack of books","caption":"Stack of books","creditText":"blackred—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/3462179/what-are-the-top-5-books-you-must-read/","name":"What Are the Top 5 Books You Must Read?"}}]}] ```