Leaders are readers. Reading helps you discover ideas to try and expand your mental models. In this post, I point you to lists o books aimed at business readers. You’ll find pointers to reading lists by Adam Grant, the London Business School, Ryan Holiday, Ed Batista, and The Next Big Idea Club.

From Adam Grant: The New Books to Wrap Up 2021

“As the second year of the pandemic winds to a close, there’s a treasure trove of new books to read. My favorites cover pleasure, pain, and hope, flexibility and creativity, connection and community, and leadership.”

From London Business School: Reading to be cheerful

“Enough doomscrolling, now is a great time to escape into a book or movie – as suggested by London Business School faculty.”

From Ryan Holiday: If You Only Read a Few Books in 2022, Read These

“Books are an investment in yourself—investments that come in many forms: novels, nonfiction, how-to, poetry, classics, biographies. They help you think more clearly, be kinder, see the bigger picture, and improve at the things that matter to you. Books are a tradition that stretches back thousands of years and stretches forward to today, where people are still publishing distillations of countless hours of hard thinking on hard topics. Why wouldn’t you avail yourself of this wisdom? With that in mind, here are 16 books—some new, some old—that will help you meet the goals that matter for 2022, that will help you live better and be better.”

From Ed Batista: Resources for Managing Up

“Although my clients are typically senior leaders, over the years I’ve worked with many people at earlier stages of their careers who had to ‘manage up’ effectively–and even the leaders I work with face similar challenges in some of their relationships with their boards, investors and other stakeholders. I was recently asked to recommend some resources in this area–the list below is by no means comprehensive, but I think it’s a useful starting point.”

From the Next Big Idea Club: 5 Surprising Books That Will Change Your Approach to Time Management

“Work in 25-minute blocks. Turn off your phone notifications. Buy noise-canceling headphones. Yes, there’s no shortage of time management advice out there, all of which promises to make us more productive than ever. But too many proposed solutions just place a Band-Aid over the problem of distraction, without addressing its underlying causes. So if you’re ready for a true shift in perspective and priorities, it’s time to go deeper. Armed with the knowledge from the five books below, you’ll be ready to finally focus on what matters and build a life that is equal parts productive and profoundly meaningful.”

From Jessica Stillman: 12 Books to Brighten Up Your Winter, Recommended by Adam Grant

“Grant’s selections offer optimism to counter some of our gravest worries and advice to practically improve your life this year. So grab a cozy blanket, make yourself a cup of tea, and prepare to curl up with a book that will make you feel a little warmer and more hopeful despite the gloom outside.”

Reading recommendations are a regular feature of this blog. Want more recommendations about what to read? Monday is “Book Day.” Come back for book reviews, reading lists and other reading-related posts.