Business Bestsellers: Worth the Hype?

This book is basically a playbook for being ruthlessly strategic in business and life, illustrated with historical examples from Machiavelli to Napoleon. Greene doesn’t sugarcoat it – these laws are manipulative by design. “Law 1: Never Outshine the Master” and “Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally” give you the vibe.

Took me three weeks to finish because it’s dense (452 pages) and best consumed in small doses. Each law gets its own chapter with historical anecdotes that range from fascinating (Julius Caesar) to “did this really happen?” (some of the Medieval examples feel embellished). The writing is engaging but occasionally repetitive – Greene really wants you to understand why concealing your intentions matters.

Here’s the thing: you’ll either love this or hate it depending on whether you see it as (a) essential strategic thinking or (b) sociopathic manipulation guide. I found it useful for understanding workplace politics and power dynamics, even if I wouldn’t follow every law literally. The hardcover is gorgeous – thick pages, quality binding, elegant design. Worth the $30.40 as a reference book you’ll revisit.

Provocative thesis: you should spend your money before you die rather than hoarding it for retirement you might not enjoy. Perkins argues most people over-save and under-live, working into their 70s to accumulate wealth they’re too old to spend meaningfully.

Read it in four days and it genuinely shifted my thinking about money. The concept of “memory dividends” – investing in experiences while you’re young enough to enjoy them – hits hard. Perkins uses data and personal anecdotes to show why that backpacking trip at 30 is worth more than the same trip at 70, even if you can afford a nicer hotel later.

The writing is conversational and persuasive without being preachy. Some examples lean toward the privileged (not everyone can afford to die with zero), but the core philosophy applies across income levels. The price seems high at $51.74 – I’m not sure why it’s so expensive compared to typical business books, but the ideas are valuable enough that I’d still recommend buying it. Physical quality is standard hardcover, nothing special.

365 daily meditations from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus, translated and contextualized for modern life. Each day gets one page: a quote from ancient Stoics, followed by Holiday’s brief commentary applying it to contemporary situations.

I’ve been reading this daily for a year (that’s how these books work), and it’s become part of my morning routine. The format is perfect – takes 3 minutes to read each entry, gives you something to think about all day. Holiday does an excellent job making 2,000-year-old philosophy feel relevant without dumbing it down.

Some days hit harder than others. The entries on accepting what you can’t control helped during a particularly stressful work period. Others feel repetitive if you’re already familiar with Stoicism, but that’s kind of the point – these ideas require repeated exposure. At $12.87, this is absurdly good value. The leather-bound edition feels substantial and will survive a year of daily use. The ribbon bookmark is actually useful here.

Data-driven look at how actual millionaires (not celebrities or tech billionaires) accumulate wealth. Spoiler: they drive used cars, live below their means, and prioritize saving over looking rich. The core insight is that wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend.

Originally published in 1996, updated in 2010, so some examples feel dated (who cares about Sears anymore?). But the fundamental principles – spend less than you earn, invest consistently, avoid lifestyle inflation – remain true. The research methodology is solid: they surveyed thousands of millionaires to identify patterns.

Reading this made me rethink some spending habits. The chapter on “economic outpatient care” (parents financially supporting adult children) was particularly eye-opening. The writing is academic but accessible, though it can feel repetitive. Hardcover quality is good – sturdy binding, quality paper. At $22.95, it’s fairly priced for a classic personal finance book.

NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway delivers brutally honest life advice in short, punchy essays. Topics range from career strategy to relationships to mortality, all with his signature blend of data, profanity, and unexpected vulnerability. Think “TED talk meets bar conversation with your smartest, most cynical friend.”

Read it in two sittings (208 pages). Galloway’s writing is refreshingly direct – no corporate speak or motivational platitudes. He’ll tell you to focus on economic security before passion projects, acknowledges that attractive people have easier lives, and admits his own mistakes without wallowing. Some advice is controversial (his take on monogamy raised eyebrows), but it’s all thought-provoking.

The format works: short chapters mean you can read one essay at a time. Visual graphs and charts break up the text. Hardcover is nice but nothing special – standard binding and paper. At $20.15, reasonable for what amounts to concentrated wisdom from someone who’s made (and lost) fortunes.

Tim Grover trained Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and this book channels their “winning is everything” mentality into 224 pages. His thesis: to be the best, you must be ruthlessly focused, unapologetically competitive, and willing to sacrifice everything else. Work-life balance? That’s for “Coolers” (his term for average people).

The intensity is both the book’s strength and weakness. Grover writes with absolute conviction about what it takes to be elite, backed by stories from working with NBA legends. But the “no excuses, no days off, destroy the competition” message gets exhausting. Around page 120, I started thinking “dude, it’s okay to take a vacation.”

This works if you’re training for the Olympics or building a billion-dollar company. For normal people with normal ambitions, it’s overkill. That said, there’s value in understanding this level of commitment exists. Hardcover quality is fine – nothing special. At $15.89, it’s reasonably priced. Just don’t read it if you’re already burnt out.