The best business books that came out while we were all distracted by the headlines about the pandemic across the world.
Much has happened so far in 2020 and largely negative. But not all. While we were all buried in the headlines about a devastating virus, a social justice uprising, and murderous hornets (and methamphetamine, apparently), incredibly smart people have been quietly producing great books on business, economics, and leadership.
Chances are you’ve been a little distracted and missed a lot of them. But fear not. The Amazon editorial team has been up all this time, reading hundreds of titles and ranking the mediocre of the outstanding, and they’ve just released their pick for the 20 best business books of the year so far.
So if you’re looking to get a little smarter while you’re stuck at home, consider picking some of the titles below.
1. BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits: “A practical guide to intentionally making small changes to your routine that can lead to great results,” according to the Amazon review.Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, one of the best 20 business books 2020 for Amazon
2. Capital and ideology by Thomas Piketty. “Nothing less than a global story of inequality and the stories that societies tell to justify it,” says Wired.
3. Justin Farrell’s billionaire desert. “A Yale sociology professor documents the division of classes in Teton County, Wyoming,” is Publishers Weekly’s description. The billionaire desert is an interesting story about class division
4. The Economy of Velvet Rope by Nelson D. Schwartz. “From the New York Times business journalist Nelson D. Schwartz comes an exciting investigation into how a virtual velvet rope divides Americans in all walks of life,” says Amazon.
5. Joy in the work of Marie Kondo. The Japanese cleaning guru turns her attention to our messy workspaces. Marie Kondo arrived with her techniques to the world of work
6. Think like a space scientist by Ozan Varol. “A fascinating read that’s full of actionable ideas,” according to Wharton’s Adam Grant.
7. Designing your work life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. “Burnett and Evans show how to apply Stanford’s famous design principles to find their place in the world,” says Brian Lehrer of NPR.
8. Leadership is language by L. David Marquet. Another favorite of Adam Grant, who he says is “full of compelling advice on how to lead more effectively by choosing your words wisely.”
9. The economy of passion for Adam Davidson. “The brilliant creator of NPR’s Planet Money podcast and award-winning New York staff writer explains our current economy,” says Amazon.
10. Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Jocko Willink’s Field Manual. This one from a Navy SEAL veteran “explains how to take leadership theory, quickly translate that theory into applicable strategy, and then put leadership into action at a tactical level,” according to Amazon.
11. The future is faster than you think by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler. “A powerful and beautiful masterpiece that depicts a compelling future for humanity,” says Tony Robbins.
12. Arguing with Zombies by Paul Krugman. Amazon calls this Nobel Prize “an accessible and compelling introduction to today’s top policy issues.”Amazon recommends this Nobel Prize-winning work, Paul Krugman, as one of the 2020 business books.
13. More than ready by Cecilia Muñoz. “Tips and Inspiration for Women of Color Seeking New Heights of Influence” is Amazon’s description.
14. Ethan Sherwood Strauss’s Victory Machine. “An unvarnished internal account of the Golden State Warriors,” says ESPN writer Jackie MacMullan.
15. Economic dignity by Gene Sperling. “A timely and important new book … It should be our North Star for recovery and beyond,” according to Hillary Clinton.
16. This is not a Danielle Bernstein fashion story. “A revealing description (in more ways than one) of a Long Island girl turned international fashion influencer, designer, CEO and tech entrepreneur Danielle Bernstein,” says Amazon.
17. Very Important People by Ashley Mears. “A sociologist and former fashion model leads readers to the global elite circuit of‘ model and bottle parties, ‘”says Amazon.
18. The Price of Peace by Zachary D. Carter. A highly praised new biography of the economist John Maynard Keynes.
19. How Innovation Works by Matt Ridley. “Ridley builds a fascinating theory of innovation, including its prehistoric roots, how it will shape the future and what makes it successful,” says Scientific American.
20. Upstream by Dan Heath. “If you want to stop firefighting problems and prevent them from happening in the first place, then you should read what Dan Heath has to say,” says best-selling author Charles Duhigg in recommending this book.