From boardrooms to startup garages, leaders need ideas that work in the real world. These 10 books offer a broader perspective on business, helping us see the patterns behind the day-to-day grind.
Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously)
By Bree Groff
When we wish away the workweek, we wish away our lives. What would it take for us to look forward to Monday? Find out in this refreshing and unconventional take on the world of work. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Bree Groff, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Click: How to Make What People Want
By Jake Knapp with John Zeratsky
A guide for starting big projects the smart way—based on firsthand experience with more than three hundred new products and businesses. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Jake Knapp, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Capitalism: A Global History
By Sven Beckert
A challenge to rethink the most important force shaping our lives—capitalism—by looking beyond Western narratives and embracing a truly global perspective, opening new ways to imagine our economic futures. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Sven Beckert, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life
By Adam Chandler
An enlightening and entertaining interrogation of the myth of American self-reliance and the idea of hard work as destiny. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Adam Chandler, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away
By David Gelles
A New York Times reporter reveals how Patagonia became a global leader in doing well by doing good and how other companies are adopting its principles. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author David Gelles, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart
By Nicholas Carr
The great tragedy of communication is that the more we have, the more discord it sows. Despite generations of repeated hope that world peace awaits on the other side of faster, more frequent contact, the reality is that history and psychology tell a different story. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Nicholas Carr, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto
By Benjamin Wallace
Someone created Bitcoin…but no one actually knows who. In The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto, journalist Benjamin Wallace chronicles his attempt to unmask the figure behind the currency and the world it wrought. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Benjamin Wallace, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future
By Dan Wang
A riveting, firsthand investigation of China’s seismic progress, its human costs, and what it means for America. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Dan Wang, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip
By Stephen Witt
The riveting investigative account of Nvidia, the tech company that has exploded in value for its artificial intelligence computing hardware, and Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s charismatic, uncompromising CEO. Listen to our Next Big Idea podcast episode interviewing author Stephen Witt, or view on Amazon.
1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation
By Andrew Ross Sorkin
An eye-opening account of the forces that led to the worst financial crisis in history and the lessons that disaster can teach us about today’s economy. Listen to our Next Big Idea podcast episode interviewing author Andrew Ross Sorkin, or view on Amazon.
The Key Ideas in 15 Minutes
“If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books,” Roald Dahl once famously said. The only trouble is, reading even one book from cover to cover takes hours—and you may not have many hours to spare.
But imagine for a moment: What if you could read a groundbreaking new book every day? Or even better, what if you could invite a world-renowned thinker into your earbuds, where they personally describe the 5 key takeaways from their work in just 15 minutes?
With the Next Big Idea App, we’ve turned this fantasy into a reality. We partnered with hundreds of acclaimed authors to create “Book Bites,” short audio summaries of the latest nonfiction that are prepared and read aloud by the authors themselves. Discover cutting-edge leadership skills, productivity hacks, the science of happiness and well-being, and much more—all in the time it takes to drive to work or walk the dog.
“I love this app! The Book Bites are brilliant, perfect to have in airports, waiting rooms, anywhere I need to not doomscroll… You guys are the best!” – Missy G.
Go Deeper with a Next Big Idea Club Membership
The Next Big Idea App is free for anyone to try—and if you love it, we invite you to become an official member of the Next Big Idea Club. Membership grants you unlimited access to Book Bites and unlocks early-release, ad-free episodes of our LinkedIn-partnered podcast. You also gain entry to our private online discussion group, where you can talk big ideas with fellow club members and join exclusive live Q&A sessions with featured authors.
For a more focused learning experience, we recommend a Hardcover or eBook Membership. Every few months, legendary authors and club curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink select two new nonfiction books as the must-reads of the season. We then send hardcover copies straight to your doorstep, or eBook versions to your favorite digital device. We also collaborate with the authors of selected books to produce original reading guides and premium e-courses, 50-minute master classes that take you step by step through their most life-changing ideas. And yes, it’s all available through the Next Big Idea App.
“My biggest Thank You is for the quality of book selections so far. I look on my shelf and see these great titles, and I find myself taking down one or two each month to reread an underlined passage. Full marks to all involved!” – Tim K.
Learn Faster, from the World’s Leading Thinkers
Whether you prefer to read, listen, or watch, the Next Big Idea is here to help you work smarter and live better. Wake up with an always-fresh Idea of the Day, the perfect shot of inspiration to go with your morning coffee. Then dive into one of our Challenges, hand-picked collections of Book Bites that form crash courses in subjects like communication, motivation, and career acceleration. Later, watch the playback of an interview with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Stanford psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt, or philosopher John Kaag. And be sure to check the “Events” tab in the app, so that you can join an upcoming live Q&A and personally chat with the next featured thought leader.
If you’re hoping to grow as a person or as a professional, we hope you’ll join us and tens of thousands of others who enjoy the Next Big Idea. Get started by downloading the app today!
Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea App.
This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.