80+ Must-Read Books Endorsed By Impact-Led Leaders In 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic which has defined 2020 widely obstructed changemakers from communicating face-to-face. However, with more time being spent in isolation, many found the opportunity to return to or pick up a new book.
Throughout the year we have heard a wide range of ambitious projects and initiatives from individuals around the globe, who are seeking to create a positive impact. But these entrepreneurs are often connected through the literature they consume, which they found along their journeys and often return to for advice and insights.
Here are the most inspiring reads, recommended by world-leading global change makers throughout 2020 on our social impact podcast series.
“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.”
- Vera Nazarian
five
The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
six
The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World by John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan
Seven
Conscious Capitalism by John E. Mackey and Raj Sisodia
Eight
Made To Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
Nine
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
Ten
Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Bill Mollison and Reny Mia Slay
Eleven
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Harari
Twelve
The 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE BY STEPHEN COVEY
Thirteen
We The People: Consenting To A Deeper Democracy by John Buck and Sharon Villines
Fourteen
The Power of Impact Investing By Judith Rodin and Margot Brandenburg
Fifteen
Crucial Conversations by Al Switzler, Joseph Grenny, and Ron McMillan
Sixteen
No Logo By Naomi Klein
Seventeen
Wyndham Yella Fella by Reginald Birch
Eighteen
Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered by Ernst F. Schumacher
Nineteen
Radical Markets by Eric A. Posner and E. Glen Weyl
Twenty
Good Is The New Cool: Market Like You Give A Damn by Afdhel Aziz and Bobby Jones
21. Starting A Revolution by Naomi Ryland and Lisa Jaspers
22. Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good by Ann Mei Chang
23. The Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
24. Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
25. Lost Connections by Johann Hari
26. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
27. The Impact Investor by Cathy Clark, Jed Emerson and Ben Thornley
28. See What You Made Me Do: Power, Control and Domestic Violence by Jess Hill
29. Who Owns The Future? By Jaron Lanier
30. RetroSuburbia: The Downshifters Guide To A Resilient Future by David Holmgren
31. Profit and Purpose: How Social Innovation Is Transforming Business by Kyle Westaway
32. The Trauma Cleaner One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster by Sarah Krasnostein
33. Welcome To Country by Marcia Langton
34. The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
35. Stark Naked Numbers: Uncover Your Financials, Unlock Your Cash, and Unleash Your Profits by Jason Andrew
36. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robert DiAngelo
37. The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture by Scott Belsky
38. The Obstacle Is The Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
39. Range: Why Generalists Triumph In A Specilized World by David Epstein
40. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
41. Work Like A Woman: A Manifesto For Change by Mary Portas
42. The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You a Stronger Leader by Damien Corbet
43. Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss
44. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
45. How To Be Bored by Eva Hoffman
46. The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
47. Manifesto For A Moral Revolution by Jacqueline Novogratz
48. The End of Men: And the Rise of Women by Hanna Rosin
49. Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard
50. Fight Like A Girl by Clementine Ford
51. Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
52. Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose by Raj Sisodia
53. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
54. Men at Work: Australia’s Parenthood Trap by Annabel Crabb
55. Created Shared Value by Michael Porter and Mark Kramer
56. Useful Belief: Because It's Better Than Positive Thinking by Chris Helder
57. Inward by Yung Pueblo
58. You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master The Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
59. The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way by Wayne W. Dyer
60. The Purpose Economy, How Your Desire for Impact, Personal Growth and Community is Changing the World by Aaron Hurst
61. People With Purpose: How Great Leaders Use Purpose to Build Thriving Organizations by Kevin Murray
62. The Purpose Effect: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role, and Your Organization by Dan Pontefract
63. Conscious Business by Fred Kofman
64. The Wife Drought by Annabel Crabb
65. Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson
66. The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams
67. How To Change The World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein
68. Three Cups of Tea [translated] by Greg Mortenson
69. We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
70. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
71. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
72. Thinking In Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows
73. See What I’m Saying: The Extraordinary Powers of Our Five Senses by Lawrence D. Rosenblum
74. Meditations by Marcus Aurelias
75. Start With Why by Simon Sinek
76. Finishing First With Ethics by Fiona Ritchie
77. Profit First: A Simple System To Transform Any Business From A Cash-Eating Monster To A Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz
78. Summary of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil Degrasse Tyson
79. Climate: A New Story by Charles Eisenstein
80. McDonald’s: Behind The Arches by John F. Love
81. Everybody Loves A Good Drought by Palagummi Sainath
82. Bossypants by Tina Fey
