Alex DejeuFounder at Do Good Technology
What book do you most often give as a gift? 📖💝
I have been doing a lot of reading recently and I would love to know which books the Product Hunt community most recommends 🤗 Any genre is fair game!
76 recommended
- Wesley ForlinesMaker at FormFunc. · WrittenZero to One is for anyone who wants to do things better, its told with the perspective of startups in mind, but most of the ideas Peter presents are brilliant and universal.Patrick PistorPhoture · WrittenI may live in a bit of a bubble, but I give this one out to my friends at college. Most of the stuff pertains to their interests.
- 135How to Win Friends and Influence People
A must read every 6 months for the rest of your life
Mike CoutermarshEngineer @ PlanetScale · WrittenEveryone should read this. It's like cheating at life. Some people just get a lot of what's in it naturally. But if you struggle with people & communication - READ.Emad IbrahimCoder and productivity nut. · WrittenDad gave to me as a gift when I was a teenager and it probably changed my life. - I find myself giving this book as a gift more and more. It's an incredibly well written, thought provoking book.Alena DeleñaUI/UX Designer at Dialogue · EditedOne of the most eye opening books I've ever read. The author writes in a way that his straightforward and scientific approach to politics, consumerism, religion and society is accessible to the average person.Jean-Baptiste AlarconGrowth, Freelance · Written100% agree, best book I've read in a while. Even got it for my dad :)
- Though it is not a startup specific book, this is one of my all time favorites. If you haven't read this yet, I would highly recommend. Paulo says that when you really want something, the universe always conspires in your favor. The book is a source of inspiration and will make you chase your dreams. :) "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams" - From AlchemistRobin M KoppensteinerBig fat boss, Raindropcatcher e.U. · WrittenThe Alchimist has influenced my life quite a bit, especially since I read it in my early teens for the first time. Very spiritual, but in the shape of a fairytale like novel.
- One of the best books on understanding how to build habit-forming products. A must read if you are an entrepreneur or building a side project or just curious about how good products work.David Adamudesigner of the future 🦄✨ · WrittenIf s(he) loves to build stuff, I'd get her this.
- Kunal Bhatiadesign @mercury · WrittenAside from the Macbook and Facebook, this is the one I think everyone should read, even if they're not a designer. Donald Norman is a master of explaining design concepts and making them interesting for anyone. He updated the book with more current examples in the latest release, but it was originally published in 1988. You know it's a classic when people still talk about the book and the concepts in daily discussions.David WhiteWorking on digital health at Philips CSV · WrittenThe essential guide to design for people who aren't designers - and that includes me....
- Gary TorresMaker of Moji · WrittenI just got this book and I've been enjoying it a lot! Been thinking in giving away as a gift for loved ones. Very easy going, straight to the point book.
- Sarah A. DowneyGamer, capitalist, psychology fan · WrittenIt's basically the bible of VR for today's generation while mixing in tons of extremely entertaining 80s nostalgia. Plus Spielberg is directing the movie and it's in production now.
- 62ReworkNeat little hacks to work more effectively and succeedJonathan YagelFounder @ Y · WrittenThis one is mandatory reading for all of our new hires. Each lesson / concept is just a page or two, so it's very easy to consume. So many helpful insights!
- Kunal Bhatiadesign @mercury · WrittenThis is one of my favorite books of all time and I love giving it to others. There's a lot to connect with and (1) I love Pixar, and (2) Ed Catmull is a master at managing creative endeavors. At the time of publishing, some now released movies (including Inside Out) were in the concept phase, so you get to see a midpoint snapshot of where they were. Fun fact: Inside Out originally used to be called "The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside The Mind."
- Deepak SrinivasanInterested in all things Startups · WrittenIt gives great insights and practical advice which can be applied while starting up.
- 46The Hard thing about Hard ThingsAtul YadavCo-founder Taskbucks & Databack · WrittenIt's real, it's inspirational. Imagine your product / business is down to last dollar, everyone writes you off but you still hustle.. and you win! Not once but many times. Remarkable journey of Ben Horowitz This book shows one can win even when failure appears inevitable . Very important lesson coz life isn't always a rose garden.
- Michael LeungReact Native Developer · WrittenI read this a while ago. I just remember it was very inspiring and very emotional.Gananath MisraProduct@Zefo & Maths Grad IIT-R · WrittenWhen at crossroads regarding choices in life, this book is a great pick and a must recommended one. This book reflects on the challenge of facing mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both. Paul writes about science as "Science, I had come to learn, is as political, competitive, and fierce a career as you can find, full of temptation to find easy paths." On perfection his views are "Even if you're perfect, the world isn't. You can't ever reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving."
- Shantanu RaghavProduct Guy @Mobiefit · WrittenHelps you understand yourself, your habits and teaches you to replace them with better ones. Every habit will trigger a domino effect and you will be amazed.
- 27Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
Nassim Taleb's concluding book to his randomness trilogy
Dan Rummel, of Shyp, recommended this to me while I was in college and it blew my freaking mind. I've been recommending it or giving to people ever since (always with the disclaimer that, yeah, it's pretty dense). Everyone can benefit from learning how to benefit from chaos / disorder (because, spoiler alert, if you haven't figured this out, the world is f*cking messy) - Lukasz KonofalskiGrowth @ Displate. Founder @ Postepic · WrittenGave a few of these as gifts lately for friends who were dealing on a daily basis with people with ego described in Ryan's book: "an unhealthy belief in our own importance. Arrogance. Self-centered ambition"Photis D. MataAuthor @ Minimal Lifestyle · WrittenThis is not just a book, it's a mindset. Ryan tries through stories in the book to communicate the message of "Ego being the enemy" on many levels. Sometimes he manages to get the message through, sometimes he doesn't because this is a topic that you have to understand for yourself. Once you do, you can see it everywhere in your life. Relationships, business, and everything human interaction is involved. Why are you doing what you do? Is it what you want or is it your Ego that wants to prove its worth? Great book.
- Stefan TheofilosProduct Designer, Entrepreneur · Writtena great short book to knock out in a weekend
- Kim DøflerEntrepreneur and tech lover · WrittenIt is a great book about how giving and putting others first can be a game changer for your own life. It is written as a story, which makes it easy to digest and remember.James WelchCEO @ innovationcompany.co.uk · WrittenCame here to add this, but @doefler had already done so. Must have given this and The Go-Giver Leader 40+ times in past years.