This is an utterly idiosyncratic list of books that were the most powerful for me over the past 12 months. They range across all categories, and I recommend each for your reading pleasure.
Unshakeable by Tony Robbins (Simon & Schuster).
I’m a huge Tony guy, and he lays out the clearest path I’ve ever seen to investment success for the regular person.
Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt.
The time and life management guru for high achievers knocks it out of the park with his first book in five years. Especially helpful was the section on handling past regrets so that we can move forward effectively in life.
Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Grand Central Publishing).
This lovely, lyrical book describes an extraordinary bond between two of the most respected men in sports.
The Automatic Millionaire, Expanded and Updated: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich by David Bach (Currency)
Nobody knows retirement planning like David Bach.
Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar—Your Brain’s Silent Killers by David Perlmutter (Little, Brown and Company).
Put that sandwich or slice of pizza down and find out the surprising connection between eating grains and Alzheimer’s. The book is four years old, but it remains incredibly powerful for me.
The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right) by Jeetendr Sehdev (St. Martin’s Press).
A unique take on marketing from the only person in the world who can truly answer the question, “Why do we pay so much attention to the Kardashians?”
Toscanini: Musician of Conscience by Harvey Sachs (Liveright).
Endless tiramisu for lovers of classical music, as Sachs traces the great conductor’s career from before his friendship with Verdi and Puccini to his brief encounter with Leonard Bernstein.
Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes (Crown).
The ultimate tick-tock about what really happened in 2016. Catnip for politics junkies!
A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies, and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment by John Preston (Other Press).
A can’t-put-it-down compelling account of the accusations and trial of British Parliament member Jeremy Thorpe who was charged with conspiracy to murder.
The Flight: Charles Lindbergh’s Daring and Immortal 1927 Transatlantic Crossing by Dan Hampton (William Morrow).
Hampton offers a pilot’s eye view of what Lucky Lindy actually experienced as he flew, often just 100 feet above the water, as he flew solo from Long Island to Paris.
Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham (Riverhead Books).
That rare book about meditation with not just a sense of humor, but easy to understand guidance.
#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso (Portfolio).
I’m putting this on the list because my daughter, then in high school, read this book and went out and got herself a brand ambassador position with a high-end shoe company—so I didn’t have to pay for the shoes.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (W. W. Norton & Company).
The title says it all. A short book that helps you understand the universe as never before.
Are there other books that are as equally good? Yes. They didn’t make the list, however, because, as Regis Philbin says, I’m only one man.
These are the books that I found the most influential. I hope you enjoy them as well! Happy holidays!
Read more at the HuffingtonPost.com
Michael Levin, Contributor