Amazon.com updates its list of the bestselling books every hour. Here is a snapshot of what is hot right now, this Monday morning, April 5, in the “Skills” section of the “Business and Investing” category.
1. The Art Of War
by Sun Tzu. A seminal work on the philosophy of successful leadership that is as applicable to contemporary business as it is to war. James Clavell has taken a 1910 translation and clarified it for the contemporary reader.
2. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: Dritte Ausgabe [GER-GT THE PROJECT MGMT BODY O] [German Edition]
by the Project Management Institute. Includes traditional, proven practices as well as emerging practices.
3. The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Jeanette Walls. The author tells her story of growing up — recalling the poverty, hunger, jokes, and bullying she and her siblings endured — from her current perspective as a contributor to MSNBC online.
4. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
by David Allen. Methods for reducing stress and increasing performance.
5. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
by Timothy Ferriss. Ferriss isn’t shy about tooting his own horn: He says he “speaks six languages, runs a multinational firm from wireless locations worldwide, and has been a world-record holder in tango, a national champion in kickboxing, and an actor in a hit television series in Hong Kong.” Is this the sort of person you really want to be taking advice from? Anyway, Ferris offers recommendations and resources for everything from eliminating wasted time to oursourcing your job and getting cheap airfare.
6. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High
by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Stephen R. Covey. Mainly about resolving conflicts and influencing people, this guide covers every conceivable aspect of talking with others. People hear facts and stories and turn them into shared knowledge when they’re not attacked or overpowered- – in other words, when they feel safe. No mushy mental health lesson, the program explains many types of communication errors and describes the best ways to achieve mutual purpose.
7. How to Win Friends & Influence People
by Dale Carnegie. A classic (originally published in the 30’s) and a must-have, this timeless piece of work can help just about anybody get along better with others and win them over to their way of thinking.The book is divided into short sections, each one devoted to a particular principle that is well illustrated with many practical examples.
8. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
by Bruce M. Patton, William L. Ury, and Roger Fisher. A simple and straightforward five-step system for how to behave in negotiations.
9. Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money–That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
by Robert Kiyosaki with Sharon Lechter. Robert Kiyosaki reveals how he developed his unique economic perspective from his two fathers: his real father, who was highly educated but fiscally poor; and the father of his best friend – an eighth-grade drop-out who became a self-made multi-millionaire. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his “poor dad” pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his “rich dad”. Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at the age of 47. This book lays out his philosophy and aims to open readers eyes by: exploding the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich; challenging the belief that your house is an asset; showing parents why they can’t rely on schools to teach their children about money; defining once and for all an asset versus a liability; and explaining what to teach your children about money for their future financial success.
10. Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box
by The Arbinger Institute. Uses a parable about an executive facing challenges at work and at home to expose the precise psychological processes that conceal our true motivations and intentions from us and trap us in a “box” of endless self-justification. The book’s central insight is that the key to leadership lays not in what we do, but in who we are.
