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While you can look up almost anything on the internet, nothing beats a good reading session. In recent years, reading lists approved by the world’s most successful people are becoming more common. Billionaire Charles Koch’s reading list should definitely be on your radar.
For starters, Charles Koch’s reading list leans towards an economic and political point-of-view.
This makes his reading list perfect for corporate professionals like leaders and business persons.
Ready to kickstart your career towards inevitable success?
With these billionaire-approved books, you’re only a few pages away from getting your leadership style up a notch!
Charles Koch’s Reading List
The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt Ridley
By applying biological concepts like evolution and natural selection, this book explains how society evolved.
It analyses society and biology into topics like politics, technology, linguistics, and morbid societal issues.
Generally, this thought-provoking book will give you a fresh perspective on how to see the world.
Despite the intricate context, its combination of readable proses makes it a good read for all ages.
With its argumentative approach, some arguments mentioned might not align with your ideals.
Still, this would be a perfect book for those looking for leadership tips while challenging the mind.
This novel will show you that everything starts from the bottom up to the top.
A perfect book for aspiring businessmen, this will give you enough real-life proof that nothing comes out of luck, but out of hard work.
Since this book aims to form a relationship between biological concepts and societal evolution, its rational take on human life allows you to think more.
Promoting a rational approach to life, this skill will come in handy for your next business or leadership move.
Learn more.
Buying this book on Charles Koch’s Reading List from Amazon using the image link above.
America’s War for The Greater Middle East by Andrew Bacevich
Focusing on the American foreign policy and its military intervention, this book exposes the hard truth of a faulty military system.
As a retired military colonel, Bacevich provides a fearless approach to how the lack of strategic thinking caused an endless war between the US and the world.
While the entirety of the book sounds like a narrative, it’s a warning in disguise.
It warns people that by letting “incompetent” officials have the upper hand, it puts the country, and the world, into a dystopian future.
What makes this book phenomenal is Bacevich’s well-researched narrative of how the US military got trapped in this never-ending war.
Knowing that the book talks about stoic, serious issues, Bacevich keeps everything lighthearted with his sense of humor.
If you’re unfamiliar with military jargon, opt for the Kindle version of this book with a built-in dictionary.
By the end of the book, you’ll realize how violence and unsolicited intervention won’t solve anything.
Despite its military focus, the realizations you’ll get here will keep you from making any hasty mistake.
Read more.
Buy this book on Charles Koch’s Reading List from Amazon using the image link above.
The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes
This book provides a revisionist take on one of the deepest pitfalls in history – The Great Depression.
As an economist, Shlaes uses the Great Depression as an example of how government neglect and intervention can turn a country upside down.
With its revisionist approach, this will make you realize how not everything is as it seems.
Throughout the book, you’ll get to know quirky ways of how government leaders decided everything.
Some of these include Franklin Roosevelt’s use of lucky numbers to conspiracies of him prolonging the Depression.
Generally, this will show how the 1930’s economic system patterns with recent trends.
Shlaes’ metaphor of the Forgotten Man is an excellent way to keep readers hooked.
Who is the Forgotten Man? Is it the government, the social program, or the taxpayer?
Written in an engaging approach, it tackles past economic issues absent in most textbooks.
By the end of the book, you’ll ask yourself – “Will history repeat itself?” Whatever answer you’ll have, this will allow you to get to know your fight-or-flight responses a little more.
Read more.
Buy this book on Charles Koch’s Reading List from Amazon using the image link above.
The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt’s The Happiness Hypothesis isn’t your typical self-help book.
By mixing scientific proof, ancient records, and practical tips, this book aims to balance all three for eternal happiness.
The use of the elephant and the rider as metaphors makes evolutionary psychology an easy concept to understand.
While both must work together, it doesn’t mean that the rider is the only one in charge.
Replacing the rider with rationality and the elephant as anything else, you’ll realize how the mind can manifest anything.
This is in line with the ancient wisdom that anything can be good or bad, depending on how you perceive it.
Written by a positive psychologist, this book will leave you with Haidt’s version of the Happiness Equation.
That is, H = S + C + V.
S stands for the biological set point, C for conditions, and V for voluntary actions.
Where does people’s happiness come from?
Is it from material things or personal relationships?
Whatever your answer is, this book will give you the realization that true happiness comes from within.
Discover where your happiness comes from.
Buy this book on Charles Koch’s Reading List from Amazon by clicking the image link above.
The Survivor by Vince Flynn
If you’re into political thrillers, then this #1 New York Times Bestseller will get you hooked.
A part of the Mitch Rapp series, the story revolves around Mitch Rapp’s time-ticking race to save America.
How much more if he’s fighting against a dead CIA agent?
What about two countries fighting for the same stolen records by the same, dead criminal?
Crafted with such phenomenal pacing and writing, The Survivor does not only dwell on Mitch Rapp’s adventures.
It also touches on his soul – something you’ll read for the first time if you’ve been following the series.
This added personality of Rapp makes the novel more authentic and endearing – despite its rather stoic genre.
The Survivor continues Vince Flynn’s legacy with Kyle Mills’ seamless and Flynn-inspired writing.
Despite its action-filled, counter-terrorist plot, its character development makes it realistic.
Albeit its serious theme, a few humorous punchlines here and there makes the story a bit lighthearted,
Want to see how a man like Mitch Rapp can fix a skewed political system?
Then this save-the-world type of political thriller will be an excellent read.
Read more .
Buying this book on Charles Koch’s Reading List from Amazon using the image link above.
Conclusion
By now, you might have observed that these books mentioned aren’t in-your-face-how-to-be-successful-overnight tips.
This is the very reason why these are perfect for leaders and business persons.
Their values are so that you have to think your way through them.
Aside from learning these values, they’re explained in such a way that will get you hooked in the story.
As you reach the end of every book, that’s when you’ll realize that cookie-cutter strategies don’t work 100% of the time.
These will rely on experience, situation, and how you handle it – which are the main ingredients on any billionaire’s success.
