When an entrepreneur reads a book, it tends to be non-fiction. We have already made a few fiction recommendations for entrepreneurs but it’s important to know your audience. A non-fiction list for entrepreneurs is MUCH easier to write. But we’re gluttons for punishment so we decided to focus on works that can help entrepreneurs but aren’t necessarily business oriented. Sigh… this is going to be interesting.

This is the first part of a multipart series looking at the BEST of the BEST nonfiction works for entrepreneurs. Entries on this list include famous scientists, philosophers, and normal, everyday people. Absorbing just a small fraction of their advice and experience can dramatically improve your relations with customers, employees, and even yourself. Enjoy!

Best Non-Fiction Books for Entrepreneurs: Part One

Before we begin to discuss our first book, Rework, it’s important to give you some insight into the authors, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. After founding a web application company called 37signals, Fried and Hansson created their first product known as Basecamp. If it sounds familiar, well, you probably use it in your office to manage projects. Based on its success, the duo renamed their company Basecamp and got to work on a book. The result is Rework and it’s a must read for any aspiring entrepreneur.

Rework

If you think that “Rework” is a straightforward business book, get that idea out of your head right now. It’s not. “Rework” goes beyond mere business advice. Self-made billionaire Mark Cuban has said, “If given the choice between investing in someone who has read ‘Rework’ or has an MBA, I’m investing in ‘Rework’ every time.”

There’s a reason this book earns such high praise. The authors extol new virtues of business that focus on simplicity and product quality. Some of the brilliant maxims offered by the book include “ASAP is poison”, “inspiration is perishable”, “fire the workaholics”, and “send people home at five”. This isn’t just a list of pithy catchphrases either. These individual phrases are backed by entire essays (and even a few doodles) that explain their reasoning. A quick, easy read that will get ANYONE thinking about their job, their boss, and their career, “Rework” is essential life reading.