Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
I personally try to alternate between real estate/business books and then something more "entertaining" like a fictional novel or biography. I'm down to my last few books on the shelf and am looking for fresh ideas for 2020!
I'm currently reading "Evicted - Poverty and Profit In The American City" by Matthew Desmond. The author follows eight families in Milwaukee, as well as some Landlords, to give a detailed look at the problems facing renters. It was written right before the housing crisis and is very timely. My big take-away: I'm not surprised these people are trapped in poverty because they continue to make the same bad decisions without ever stopping to think they could have a better life by making a few hard choices. I was surprised to see how the Landlords could be so hard...then generous...then inept.
The second book I'm reading is "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy" by Eric Metaxas. This is about a young, Christian pastor that stood up to Hitler from the very beginning and lost his life for it. Very interesting and Metaxas is a great author.
The next one I'm starting is "Never Lose a Customer Again: Turn Any Sale Into Lifelong Loyalty in 100 Days" by Joseph John Coleman. I haven't started it yet but it's all about building that customer experience that develops into customer loyalty. I'm looking forward to it!
Not reading a book at the moment, but have been listening to just about every entrepreneur video or interview from Patrick Bet David on the Valuetainment YouTube channel. Would highly encourage those to anyone!
Great question. The past year we've gone on a Presidential Biography kick. No self-help books except the bible. Our criteria: No autobiographies; Not alive or alive in my lifetime. Here's the list:
Amerian Lion: Andrew Jackson by Jon Meacham; Great book; terrible man
Grant by Ron Chernow- Great book & author; Great general; Terrible administrator
Thomas Jefferson- The Art of Power by Jon Meacham- Fantastic book; but I'm glad the country followed Hamilton's financial direction for the country and not Jeffersons.
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow- He wasn't a President but I couldn't skip reading Hamilton given his conflicts with Jefferson.
The Path to Power/Means of Ascent/Master of the Senate/Passage of Power- The Years and life of Lyndon Banes Johnson by Robert A Caro- Best series of Autobiographies I've ever read. Johnson was an OG.
FDR by Jean Edward Smith Churchill- Walking with Destiny- Had to read Churchill after finishing FDR
Truman by David McCullough
Eisenhower in War & Peace by Jean Edward Smith
Richard Nixon-The Life by John Farrell
Team of Rivals- The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Goodwin- Fantastic book
John Adams by David McCullough
The Three Lives of James Madison by Noah Feldman
The Last Founding Father: James Madison by Harlow Giles Unger
John Quincy Adams: Amerian Visionary by Fred Kaplan- JQA is my hero
Washington - A Life by Ron Chernow
Impeached- The Trial of President Andrew Johnson- Politics was dirtier in the 1800s than it is now
Woodrow Wilson by John Milton Cooper
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
Benjamin Franklin- An American Life by Walter Isaacson- What a man!!!
The Unexpected President- Chester Arthur- The biggest surprise thus far
Working on James Polk and William Henry Harrison now
Great list! I've read four of these and a couple more you don't list. With the state of politics recenty, it's nice to go back and look at leaders of substance and extraordinary intelligence. We do not see leaders of that caliber today. I don't think I could handle that many books about politics in one year so I am truly impressed.
Basically about streamlining/decision making/increasing productivity, etc. while NOT giving yourself a mental breakdown. Quite good - but I sort of feel like I’m going much of this already.
Great list! I've read four of these and a couple more you don't list. With the state of politics recenty, it's nice to go back and look at leaders of substance and extraordinary intelligence. We do not see leaders of that caliber today. I don't think I could handle that many books about politics in one year so I am truly impressed.
My partner and I listen to audible first then buy hardbacks for the books we really liked. What’s been fascinating is that it’s really not been about politics but about our history, drama, war, betrayal, women, women and more women. Very few of these men were puritanical.
I am also reading that book atm. I read it halfway last year and didn't get it either. I just pick it back up last week and decided I was going to take it slow because I think I read it too fast the first time. This time I definitely get it. Some things I had to read more than once to get it. But so far so good 👍
I'm early on my reading Journey. I just read the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia and will start the second pretty soon. I'm also reading Think and Grow Rich and will start Rich Dad Poor Dad after that! I like to walk around the bookstore and just pick up books sometimes if that helps at all
@Nathan G. I'll be adding your third book to my list. Currently I have an audiobook going, F**k Feelings by Michael I Bennett, and a book on kindle, Making Money with Mobile Homes by Lonnie Scruggs.
I would absolutely recommend the book Evicted. I read it a while back. It’s a very sobering book. Places things in perspective. Great read! For what it’s worth, I believe the book was on Bill Gates’ list of books to read for 2017 or maybe 2018. Great book
@Nathan G. I’m a huge fan of the Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki. I also got the audible book Cashflow Quadrants by the same author and found much invaluable information.
He’s able to give some real life scenarios his rich dad put him through put thinking about wealth in context.
Any of the books by Tony Robbins are incredible as well. He is so inspiring and is an absolute wealth of knowledge in finance and self growth.
@Whitney Anne Kwek I honestly don’t think I would’ve finished Think and Grow Rich if it weren’t for Audible. With that said, there were a few takeaways.