Although the “Never-Ending Stories” headline here is similar to the one on my last blog posting, the focus of this piece is instead on the great classics of business books.
Defining “classics” in literature is always a challenge. To be a classic, a book shouldn’t just be good, but be timeless and have a universal appeal. That’s why the recent inclusion by Penguin Modern Classics of Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch sparked such fevered debate, as described in The Independent article by Charlie Cooper, “Critics sneer as hit football novel becomes a ‘classic.'”
Classic business books also should include wisdom of the ages for the ages and translate well to other business cultures, not just Anglo-Saxon ones. They should be popular and widely read by well-read people.
The following business books, in my opinion, are some that can be considered modern classics. Why not pick one of these books off your shelf, dust it off and stick it in your briefcase or carry-on to re-read on your next flight:
- Daniel Pink, A Whole New Mind and Drive
- Malcolm Gladwell, Blink
- Jim Collins, Good to Great
- Marcus Buckingham, First, Break All the Rules
- Ken Blanchard, The One-Minute Manager
- Spencer Johnson, Who Moved My Cheese
- Patrick Lecionni, Silos, Politics and Turf Wars
- Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (see my recent blog on his passing)
And finally, here’s a shout out for a few lesser-known but excellent niche books by authors I know and respect — books that should be considered modern classics:
You’ll find even more suggestions in this article from PRdaily.com: It’s not over yet: Books you can still read this summer
How many of these classics have you read? What business books were or still are on your summer reading list? Why do you consider them classics? Click here to submit your nomination, or share your suggestions in the comments.