Ask HN: What's the best first business book for a programmer? ↗

The books people recommended

2009-11-18 · 65 points · 42 comments · 20 books named by at least one person here and at least 3 people overall. The number on the left is how many people named it in this thread.

4
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie
4 here · 175 all-time · #8 overall
Buy on Amazon4.7 out of 5, 106,505 ratings on Amazon
4
The E-Myth Revisited
Michael E. Gerber
4 here · 24 all-time · #244 overall
Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 13,028 ratings on Amazon
4The E-Myth
The E-Myth
Michael E. Gerber
4 here · 10 all-time · #679 overall
3
Founders at Work
Jessica Livingston
3 here · 51 all-time · #80 overall
Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 689 ratings on Amazon
2Crossing the Chasm
Crossing the Chasm
Geoffrey Moore
2 here · 21 all-time · #286 overall
Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 2,624 ratings on Amazon
2Made to Stick
Made to Stick
Chip and Dan Heath
2 here · 16 all-time · #386 overall
Buy on Amazon4.7 out of 5, 1,888 ratings on Amazon
2Getting to Yes
Getting to Yes
Roger Fisher, William Ury
2 here · 14 all-time · #459 overall
Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 11,602 ratings on Amazon
2Growing a Business
Growing a Business
Paul Hawken
2 here · 3 all-time · #2411 overall
1
Influence
Robert Cialdini
1 here · 50 all-time · #84 overall
Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 13,065 ratings on Amazon
1The 4-Hour Workweek
The 4-Hour Workweek
Timothy Ferriss
1 here · 38 all-time · #130 overall
Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 29,714 ratings on Amazon
1
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene
1 here · 36 all-time · #136 overall
Buy on Amazon4.7 out of 5, 90,218 ratings on Amazon
1
Hackers and Painters
Paul Graham
1 here · 36 all-time · #139 overall
Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 765 ratings on Amazon
1How to Get Rich
How to Get Rich
Felix Dennis
1 here · 15 all-time · #443 overall
Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 2,644 ratings on Amazon
1Secrets of Consulting
Secrets of Consulting
Gerald M. Weinberg
1 here · 11 all-time · #562 overall
Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 370 ratings on Amazon
1Barbarians at the Gate
Barbarians at the Gate
Bryan Burrough
1 here · 9 all-time · #758 overall
1Paypal Wars
Paypal Wars
Eric M. Jackson
1 here · 8 all-time · #844 overall
1Built to Last
Built to Last
Jim Collins
1 here · 6 all-time · #1088 overall
1Ready, Fire, Aim
Ready, Fire, Aim
Michael Masterson
1 here · 5 all-time · #1235 overall
1Buffett
Buffett
Roger Lowenstein
1 here · 5 all-time · #1442 overall
1Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Peter Drucker
1 here · 4 all-time · #1870 overall