Books

The best business books, according to hackers

24 business books recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.

• Most recommendedThe Gervais Principle by Venkatesh Rao32 people recommend it
• Built to lastThe Lean Startup by Eric Riesowners report a median of 10 years
• Least regretThe Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams10 recommend, 0 criticize

All business books

• The Gervais Principle by Venkatesh RaoRao's satirical framework of workplace roles (losers, clueless, sociopaths) gives people a useful lens on careers, status and bad managers. Critics find its psychology overreaching and its tone grindset-like.32recommend
• The Lean Startup by Eric RiesRecommended as a foundational guide to fast, validated product building that shaped many founders' thinking; the most common caveat is that some tactics and examples are now dated.32recommend
• Incorruptible by Eric RiesRecommended for its account of how companies lose their principles and what to do about it. Critics say it is thin on evidence.23recommend
• The Goal by Eliyahu GoldrattRecommended as a clear introduction to process and systems thinking, applying to manufacturing and software alike. One critic found it hard to get interested in.21recommend
• Never Split the Difference by Chris VossPeople recommend it for practical negotiation and listening skills they use in everyday life.13recommend
• The Mom Test by Rob FitzpatrickRecommended as a short, practical guide to asking customers questions that avoid polite lies; one critic called it more entertaining than useful.10recommend
• The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton ChristensenWidely recommended for explaining how established companies miss market changes; one critic says its thesis is descriptive rather than predictive.10recommend
• The Dilbert Principle by Scott AdamsPeople recommend it as a funny, sharp take on corporate life and management, from the creator of the Dilbert comic. No caveat is raised by the quotes.10recommend
• The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr and George SpaffordRecommended for explaining DevOps and Agile through a novel about slow IT work, which makes the lessons easier to take in.7recommend
• Zero to One by Peter ThielPeople recommend it as a clear, influential explanation of why software companies fall short of being 10x better. Critics say it favors VC interests and monopolies over customers.6recommend
• Principles of Product Development Flow by ReinertsenPeople recommend it for its systematic, practical treatment of product development flow and queueing theory, and for being easy to digest.5recommend
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniPeople recommend this book for its model of team dysfunction, starting with fear of conflict caused by absence of trust.4recommend
• Financial Intelligence by Karen Berman and Joe KnightPeople recommend it for explaining finance clearly to readers without a finance background, including how much uncertainty sits in financial statements.4recommend
• Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonCommenters call it one of the best business books ever written and recommend it as work from the 37signals founders.4recommend
• Drive by Daniel PinkPeople recommend it for explaining that real motivation comes from autonomy, mastery and purpose, rather than from pay alone.4recommend
• Founding Sales by Peter KazanjyRecommended as a practical guide to early-stage sales, and a free online version is available. Critics note the cold sales advice in the first half is dated.4recommend
• The Cold Start Problem by Andrew ChenPeople recommend it for explaining how to launch network products, tackling the cold start problem from many angles. No critics appear in the quotes.4recommend
• The Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steve BlankRecommended for startup go-to-market: knowing who wants your product, what they want, and how to reach them. No critical comments were recorded.3recommend
• Principles by Ray DalioPeople recommend it for its many good ideas and its explanations of how different fields operate, and one reader calls its principles critical in the modern age of AI.3recommend
• Obviously Awesome by April DunfordRecommended by readers as a practical guide to product positioning, with one saying the audiobook taught them the subject.3recommend
• Creativity, Inc. by Ed CatmullRecommended as a behind-the-scenes account of how Pixar approaches creativity and problem solving, changing how readers think about creativity beyond art.3recommend
• Founders at Work by Jessica LivingstonPeople recommend it as a collection of founder interviews on how startups were built, though the quality of each interview varies.3recommend
• The New Economics by W. Edwards DemingPeople recommend it as an alternative to mainstream business books, and praise a memorable line they say recent business books lack.2recommend
• The Choice by Eliyahu GoldrattRecommended as a starting point among Goldratt's books, and described as a pretty good, in-depth read.2recommend