Recommendations based on The Basic Laws of Human Stupidityby Carlo M. Cipolla

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  2. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

    by Chris Voss
    A former FBI hostage negotiator shares his tactics and strategies for successful negotiations in both personal and professional settings.

    A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating – effective in any situation. After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined ... (Goodreads)

  3. As a Man Thinketh

    by James Allen
    A philosophical work about the power of thought and its potential for unlocking one's inner greatness.

    James Allen was an inspired spiritual mind; whose work was so highly applicable that many consider him the father of the self-help book genre. As an orphan, Allen had a difficult life and learned to ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Survival in Auschwitz

    by Primo Levi
    True story of a man's struggle to survive in a Nazi concentration camp.

    The true and harrowing account of Primo Levi’s experience at the German concentration camp of Auschwitz and his miraculous survival; hailed by The Times Literary Supplement as a “true work of art, ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Story of Art

    by E.H. Gombrich
    Comprehensive overview of art history, from prehistoric to modern times.

    The Story of Art, one of the most famous and popular books on art ever written, has been a world bestseller for over four decades. Attracted by the simplicity and clarity of his writing, readers of ... (Goodreads)

  6. Edvard Munch: 1863-1944

    by Ulrich Bischoff
    A comprehensive overview of the life and works of Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, known for his emotionally charged and expressionistic art.

    For Edvard Munch (1863-1944), painting was an act of self-liberation. His treatments of fear, desperation, and death still exert a powerful visual and psychological effect on modern viewers. Of all ... (Goodreads)

  7. The God Delusion

    by Richard Dawkins
    Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.

    A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Prince

    by Niccolò Machiavelli
    A timeless political treatise on the art of acquiring and maintaining power.

    Machiavelli needs to be looked at as he really was. Hence: Can Machiavelli, who makes the following observations, be Machiavellian as we understand the disparaging term? 1. So it is that to know the ... (Goodreads)

  9. We Should All Be Feminists

    by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
    A call to action for an inclusive, gender-equal society through an examination of feminism.

    What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists , a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by ... (Goodreads)

  10. Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything

    by B.J. Fogg
    A practical guide to creating new habits by starting small and celebrating progress.

    The world’s leading expert on habit formation shows how you can have a happier, healthier life: by starting small. Myth: Change is hard. Reality: Change can be easy if you know the simple steps of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. The Lives of the Artists

    by Giorgio Vasari
    A collection of biographies of Italian Renaissance artists, revealing their lives, works, and techniques.

    Packed with facts, attributions, and entertaining anecdotes about his contemporaries, Giorgio Vasari's collection of biographical accounts also presents a highly influential theory of the development ... (Goodreads)

  12. Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You

    by Bill Burnett
    A guide to designing a fulfilling life through applying design thinking principles. Practical exercises and tools included.

    *** The #1 New York Times Bestseller *** Whether we’re 20, 40, 60 or older, many of us are still looking for an answer to that perennial question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ In ... (Goodreads)

  13. Surrounded by Idiots

    by Thomas Erikson
    A humorous and insightful guide to understanding different personality types and how to communicate effectively with them.

    A runaway bestseller in Sweden that has sold more than a million copies worldwide, Surrounded by Idiots shares a groundbreaking new method of understanding the people around you that will change how ... (Goodreads)

  14. Thinking, Fast and Slow

    by Daniel Kahneman
    An exploration of the two systems of the mind, and how they influence decision-making.

    In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow , Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire

    by William Dalrymple
    A historical account of the East India Company's rise to power and its devastating impact on India.

    The story of how the East India Company took over large swaths of Asia, and the devastating results of the corporation running a country. In August 1765, the East India Company defeated the young ... (Goodreads)

  16. All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood

    by Jennifer Senior
    A thoughtful exploration of parenthood in the modern age, examining the joys and struggles of raising children.

    Thousands of books have examined the effects of parents on their children. Award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior now asks: what are the effects of children on their parents? "All Joy and No Fun is ... (Goodreads)

  17. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

    by Jared Diamond
    Tracing the origins of human civilizations through the lens of geography, technology, and biology.

    "Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: ... (Goodreads)

  18. History of Beauty

    by Umberto Eco
    An exploration of the concept of beauty throughout time, from antiquity to the present day.

    Umberto Eco’s groundbreaking and much-acclaimed first illustrated book has been a critical success since its first publication in 2004. What is beauty? Umberto Eco, among Italy’s finest and most ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime!

    by M.J. DeMarco
    A step-by-step guide to becoming a millionaire, exploring the secrets of wealth creation and financial freedom.

    **, THE MILLIONAIRE FASTLANE: NOW AN INTERNATIONAL BEST-SELLER!, ** TRANSLATED IN OVER 15 LANGUAGES WORLDWIDE!, ,** UPDATED AND REFRESHED FOR THE BITCOIN / CRYPTO ERA!, Is the financial plan of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder

    by Richard Dawkins
    An exploration of science and spirituality, examining the importance of wonder in understanding the universe.

    Keats accused Newton of destroying the poetry of the rainbow by explaining the origin of its colours. In this illuminating and provocative book, Richard Dawkins argues that Keats could not have been ... (Goodreads)

  21. Underland: A Deep Time Journey

    by Robert Macfarlane
    Descend into the depths of the earth, exploring the hidden worlds beneath our feet and the connections between humans and the natural world.

    National Bestseller • New York Times "100 Notable Books of the Year" • NPR "Favorite Books of 2019" • Guardian "100 Best Books of the 21st Century" • Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. Letting Go: The Pathway To Surrender

    by David R. Hawkins
    A guide to letting go of negative emotions and attachments, leading to inner peace and spiritual growth.

    Letting Go, describes a simple and effective means by which to let go of the obstacles to Enlightenment and become free of negativity. During the many decades of the author’s clinical psychiatric ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple

    by Jeff Guinn
    A deep dive into the history of the Peoples Temple and the life of its leader, Jim Jones.

    2018 Edgar Award Finalist—Best Fact Crime “A thoroughly readable, thoroughly chilling account of a brilliant con man and his all-too vulnerable prey” ( The Boston Globe )—the definitive story of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  24. The Last Lecture

    by Randy Pausch
    Reflection on life and lessons learned, approaching death with courage and optimism.

    A lot of professors give talks titled 'The Last Lecture'. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we ... (Goodreads)

  25. Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else

    by Geoff Colvin
    An exploration of the science behind extraordinary success in professional fields.

    One of the most popular Fortune articles in many years was a cover story called: "What It Takes to Be Great." Geoff Colvin offered new evidence that top performers in any field are not determined by ... (Goodreads)

  26. Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eyewitness Account

    by Miklós Nyiszli
    An account of the horrors of Auschwitz, as experienced by a Jewish prisoner-doctor.

    When the Nazis invaded Hungary in 1944, they sent virtually the entire Jewish population to Auschwitz. A Jew and a medical doctor, the prisoner Dr. Miklos Nyiszli was spared death for a grimmer fate: ... (Goodreads)

  27. Your Money or Your Life

    by Vicki Robin
    An exploration of personal finance and the journey to financial independence.

    In times like these, it's more important than ever to know the difference between making a living and making a life. Your Money or Your Life is even more relevant today than it was when the book ... (Goodreads)

  28. Concerning the Spiritual in Art

    by Wassily Kandinsky
    A philosophical examination of the spiritual and creative power of art.

    A pioneering work in the movement to free art from its traditional bonds to material reality, this book is one of the most important documents in the history of modern art. Written by the famous ... (Goodreads)

  29. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk

    by Al Ries
    A guide for marketing success, leveraging timeless principles and strategies.

    There are laws of nature, so why shouldn't there be laws of marketing? As Al Ries and Jack Trout—the world-renowned marketing consultants and bestselling authors of, Positioning,—note, you can build ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic

    by David Quammen
    An exploration of zoonotic diseases, how animal infections spread and threaten human life.

    "[Mr. Quammen] is not just among our best science writers but among our best writers, period." —Dwight Garner,, New York Times, The next big human pandemic—the next disease cataclysm, perhaps on the ... (Barnes & Noble)