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President of U.S Gutsy real estate developer. Reality television magnate.Best-selling author. Donald Trump recommends best books on leadership.

“The Amateur” by Edward Klein

– Donald Trump

Janet Maslin of the New York Times has called Klein’s book “invective-laden”, while Donald Trump highly recommends that it be added to America’s reading list. An editor for the New York Times for eleven years, Klein uses this experience as evidence of his journalistic integrity, as he relates stories surrounding Barack Obama’s inexperience and inadequacy for the job of President. This controversial work covers 200 interviews, both on and off the record, and some of which have been denied as to authenticity. Fans of the President may not appreciate his policies being labeled as “boneheaded”, but critics of the President (such as Norman Podhoretz) are promoting this addition to their reading list as evidence of Obama’s inability to lead America.

“The Art of War” bySun Tzu

Trump recommends you read this book in his book “Trump 101: The Way to Success”.

Also included in list “Books To Read Before You Die According To Neil DeGrasse Tyson”

Sun Tzu’s ancient work began on book lists as a necessity of military strategy, and has become a necessary addition to business book lists as well. The US Marine Corp and intelligence units still recommend this work on their book lists. It emphasizes excellence, the strategic use of deception, and the psychological nature of winning a war before battle begins. Those wanting a leadership book won’t be disappointed by Tzu’s insights into the “wise general”, and those wanting a treatise on business tactics can also make great use of tips on strategy, and appearing to be what you’re not.

“Rich Dad’s CASHFLOWQuadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom” by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Trump recommends you read this book in his book “Trump 101: The Way to Success”.

Though not as well known as his bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad, this book has still ended up on recommended book lists (such as the book list of Donald Trump) for its application of the theory that has made such waves in the financial world. The eschewing of a job for its security, and the need to control the means of wealth via small business and investment, are still the hallmarks of Kiyosaki’s message. If anything, the book can be considered a sequel, with more detail on the quadrants of those who take a hit financially, (such as the differences and similarities between Employees and the Self-Employed) and those who come out on top.

Iacocca” by LeeIacocca and William Novak

Trump recommends you read this book in his book “Trump 101: The Way to Success”.

It may seem odd for an author to use his last name as the sole title for a book about himself, but that hasn’t stopped Donald Trump from adding it to his recommended reading list for success. The book’s success was instrumental in launching Lee’s bid for presidency, according to CNN. In 1984 the New York Times reported the millionth copy printed after the book commandeered a weeks-long spot on its bestseller book list, and the book’s popularity in Canada and Japan. Perhaps the memoir’s popularity has to do with the rags-to-riches story of the former president of Ford who led Chrysler away from bankruptcy, the appeal of the Mustang, or the overwhelming confidence and creativity of the author, but it’s worth reading just for a peek inside the Auto Wars.

Rich Woman: A Book onInvesting for Women: Because I Hate Being Told What to Do!” by Kim Kiyosaki

Trump recommends you read this book in his book “Trump 101: The Way to Success”.

Though Kim is better known as the wife of bestselling author Robert Kiyosaki, her book is an insight into investments and personal notes on the inception of small companies. Featured on Success Magazine and Entrepreneur.com, Kim has made a name for herself as a speaker and real estate investor, encouraging women to embrace the savvy investor within. Though there is a section on financial terms (such as “leverage”), the style is easy to understand, providing the motivation to learn the essence of how to make finances work for you. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn showcases Kim’s work on his recommended book list for “all women”.

“Talent Is Overrated: WhatReally Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else” by GeoffColvin

– Donald Trump

In the same vein as John Maxwell’s Talent is Never Enough, Colvin points out the deliberate characteristics of those who make success their goal. As pointed out in CNN, Colvin makes a distinction between hard work and talent, saying that “deliberate practice”, the work that is done to get improvement in specific areas, is the specific realm of the achievers. Acknowledging that others’ feedback and mental exertion are necessary, Colvin does say that deliberate work on weak areas is not fun. This may be why his book is recommended by Donald Trump, and ends up on the same Brooks College book list as Stephen Covey’s masterpiece.

“The Prince” byNiccolo Machiavelli

Trump recommends you read this book in his book “Trump 101: The Way to Success”.

Also included in list “Books To Read Before You Die According To Neil DeGrasse Tyson”

Called everything from “ruthless” to “masterpiece” over its checkered publishing career, civil servant Machiavelli’s posthumous work can be bundled on a reading list with the Art of War for true insight on how to build power and decimate enemies. (Perhaps this is also why Donald Trump has added “The Prince” to his reading list of books leading to success.) Though the advice was meant for the Medici ruling family in Italy, the principles can still hold true, or at least shed a light on how to weave through the murky waters of politics.

“The Watchman’s Rattle:Thinking Our Way Out of Extinction” by Rebecca Costa

– Donald Trump

Instead of focusing on why some societies work, Costa delves into why powerful societies fail, such as the Myans and Egyptians. Intellectual gridlock, embedded beliefs unsupported by results, and the power of pseudo-scientific thought are all taken out and examined. Jack Covert, founder of 800-CEO-Read, and Donald Trump believe the book has earned a spot on reading lists everywhere. The New York Journal of Books recommends her work as “excellent” and “crisp”, specifically pointing out her research on topics that seem scientifically viable but have no basis in reality.

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The most influential woman in the world recommends her favorite self-help books

“The Four Agreements: APractical Guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz

– Oprah Winfrey

Also recommended by Jack Dorsey, Ellen DeGeneres

Four practices are all you need for a better life, insists Ruiz, and millions of readers have agreed with him. Seven years of being on the New York Times bestseller book list is quite an achievement, for a book describing just a few lifelong changes that need to be made: verbal integrity, questions without assumptions, a refusal to personalize, and making the best happen. As a surgeon with spiritual roots in the deep heart of Mexico, Ruiz weaves both practices in and out of this work. It has been promoted by Spiritually Fit Yoga and by Oprah, at the top of her favorites self-help books list.

“A Return To Love” by Marianne Williamson

– Oprah Winfrey

The fear of our own power keeps us from love, says Williamson, and the lack of love keeps us from healing. Miracles are the natural outcome of love, which provides the connection that leads to peace. Williamson also draws on scientific principles of quantum physics, saying that our ability to change our minds and state of consciousness can change the world (per the uncertainty principle developed by Werner Heisenberg). Those who enjoy books revealing the self-imposed limits of the mind that can be overcome may want to add this to their reading list, as Oprah has done. The quote attributed to Nelson Mandela, about our deepest fears not truly coming from inadequacy, is found originally in this book.

“To Kill AMockingbird” by Harper Lee

– Oprah Winfrey

A mixture between Huckleberry Finn and Gone with the Wind, Lee’s novel is just as good a story as a commentary on the positive and negative aspects of the deep South in America. It has appeared in high school English literature reading lists for years, and earned Lee a Pulitzer prize in 1961. The story centers around the family of Atticus Finch, a genteel but struggling lawyer in a small town of Alabama. His tomboy daughter (Scout) and son (Jem) fight through their own fascination and fear of a reclusive neighbor, as Atticus fights to free a black man from an unjust accusation. The novel’s court case may have foreshadowed the author’s recent copyright battle with her former publisher.

“Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston

– Oprah Winfrey

Hurston’s novel has been applauded for its strong African-American female protagonist, but was out of favor in the world of critics until the late 1970’s. One of its earliest champions was famous fellow author Alice Walker, writer of the Color Purple, who claims this book on her favorites list of all time. The story of Janie Crawford and the three main men in her life includes serious themes of survival and feminism, and Oprah highly identifies with Janie. Her eventual return to tell the story to Pheoby, in a small town of the Everglades in Florida, has elements of auto-biography, because it’s the same town of the author’s younger years.

“The Power Of Now” byEckhart Tolle

Also recommended by Pavel Durov

This Zen Buddhist work of philosophy has made quite an impression on a number of reading lists of famous celebrities, from Paris Hilton to Oprah Winfrey. As might be deduced from the title, Tolle promotes the perspective of living in the moment – but not in a shallow way. Styled as a spiritual teacher, Tolle goes beyond the practical necessity of living moment-to-moment, but says that the present is truly all that there is, and should be lived with intensity – because time is purely an illusion. The rejection of struggle by implementing mindfulness, and moving from inactive waiting to the integrity of action, are also intriguing themes.

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One of the most successful american rapper about his book list

“The Seat of theSoul” by Gary Zukav

– from interview Oprah.com

While our world explodes with the tangibles of law and science and reason, there’s a whole other world beyond the five senses, argue Zukav. This metaphysical reading list addition points to the power of the spirit as that which will lead to growth rather than destruction. Those in search of higher knowledge, authenticity, and a companion to their copy of The Tao of Physics may want to peruse this work, if only for its insights into the deep things of the heart. Those who enjoy Oprah’s reading lists will be glad to know that the author and his book have both been frequent guests.

“TheCelestine Prophecy” By James Redfield

– from interview Oprah.com

Energy, vibrations, and spiritual insights are some of the major themes of Redfield’s novel, besides the evolving world-wide understanding of the meaning of life. According to the story line, an ancient Peruvian manuscript has been unearthed, and the human ants scrabbling on the earth’s crust can now approach understanding of their purpose. Critics may point to the soaring, poetic prose as ‘juvenile’ and ‘unrealistic’. However, it’s a fact that fans of the Celestine nine secrets (including the nature of energy theft and synchronicity) managed to keep this book at the top of the bestseller reading lists of the 1990’s.

“Outliers: The Story ofSuccess” by Malcolm Gladwell

– from interview Oprah.com

Also recommended by Charlie Munger

A lifelong fan of the fascinating story of failure,Gladwell, turned his eye to unlikely success stories. Though the Tipping Pointmay have moved the author on to personal fame and fortune, this book about thehard workers who scrambled their way to the top certainly contributed toGladwell’s inclusion in Time’s list of influential people. Beatles fans will beglad that their brilliance is recognized, and those who favor reading lists ofGreenwich Village authors should note that it’s Gladwell’s residence. His ownfascinating background, as the child of a math teacher and thegreat-granddaughter of Jamaican plantation owners, no doubt contributed to thebook’s assertion that society and environment play a strong role in success.

PurpleCow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable”by Seth Godin

– from interview Oprah.com

Godin makes the case that a product’s innovative, eye-catching nature can beat any advertising plan ever devised by mass marketing experts. Convenience, overcoming customer complaints, and contrarian leadership are the themes that drive this ‘must read’ addition to your business book list. Stories that stand out include the comparative rise and fall of Maxwell House versus Starbucks, and why the simple manufacturing switch to easy paint cans exploded Dutch Boys’ bottom line. To use some of Godin’s expressions, it would be good company policy to separate out your best buyers from the herd of potential customers, and even better to create a wall between the inventors, and those who turn them into a system (“milkers”).

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Reading list of an influential figure in popular music and culture. Explore his book recommendations!

“The Grapes of Wrath” John Steinbeck

– from “The life of Bob Dylan”

One of Steinbeck’s best known novels, this story has made it onto many book lists and English literature reading lists for its Pulitzer Prize. It should be known for its classic American themes of determination in the face of crippling discouragement, its vast descriptions of families caught in the teeth of the 1930’s Depression, and a tenacious insistence on clinging to life. The Joad family survives a stop-and-go movement toward the golden shores of California, one family member’s prison background, and economic instability – but not without a cost. The benefit of self-sacrifice comes through in Ma and Rosasharn, Jim Casy provides gritty life philosophy, and the characters without names provide a rich tapestry of background.

“Tropic of Cancer” by Henry Miller

– from Playboy interview

Also mentioned in 6 Books That Everyone Must Read. Paulo Coelho Recommends

What was salacious and banned American reading in the 1930’s (but not in France) can now be added to anyone’s reading list. The over-the-top descriptions of women’s bodies provide insight into Miller’s own tempestuous personal life, and the deep anger expressed at life’s unfairness was all his own. From disappointing night club jaunts to a parade of interactions with prostitutes, the main character celebrates all things out of the ordinary and the triumph of the body – if not the body politic. They are good for free dinners and conversation, but not much more. Those inspired by the Beat writers, like Jack Kerouac, may find this a fascinating reading list addition.

“On the Road” by Jack Kerouac

– from Playboy interview

Also mentioned in Fiction That Makes You Feel Good. Johnny Depp Recommends

While the art of Vagabonding may have become currently popular via Rolf Potts’ addition to travel junkies’ favorites list, Jack Kerouac was the voice of the 1960’s and 1970’s wanderlust. The many adventures of Kerouac and friend Cassady (transmuted into characters Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise) are sprawlingly chronicled in a series of comments and descriptions, with no particular beginning and no particular end. For those who want social commentaries on economics, feminism, and racism, this book has it. Expansive descriptions of American life, culture, and attitudes are all here, along with the freedom of wide open spaces. Those trying to find a plot adhering to an outline may have trouble reading this.

Howland Other Poems” by Allen Ginsberg

– from Playboy interview

Another current classic that made it through the censored reading lists, Ginsberg’s effort has been hailed as the battering ram that opened the American ivory tower of literature to life celebrations of the 1960’s. The book may have made it onto free thinkers’ reading lists just on the basis of the publishers’ prison sentence alone, if not the ground-breaking headlines of the court case afterward. The word “hipsters” cavorts with “benzedrine” and “unconsciousness”, along with many recognizable and strange flashes of creativity. Sometimes repetitive, sometimes wild, this rant against (and in favor of) the ceaseless desires of man provides unpredictability and grim depictions of gutter reality.

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Respected actor and narrator, Oscar winner recommends his favorite fiction books that cater for all ages and tastes.

“Rita Hayworth and theShawshank Redemption” by Stephen King

Morgan Freeman said in the interview that it his his favorite book.

-from interview to ign.com

This novella is as well-known for the screen adaptation as for the fact that it differs so strikingly from King’s fiction writing of horror. It’s not that horror doesn’t happen in a 1930’s prison, but there’s a pair of redeeming characters (Red and Andy DuFresne) who make reading the novel an absolute delight. Red offers contraband and advice, while Andy systematically works through establishing his own reputation as a man who is to be trusted. Despite horrifying conflicts with the notorious and predatory Sisters, a hypocritical warden and his violent guards (and a strict parole panel), Andy and Red battle their inner and outer demons to reach for freedom.

“Moby Dick” by Herman Melville

“I would recommend different books to different people. For a young person I would say Moby Dick.”

-from conference on reddit.com

Melville is a talented (if long-winded) author whose masterpiece remains the story about an elusive whale, and its mad pursuer, Captain Ahab. The narrator is not the only character with an exotic Biblical name (Ishmael), and there are as many themes to be had as fish in the sea. Moby Dick is a strangely destructive whale, who seems to take delight in capsizing and destroying the life of whaling vessels. Captain Ahab’s thirst for avenging his lost leg and ship prove to be his undoing. He makes a strange figure, teetering about his own ship on a leg made from a whale’s jawbone, and seeking the prophetic mutterings of a harpoon crew member for clues on Moby Dick’s location. Reading between the lines of whale oil and prophecy lies a fascinating tale of the nature of good and evil – and madness.

 “Great Expectations” by CharlesDickens

“For a more romantic person I would recommend Great Expectations.”

-from conference on reddit.com

Often touted as one of Charles Dickens’ best books, this is also one of his darkest novels, with the fewest realized expectations of happy endings. Suffering loss is taken in one of three ways by the principal characters. Miss Havisham uses the loss of her marriage as a reason for living in a self-imposed tomb of a house, and training the beautiful Estella into a man-trap. Joe the blacksmith absorbs losses, and turns them into reasons for having compassion. Pip, the central character and classic orphan, comes to the realization that loss of his hopes and dreams doesn’t mean that life is not worth living.

“Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell

“For the very young reader I would recommend Black Beauty.”

-from conference on reddit.com

One of the best books for children and adults to read, Sewell’s classic is as much about people and animal abuse, as it is about the fortunes and hard-luck times of a beautiful horse. His early life, in a meadow and then with Squire Gordon, is a delightful adventure. Being sold to an Earl starts a domino effect of bad times and worse masters, as Black Beauty works through broken bones and mistreatment, and watching a friend die under the cruel lash of a cab driver. Just as Beauty seems ready to fall under the weight of despair, he is allowed to reconnect with his origins, as good times begin again.

“Absalom, Absalom!” by WIlliam Faulkner

One of the favourite books that Morgan Freeman keeps in his library and sometimes rereads.

-from esquire.com

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American astrophysicist and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson about books he recommends to read before you die

  The Bible

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

“The Age of Reason” by ThomasPaine

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

While Paine’s writings may be esoteric for modern times, fans such as the Infidels swear that this is one of the the best books ever written. Paine himself is as famous for his time in a French prison, and his work with Samuel Adams, as he is for this treatise against organized religion as a tyrannical fraud. His early declaration of his own mind as the only necessary church sets the tone for the work, which focuses on every man’s right to make up his own mind, and not have it made up for him by others. Paine is very logical and persuasive in his wish to see a religious, as well as a political, revolution in the United States.

The Prince” byNiccolo Machiavelli

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

Also included in Best Leadership Books According To Donald Trump

Called everything from “ruthless” to “masterpiece” over its checkered publishing career, civil servant Machiavelli’s posthumous work can be bundled on a reading list with the Art of War for true insight on how to build power and decimate enemies. (Perhaps this is also why Donald Trump has added “The Prince” to his reading list of books leading to success.) Though the advice was meant for the Medici ruling family in Italy, the principles can still hold true, or at least shed a light on how to weave through the murky waters of politics.

The Art of War” bySun Tzu

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

Also included in Best Leadership Books According To Donald Trump

Sun Tzu’s ancient work began on book lists as a necessity of military strategy, and has become a necessary addition to business book lists as well. The US Marine Corp and intelligence units still recommend this work on their book lists. It emphasizes excellence, the strategic use of deception, and the psychological nature of winning a war before battle begins. Those wanting a leadership book won’t be disappointed by Tzu’s insights into the “wise general”, and those wanting a treatise on business tactics can also make great use of tips on strategy, and appearing to be what you’re not.

The System of the World” byIsaac Newton

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

Though it’s easier to find someone who knows Newton’s three famous laws of motion than one who has read through his book (also titled ‘Principia’), that doesn’t mean that this classic work on science isn’t worth reading. He borrowed from other science giants such as Johannes Kepler, and the multi-talented Galileo Galilei. However, his understanding of gravitational pull and the motion of the planets is truly amazing, especially when you consider that he worked out the revolution of the starry spheres via mathematical formulas, well before any photos were taken of these planets – and before gravity was universally accepted.

“On the Origin of Species” byCharles Darwin

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

Also included in Anthony Hopkins Favorite Books

Though some of the theories are a bit dated, Darwin’s pinnacle of writing has garnered him many book recommendations – in his own century and beyond. Legal battles have raged over Darwin’s explanation of the wide-reaching implications of natural selection, and many species’ struggle for mere survival. Much is written (and lamented) about the sequence of fossils and various imperfections in the records of geology, and there are many insights on the variety of species and their adaptations. This is certainly one of the best books to read for those wanting a clear look at the origins of modern evolutionary theory, including Darwin’s compilation of others’ research along with his own, and the complex nature of the human eye.

“Gulliver’s Travels” byJonathan Swift

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

The first story, by the morose Lemuel Gulliver, is the most well-known. The fierce but tiny Lilliputians are determined not to be over-awed by their captive’s size, but his use in battle against the nefarious Blefuscu people (who crack eggs the wrong way) is overshadowed by Gulliver’s social crimes against the Lilliputians’ castle. His next sailing trip to the Brobdingnag giants also ends badly, after he’s made a national curiosity. The Laputa researchers seem to have genius for experimentation but no common sense, like Gulliver, who becomes captain of a crew who mutinies against him. Gulliver then studies the wise horses (Houyhnhnms) who rule over human slaves (Yahoos), and draws conclusions about England’s colonies. Reading this novel is fun, on the cynical side.

The Wealth ofNations” by Adam Smith

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

If John Maynard Keynes is the father of the modern system of commerce, Smith is the father of American free trade economics. Those wishing to see a return to gold and silver as the monetary standard should definitely be reading this book, along with those who believe that tariffs and governmental restrictions keeps any nation’s GNP from booming. There are affirmations of industrial-age wisdom (chop up production into small and repeatable parts), the nature of scarcity in wealth-building, and the advantages of competition without the restraint of either monopolies or slavery-inducing taxes. Freedom, opines Smith, lies with a people who restrain governmental work to building national defense and order, infrastructure, and the promotion of education.

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photo: Asim Bharwani

Jonny Depp about his favorite fiction

“A Portrait of the Artist as aYoung Man” by James Joyce

Rather than take up paints and easels, Joyce’s self-portrait in prose gives a picture of his growing up years in Dublin through an alter ego. Stephen Dedalus struggles against his religious training and upbringing, working equally through guilt and aesthetic allure. From political wranglings over Christmas, to becoming accustomed to boarding school, this novel and semi-biographical work has the appeal of a byegone era and a coming-of-age story. It has been listed on many Top 100 lists, from the board picks of Modern Library to Tumblr’s 100 Books bucket list.

 Fear and Loathing in LasVegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream” by Hunter S.Thompson

Johnny Depp in introduction to “Blow By Blow” by Ted Demme

While Thompson’s words provide half of the book’s appeal, the contribution of illustrator Ralph Steadman cannot be denied. Film fans of The Hangover will appreciate the crazy style of the book – or the film starrring Benicio del Toro and Johnny Depp. Adventures of all types occur, especially including a trunk full of mind-altering substances and alcohol. The foggy interchanges between Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo were mostly based on Thompson’s two weekends spent with Oscar Zeta Acosta, gathering information for Rolling Stones, regarding the tear gas grenade that brought about the death of journalist Ruben Salazar.

“Fierce Invalids Home From HotClimates” by Tom Robbins

–from interview to Fox News

If J.D. Salinger’s creation Holden Caulfield had met Ignatius J. Reilly as an adult, and they had teamed up for crazy adventures, it might approach Switters and his adventures with Sailor the Parrot in South America. Trekking through the Amazon in designer wear, Switters gets introduced to the End of Time shaman, who admonishes against travel by foot. Wheelchairs and stilts are the answer, along with many shameless puns and renegade nuns. There is truly nothing that this colorful, pacifist undercover agent with a gun will not try, including a stepsister seduction and a great deal of self-deception.

     “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac

“Kerouac – anything at all by ol’ Jack… On The Road beingthe Bible.”

Johnny Depp in introduction to “Blow By Blow” by Ted Demme

While the art of Vagabonding may have become currently popular via Rolf Potts’ addition to travel junkies’ favorites list, Jack Kerouac was the voice of the 1960’s and 1970’s wanderlust. The many adventures of Kerouac and friend Cassady (transmuted into characters Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise) are sprawlingly chronicled in a series of comments and descriptions, with no particular beginning and no particular end. For those who want social commentaries on economics, feminism, and racism, this book has it. Expansive descriptions of American life, culture, and attitudes are all here, along with the freedom of wide open spaces. Those trying to find a plot adhering to an outline may have trouble reading this.