Wordsworth's List of Books to Read in 2024
Kick off your New Year's Booklist with our choice of 2024 must-reads!
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom - R250
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?
Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - R220
Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. This is such a book - a beautiful parable about learning to listen to your heart, read the omens strewn along life's path and, above all, follow your dreams.
Santiago, a young shepherd living in the hills of Andalucia, feels that there is more to life than his humble home and his flock. One day he finds the courage to follow his dreams into distant lands, each step galvanised by the knowledge that he is following the right path: his own. The people he meets along the way, the things he sees and the wisdom he learns are life-changing.
With Paulo Coelho's visionary blend of spirituality, magical realism and folklore, The Alchemist is a story with the power to inspire nations and change people's lives.
Atomic Habits by James Clear - R430
Transform your life with tiny changes in behaviour, starting now.People think that when you want to change your life, you need to think big. But world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions: doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early, or holding a single short phone call.
He calls them atomic habits.
In this ground-breaking book, Clears reveals exactly how these minuscule changes can grow into such life-altering outcomes. He uncovers a handful of simple life hacks (the forgotten art of Habit Stacking, the unexpected power of the Two Minute Rule, or the trick to entering the Goldilocks Zone), and delves into cutting-edge psychology and neuroscience to explain why they matter. Along the way, he tells inspiring stories of Olympic gold medalists, leading CEOs, and distinguished scientists who have used the science of tiny habits to stay productive, motivated, and happy.
These small changes will have a revolutionary effect on your career, your relationships, and your life.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson - R295
For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. “F*ck positivity,” Mark Manson says. “Let’s be honest, shit is f*cked and we have to live with it.” In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate.
He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today.
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.
Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—“not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault.” Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them.
Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. There are only so many things we can give a f*ck about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience.
A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-inthe-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them truly lead contented, grounded lives.
Think Again by Adam Grant - R370
Bestselling author and TED podcast star, Adam Grant examines the critical art of rethinking - how questioning your beliefs and knowing what you don't know can lead you to success at work and happiness at home
Discover how rethinking can lead to excellence at work and wisdom in life
Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world it might matter more that we can rethink and unlearn.
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant is an expert on opening other people's minds-and our own. As Wharton's top-rated professor and the bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, he tries to argue like he's right but listen like he's wrong.
Think Again invites us to let go of views that are no longer serving us well and prize mental flexibility, humility, and curiosity over foolish consistency. If knowledge is power, knowing what we don't know is wisdom.
Discover how rethinking can lead to excellence at work and wisdom in life
Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world it might matter more that we can rethink and unlearn.
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant is an expert on opening other people's minds-and our own. As Wharton's top-rated professor and the bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, he tries to argue like he's right but listen like he's wrong.
Think Again invites us to let go of views that are no longer serving us well and prize mental flexibility, humility, and curiosity over foolish consistency. If knowledge is power, knowing what we don't know is wisdom.
The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma - R380
Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity.
Now, in this life-changing book, handcrafted by the author over a rigorous four-year period, you will discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness.
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey - R380
This beloved classic presents a principle-centered approach for solving both personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and practical anecdotes, Stephen R. Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity - principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.Stephen R. Covey dedicated his life to demonstrating how a person can truly control their destiny with profound yet straightforward guidance. As an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organisational consultant, and author, his advice gives insight to millions.
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown - R390
Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.
Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions.
We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human.
The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - R260
Why do some people achieve so much more than others? Can they lie so far out of the ordinary?
In his provocative and inspiring book, Malcolm Gladwell looks at everyone from rock stars to professional athletes, software billionaires to scientific geniuses, to show that the story of success is far more surprising, and more fascinating, than we could ever have imagined.
He reveals that it's as much about where we're from and what we do, as who we are - and that no one, not even a genius, ever makes it alone.
Outliers will change the way you think about your own life story, and about what makes us all unique. Like Blink, this is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki - R250
In the 20th Anniversary Edition of this classic, Robert offers an update on what we've seen over the past 20 years related to money, investing, and the global economy.
Sidebars throughout the book will take readers "fast forward" from 1997 to today as Robert assesses how the principles taught by his rich dad have stood the test of time.
In many ways, the messages of Rich Dad Poor Dad, messages that were criticized and challenged two decades ago, are more meaningful, relevant and important today than they were 20 years ago.
As always, readers can expect that Robert will be candid, insightful... and continue to rock more than a few boats in his retrospective.
In many ways, the messages of Rich Dad Poor Dad, messages that were criticized and challenged two decades ago, are more meaningful, relevant and important today than they were 20 years ago.
As always, readers can expect that Robert will be candid, insightful... and continue to rock more than a few boats in his retrospective.
What are some of the books on your 2024 must-read list? Comment them below!
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