The 17 Best Books of 2017

“I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I've eaten; even so, they have made me.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

For the last three Decembers, I've had a tradition of publishing my top reads of the year, and they always get an interesting response. So, here we go again — and this year it's up to 17 recommendations for 2017. Readers looking for more, or who want to see how previous picks have stood the test of time, can check out '16, '15 and '14. Usually I title this list the "Best Business Books," but I decided to go much broader than just business this year. And while I read all of them in 2017, only 10 were actually released during the year, but I think they're all worth your consideration.

The One Device - Brian Merchant

While it's pretty dense with detail, this is a fascinating look at the history of one of the most transformative tech devices in history. Brian Merchant takes readers from the politics and infighting of the original Apple team, to the Lithium pools of South America where modern batteries originate, to the African toxic waste dumps where old phones go to die and have their parts rescued for scrap value. Our phones are a core part of all of our lives. This book puts their full, unbelievable lifecycle on display — a journey full of curiosities and implications most of us would never guess.

After On - Rob Reid

Fiction from the very near future that hilariously and frighteningly contemplates computer systems becoming sentient, with companies and characters you'll feel like you know because you do. The audio version is really well-done with a full cast of voice actors.

Fantasyland - Kurt Anderson

"Very good, scary, important" was my Twitter review of Fantasyland. What struck me most was how the history of America's founding was a lot more about streets paved with gold and people looking for instant riches — a narrative more powerful than we all think or believe. The book is full of astounding but true-to-life mass delusion, groupthink and revisionist history.

Ratf**ked - David Daley

While the origin story of the term "gerrymandering" is kind of funny, the way it's since been modernized and weaponized with big data and strategy to marginalize our electorate isn't. Especially important as we gear up for the 2020 Census, the book a good way to understand the basics and stakes involved.

Reset - Ellen Pao

The story of one woman's experience that happened right before the sea change on the sexual harassment issue. It's an important read for anyone in venture capital and technology who knows how much diversity and inclusion matters.

Born Standing Up - Steve Martin

Out long before 2017, but I really enjoyed this autobiography. Maybe it's that I loved his albums in high school, but I think it's mostly about the incredible work ethic and intensity he brought to perfecting his craft. Not a business book, but a source of a lot of wisdom for entrepreneurs striving to be the best.

Homo Deus - Yuval Noah Harari

Follow up to Sapiens from my 2015 list and packed full of information. I don't agree with all his conclusions on how far and how bad things could go, but it's worth the ride and pushes your thinking to new frontiers.

Behave - Robert Sapolsky

Dives deeply into humanity's fundamental struggle between good and evil, and the surprising role that biology and instinct have to play. If you don't have time to read the whole book, I'd still highly recommend the 16-minute TEDTalk.

Wonderland - Steven Johnson

A fun jaunt through our shared history of how toys and games and play often drive and precede innovation. Johnson is known for his deep and analytical looks at where ideas originate and how they catch on.

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Option B - Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

I'll admit I wasn't expecting Option B to be as good as it was, but it's definitely the best advice I've ever read for how to relate and engage and respect people who have experienced loss. Co-author Adam Grant makes it two years in a row on my list following up on Originals last year.

Just Do It - Donald Katz

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight was one of my picks last year, and (rightfully so) it made many other best business book lists. Just Do It is the perfect companion and follow up — a delightful and intriguing time capsule from the 1990s. Don Katz, current CEO and founder of Audible, embedded himself at Nike during the time it started to become the Nike we know today. Unsurprisingly perhaps, it's free to download on Audible.

The Boys In The Boat - Daniel James Brown

There was a time when rowing was one of the most popular spectator sports in America. With that era vividly portrayed, this is the story of the unlikely combination of student athletes and coaches and boat makers out of the University of Washington that won the 1936 Olympics in Berlin under Hitler. Soon to be a major motion picture.

Radical Candor - Kim Scott

Expanding on one of the most popular pieces ever on First Round Review - Radical Candor is an important and extremely useful guide to giving feedback and advice. It's written by Kim Scott, one of the most compelling speakers to grace the stage at our annual CEO Summit, and the anecdotes she shares from her time at Google and beyond are worth the price of admission. Fun fact: Daniel Pink helped name the book.

A Curious Mind - Brian Grazer

Super producer and curious mind Brian Grazer lays out how he's methodically pursued meeting a wide-ranging and diverse group of people throughout his career — far beyond just the Hollywood Hills. Someday, I want to have lunch with Brian Grazer.

A World In Disarray - Richard Haas

The New York Times book review headline was a good one: "A World in Disarray Is a Calm Look at a Chaotic Global Order." President of the Council on Foreign Relations, Haass provides a broad and understandable baseline to the world order going into the most recent presidential election.

Leonardo DaVinci - Walter Isaacson

While there's still a lot we don't know about Leonardo Da Vinci (e.g. that might not actually be a portrait of him on the book's cover), there's so much we do know about him from over 7,200 pages of his personal notebooks. Isaacson is so deft at research, he knows exactly how to dive in and tell a good story of another incredible force of nature.

Netflixed - Gina Keating

An obscure but fascinating history of Netflix that starts in 1997 before it had its first customer or shipped its first DVD. It walks you through the long, early and rocky road the company took to become the powerhouse that beat Blockbuster and changed the world of video entertainment. This book was published in 2013 when Netflix was "only" at 44 million users — today it's at well over 100 million.

As always, I'm hoping you might find something interesting or useful on the list. Happy holidays and happy reading!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” ― Dr. Seuss