“Read an hour every day in your chosen field. This works out to about one book per week, fifty books per year, and will guarantee your success.”
—Brian Tracy, personal development guru
It’s September again, time to go back to school. My learning goal each year is to read at least 50 non-fiction books—in my mind, the “School of Success” never goes out of session. This is where I get ideas to help my Financial Advisor clients grow their clientele. Rather than overwhelming you with all 50+ books, here are the 10 best ones I read from September 2025 through August 2026.
Leadership/business success/inspiration
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company. Robert Iger shares his story of turning Disney into a media behemoth. This is not just a compelling memoir—it’s a great leadership-lessons book.
This Is for Everyone: The Unfinished Story of the World Wide Web. Who better to tell the story of the web than its founder, Tim Berners-Lee? He shares its evolution since 1989 and is not shy about calling out both the good and the bad/ugly of his creation.
Peak Human: What We Can Learn From History’s Greatest Civilizations. Here are profiles of 7 dynasties: Ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere—what made them rise, and then what made them fall. Will we repeat their mistakes? Stay tuned.
Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference. A call to action that challenges us to go beyond progressive beliefs and become an Effective Altruist. (Wanna learn more, and get involved? Go to The School of Moral Ambition.)
50 Ideas that Changed the World of Work: The Essential Guide to the Best Business Thinking. Here are 50 short chapters on ways you/your organization can improve your effectiveness. A bonus: There’s a book recommendation at the end of each chapter so you can delve deeper into the ideas presented.
There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift. I’m no Swiftie, but there’s no denying that Taylor Swift has shown the creativity, drive and business savvy of a truly great artist since her 2006 debut album. She completed a record-setting Eras Tour in December ’24, connecting with millions of her global fans, and she’s only 35.
Thomas Paine and the Clarion Call for American Independence. Thomas Paine’s 47-page Common Sense was the single most influential document that united the 13 colonies in opposition to British Rule. I consider him a founding father, influencing the ideas of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and James Madison.
A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power. A detailed, compelling biography of Jesse Jackson, who led the charge in helping millions of disenfranchised voters get involved with the political process.
Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. For those wondering how the renewable energy movement is progressing, here’s an enlightening (pun intended) update from environmentalist Bill McKibben.
Operation Solo The FBI’s Man in the Kremlin. How the FBI planted “Agent 58” in the 1950s thru the 1970s, who gained the trust of the world’s top Communist leaders to learn their secrets. If you like spy stories this one has top-notch suspense.
Just For Fun
Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine, and Payola—The AOR Glory Years 1976–1986. All the tunes you loved and hated during the rise of the AOR and MTV.
I hope this list will inspire you to read more than just emails, Facebook and other junk. I’m not a super-speedy reader but I willingly plowed through these books because absorbing their ideas is a critical part of my coaching job. Audio versions are available on Audible.com but you don’t even have to spend a dime if you own a library card. There’s no shelf room left for more books at my place so each one listed here was borrowed from my local library.
Why wait? While it may seem daunting to begin a reading habit, the journey to a thousand books starts with the first one. You can begin with the goal of one book a month, which is just ten pages a day—that wouldn’t be too hard, would it? Whatever reading goal you choose, go back to school today so you can get to the top of your field.
Question: “What are the best non-fiction books you read this past year?” Leave your title in the comments area below.