Most Influential Books and Why You Should Still Read Them

Most Influential Books and Why You Should Still Read Them

Our modern culture is a combination of cultural, economic, philosophical, and sociological ideas, so it's only natural that those influences should be reflected in influential books and literature.

Whether you're talking about time-honored books that seem to summarize future economic developments like Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations or modern-day classics like Steven Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, there's a lot to be gained from picking the minds of people who shaped history.

The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People

This modern-day business classic is important because it provided direction to so many entrepreneurs looking to expand their business and interpersonal skills. The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People was originally published in 1988, and Stephen Covey shows readers how to incorporate self-help principles aligned with universal laws intrinsic to business success.

The seven habits discussed in the book focus on being proactive and beginning with the end goal in mind. Also discussed is prioritizing tasks according to urgency and thinking in terms of win-win transactions. Lastly, remember to think first to understand, balance your team's strengths and weaknesses, and put your resources where they're most needed.

The book has sold over 25 million copies since its initial publication because the lessons it lays out are so effective for nurturing business relationships and getting ahead. Forbes magazine, in fact, sees the continued relevance the book has for managers today.

Forbes says that thinking in terms of win-win and seeking first to understand are both extremely important principles for managers to subscribe to on a daily basis. Instead of thinking in terms of "your way" or "my way" and leaving little room for negotiation beyond those parameters, it's far better to thinking in terms of a better way that optimizes both sides' positions.

Managers also need to seek to understand their employees' situation before passing judgement or rushing to action. That's advice that we could all use.

Wealth of Nations

The Wealth of Nations has a kind of mythical status today among free-market economists because it lays the groundwork for so much of today's capitalism. The book imagines how today's capitalism might unfold given development of the factors that Adam Smith saw in his own lifetime: free-market, laissez-faire ("let do" or "leave alone" in French) capitalism, arranging a division of labor, and the ideal way to boost productivity.

Smith is today remembered, sometimes solely, for being the first person to talk about the invisible hand that seemed to guide people's actions. Smith thought the the economic system's ability to self-regulate and maximize efficiency could be paralleled to the work of an invisible hand that steered the economy. In other words, Smith showed what modern-day economists treat as axiomatic: That individual producers and consumers going about their business selfishly can produce a beneficial overall economic landscape.

1984

Perhaps George Orwell's magnum opus, 1984 is a dystopian novel that can be read as a cautionary tale for how power can become too centralized in state hands. When you hear people today talk about something being "Orwellian," they're likely referring to the themes laid out in 1984. A 1984 study guide might be helpful for understanding the major themes interwoven throughout Winston Smith's constant struggle for freedom against Big Brother.

Orwell's classic is so influential, and becoming increasingly so, because it touches on themes of modern-day life. Surveillance, endless way, freedom of speech, and the possibility of individualism surviving within a state system that centralizes power are all themes that Orwell wrestles with in 1984 and that have obvious parallels to today's world. The cult of personality build around the party leader in 1984 really seems to mirror the lionization of celebrity and politicians in the 21st century.