A New Approach to Reading and the Best Books I Read in 2025

This year I made a radical change in the way I read – I embraced Nancy Pearl, Ryan Holiday, and Tim Ferris’ advice to stop reading books that did not catch my attention in the first x pages, where x = (100 – my current age). Prior to this year, I endured books that looked promising and regrettably never delivered. It is not that they were bad books. I started reading them with high hopes and after careful research. However, they were just not the right books for me. Thus, after acknowledging that there are too many good books that I want to read and not enough time to read them all, the advice of not finishing every book I started resonated loud enough to make me rethink my approach to reading (Adam Grant would be proud!). As a result, my reading experience improved, and I got more out of the books I did read.

Without further ado, below is the list of the best books I read in 2025, excluding the titles I already shared in the 2025 Reading Booster at the beginning of the summer. For more resources, check out the posts for the best books I read in 2023 and 2024. Enjoy the readings!

Artificial Intelligence

• Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick – This is the best book I have come across to understand and leverage AI for our individual and collective benefit. If you read one book about AI, this is the one to pick!

• Superagency by Reid Hoffman – This book focuses on large language models, exposing their virtues and limitations.  I appreciated the author’s candor on the current maturity of large language models and the historical analogies to the disruption they might enable.

• Chip War by Chris Miller – Artificial Intelligence is commonly expressed in terms of data, algorithms, and computing power. However, none of these concepts would make sense without chips. Miller provides an informative story of the chip and the geopolitical implications around their manufacturing.

Behavior

• Strong Ground by Brene Brown – This is a much-needed continuation of the Dare to Lead concepts, emphasizing a plethora of best practices to lead successful transformations with empathy and respect. I found the analysis of managers vs. leaders intriguing and valuable, given the common belief that the latter is superior.

• Win the Inside Game by Steve Magness – This book is full of best practices, ranging from dealing with stress to the definition of success. One gem the book offers is an insightful and practical framework for sustainable excellence based on values, choosing the right pursuits, and belonging to the right community (instead of fitting in).

• Resurface by Cassidy Krug – Transformations are part of life, and Krug presents a fresh perspective to identify, manage, and benefit from them. I really liked the central idea of seeing transformations as processes we get in, move through, and get out instead of discrete events that have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Productivity

• 4 Days a Week by Juliet Schor – This book provides the facts behind the benefits and downsides of a 4-day week and how to implement this new work approach. I welcomed the idea that the time we devote to our pursuits should be based on our values and goals instead of the actual time we invest.

• Free Time by Jenny Blake – Blake’s book is a practical guide to value creation with joy and ease. I found the concepts provided equally relevant to startups and large organizations. Some of the tools she presented in the book are starting to get outdated, but the solutions she describes are perennial to anyone seeking productivity at work and in life.

• The 5 AM Club by Robi Sharma – The overarching story made me skeptical of this book, but the underlying principles are backed by science and presented in a simple manner. The idea of starting the day by taking care of your body, mind, and spirit is extremely powerful to maximize one’s potential.

Communication

• Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz – Short is not shallow! This short book provides a guide to make any communication effective and efficient.

• Doesn’t Hurt to Ask by Trey Gowdy – The theme of this book is persuasion. In particular, the author proposes a logical persuasion framework based on curiosity, true understanding of everyone’s needs, and respect.

• Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo – The author identifies and explains the themes that the most impactful TED talks have in common. I found this book full of practical advice that is easy to implement and supported by science.

Leadership

• On Character by Stanley McChrystal – A simple definition of character (conviction + discipline) invites a reflection of who we are and our contribution to the ones we serve. This was a refreshing reminder of servant leadership and how much we need it.

• Earn the Right to Win by Tom Coughlin – Coach Coughlin presents the leadership framework that he used to lead his teams to success. The concept of LIDO (learn from it and drive on) caught my attention, as it reflects an environment that embraces psychological safety as a pre-requisite to develop high-performing teams.

• How to Fall in Love with Questions by Elizabeth Weingarten – If leaders are the ones who ask good questions, then this book is a must read for any current or future leader. The author shows us the different types of questions and how to wrestle with them. I particularly liked the concept of exploring and exploiting as a virtuous cycle.

  
  

Biographies

• On Call by Anthony Fauci – Little did I know, Fauci devoted his career to fight AIDS before Covid-19 catapulted him into center stage. This is the story of the man that became the face of US health institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with his thoughts on politics, life, and leadership.

• It Worked for Me by Colin Powell – Colin provides sound wisdom from years of experience, candidly exploring what worked and what didn’t.

• All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley – This book reads like a novel, but it is the memoir of an art museum guard. The story brings to life the profound impact of art and its beauty into who we are and how we interpret the world around us.

Innovation

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert – Gilbert presents a deep exploration of the creative process and what it takes to navigate it. I appreciated the author’s take on the role that curiosity plays in allowing us to exploit our creativity.

• Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross – The authors present a rigorous explanation of why and how art impacts the way we learn, explore, and create.

• How We Learn by Benedict Carey – The topics covered in this book explore not just how learn, but also how we achieve breakthroughs. I found worth noticing the emphasis on proper sleep as a lever to learn and enable creativity.

Other

• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara – I never thought of hospitality as a lever to deliver tangible impact. However, this book opened by eyes to delighting a customer through a customized experience that focuses on value.

• Put Your Heart on the Page by Anne Perry – I have never found so many best practices for aspiring writers in one book. Bird by Bird got a sequel. What a treat!

• What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami – This is the best book I have read about endurance sports as a life metaphor. Read this book if you are an endurance athlete (or if you want to understand one).