Best Books for Men

Almost 90 years old and still the first book I recommend to any man. Carnegie's core idea is simple: people are driven by emotion and pride far more than logic. If you understand that, you can become a better leader, a better friend and someone people genuinely respect.

Key lessons

• Don't criticise, condemn or complain. Criticism makes people defensive, not better.
• Give honest appreciation. Sincere praise is rare, so it is remembered.
• Remember names. A person's own name matters more to them than almost any other word.
• Talk about what the other person cares about, not what you care about.
• You can't win an argument. Even when you "win", the other person resents you.
• Never tell a man directly that he is wrong. Help him discover it himself.
• Ask questions instead of giving orders. People support what they help create.

This is the book that got a whole generation talking about assets, liabilities and financial freedom. Kiyosaki compares the advice of two father figures: his educated "poor dad" who worked for a paycheck, and his friend's "rich dad" who built businesses and bought assets. It is an easy, entertaining read that changes how you look at your income.

Key lessons

• The rich don't work for money; they make money work for them.
• Buy assets, not liabilities. An asset puts money in your pocket; a liability takes it out. By this definition, your car and often your house are liabilities.
• Build financial intelligence: accounting, investing, understanding markets and knowing the law.
• Work to learn, not just to earn. Early in your career, pick jobs that teach you sales, management and communication.
• Five obstacles hold people back: fear, cynicism, laziness, bad habits and arrogance.

Wealth tips from the book, in my own words

• Your mind is your biggest asset, so invest in it first.
• Failure pushes winners forward and stops losers.
• Spend time with people who know more than you, and listen more than you talk.
• Your profit is decided when you buy, not when you sell, so buy well.
• Replace "I can't afford it" with "How can I afford it?" The first ends thinking; the second starts it.
• Have a bigger reason than just money, or you will quit when it gets hard.

Hill said he spent about 20 years studying hundreds of successful people of his era, encouraged by the industrialist Andrew Carnegie, to find out what they had in common. The result is a book of 13 principles for turning a desire into a result. Some parts feel dated, but the core message about clear goals and persistence has not aged.

The 13 principles

The steps build on each other: a burning desire and faith, strengthened through self-suggestion, then knowledge, imagination, planning and quick decisions, backed by persistence and a supportive "mastermind" group of people.

Covey argues that real success comes from principles and character, not personality hacks. The first three habits move you from dependence to independence, the next three teach you to work with others, and the last keeps you growing.

The 7 habits

1. Be proactive – focus on what you can control.
2. Begin with the end in mind – know what you want your life to stand for.
3. Put first things first – do the important work before the urgent noise.
4. Think win-win – look for deals where both sides gain.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood – listen before you argue.
6. Synergise – good teams create more than individuals can.
7. Sharpen the saw – keep investing in your body, mind, relationships and spirit.

A new addition to this list and the most practical book here. Clear shows that success is the result of small habits repeated daily. Getting just 1% better each day compounds into huge change over a year.

Key lessons

• Focus on systems, not goals. Winners and losers often have the same goals; their daily systems differ.
• Change your identity. Don't aim to "run a marathon"; aim to become "a runner".
• To build a good habit, make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying.
• To break a bad habit, do the opposite: make it invisible, unattractive, difficult and unsatisfying.

Greene studied 3,000 years of history, from royal courts to con artists, and distilled how power is gained, kept and lost into 48 laws. Each law comes with historical stories of people who followed it and people who broke it. The laws fall into a few big themes:

• Reputation and image: guard your reputation, control how you are seen, and never make your success look too easy or too perfect.
• Saying less and hiding intentions: the less people know about your plans, the less they can block them.
• Handling superiors: never make your boss feel outshone.
• Strategy and timing: plan to the end, act boldly, concentrate your energy and know when to strike or withdraw.
• Reading people: understand what each person wants or fears before you deal with them.

Deida writes about a man's life purpose, his relationships with women and his inner growth. His main message: a man should live with a clear mission and give it his full presence, and not let comfort, fear or a relationship pull him away from it. The book is written in short chapters, so you can read one a day and think about it.

Glover describes the "Nice Guy Syndrome": men who try to be perfect and pleasing, hoping others will love them and meet their needs in return. It rarely works, and it leads to resentment. The book teaches you to set boundaries, express your needs directly, take care of yourself and stop hiding your real self. Being a good man is different from being a "nice guy".

Despite the title, this is not a book about not caring. It is about choosing carefully what you care about. Manson argues that life always involves problems, so the real question is which problems you are willing to struggle for. Taking responsibility for everything in your life, even things that are not your fault, is where your power begins.

This ancient Chinese military text is short enough to finish in an evening, but you can reread it for years. Its lessons apply well beyond the battlefield:

• Know yourself and know your opponent, and you will not fear the result.
• The best victory is won without fighting.
• Win first, then go to battle. Preparation decides the outcome.
• Attack weakness, avoid strength, and adapt like water to the situation.