16 inspiring biographies

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker presents a selection of unusual and motivating biographies that will help you come to new discoveries, cope with setbacks and find harmony with yourself.

1. "Steve Jobs", Walter Isaacson

The story of Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs, retold by Walter Isaacson, is one of the most popular modern biographies, often referenced in various business book collections. Steve Jobs explores the life and career of one of the 21st century's most influential entrepreneurs, his great failure and how it helped him succeed and conquer the world.

2. "Silicon Valley Billionaire" by Paul Allen

The Microsoft co-founder talks in his autobiography about the company's early years and growth, his difficult and close relationship with Gates. In this book, you will find a couple of ideas on how to start your own business, interact with partners, make money and, most importantly, how to spend it.

3. "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the road to the future", Ashley Vance

Ashley Vance's book is a study of the personality of a brilliant engineer from childhood to the present day. The journalist is ready to share information received directly from Musk about how the inventor lives, how much time he devotes to his family and how he creates his futuristic projects. Vance's book is not only a reference, but also a source of inspiration for any innovator.

4. The Social Network by David Kirkpatrick

David Kirkpatrick's book is the true story of the creation of the # 1 social network with over half a billion users. The main character of the story, Mark Zuckerberg, himself provided the journalist with unlimited access to information about himself and Facebook, so the facts presented in the book can be considered as reliable as possible.

5. "Delivering happiness" by Tony Shay

Tony Shay is an internet entrepreneur and CEO of the online store Zappos. The autobiography tells about the life and formation of a businessman: from opening a worm farm at the age of nine to the creation of Zappos and LinkExchange, which were later bought by Amazon and Microsoft. This cheerful story will help young entrepreneurs make their business even more useful and profitable.

6. "Make Your Mark," Blake Micosky

Blake Maikosky is an American entrepreneur, writer and philanthropist best known as the founder of Toms Shoes. She is famous not only for her espadrilles, but also for the fact that when buying a pair of shoes, the same goes to poor children with foot diseases. In his book, Maikoski talks not only about how to make a profit, but also how to start a business that will benefit people.

7. "Shoe Salesman" by Phil Knight

The Shoe Salesman is another success story, this time of Nike creator Phil Knight, who couldn't afford to buy Adidas sneakers as a kid. This book will tell you how an entrepreneur started a firm that became a serious competitor to the company with three stripes. In addition, The Shoe Seller will reveal what happened to the waitress who drew the Nike logo for $ 30, and how an aeronautical engineer from NASA came up with the famous Air Max.

8. “How Starbucks Was Built Cup by Cup,” Howard Schultz

The business autobiography of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is not an ordinary success story, but a cautionary tale that proves that a company can make high profits and not abandon its principles. Howard Schultz says that treating employees and customers with love and respect, producing the highest quality product and providing the right service are fundamentals that should not be sacrificed even during the most difficult times for the company.

9. "Losing Your Innocence" by Richard Branson

The autobiography of multibillionaire Richard Branson will appeal to those who want to become an entrepreneur, build a successful business, or simply learn how the Virgin empire was built. This book talks about the exciting journey and tremendous results that can await someone who has an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to embody it. Branson began his career selling defective Virgin records. At the moment, the Virgin Group includes more than 400 companies of various profiles, and the number of employees of the corporation exceeds 50 thousand people.

10. "My Life, My Achievements," Henry Ford

The book of an outstanding American industrialist is not a collection of abstract general guidelines for starting and running a business, but a reference book with applied information. Henry Ford teaches the wisdom of everyday life in simple words, he also explains the most complex industrial relations with the same words, supporting what was said with examples - models that are workable even after a hundred years.

11. "Autobiography", Alex Ferguson

The autobiography of former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will appeal not only to football fans. This book is the story of an unusually strong man who knows very well that there are no big victories without heavy disappointments.

12. Life in the Cast by Brian Cranston

Cast Life is an extremely honest story of a career full of ups and downs, the autobiography of a man who has come a long way to becoming a movie star. Brian Cranston talks about his past, viewing each of his life status as a role in a movie, be it a painter or a murder suspect. The book will appeal to all lovers of fascinating non-fiction literature and Cranston fans in particular.

13. "How to write books" by Stephen King

If biographies of successful entrepreneurs don't inspire you, you might like Stephen King's memoir. If you have to write for work, and already tired of textbooks on journalism and philology, then "How to write books" is a great way to take a break from boring manuals. If you are just starting to write, then King's biography is also suitable: the author talks to the reader without arrogance, on an equal footing, motivating him to be creative.

14. Into the Wild by John Krakauer

Biography of Christopher McCandless, an American downshifter traveler who went to an uninhabited part of Alaska with a small supply of food and equipment, hoping to live some time in solitude. “In the wild” is an example of dedication and readiness of a person to give up the benefits of civilization in search of peace of mind. The end of this story is sad, but McCandless's philosophy is close to many.

15. “My autobiography. Advice to a Young Merchant, Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin's story has inspired many, from Dale Carnegie to Elon Musk. In an autobiography, a politician, scientist, and journalist shares advice with those who are just starting their careers, looking for new ideas, or simply interested in history.

16. "12 Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup

The autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free-born African American who, by coincidence, fell into slavery. This book teaches that even in the most seemingly hopeless situations, you cannot give up and lose hope. The adaptation of this story won an Oscar for Best Picture in 2013.