Richard Branson
Founder and CEO of Virgin Group
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by Richard Branson
“Thrilled to share the new book from @JeanOelwang, founding CEO and president of @VirginUnite. Partnering is about forging the deep connections that make great things happen: https://t.co/BFDO3nXicc @PlusWonder #PartneringtheBook” (from X)
Some of the most successful people in the world all have a secret power - their partnerships. It's not their technical skills or experiences that matter most, it is their ability to partner: to forge deep connections. As the President and founding CEO of Virgin Unite and the co-founder of Plus Wonder, Jean Oelwang has had a ringside seat to remarkable people and has learned how they build deep business and personal relationships. She has spent over 15 years working with some of the world's greatest partnerships like Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel, Archbishop Desmond and Leah Tutu, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Ben and Jerry, and the cofounders of AirBnB, all of whom, due to their partnerships, learned to become better versions of themselves, which directly multiplied their positive impact on the world. In Partnering, Oelwang illuminates the core principles that weaves through sixty extraordinary partnerships and collaborations. Remarkably, these six elegant principles are common to meaningful partnerships of all types: friends, family, business, and romantic. They are also at the center of most great human collaborations, like closing the ozone hole and ending apartheid in South Africa. In this book you'll find daily rituals for staying connected, practical tools for disagreeing respectfully, virtues that deepen your relationship, and a blueprint for expanding small partnerships into large-scale collaborations. Partnering is a refreshing antidote to a disconnected and divided world. It is the answer to how we can increase depth and meaning in all of our most important relationships. All the author's proceeds from Partnering will be donated to Plus Wonder, an independent not-for-profit initiative to inspire people to forge partnerships in service of a greater purpose.
Recommended by Richard Branson
“After hearing @drwilliamli discuss his brilliant book, #EatToBeatDisease, at a @VirginUnite gathering, I’m feeling inspired by the power that lies in our food choices: https://t.co/djAp4h35Q3” (from X)
by William W Li MD·You?
by William W Li MD·You?
Eat your way to better health with this New York Times bestseller on food's ability to help the body heal itself from cancer, dementia, and dozens of other avoidable diseases. Forget everything you think you know about your body and food, and discover the new science of how the body heals itself. Learn how to identify the strategies and dosages for using food to transform your resilience and health in Eat to Beat Disease. We have radically underestimated our body's power to transform and restore our health. Pioneering physician scientist, Dr. William Li, empowers readers by showing them the evidence behind over 200 health-boosting foods that can starve cancer, reduce your risk of dementia, and beat dozens of avoidable diseases. Eat to Beat Disease isn't about what foods to avoid, but rather is a life-changing guide to the hundreds of healing foods to add to your meals that support the body's defense systems, including: PlumsCinnamonJasmine teaRed wine and beerBlack BeansSan Marzano tomatoesOlive oilPacific oystersCheeses like Jarlsberg, Camembert and cheddarSourdough bread The book's plan shows you how to integrate the foods you already love into any diet or health plan to activate your body's health defense systems-Angiogenesis, Regeneration, Microbiome, DNA Protection, and Immunity-to fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative autoimmune diseases, and other debilitating conditions. Both informative and practical, Eat to Beat Disease explains the science of healing and prevention, the strategies for using food to actively transform health, and points the science of wellbeing and disease prevention in an exhilarating new direction.
Recommended by Richard Branson
“Interesting read from @GuyKawasaki as he shares some surprising entrepreneurial stories from his life in his new book: https://t.co/Q9fLwB9LR9” (from X)
by Guy Kawasaki·You?
by Guy Kawasaki·You?
Silicon Valley icon and bestselling author Guy Kawasaki shares the unlikely stories of his life and the lessons we can draw from them. Guy Kawasaki has been a fixture in the tech world since he was part of Apple's original Macintosh team in the 1980s. He's widely respected as a source of wisdom about entrepreneurship, venture capital, marketing, and business evangelism, which he's shared in bestselling books such as The Art of the Start and Enchantment. But before all that, he was just a middle-class kid in Hawaii, a grandson of Japanese immigrants, who loved football and got a C+ in 9th grade English. Wise Guy, his most personal book, is about his surprising journey. It's not a traditional memoir but a series of vignettes. He toyed with calling it Miso Soup for the Soul, because these stories (like those in the Chicken Soup series) reflect a wide range of experiences that have enlightened and inspired him. For instance, you'll follow Guy as he . . . Gets his first real job in the jewelry business--which turned out to be surprisingly useful training for the tech world. Disparages one of Apple's potential partners in front of that company's CEO, at the sneaky instigation of Steve Jobs. Blows up his Apple career with a single sentence, after Jobs withholds a pre-release copy of the Think Different ad campaign: "That's okay, Steve, I don't trust you either." Reevaluates his self-importance after being mistaken for Jackie Chan by four young women. Takes up surfing at age 62--which teaches him that you can discover a new passion at any age, but younger is easier! Guy covers everything from moral values to business skills to parenting. As he writes, "I hope my stories help you live a more joyous, productive, and meaningful life. If Wise Guy succeeds at this, then that's the best story of all."
Recommended by Richard Branson
“Perfect is boring and you can always learn a lot from your mum! Completely agree @TyraBanks and can’t wait to read about your fascinating journey from supermodel to super-entrepreneur in your new book https://t.co/1DvBh3BF3l https://t.co/2FjoEhRIXS” (from X)
by Tyra Banks, Carolyn London·You?
by Tyra Banks, Carolyn London·You?
Supermodel and super CEO of our time Tyra Banks and her mother Carolyn show readers why when you kick perfection to the curb and showcase your unique beauty ain't nobody gonna stop you! In Perfect Is Boring, Tyra Banks and her mother, Carolyn, get raw, real and cray-in-a-good-way as they share what they’ve learned on Tyra’s journey from insecure preteen to supermodel and entrepreneurial powerhouse. Though she’ll be the first to tell you she is not her daughter’s best friend—‘cause she ain’t that kinda mama!—there’s no doubt that Carolyn’s signature mix of pep talks and tough love got Tyra to where she is today, and here they pay it forward to empower readers with a reminder that perfect really isn’t all that. Whether they’re writing about watching Tyra’s most imperfect moment go viral (Does “Be Quiet Tiffany!” ring any bells?), no-holds-barred sex talks or how they’ve overcome everything from fashion industry discrimination to media fat-shaming and a misguided attempt at a music career, they never lose their sense of humor or we-got-your-back-spirit. Full of smart, wise, and often hilarious lessons for mothers, daughters, fathers and sons everywhere—including “Take Responsibility for Yourself,” “Lip Gloss + Pizza Sauce = Boss,” and “Fix It or Flaunt It”—Perfect Is Boring is a must-read for anyone who needs a kick in the booty, a pat on the back, or a good reason to laugh-out-loud.
Recommended by Richard Branson
“An interesting, thought-provoking read.” (from Amazon)
by William W Li MD·You?
by William W Li MD·You?
The pioneering physician scientist behind the New York Times bestseller Eat to Beat Disease reveals the science of eating your way to healthy weight loss. In his first groundbreaking book, Dr. William Li explored the world of food as medicine. By eating foods that you already enjoy, like tomatoes, blueberries, sourdough bread, and dark chocolate your body activates its five health defense systems to fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative autoimmune diseases, and other debilitating conditions. Now in Eat to Beat Your Diet, Dr. Li introduces the surprising new science of weight loss, revealing healthy body fat can help you lose weight; your metabolism at 60 can be the same as when you were 20; yo-yo dieting can be good for your health; 8-hour fasting windows can be as effective as 12-hour fasting windows; and losing just a little bit of weight can have big impacts on your health. Eat to Beat Your Diet shows readers how adding the right foods to your diet can heal your metabolism, reduce unhealthy body fat, and result in the kind of weight loss that can increase your lifespan and help you thrive. Foods like: Tomatoes Avocado Watermelon Carrots Blueberries Dark Chocolate Mushrooms Lentils Purple Maize Apple Cider Vinegar Turmeric Lobster Mussel Caviar Oysters Sea Bass Green Tea Soy Milk Coffee Pomegranate Juice Both informative and practical, Dr. Li offers a four-week meal plan for food lovers; easy food swaps and shopping tips; and more than a month of crowd-pleasing recipes.
Recommended by Richard Branson
“Extraordinarily beautiful book by the most extraordinary woman. Perhaps the greatest advocate our oceans have ever had.” (from Amazon)
by Sylvia A. Earle·You?
by Sylvia A. Earle·You?
Discover the world's ocean--from tides and currents to the creatures living in it to the impact it has on our lives, whether we know it or not--in this richly illustrated overview of the life force that defines and sustains our planet, written by world-renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Everything you want to know about the ocean can be found inside these beautiful and dynamic pages. National Geographic Ocean unveils the power and significance of our planet's watery essence: the fundamental importance of the ocean in shaping Earth's climate and chemistry as well as its vital role in supporting a multitude of life-forms, including our own human race. World-renowned oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Sylvia Earle--affectionately called "Her Deepness"--guides readers with her lyrical style and inspiring wisdom, describing the evolution, beauty, and impact of our ocean; the challenges it faces, such as climate change, plastic, and overfishing; and the myriad ways we can help protect it. This engaging story of the ocean celebrates dozens of ocean champions and visionaries, explores the ocean's origin and the nature of water, and features a gallery of wondrous creatures that illustrate the spectacular diversity of life in the sea, from sponges, kelp, and zooplankton to whales, sharks, and sea turtles. More than 100 maps and diagrams, including seafloor and political maps of all Earth's seas and oceans, elucidate Dr. Earle's lively narrative. For seaside dwellers and landlubbers alike, this is a book you will turn to again and again to understand why, as Sylvia Earle says, "Everyone, everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea." Dive deeper into ocean discovery with more National Geographic favorites: Into the DeepThe Nature of Nature100 Dives of a LifetimeSecrets of the WhalesPristine SeasShark
Recommended by Richard Branson
“There could not be a more important book.” (from Amazon)
by Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac·You?
by Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac·You?
A cautionary but optimistic book about the world’s changing climate and the fate of humanity, from Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac—who led negotiations for the United Nations during the historic Paris Agreement of 2015. The authors outline two possible scenarios for our planet. In one, they describe what life on Earth will be like by 2050 if we fail to meet the Paris Agreement’s climate targets. In the other, they lay out what it will be like to live in a regenerative world that has net-zero emissions. They argue for confronting the climate crisis head-on, with determination and optimism. The Future We Choose presents our options and tells us what governments, corporations, and each of us can, and must, do to fend off disaster.
Recommended by Richard Branson
“Trailblazer is an urgent and compelling book for anyone in business who yearns to fulfill a higher mission in the world. Marc’s powerful and poignant stories of leadership remind each of us what we can achieve when we abandon 'business as usual' and make our values the driving force of our work.” (from Amazon)
by Marc Benioff, Monica Langley·You?
by Marc Benioff, Monica Langley·You?
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The founder and co-CEO of Salesforce delivers an inspiring vision for successful companies of the future—in which changing the world is everyone’s business. “An urgent and compelling book for anyone in business who yearns to fulfill a higher mission in the world.”—Richard Branson What’s the secret to business growth and innovation and a purpose-driven career in a world that is becoming vastly more complicated by the day? According to Marc Benioff, the answer is embracing a culture in which your values permeate everything you do. In Trailblazer, Benioff gives readers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of one of the world’s most admired companies. He reveals how Salesforce’s core values—trust, customer success, innovation, and equality—and commitment to giving back have become the company’s greatest competitive advantage and the most powerful engine of its success. Because no matter what business you’re in, Benioff says, values are the bedrock of a resilient company culture that inspires all employees, at every level, to do the best work of their lives. Along the way, he shares insights and best practices for anyone who wants to cultivate a company culture positioned to thrive in the face of the inevitable disruption ahead. None of us in the business world can afford to sit on the sidelines and ignore what’s going on outside the walls of our workplaces. In the future, profits and progress will no longer be sustainable unless they serve the greater good. Whether you run a company, lead a small team, or have just draped an ID badge around your neck for the first time, Trailblazer reveals how anyone can become an agent of change. Praise for Trailblazer “A guide for what every business and organization must do to thrive in this period of profound political and economic change.”—Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase “In Trailblazer, Benioff explores how companies can nurture a values-based culture to become powerful platforms for change.”—Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
Recommended by Richard Branson
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Luke Rhinehart·You?
by Luke Rhinehart·You?
The cult classic that can still change your life...Let the dice decide! This is the philosophy that changes the life of bored psychiatrist Luke Rhinehart - and in some ways changes the world as well. Because once you hand over your life to the dice, anything can happen. Entertaining, humorous, scary, shocking, subversive, The Dice Man is one of the cult bestsellers of our time.
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Arthur Ransome·You?
by Arthur Ransome·You?
For anyone who loves sailing and adventure, Arthur Ransome's classic Swallows and Amazons series stands alone. Originally published in the UK over a half-century ago, these books are still eagerly read by children, despite their length and their decidedly British protagonists. We attribute their success to two facts: first, Ransome is a great storyteller and, second, he clearly writes from first-hand experience. Independence and initiative are qualities any child can understand, and every volume in this collection celebrates these virtues. Swallows and Amazons, the book that started it all in 1930, introduces the Walker family, the camp on Wild Cat Island, the able-bodied catboat "Swallow", and the two intrepid Amazons, plucky Nancy and Peggy Blackett. (All 12 novels in the Swallows and Amazons series have been brought to life in the U.S. in print by David R. Godine, Publisher.)
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Jung Chang, Jon Halliday·You?
by Jung Chang, Jon Halliday·You?
“Ever since the spectacular success of Chang’s Wild Swans we have waited impatiently for her to complete with her husband this monumental study of China’s most notorious modern leader. The expectation has been that she would rewrite modern Chinese history. The wait has been worthwhile and the expectation justified. This is a bombshell of a book.” –Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, in The Times (London) Based on a decade of research and on interviews with many of Mao’s close circle in China who have never talked before–and with virtually everyone outside China who had significant dealings with him–this is the most authoritative life of Mao ever written. It is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the Long March, and showing a completely unknown Mao: he was not driven by idealism or ideology; his intimate and intricate relationship with Stalin went back to the 1920s, ultimately bringing him to power; he welcomed Japanese occupation of much of China; and he schemed, poisoned and blackmailed to get his way. After Mao conquered China in 1949, his secret goal was to dominate the world. In chasing this dream he caused the deaths of 38 million people in the greatest famine in history. In all, well over 70 million Chinese perished under Mao’s rule–in peacetime. Combining meticulous research with the story-telling style of Wild Swans, this biography offers a harrowing portrait of Mao’s ruthless accumulation of power through the exercise of terror: his first victims were the peasants, then the intellectuals and, finally, the inner circle of his own advisors. The reader enters the shadowy chambers of Mao’s court and eavesdrops on the drama in its hidden recesses. Mao’s character and the enormity of his behavior toward his wives, mistresses and children are unveiled for the first time. This is an entirely fresh look at Mao in both content and approach. It will astonish historians and the general reader alike.
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Mandela Nelson·You?
by Mandela Nelson·You?
HardCover. Pub Date :2013-12-12 Language: English Publisher: Little. Brown The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time. A Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson . Mandelas destiny Emotive. compelling and uplifting. A Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship. resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader 19902 11. . Mandela smiling with vigorous pace and victor . took the prison doors . As the most famous prisoner in the world . after a career of 27 years in prison and was released from prison after four years of fighting experience. he has not only been elected as President of the South African people . but also to his perfect morality has won world acclaim. Under the leadership of Nelson Mandela . Sou...
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Stacy Perman·You?
“This book grills up an enjoyable read for both avid foodies and novice diners alike! Perman’s sneak peek into the fascinating history of In-N-Out is as good as the delicious burgers themselves.” —Mario Batali, celebrity chef and author of Molto Italiano A behind-the-counter look at the fast-food chain that breaks all the rules, Stacy Perman’s In-N-Out Burger is the New York Times bestselling inside story of the family behind the California-based hamburger chain with a cult following large enough to rival the Grateful Dead’s. A juicy unauthorized history of a small business-turned-big business titan, In-N-Out Burger was named one of Fast Company magazine’s Best Business Books of 2009, and Fortune Small Business insists that it “should be required reading for family business owners, alongside Rich Cohen’s Sweet and Low and Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks.”
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Al Gore·You?
Gore's bestselling book is now adapted for perhaps the most important audience of all: today's youth, who have no choice but to confront the planetary emergency head-on. Bursting with color photos, this book clearly explains global warming. (Environmental Studies)
Recommended by Richard Branson
by John Steinbeck·You?
by John Steinbeck·You?
An intimate journey across America, as told by one of its most beloved writers To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colors and the light—these were John Steinbeck's goals as he set out, at the age of fifty-eight, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years. With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and the unexpected kindness of strangers.
Recommended by Richard Branson
by Matthew Syed·You?
Nobody wants to fail. But in highly complex organizations, success can happen only when we confront our mistakes, learn from our own version of a black box, and create a climate where it’s safe to fail. We all have to endure failure from time to time, whether it’s underperforming at a job interview, flunking an exam, or losing a pickup basketball game. But for people working in safety-critical industries, getting it wrong can have deadly consequences. Consider the shocking fact that preventable medical error is the third-biggest killer in the United States, causing more than 400,000 deaths every year. More people die from mistakes made by doctors and hospitals than from traffic accidents. And most of those mistakes are never made public, because of malpractice settlements with nondisclosure clauses. For a dramatically different approach to failure, look at aviation. Every passenger aircraft in the world is equipped with an almost indestructible black box. Whenever there’s any sort of mishap, major or minor, the box is opened, the data is analyzed, and experts figure out exactly what went wrong. Then the facts are published and procedures are changed, so that the same mistakes won’t happen again. By applying this method in recent decades, the industry has created an astonishingly good safety record. Few of us put lives at risk in our daily work as surgeons and pilots do, but we all have a strong interest in avoiding predictable and preventable errors. So why don’t we all embrace the aviation approach to failure rather than the health-care approach? As Matthew Syed shows in this eye-opening book, the answer is rooted in human psychology and organizational culture. Syed argues that the most important determinant of success in any field is an acknowledgment of failure and a willingness to engage with it. Yet most of us are stuck in a relationship with failure that impedes progress, halts innovation, and damages our careers and personal lives. We rarely acknowledge or learn from failure—even though we often claim the opposite. We think we have 20/20 hindsight, but our vision is usually fuzzy. Syed draws on a wide range of sources—from anthropology and psychology to history and complexity theory—to explore the subtle but predictable patterns of human error and our defensive responses to error. He also shares fascinating stories of individuals and organizations that have successfully embraced a black box approach to improvement, such as David Beckham, the Mercedes F1 team, and Dropbox.