I've often struggled to articulate my own ultimate "whys", or the reasons behind why I do what I do, and otherwise understand my own unique contributions. I've always loved technology for its own sake (still do), but I could never put my finger on why I've made it my vocation, rather than a hobby. I think the answer has something to do with what I'm pithily summarizing as 'Make technology human.'

Probably the grandaddy of all practical start-up books, Running Lean describes exactly how to create a technology company using 'Lean' methodology. I found it useful as a framework for planning most anything as it forces you to focus on only the essential information you need to get started solving a problem. Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, especially if you work in tech.

You may not have noticed, but there has been a quiet revolution happening. And indeed it isn’t the kind you would notice, if only as a vague tingling that something is different. It is happening in the screens we all stare at for hours a day, on our desks and in our pockets.

This controversial book on personal finance by self-help godfather Tony Robbins follows a similar template as his other material; crazy promises, followed by good information, all completely dependent on what you actually do with it. I don't consider myself any sort of expert with money, but I consider myself financially fluent and there were some good insights here. The best part about this book is Robbins convincing you in his trademark style to start saving NOW, and if it gets anyone to do that, the price of this book is well worth it.

You probably already know what the Tao Te Ching is. But in the off chance you don't, it is nothing less than thousands of years of Eastern philosophy, synthesized into short little verses. I myself only got interested in Eastern philosophy after college (after I'd been corrupted by the westerners!), and I consider it a shame it took me so long to read this one. Because once you read it, you never truly finish. Each verse contains a depth one can never truly fathom, but of course the search is the rewarding part. Seriously, read this.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is arguably the most famous philosophical text in the US (or at least the one most recognized by pop culture).Zen strikes me as pop culture philosophy (and I mean that non-perjoratively), an approachable text that has as much emotional appeal as rational appeal. I almost wish I could've read this without the spectre of all those other 'serious' philosophers whispering in my ear, unconsciously pointing out flaws in Pirsig's laborious, but ultimately rewarding inquiry into Quality. This was still a satisfying read, if only because it isn't written like a philosophical text and provokes thought on some well established philosophical ideals.

Woo boy, this one's a doozy. I've actually read the Four Hour Workweek many times, only this time I decided to take notes. If you haven't heard of Tim Ferriss, stop right now and buy this book. It may just change the way you think about your career and what you're doing in this world (it certainly did me). I'm an unabashed Tim Ferriss fanboy, and even if you never actually do anything described in this book, getting insight into Tim's alternate way of thinking about the world is worth the price of admission.

You may not have heard of Charlie Munger. But you probably have heard of Warren Buffett. While Warren Buffett gets all the press, Charlie Munger has been his right hand man, almost since the beginning of Buffett's rise to financial icon. This book describes exactly how Munger (and by extension Buffett) uses a handful of mental models to think not only about investing, but business, life, and everything in between. It is a stunning manual of practical advice for how to thrive in life, and it is one of those books I always come back to.

This book is probably the most well-known manual of Stoic philosophy out there. It is chock full of practical advice and Stoic wisdom on how we should live, and it remains remarkably relevant and prescient today. There isn't much to say about this book that hasn't already been said, so if you're at all curious about life's big questions, it is well worth the read.

Derek Sivers is an 'accidental' entrepreneur who created the company CD Baby to help musicians sell their music online, then later sold it for $22 million. His path to business owner isn't something you'll find as a case study in MBA school, and he's never studied business or even aspired to be an entrepreneur. For this reason, "Anything You Want" is an intriguing account of entrepreneurship in the purest sense, and of business as a utopian ideal that is rarely manifested in popular culture.