100 Books Like The Joyless Economy

What is human development to have real economic and social progress?

Creating Capabilities written by the philosopher Martha Nussbaum is perhaps the book that best explains what human development is according to the Capability Approach, originally conceived by the Nobel Prize–winning economist Amartya Sen.

The explanation distinguishes between internal individual capabilities and environmental opportunities that give the freedom to exercise them. In this way, the author links the psychological aspect with the socio-economic aspect of capabilities.

The main purpose of the book is normative, that is, to recommend what government should do.

But it leaves open the question of why economic growth does not automatically lead to human development.

I love this book because it summarizes in a few pages a lot of scientific work on a very slippery and thorny topic: early education.

It is not a self-help book; it does not provide detailed advice to parents. It rather demonstrates three principles that can inspire policy as well as educators’ actions.

First, people’s skills and personalities are not determined only by genes, but can be changed as the environment interacts with genes.

Second, inequality due to the birth lottery is not diminishing in the US, but is rather increasing.

Third, investing in adolescent education could enlarge inequality, whereas investing in the quality of early education improves both equity and efficiency, and is much rewarding.

Will policies be able to be so far-sighted and to intervene on parenting?

This book is one of the most effective attacks against the market tendency to commercialize any good, ending up corroding what is most intrinsically human in social relationships and in people's intimate lives.

The effectiveness of the book lies in the examples, ranging from the sale of kidneys to paying someone to be substituted in the queue.

The most important lesson of the book is that market-driven economic growth has not only transformed the environment to make our lives more comfortable, thus hitting the limit in environmental degradation, but it has also transformed ourselves, because it has made us more consumers and less human.

This silent transformation - the philosopher Sandel teaches us - must be limited.

I like this book because it does not simply show how income inequality affects happiness inequality, thus suggesting that unhappiness is just a sign of material disadvantage.

The book also links income and happiness to hope, which is a feeling that motivates people to plan and invest for the future. 

To convince the sceptical reader about measuring hope and happiness, Carol Graham provides an abundance of empirical evidence.

But being an economist, in addition to telling emblematic stories, she reports evidence based on large samples and international data.

It is a challenging book, but rewarding, because it helps to understand both how the exhaustion of the American Dream will affect the future, and where to look for new hope.

I was so inspired by the “movement” approach Brains on Fire (the agency) presented in this eponymous title, I reached out to work with them. What resulted is an incredible amount of learning beyond the book and another amazing WOM case study for them (and for a non-profit I served). If I hadn’t seen the positive results of the advice doled out in this book myself, I would describe it as the manual on how to build cults … but the good kind.

I am big fan of Shep Hyken and his work. Shep is an incredibly enthusiastic customer experience storyteller, possessing a knack for providing very practical advice to businesses. In this book, he zooms in on one of the most crucial aspects of customer relationships: loyalty.

I fully agree with Shep's viewpoint that many organizations overly concentrate on acquisition, overlooking the fact that cultivating loyal fans and even ambassadors is essential for long-term success.

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara is a fresh take on leadership that emphasizes the power of extraordinary customer service. Guidara, a renowned restaurateur, shares how going beyond what’s expected—by offering "unreasonable" levels of hospitality—can set any organization apart. He breaks down how genuine care, attention to detail, and surprise moments can turn ordinary customer interactions into unforgettable experiences. His lessons aren’t just for restaurants; they’re for any leader who wants to create a service-oriented culture that makes customers feel truly valued. Guidara shows how exceptional hospitality can build deep, lasting relationships with clients and create a culture of excellence within the team that leads to sustained success.

Will Guidara takes us through a journey of excellence that is neither straight nor easy, but his easy style of persistence is achievable in all our lives and organizations.  

Cagan’s book is a deep dive into the principles of modern product management. It expands on the theoretical ideas that Patton introduces in User Story Mapping, and provides many additional tips for engaging customers, experimenting with product ideas, and tracking outcomes. In addition, it deals with the organizational side of product management, so it will be valuable to people working for larger companies that need to manage staff and set up company-wide processes.

Reading this book will help you expand your views of product management, and add lots of additional tools to your thinking process.

I have found over 35 years of selling that when salespeople are 100% focused on helping customers to succeed, they succeed. The essence of this book is that if you can help your clients, for example, to impact the metrics that matter to them, such as reducing costs and wastage and increasing revenue, quality, and productivity, then both the buyer and the seller will win.

I believe that selling should be about helping customers to succeed, and this book contains a host of valuable ideas and methods to help you to do exactly that. My experience has shown me how important it is to ask the right sort of questions to understand a customer’s situation so that the right solution can be provided.

This book provided me with some excellent insights into how to improve the questions that I asked my customers.

The quality of customer experience significantly hinges on the leadership within an organization. Rudy and Henry do an excellent job, using compelling examples and anecdotes, to illustrate how C-level executives can adopt a more customer-centric approach in their leadership.

It's notable that few marketing or consumer experts hold C-level positions, with most executives coming from financial or technical backgrounds. In my view, this book is an invaluable resource for such professionals, aiding them in evolving into more effective leaders focused on customer needs.