27 David Heinemeier Hansson Recommended Books
David Heinemeier Hansson is a computer programmer, entrepreneur, and author. He is best known for developing the popular open source web application framework Ruby on Rails. He is also the founder and CTO of Basecamp, a popular project management software. He has written several books on programming and entrepreneurship, and is a frequent speaker at technology conferences.
27 Books recommended by David Heinemeier Hansson
Hell Yeah or No
What's worth doing
Author :Derek Sivers
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Don't think I've ever bought a book so quickly after seeing it released!" - DHH [Source]
Punished by Rewards
The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes
Author :Alfie Kohn
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Outlines all the scientific research on why incentive systems don't work." - DHH [Source]
Ruby on Rails Tutorial
Addison-Wesley Professional Ruby Series
Author :Michael Hartl
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Much celebrated." - DHH [Source]
The Myth of the Spoiled Child
Coddled Kids, Helicopter Parents, and Other Phony Crises
Author :Alfie Kohn
- David Heinemeier Hansson"A great book [...], which is even more specific about nurturing and supporting kids and so forth." - DHH [Source]
The 4-Hour Workweek
Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
Author :Tim Ferriss
- David Heinemeier Hansson"My key takeaway from [this book] was the concept of lifestyle design." - DHH [Source]
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The Management Myth
Why the Experts Keep Getting it Wrong
Author :Matthew Stewart
- David Heinemeier Hansson"A funny mix of stories, but it's worth the trip for the historical account of scientific management alone." - DHH [Source]
A Guide to the Good Life
The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
Author :William B. Irvine
- David Heinemeier Hansson"An easy way to learn about [Stoicism] and recognize why this resonates." - DHH [Source]
The Age of Absurdity
Why Modern Life makes it Hard to be Happy
Author :Michael Foley
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Another great book on philosophy in the current age." - DHH [Source]
The Pathology of Normalcy
Author :Erich Fromm
- David Heinemeier Hansson"[The author] has touched on the idea that certain types of mental illness can be looked at in part as the sane reaction to an insane world." - DHH [Source]
Understanding Exposure
How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera
Author :Bryan Peterson
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Probably one of the first primers I read on [improving my photography]." - DHH [Source]
A Doll's House
Author :Henrik Ibsen
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Classic Danish play from the 19th century [...] Surprisingly relevant for today." - DHH [Source]
Turn the Ship Around!
A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders
Author :L. David Marquet
- David Heinemeier Hansson"A wonderful book about a naval [Admiral] that was running one of the worst performing U.S. nuclear submarines and turned it around to be the best performing U.S. submarine." - DHH [Source]
Political Order and Political Decay
From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy
Author :Francis Fukuyama
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Traces back nation states all the way back to 4,000 years B.C. and goes through all the case studies of the rise of China and so forth." - DHH [Source]
Give and Take
Why Helping Others Drives Our Success
Author :Adam Grant
- David Heinemeier Hansson"I almost gave up on the book immediately, but then I'd find a sentence that perked my interest, then read a little more." - DHH [Source]
Escape from Freedom
Author :Erich Fromm
- David Heinemeier Hansson"One of my all-time top ten favorite books. Applies well in both business and politics." - DHH [Source]
The Talent Code
Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.
Author :Daniel Coyle
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Main complaint seems to be 'this is a layman's description of not-new ideas'. I'm just fine with that." - DHH [Source]
I and Thou
Author :Martin Buber
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Treating humans as ends in themselves, not means to an end is perhaps the defining characteristic of humanism." - DHH [Source]
Bullshit Jobs
A Theory
Author :David Graeber
- David Heinemeier Hansson"Essentially a victory lap of the original essay and the response it provoked." - DHH [Source]
The Lost Writings
Author :Franz Kafka
- David Heinemeier Hansson"You're not here for a complete story, a narrative, but to bathe yourself in [the author]'s mind." - DHH [Source]
The Origins of Political Order
From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution
Author :Francis Fukuyama
- David Heinemeier Hansson"[This book and "Political Order and Political Decay" is] a fantastic two-part book." - DHH [Source]
The Road to Wigan Pier
Author :George Orwell
- David Heinemeier Hansson"It’s amazing how much of the abusive ideology revealed in his account of the miners is still present in today’s gig economy." - DHH [Source]
The Big Short
Inside the Doomsday Machine
Author :Michael Lewis
- David Heinemeier Hansson"A good one." - DHH [Source]
FAQs
Q1: What books has David Heinemeier Hansson recommended?
David Heinemeier Hansson has recommended a variety of books, including Radical Candor, Team of Teams, The Lean Startup, Principles and Prejudices, and Thinking in Bets.
Q2: What is the focus of books David Heinemeier Hansson recommends?
A: David Heinemeier Hansson's recommended books often focus on leadership, growth, and entrepreneurship.
Q3: What other resources does David Heinemeier Hansson provide?
David Heinemeier Hansson provides a variety of resources related to his recommended books and his experience as an entrepreneur. He regularly shares his insights on his blog, podcast, and video series.
Q4: How often does David Heinemeier Hansson recommend books?
David Heinemeier Hansson often recommends books throughout the year in response to changes and developments in the industry. He also adds to his recommended list as he discovers more books that he believes to be valuable.
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