8 Nonfiction Books That Have Changed The World
By Guest Columnist Liz Kelly
In celebration of World Book Day ( Sunday April 23, 2023), the Goody Business Book Awards honors 8 nonfiction business books that are making a positive impact on business and humanity. These bestsellers are classic examples of how a book can improve lives in the same eight genres and Amazon categories that are recognized by our own business book awards program.
What makes the Goody Business Book Awards program unique is that it fully honors social impact authors that are making a difference with words, which includes mostly nonfiction business books.
In addition, these eight mega bestsellers were written by authors who’ve helped millions of readers become better business owners, entrepreneurs, leaders, marketers and more. Similarly, they’ve helped people become healthier and happier, increase their wealth and use technology to launch big ideas.
Have you read some nonfiction business books that are improving lives? Then we invite you to nominate any books published in one of our 50 book categories within the past 5 years (2019-2023) for a Goody Business Book Award (2019-2023). The deadline is September 30, 2023.
So here is our list of Top 8 Nonfiction Business Books that continue to make a positive impact:
Business Category
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t By Jim Collins
As one of the best nonfiction business books of all times, “Good To Great” provides benchmarks that set elite companies apart by helping them make the leap from a good company to a great one with excellent stock returns. For example, Collins discusses Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, Merck, among others.
Entrepreneur Category
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results By Gary Keller
With the average attention span of an adult being 8 seconds (Microsoft study in our 8-Second PR book), “The ONE Thing” helps entrepreneurs and readers learn to focus on what matters most in their personal and work lives. By focusing their energy on the one thing that the author asserts, that “by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary,” people can live more rewarding and productive lives.
Health Category
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones By James Clear
As a #1 bestseller, “Atomic Habits” provides a proven framework for improving everyday lives by helping people form good habits, break bad ones, and master tiny behaviors that can lead to remarkable results. The author draws on proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Throughout the book, readers will be inspired by true stories about Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians.
Leadership Category
START WITH WHY: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action By Simon Sinek
To inspire millions, Simon Sinek wrote one of the all-time best nonfiction business books that started a movement. The book demands that leaders define the WHY of their organization and offer purpose-driven work. “START WITH WHY” shows how the leaders who have had the greatest influence in the world all think, act and communicate the same way. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers, who had little in common, are all examples of this.
Marketing Category
This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn To See By Seth Godin
As a recognized marketing expert, Author Seth Godin’s “This is Marketing” helps readers better present their brand to the world in a meaningful way. For example, Godin teaches how to build trust and permission with your target market. In addition, he emphasizes that “the best way to achieve your goals is to help others become who they want to be.”
Money and Wealth Category
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! By Robert T. Kiyosaki (last updated in 2022)
Based on a true story, “Rich Dad Poor Dad” is based on bestselling author Robert T. Kiyosaki’s experience growing up in Hawaii with a “Poor Dad” compared to lessons learned from his friend’s father who was a wealthy entrepreneur and “Rich Dad.” April of 2022 marked the 25-year milestone for this personal finance classic that still ranks as the #1 Personal Finance book of all time. While our world is changing at warp speed, the lessons about money and the principles of Rich Dad Poor Dad are enduring.
Self-Help Category
You Are a Badass®: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life By Jen Sincero
For anyone looking for a self-esteem boost, “You Are a Badass®” is one of the best self-help books you can read. In this game-changing guide, readers will find ways to reshape their mindset and life. Mega-bestselling author and world-traveling success coach Jen Sincero delivers up 27 bite-sized chapters full of entertaining and inspiring stories, advice tips and easy-to-implement exercises. This nonfiction book can help you make some serious changes and start living the life that once seemed impossible.
Technology Category
BOLD: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World (Exponential Technology Series) By Peter H. Diamandis
Written by the Founder of the X-Prize Foundation, “Bold” is one of the most influential nonfiction business books of all time. As a “radical how-to guide,” mega-author Peter H. Diamandis teaches how to use “exponential technologies, moonshot thinking, and crowd-powered tools” to implement big ideas. For example, insights about the power of 3D printing, artificial intelligence, robotics, networks and sensors, and synthetic biology are highlighted. In addition, entrepreneurial secrets by billionaires such as Larry Page, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos are featured.
What are some of your favorite all-time nonfiction business books that positively enhanced your life?
How did the words of that author help you save money, get healthier, live longer, get inspired and more?
Did you know that….
….. if you yourself are an author who wrote a book with a WHY to change the world, you can Nominate Your Book for Goody Business Book Awards in 1-50 categories in these 8 parent genres.
Being recognized as an Award-Winning Author can really make a difference in your book marketing in many ways. And a book award can help you reach more readers through the power of recognition.
Finally, in recognition of World Book Day and to support authors in garnering publicity for their books, Goody Business Book Awards Founder and Author Liz H. Kelly is gifting her how-to do public relations book (eBook version) on Amazon for free: 8-Second PR: New Public Relations Crash Course over World Book Day Weekend (April 20- 23, 2023).
Get your copy TODAY!
