As an avid reader even more so this year than before, I have thought I share the 5 international bestseller books that I love and recommend. Like most people, this year has given us back a lot more time than we are used to and like many people, I picked up latent skills that I had previously had no time for. For me, this has included reading more books in one year than I normally do and I am excited to share what books are on my bedside table that I have been reaching out to every single evening.
“The easiest way to open your mind to new ideas and concepts is to open a book and read, by unknown” this is one of my favourite life quotes. Books have the ability to educate and inspire the young, the old and everyone in between. I am so excited to share the 5 international bestseller books that I love and recommend for anyone interested in; changing habits, investments, understanding mindsets, personal money management tips and much more.
5 International Best Seller Books that I Love and Recommend
When I was young, I was obsessed with reading, my mum used to buy me lots of books to satisfy my reading appetite but somehow along the way I lost that passion. I used to hide in my bedroom closet and read books cover to cover until I finished the book. Reading for me was an escape to another world, I was a child with an overactive imagination and loved the escapism that the books offered me. Believe it or not, I also loved reading dictionaries so I could learn new words that I could impress my friends.
Over the years I have found myself dipping in and out of reading, I would go through phases where I would focus on one genre and that’s all I read. One of my favourite genres is romantic fiction and thrillers but I have found with thrillers I must rather prefer them as a movie than reading it as a book. This year, I decided to read genres that I don’t normally read but I am very interested in. The 5 international bestseller books that I love and recommend in this post are impactful and easy to read.
1. Millionaire teacher
The incredible story of how a schoolteacher built a million-dollar portfolio, and how you can too Most people wouldn’t expect a schoolteacher to amass a million-dollar investment account. But Andrew Hallam did so, long before the typical retirement age. And now, with Millionaire Teacher, he wants to show you how to follow in his footsteps.
By Andrew Hallam
Millionaire Teacher has to be one of my most favourite reads of the year, as an investor myself, I went in blind and shunned financial advisors. I was fortunate to have learned investing at work where I bought company stock by sacrificing a part of my salary every month. Once the company got sold and I made a huge profit, I got the bug and have been investing over the last few years. Andrew is an educator and has made investing money in the stock market easy to understand. In his book Millionaire Teacher, he shares 9 rules of wealth you should have learned in school without too much jargon.
2. Why didn’t they teach me this at school
Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School? Showcases 99 Personal Money Management Lessons to Live by, it was initially developed by the Gary Siegel to pass on to his five children as they entered adulthood. This book is a quick, easily digested read that focuses more on the qualitative side than the quantitative side of personal money management.
by Cary Siegel
When I picked up this book I knew I would love it immediately and I was able to read it within a day and I found all 99 principles well written and easily digestible. Even though Gary meant it for his children, his done other parents a favour by publishing it as some of the principles in this book you only realise you don’t know them when you experience them. I love the lessons on budgeting and saving money as well as investing – these are my two strong points. I definitely recommend buying it for young adults and older folks so refer to it as well.
3. Atomic Habits
If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.
by James Clear
From the moment I picked up this book, I knew I would love it and want to implement all its teachings. You see, I am a goal-orientated person but sometimes I have struggled with goals and didn’t know why they didn’t work out even when they were perfectly laid out. I finally understood after reading Atomic Habits why I didn’t succeed with some of my goals. I had to put systems in place that supported the goals I was trying to achieve. One of the biggest habits I have improved on is my ‘weight-loss goal’ which I turned on its head and made it a goal to become ‘healthier not skinnier’. I put systems in place like buying a water filtering jug and putting a glass next to it, every time I am in the kitchen I drink water, I always ask myself ‘ what would a healthier person eat’ and that helps me make decisions on my meals. I highly recommend this book to everyone, simple daily habits can make a big difference.
4. Mindsets
After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset — those who believe that abilities are fixed — are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset — those who believe that abilities can be developed.
by Carol S. Dweck
Until reading this book, I did not know about ‘mindset’ beyond the meaning of the word and reading this book has opened my mind. Reading through this book I found myself nodding along and having a picture of someone in my life who had a fixed mindset and reassessing whether I fall into the fixed mindset or growth mindset – verdict, I have more growth mindset than fixed. This book is written so well, it’s easy to understand and you are able to look at certain situations in your life and understand if your response to it was from your growth mindset or fixed mindset.
5. Thinking, Fast and Slow
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities—and also the faults and biases—of fast thinking, and reveals the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and behaviour.
by Daniel Kahneman
Another book I want to recommend is thinking, fast and slow – this is the book on my bedside at the moment and I am working through it. It’s truly groundbreaking and gives one a perspective that you may not have thought about before. I am excited to continue reading this book and seeing what else I can learn from the incredible Kahneman.
I am so glad that I have gotten back into reading and I have a few more books that I bought on Amazon for Christmas and can not wait to start reading them and broadening my mind. Are you reading any books at the moment? Have you read any of the books in tis post?
Reading is a way for me to expand my mind, open my eyes and fill up my heart.
Oprah Winfrey
RunCanvas says
Great list, I’m interested in the million teacher book.
Adriana says
This is awesome!! I’m hoping to read one book a week this year ( or somewhere close to it) and this list will really help me out! Thank you.
Fatima Torres says
A good book helps you expand your mind. I haven’t checked out any of these International reads but I will now. Thanks for the recommendations
Merveille says
Oh Waoo! I have never heard of any of these books but just by reading the title and your description of them, I am intrigued. I so want to read these now, especially atomic habits. Thanks for sharing!
Miranda says
I recommend Atomic Habits big time.
Cati says
Ahh so glad I found this post! I have just finished a book and am looking for my next read! I can’t wait to start reading Millionaire Teacher; it sounds right up my street. 🙂
Miranda says
Definitely give Millionaire Teacher a read, it’s very insightful
Brittany Enger says
THIS is a fantastic book guide. I read Atomic Habits this year and I agree that you’ve captured the top quote – it’s the SYSTEM failing us. Nice work – I’ll check out the other ones too…..love that they are “analytical.”
Miranda says
Atomic Habits has definitely taught us a lot and can not wait to implement everything I have learned so far.
Eric Gamble says
Well this just proves to me that I am very much not in the Sales & Corporate world anymore cause we used to read these style of personal growth books all the time. Yet now I have never ever heard of any of them nor their authors. So thank you for the insights. I think personally I would like to read more of the backstory of the Andrew the Millionaire Teacher! What a crazy and interesting story of how he made a million dollars on a teachers salary. That just sounds awesome!
Miranda says
Thanks for your lovely comment, Eric. and yes Andrew has truly inspired a lot of people.